The Duprees reclaim their power with a defiant appearance at the country club. Eva makes a final plea for her mother's love. Martin begins to unravel the truth behind a haunting memory. The Duprees rally around old dreams and new truths. Kat quietly prepares for war, refusing to let Eva claim a place in the family. Eva searches for connection on her birthday. Kat turns the tables with a bold move that could finally bring Leslie down. Doug finds himself out of options. Nicole contemplates a life-changing move.
Episode 1.50
Leslie's actions destroyed many lives. The majority of them were intentional too. She wanted to inflict pain on Ted and the Dupree family for keeping him away from her. Other lives ruined were simply inconsequential. Mona investigated to unearth the lies Leslie told her. She is furious at the people who wormed their way into her life and damaged her reputation for good. The family says they don't blame her. Mona can't trust that. She has to take action now to solidify her devotion to her job and the family. That's basically what everyone wants from Ted too. So many members of the family felt compelled to march over to his hotel and read him for what he did. He pledges to forever love Nicole. He will spend the rest of his life trying to make things up to his family. That requires action. He wasn't even aware that Leslie continues to invade the lives of his loved ones. That serves as proper motivation for him to take action. Leslie foolishly believes Ted can love her again. She acts with such confidence. People are skilled at figuring out when she's genuine. She could deceive them previously. Now that her intentions are known, no one believes a single thing she has to say. That's smart. It's a way to protect themselves from more damage. Eva deserves more compassion. Yet Anita remains justified in telling her that she will never be a member of the Dupree family. She says that even while hoping Ted steps up as an honorable father for all three of his children. No one knows what the future holds. In fact, Kat aspires to be just as vindictive as Leslie was. The source of this drama deserves to be hurt. Nicole doesn't exactly respond well to that sentiment. She wants the family to find a way to accept that Eva is Ted's daughter. They don't need a relationship with her. The truth must be acknowledged. That's the only way to move forward. Nicole verifies the DNA results. She knows what the science is telling her. For others, their emotions dictate their actions. Some can resist their impulses. Vanessa doesn't sleep with Joey. Others succumb to temptation easily - like Doug relapsing at the poker table.
Grade: B+
Episode 1.51
Just as much drama and gossip occurs at Orphey Gene's as the country club. Nicole faced her fear of going out in public. She was met by Ted and Eva. Ted is stepping up as a parent. Eva is grateful to have that kind of relationship with him. She pleads with her mother to love and accept her once more. And yet, Leslie refuses to see beyond the betrayals. Everyone has turned against her. She can't allow them back into her life. Eva genuinely loves her. That's not enough. It's crushing. No parent should treat their child that way. That is pointed out repeatedly. Meanwhile, it stings for Nicole to see Ted with Eva. She understands how good it is. She is still mourning the loss of her marriage. Ted remains hopeful. He's taking action now. That may still not be good enough. Moreover, this scandal serves as the wakeup call to Martin about his presidential aspirations. He is gambling with more than just his life. The entire family will suffer if his secret is revealed. That may be inevitable. The dreams have only grown more intense. They still remain painfully vague. It's a tease of story instead of delving fully into it. Of course, that's more interesting than the latest relationship hurdle for Derek and Ashley. They are aware of what's going on in town. Ashley knows to stay away from Leslie without Jan needing to warn her. It simply doesn't work to keep Derek and Ashley isolated together. They need more connections to the larger narrative in order to work. If they are tangential to the Dupree family, then the story needs to provide some sense of drama or urgency. That's present with Joey once again threatening Doug. He will have to make good on those threats at some point. He shares his ambition of using Vanessa's firm to launder money. That's what this has all been about. She remains in the dark. Nicole knows the vice that has plagued Doug. She can't warn her best friend. That's partly driven by the devastation in her own life. She needs the emotional support from others. She also has confidentiality concerns due to Doug seeing her as a patient.
Grade: B-
Episode 1.52
Martin is willing to embrace Eva as part of the Dupree family. He's essentially the only one willing to take that step. He sees the importance in getting to know his new sister. He views her as a victim of Leslie's drama just like everyone else. He wants others to accept her too. He can't make those choices for them. He is only in charge of his own life. Right now, the focus is on family. He shares his presidential ambitions. He has found peace in letting them go. That's not the only way he can be of service. Family is more important. That's meaningful. It closes one chapter while not letting go of the intrigue that could blow everything up. Elsewhere, the episode felt like it was quietly keeping the fires burning on a number of plots. Anita was terrified of trying to stage a reunion with The Articulettes. She accepts it knowing that Vernon will support her no matter what. Yet she's met with silence on the other end of the line when she reaches out. This may not be possible. The support of the family is significant. The world wants to see her perform. Personal animosity that has festered over decades may be difficult to overcome. Meanwhile, Bill continues to profess his love for Hayley. However, he refuses to tell her about the numbness in his hand. That's the key insight during their scenes. Most of the time is about them connecting romantically. The same is essentially true of Dani and Andre. Their connection is noticed by Dani. She's not in the right place to push further for answers from her sister and nephew. She loves them both. She needs their support. She's still struggling to make it all work. She knows the answers as a therapist. She just needs the reminders to apply them to her life. She has that in Dani. It's so rewarding to see their sibling bond. That dynamic is crucial. It could potentially be seen in the younger generation too. That requires more effort from Martin, Kat and Eva. This isn't the most dramatic episode. It's mostly presented as a slice of life for these characters. That allows the bonds to feel lived in. Plus, the heightened drama is never too far removed either.
Grade: B-
Episode 1.53
Nicole no longer recognizes her husband after learning about his affair. That is now literally true as the series experiences its first recast. Curiously, no reason has been given as to why Maurice Johnson is no longer playing Ted. Keith D. Robinson slips into the role. The character doesn't undergo any serious changes. He still pleads with his loved ones for forgiveness. He offers a more in depth explanation for his actions. Kat fears her life was the only thing that kept her parents together. She then spins out convinced Leslie and Eva were responsible for Laura's accident. Her instincts are correct once more. Leslie believes no evidence implicates her. Yet Kat has already gotten more strategic in catching these liars. She's terrified by the level of detail Leslie showcases about the accident. She laid a trap perfectly. It may not be enough. At least she is asking the right question. Eva knows her mother should be concerned. However, Leslie continues to mistreat her. She relies on Eva for emotional support. She doesn't treat her as her daughter. She forgets her birthday. It's all about whether Leslie is willing to forgive Eva for betraying their plan. The focus is never on whether Eva can forgive her mother. She has always been expected to love her. She had to do whatever Leslie wanted. Eva fought for her own agency. She lost so much in the process. She wants to get to know Ted as her father. She doesn't want to ruin any more lives. But Leslie is still around causing drama. She's furious by the cease and desist letter Bill sent. He continues to lie about how he intimidated her in the past. That's his natural instinct. His daughters want the truth from him. He doesn't provide it. As such, their imaginations are allowed to run wild. They don't know what he is capable of. Ted speaks on Bill's behalf. That's not reassuring. Naomi doesn't have to be in Bill's orbit any more. She's busy concerned about June in the hospital and helping Ashley through her relationship struggles. They aren't the most exciting stories. They provide purpose outside of the family. It's truly her own life and story. She's proud of that. Yet no one can easily escape the mess caused by Ted and Leslie either. It touches all of their lives.
Grade: B
Episode 1.54
Kat has the right instinct to suspect Leslie and Eva had the most to benefit from Laura's accident. However, she remains blinded in her rage towards Eva. She's convinced she was the one on the motorcycle. It's smart that she presents her evidence to Jacob. He is already invested in the case. He wants to figure out what happened. He appears level-headed when he confronts Leslie. He views the situation differently than Kat. Yes, they are all family. They can never escape from each other. However, Jacob also has responsibilities as a cop. He was disappointed in himself previously. He tries to step up and do the right thing. He's genuine in taking this information and digging deeper. He doesn't have ulterior motives. That's in contrast to Bill who is always stirring the plot. He promises Hayley that they won't have to deal with the Duprees. And then, he continues to insert himself in their lives. There is no reason for him to do so either. He still wishes to exploit these connections. He's dangerous because of the secrets he carries. Smitty knows something more is going on with Martin. He actually talks about it. Of course, he doesn't know that Nicole is unaware of Martin's nightmares. They know his political ambitions. It's startling to see him drop them completely. It's easy to blame Ted's betrayal. It's not the only factor. That requires further examination. Nicole gets distracted by the idea of selling the house. Vanessa is a true friend by talking her out of it. Nicole can't make any lasting decisions right now. She never has a moment of peace. Ted is taking more actions now. They haven't been directed toward Nicole. Instead, he listens to Leslie as she talks about the pain of losing him. Eva always served as a reminder of that. She's wrong for abandoning Eva. She doesn't deserve that vitriol. It's how Leslie rationalizes everything. Meanwhile, it's glorious to watch Vernon uplift Anita. He provides her with the confidence to reach out to her former bandmates. She fears the pain of the past. Sharon wouldn't speak to her. Meanwhile, Tracy is willing to drop everything to visit. Anita has selfish reasons for reaching out. Yet these connections can be genuine once more. They already remind Anita of so many cherished memories. She's grateful to Vernon for inspiring all of this.
Grade: B
