Election Road Fever

New Bahamian TV drama unearths the secrets of the wealthy elite

By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas is getting its own version of “Dynasty”, perhaps with a little “Succession” thrown in, with a new scripted television series that seeks to tell the story of the wealthy Gates family - a family that has to wade through the chaos and untangle the lies and secrets unearthed after the passing of its patriarch.

“Beneath the Gates” is described as a bold and riveting new TV drama from creator, writer and executive producer Leandra Lee. The show focuses on the rich Gates family and their drama-filled lives.

“Beneath the Gates”, said Leandra, is a show that explores how the rich and famous live; the impact money and power have on family dynasty, in a way that has never been done before on Bahamian television.

Leandra has spent her career directing and producing TV content in the US and now in the Bahamas.

She is also the founder of Island Queen Productions, a local media production company in Nassau.

“I was inspired to create ‘Beneath the Gates’ because I have always found the lives of the elite and wealthy very interesting and I wanted to tell a compelling narrative about the elites in the Bahamas through the fictional lens of the Gates family. It was my goal to create and develop content I hadn’t seen on Bahamian television before, and that is a narrative that depicts Bahamians in a position of wealth and power,”she told Tribune weekend.

Leandra’s daring and innovative storytelling style, combined with the tropical backdrop of the Bahamas and a juicy storyline, creates a spellbinding tale filled with intrigue, plot twists, romance, and unexpected turns.

“I believe viewers will relate to various themes and storylines of the show. I wholeheartedly feel that viewers may even see themselves reflected in some of the characters,” she said.

“I hope the main takeaway from this production is not to be envious of others’ success, especially if you don’t know the background story of their success.”

To tell the story of the Gates family, Leandra has assembled a talented cast. They include Allaya Hagigal, Ann Marie Hunte, Chigozie Ijeoma, Shad Fer, Lechante Wright, Leslie Ellis Tynes, Khara Arel, Deon Simms, Patrick Deveaux, and Hartman Brown, among others.

The pilot episode will be available on YouTube in January 2022.

There will be six episodes, with plans to begin production on the remaining episodes soon.

THE CAST and crew of ‘Beneath the Gates’