A Chicago woman, Irna Phillips, birthed the daytime serial — and a Chicago woman, Michele Val Jean, is ushering in new interest in the genre.

Val Jean has written for several shows, including Generations, Santa Barbara, General Hospital and The Bold and the Beautiful. Now, she’s the creative force driving Beyond the Gates, the newest American soap, which debuted on CBS in February. The drama features a core Black family, the Duprees, who live outside Washington, D.C. It’s full of delicious soapy drama, with slaps, villains, cliffhangers and fabulous clothes.

Val Jean talks about her career, from writing the infamous catfight scene on Generations and revisiting the Luke and Laura rape on General Hospital to the joy she feels watching the reception of Beyond the Gates.