BTG: History, Behind the Scenes Articles & Photos

[vanguard]

Interesting. So no pushback or delays then.

[Liberty City]

Friday's press release still states "early 2025".

[Chris B]

The last two years CBS released their midseason schedule on November 7th and 13th so that should give us an idea of when to expect a premiere date. 

[vanguard]

Since taping begins next month I'm going to reiterate this tidbit of advisable information to TPTB just in case they read message boards (and I believe they do). 

You've got to start this off with some kind of an interesting draw AND seek to maintain a steady momentum. I feel this is even more important now since we're dealing with a bunch of unknowns.

I'm probably going to reiterate this one more time AFTER the show has debuted.

[Liberty City]

I have faith in what they're bringing us.

[Slutty Shauna Fan]

Maybe for America but if CBS wants international or maximum national dollars catering a show to a minority that is prevalent in one country is not a great business decision.

On the TV side I don't think Tyler Perry shows have done very well internationally at all or really even nationally if we're being honest. Empire was big in America for a couple of years but fizzled soon after and was never popular overseas.

Bipoc movies that have tended to do well either have a list talent (Bad Boys) or are part of a franchise or universe (Black Panther). Us did very well domestically but not nearly so well internationally. West Side Story 2021 had topical subject matter with a diverse cast and bombed.  Let's not talk about The Book of Clarence or The Woman King either.

Shonda never said Greys Anatomy is a AA show though. She made a point of inclusivity and made sure the BIPOC characters were not tokenistic and central to the plot. She also let the writing and stories speak for themselves whilst catering to a broad demographic she didn't alienate. Her niche shows like Bridgerton didn't have to compete on broadcast either. 

 

Are you? What do people want in a soap then, a documentary of real life? If you're trying to say presently the writing is weak and insipid on most soaps then I agree with you.

The ratings get mentioned because it's relevant.

Comes across fake as hell, well it is in a fake as hell fictional setting. We already live in a world when most viewers cannot separate actors and their political affiliation and either personally cancel them or take their beefs on social media and message boards. Can you imagine if they made Nikki Newman a Trumper or said who she voted for in the election? It would create a shitstorm because either way someone would invariably get offended and something which advertisers would not be happy about.

Maybe the reason why the surviving soaps are so milquetoast is because the audience can't handle the boat being rocked and the advertisers are more skittish than ever before.

 

[Vee]

It's a bit late to complain that Beyond the Gates is a Black-run show featuring a majority Black cast. Good luck with B&B though.

[Slutty Shauna Fan]

Probably for the best given they tape soon and you don't want much lag time time like DooL and the Body & Soul mess. Plus The Talk is off in December so they probably want to keep momentum and not let the audience drift away too much.

Still I hope their aren't antics like the Insurrection or media controversies surrounding the Inauguration that creates preemptions.

[dc11786]

I am struggling to follow your train of thought here. The show was developed out of a desire to cultivate program to a specific market that historically been overlooked. This is a show that is about people of color being developed by people of color as part of a partnership between CBS and the NAACP. CBS wasn't looking to develop a new soap opera and decided let's choose this one. It was Sheila Duckworth who suggested a soap opera as part of the partnership between CBS and the NAACP. If CBS was actively trying to revive daytime drama, and had solicited different projects, I think I could see your point of view more, but there don't appear to be concerns about this. 

For years, there has been talk about the significant the size of the African American soap viewership. If CBS didn't think they would make profit, I doubt they would have followed through with this. Given that the marketing plan also seems different (wasn't there an announcement about an outside agency), I don't think international sales are where they are looking here. 

Catering to people of color is the business decision. I don't think that's going to change nor should it. 

[Maxim]

Are you for real? 

[Slutty Shauna Fan]

I'm not complaining at all just being objective and not reactionary.

Not sure what the good luck with B&B comment means, I don't watch it anymore. 

[Vee]

So if you have an opinion on a Black soap being too Black it's objective, and if anyone disagrees it's reactionary. Got it.

[ReddFoxx]

Of course the "concern" about race had to eventually come up. International viewership is not strictly European because the Caribbean and certain parts of Africa are part of that market as well. A majority Black cast won't hamstring the show for Europe. But international viewership is something that will only be an option if the show is a real success and success will be contingent on the American audience.

[Slutty Shauna Fan]

Yes, you're right and I agree with you. It was made to capitalize on a neglected demographic, the AA audience and garner ad dollars.

I just don't believe, because no evidence has been supplied to my knowledge, that there is enough ad dollars to support this project and that CBS is greatly over estimating the appeal and AA viewers. Has there been any reports or surveys that have been publically released to back up all this anecdotal evidence? I don't have an agenda that is just my personal belief. Either way we'll see how it plays out in a couple of months.

I definitely think CBS is looking at the international market. They own tv stations in Australia and the UK and they have Paramount+ which is a built in nexus to many other countries. CBS has seen how well BB does around the world (It still airs in many countries and when I researched a couple of months ago it was probably the one soap that had the best foreign international sales figures) and they don't see any of that money.

CBS/Paramount+ as a brand is struggling right now and owning another show which they can directly profit off would be beneficial.

Just to clarify I would love BTG to do well and thrive and show that the genre is still worth investing in with great uptapped potential I just don't think this one project is going to be viable for lots of reasons least of which is the casting.

 

No focusing on any minority and marketing it solely towards any one group and discounting all other demographics is just a risky business decision. If BTG was about middle aged white women in Florida I'd still voice my reservations.

[Vee]

I love when these rando accounts come out of suspended animation to pull crazy shít. It's a consistent pattern on SON over the last 5 years at least. Almost always the same type of minimal to suddenly high activity volume and attention-getting behavior. Never gets old.