The announcement of a new Black daytime drama, The Gates, from CBS Studios and Michele Val Jean, has rekindled interest in the recurring elements of daytime soaps through the lens of Black stars. This development presents an opportunity to explore the unique dynamics and storylines that have shaped the genre and how they intersect with the experiences of Black characters.

One of the hallmarks of daytime soaps is the exploration of complex relationships and family dynamics. In Black daytime dramas, these elements are often portrayed with a nuanced understanding of Black families' specific challenges and triumphs. The characters grapple with issues such as colorism, interracial relationships, and the impact of systemic racism on their lives. These storylines provide a platform for authentic representation and allow viewers to connect with characters who reflect their own experiences.

With the announcement of The Gates, we thought it was a good time to revisit the recurring elements of daytime soaps through its Black stars. 

Core families are the lifeblood of soap operas. The Young and the Restless started out with a focus on the Fosters and gradually shifted focus to the Newmans, but we're here to talk about the Barber-Winters.

Introduced in the early 90s via Victoria Rowell's Druscilla Barber and Kristoff St. John's Neil Winters, the Barber-Winters family kept Black viewers locked in. This was mostly due to Dru's tryst with Neil's brother Malcolm (Shemar Moore), which resulted in a pregnancy and the longstanding question of Lily's paternity. With Rowell departing the show in 2007 and St. John sadly passing in 2019, Christel Khalil's Lily Winters is the senior-most character representing the family on screen today. She's joined by adopted brother Devon Hamilton (Bryton James, of Family Matters fame) and they have a cousin, Justin Barber,  over on The Bold & The Beautiful.

Daytime soaps have always been about "love in the afternoon," so romance is a defining factor. While core families are the engine of soaps, super couples compete for magazine covers and inspire debates in the office break room if there is a love triangle. You had General Hospital's iconic Luke and Laura, Days of Our Lives' Bo and Hope, and Y&R's Victor and Nikki, for example.

One of the most iconic couples of the 80s was All My Children's Jesse and Angie Hubbard. Portrayed by Darnell Williams and the incomparable, the pairing was created to draw in younger viewers. After Jesse died from a gunshot wound, Angie found love with "Jacob", a Jesse lookalike on sister soap Loving. Jesse's ghost would later appear to old friends on AMC, only to return very much alive in the show's later years. All of these soap opera machinations were designed to preserve the pairing of Williams and Morgan since it was difficult for viewers to accept them with anyone but each other. 

Star Power

Daytime soaps have been known as a launching pad for several famous Hollywood stars, or a landing spot between stage gigs for East Coast performers. One Life To Live, during its run, employed a who's who of some of our faves, like Phylica Rashad, Larry Fishbourne, Tika Sumpter and Renee Ellis Goldberry (as sisters!), and Valerie Pettiford, known to many as Half & Half's "Big DeeDee."

And who could forget the late Chadwick Boseman's AMC stint as Reggie Montgomery, only to be recast with his future Black Panther co-star Michael B. Jordan?

OLTL was always intended to depict a diverse community, and this was embodied by the character of Carla Gray. Ellen Holly portrayed the format's first lead Black character, but in a controversial storyline, Carla hid her racial identity by posing as Italian-American. It was the late 60s, after all. Aside from her super-pairing with Al Freeman Jr.'s Ed Hall, she was also paired with white romantic leads, much to the chagrin of some Southern broadcasters at the time. 

But soaps aren't just about social issues, sweeping romance and familial bonds. 

Generations had a brief run, but goes down in history for two important reasons. One, it began with a core Black family (the Marshalls) rather than adding one as time went on. Two, the infamous catfight! 

Before Cookie and Boo Boo Kitty, there was Doreen and Maya, portrayed by Jonelle Allen and Vivica A. Fox, respectively. Maya didn't approve of her father's love for Doreen and it came to a boil in Doreen's apartment after a charity event. Furniture moved and blood was drawn, and they would've killed each other if not for Adam Marshall (a pre-Y&R Kristoff St. John) intervening. We'll always appreciate Generations for allowing its Black characters to get as down and dirty as their white counterparts, and we can't wait to see if The Gates has the guts to do the same.