Beyond the Gates: Season 1 in review and what's in store for seasn 2

BTG: The first year

Beyond the Gates has enjoyed a historic first year as the first new network soap opera in over 25 years since Generations on NBC. Since its debut on February 24, 2025, BTG has carved out a solid niche on CBS, even as it navigates the typical growing pains of a new daytime drama.

The ratings story is a bit of a "glass half full" or half-empty situation. The daytime drama has been a significant win for CBS compared to The Talk, which previously was in the time slot.) BTG has approximately 48% in total viewership and 67% in multiplatform viewing.

A drawback is Beyond the Gates airs at the same time as ABC’s General Hospital. GH has a loyal fan base that goes back 60 years. BTG has at times been in the lead with the key Women 25-54 demographic. Recently, in late January 2026, the show hit a series record in total viewership, partly aided by a massive U.S. snowstorm that kept more people at home.

While the soap has high peaks, it has occasionally struggled with consistency in the younger Women 18-49 demographic, sometimes hitting series lows that mirror the final days of The Talk.

The future for Beyond the Gates looks promising. CBS has already renewed the show for a second season, which began in February.

Changes are coming to Fairmont Crest

There were only 200 episodes in season 1, but season 2 is set to feature 238 The goal is to eventually reach the 250-episode standard of veteran soaps like The Young and the Restless.

To boost visibility, CBS is leaning into its "soap universe." You can expect high-profile crossovers, including a visit from Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and other Genoa City residents from Y&R to Fairmont Crest for a political fundraiser.

New Faces: Soap veterans like Jordi Vilasuso (Y&R, Days) and Greg Vaughan (Days, GH) have joined the cast to stir up fresh drama.

Evolving Storylines: The show is tackling heavy-hitting arcs, most notably Anita Dupree’s (Tamara Tunie) breast cancer journey, which has garnered significant praise for its emotional depth.

Fans weigh in

Fans on social media have pointed out that while the "prestige" branding is strong, they are hoping for more deep-dive character development as the show moves into its second year to keep the audience "hooked" long-term. Some fans have complained that BTG was billed as a "Black soap' but now is more diverse.

CBS recently confirmed that a massive "landmark" crossover event is coming this summer. While specific daily dates (like "June 12th") haven't been locked into the public schedule yet, we have the full details on who is coming and why.

The Grand Summer Crossover

This crossover, coming in June is being billed as the most ambitious crossover in daytime history, moving beyond a simple "walk-on" role to a multi-episode story arc.

The residents of Genoa City travel to Maryland for a high-profile political fundraiser at Fairmont Crest hosted by the Dupree family. Victor Newman is set to be the keynote speaker for Martin Richardson's campaign.

CBS has teased that during the fundraiser, a "shocking event" occurs that will have long-term consequences for both shows.

Who will crossover?

Six major Young and the Restless power players are confirmed to appear on Beyond the Gates:

Victor Newman (Eric Braeden)

Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman)

Devon Hamilton (Bryton James)

Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway)

Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor)

Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters)

Current storylines

Dr. Kial Rollins: Days of Our Lives vet Greg Vaughan just made his debut. On February 5, he went on a high-stakes date with Nicole, sparking a major rivalry with Ted.

The Country Club Gossip: Anita (Tamara Tunie) is currently facing off against the neighborhood's biggest gossip, Anastasia, in episodes airing the week of February 2–6.

The June crossover is a "multi-episode arc" that is likely to take up a full week of programming. Keep a lookout for the late-May previews to catch the exact Monday everything kicks off on Beyond the Gates.