When CBS’ soap opera “Beyond the Gates” premiered in February, soap opera fans and veterans alike hailed it as a win for Black history and culture.
On Monday, the first soap to feature a majority Black cast was renewed for a second season. Its creation was both a savvy business move and an acknowledgment of Black viewers’ passion for the genre as broadcast ratings have declined.
George Cheeks, the CBS chief, told Vulture last year the show was born out of crunching numbers: “One of the things that the data made very clear is that daytime soap operas over index with Black women.”
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