“Beyond the Gates” is true to the daytime soap formula. There’s jaw-dropping drama, over-the-top antics, forbidden romances, intricate plots, vile villains and more. And this only sums up the first week of episodes, which kicked off on Monday at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on CBS. (The show is also available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.)

The first thing viewers of “Beyond the Gates” see is a black Mercedes gliding past manicured lawns and stately estates.

Soap operas, or melodramas with massive ensemble casts, have been a staple in popular culture for nearly a century. Though long-running soaps like “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “General Hospital” have dominated day-time television for decades,