Film & TV
‘Beyond the Gates’ Brings Must-see Drama, Romance, and Black Excellence To Daytime Television
CBS premiered its brand new show, Beyond the Gates, marking a significant milestone in television history as the first new daytime soap opera to debut on a major American broadcast network in over 25 years. The last time viewers welcomed a daytime soap was in 1999 with NBC’s Passions. Beyond the Gates, however, brings a different kind of groundbreaking energy to the genre through its addictive plot and a brilliant cast comprised of Black veteran actors and newcomers.
The Duprees are a prominent, multi-generational family living in the gated community of Fairmont Crest in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. Storylines have nothing to do with the current political climate but instead with internal family turmoil that slowly begins to taint the image of the Duprees to the outside world.
Tony Award nominee and Broadway powerhouse Clifton Davis (Vernon Dupree) is the head of this family unit alongside Law and Order SVU star Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree). Daphne Duplaix and Karla Mosley co-star as the couple’s daughters (Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson and Dani Dupree Hamilton).
Vernon is the patriarch and a retired senator who played a key role in the Civil Rights movement. His wife, Anita, is a Chicago native and a former singer who gave birth to Nicole and Dani shortly after the two got married.
Viewers can immediately witness the power of the Duprees within their community during the first few minutes of episode one. The initial scene shows a radiant Anita driving into Fairmont Crest’s Country Club in a limousine and exiting the vehicle, revealing an eye-catching shiny trouser suit.
The Dupree matriarch meets with daughters Nicole and Dani, who struggles following her divorce from Bill Hamilton. Later in the episode, Dani is seen at a club with Hayley, Bill’s Fiancee, who had an affair with him during their marriage. To Dani’s surprise, Hayley is there to retrieve the keys to the house on Marigold Road (the same land on which her grandfather built the Fairmont Crest Community). This turn of events is one of many unexpected moments from the series’ first hour.
The first Black female executive producers in all of daytime drama – Sheila Ducksworth and Val Jean – spoke about the significance of ‘Beyond The Gates’.
” I’d say it’s been a couple of decades in the making that I’ve wanted to actually produce and make a soap opera,” Ducksworth told CBS Mornings. “But what I felt was missing was one that centered on the Black experience.”
“I just wanted to see people that looked like me,” Jean told CBS Mornings. “I didn’t want downtrodden Black people. I wanted rich, messy Black people that carry the stories.”
To make the show more realistic of the black experience, a crew of more than 200 people worked around the clock to bring the show to life, including seasoned professionals in Black Hair and makeup.
Fans can discover how the Duprees navigate their new realities by streaming the soap opera on Paramount+ or watching it live on CBS.
Each of the episodes of Smoke — a nine-episode crime drama that debuted on Apple TV+ on June 27, 2025 — is a gripping exploration of arson, trauma, and moral ambiguity. Developed by Dennis Lehane and adapted from the Firebug podcast, the series follows arson investigator Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton) and detective Michelle Calderon (Jurnee Smollett) as they search for two serial arsonists through the fictional Pacific Northwest town of Umberland. Featuring a terrific array of characters and a generally cool smoky look, Smoke generates a good deal of interest but does not quite seem to achieve full narrative traction.
Set against a chilling and atmospheric backdrop, the series is a riveting, twisting, and insidious mystery that will have readers on the edge of their seats until the finale. The show explores themes such as guilt, narcissism, and self-deception through the use of fire as a metaphor for moral and emotional decay. It begins as a typical cop show, but evolves into a twisty narrative that challenges expectations, though some plot turns sometimes feel abrupt or underdeveloped.
The ensemble is a highlight. Taron Egerton is excellent as the former firefighter-turned-investigator Dave Gudsen, a man of entangled desires and weaknesses. Jurnee Smollett is right there with him as Michelle Calderon, channeling steely resolve and emotional complexity into a detective wrestling with her own history. Supporting players like Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, who portrays the enigmatic Freddy Fasano, and Greg Kinnear, as the fire chief, are also doing a brilliant job. As a lonely soul in agony, Mwine gives us something frighteningly real.
Smoke is a worthy binge for those who enjoy character-driven crime dramas, tinged by Egerton and Smollett’s riveting performances. Although its sleek execution and psychological richness keep it compelling, the show doesn’t always fulfill the promise of its early episodes, stumbling into an overly repetitive, overly ambitious storytelling scope. Yet, it’s a strong addition to Apple TV+’s expanding roster of prestige dramas, ideal for those who like their mysteries slow-burning and a bit dark.
Smoke is available on Apple TV+. New episodes drop weekly through August 15, 2025.
Film & TV
Keke Palmer Is A Criminal Mastermind in ‘The Pickup’ Starring Eddie Murphy & Pete Davidson (Trailer)
Amazon MGM Studios has released the official trailer for The Pickup, an upcoming action-comedy film starring Keke Palmer, Eddie Murphy, and Pete Davidson. The trailer offers a glimpse into a high-stakes heist story. Directed by Tim Story, the film will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on August 6, 2025.
The trailer introduces a fast-paced narrative centered on a routine cash delivery gone awry. Murphy plays Russell, a seasoned armored truck driver, and Davidson portrays Travis, his less-experienced colleague. Their ordinary workday takes a dramatic turn when they are ambushed by a group of criminals led by Zoe, played by Palmer, who is described as a savvy mastermind with plans extending beyond the cash cargo. The clip reveals that Zoe’s scheme involves a $60 million casino heist, and she leverages personal connections—Travis’s recent one-night stand with her and a threat to Russell’s wife, played by Eva Longoria—to force the duo’s cooperation.
Helmed by Story, known for Barbershop, Ride Along, and The Blackening, The Pickup is produced by Story’s The Story Company, alongside John Davis and John Fox of Davis Entertainment, and Eddie Murphy and Charisse Hewitt-Webster via Eddie Murphy Productions. The screenplay is written by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider (The Package). Executive producers include Vicky Mara Story, Jeremy Stein, Kevin Burrows, Ross Fanger, and Matt Mider.
Principal photography took place in Atlanta beginning in April 2024, though an on-set accident during second-unit filming of an action scene resulted in injuries to crew members, as previously reported.
Watch the trailer for The Pickup below.
Film & TV
Disneyland Launches 70th Anniversary Celebrations, Brings Even More Fun & Joy To The Most Magical Place On Earth
Last Friday, May 16, Disneyland launched their 70th Anniversary celebrations and we had to check out all the fun. After arriving and settling in at the Disneyland Hotel, we headed straight to the welcome center, which was set up at Disney’s Grand Californian. The welcome center served as a one-stop shop to grab our credentials and tons of great merch – then it was off to California Adventure Park for the new Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!
This parade featured many of our favorite characters from Luca, Turning Red, Up, The Incredibles, Monsters Inc, Coco and Toy Story. After the parade we had a few hours until our dinner plans so we headed to Guardians of the Galaxy Breakout ride — which is definitely something you want to do on an empty stomach. The ride features some pretty serious drops, so anyone with motion sickness should be forewarned. That said — we had a ball and are now adding this one to the list of rides we’ll be returning to over and over again for every Disneyland/ California Adventure park trip.
Next stop was the Incredicoaster — which is one of our favorite rollercoasters at ANY park. So much fun and the view of the park from the top is amazing. Pixar Pier is such an incredible feature — but honestly California Adventure Park is just a vibe all its own anyway.
After such satisfying thrills, we were starving so we headed to Downtown Disney District for a quick dinner at Naples Ristorante. The Caesar salad and shrimp penne hit the spot, along with a spicy margarita style cocktail. We’d packed in so much fun already, but there was no time for a nap. Next we headed to check out the Disney Junior: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! Show. This one is designed for the kiddos and there is a big carpet where everyone sits as Mickey and Minnie go looking for their friends Goofy and Pluto and bust out some dance moves along the way. There are also some special treats like bubbles and fake snow that make for great entertainment for the little ones in the audience. This was so much fun, but the fun wasn’t done!
There’s nothing like Pixar Pier at night — and we had the perfect viewing spot facing the Mickey Ferris Wheel to watch the new World of Happiness show featuring an intro by the Muppets and appearances from the Inside Out characters. The colorful projection and light show plays out over the bay at the pier, with lights dancing on top of the water and projecting out into the sky. There’s some amazing effects with smoke and fireworks and it’s the perfect way to close out the night.
The following day we had lunch in Downtown Disney at the Vista Parkside Market. We tried so much good food, but the chicken sandwich from GG’s Chicken Shop and the beef dumplings from Seoul Sister were my favorite. We also sampled a butterfly pea flower coconut vanilla slushie called The Monarch from Sip + Sonder, the Black woman owned coffee café there that serves lattes, fresh treats, frozen drinks and Caribbean-inspired bites at Parkside Market. Co-founders Amanda-Jane Thomas and Shanita Nicholas were on site answering questions.
“It’s been cool to see the expansion in a space that has such a wide variety of visitors,” Nicholas told Hollywood Melanin about bringing Sip + Sonder to the Downtown Disney District. The venue is their third, with other locations in Inglewood and Downtown Los Angeles.
“It’s a place of joy and that’s so centered in the company’s ethos,” Nicholas added. “Having joy, sharing joys even when there are difficult times, you can infuse joy with family and friends and community, Disneyland and joy go together.”
We can’t wait to go back and try The Hummingbird, Sip + Sonder’s Jamaican Sorrel Slushie.
Once we got properly fueled up it was time to hit Disneyland, where we caught the Celebrate Happy Cavalcade, another day-time parade which now features some new characters, before hitting Space Mountain and Indiana Jones for some thrills, we did Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and got soaked!
A little water didn’t stop us from turning up at The Happiest Dinner on Earth over in Fantasyland, where we ran into some of our favorite creators. After dinner we previewed the Tapestry of Happiness projection show and then caught the Paint the Night Parade – so cool – Ariel’s float was our favorite. A trip to Disney is never complete without fireworks and the Wondrous Journeys Nighttime Spectactular at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle was the perfect way to close out.
Thanks for having us Disneyland!
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Smoke Review: A Slow-Burn Thriller with Standout Performances
Keke Palmer Is A Criminal Mastermind in ‘The Pickup’ Starring Eddie Murphy & Pete Davidson (Trailer)
