Nicole confronts Ted about yet another secret he's been harboring. Anita tries to ease Vernon's guilt. Eva stands her ground with Kat. Allison is in need of medical attention. Leslie uses her injury to further her agenda. Jacob questions a family member about a police matter. Madison thinks Chelsea is getting played. Vernon comes clean to Naomi. Nicole confronts Bill about how he's hurt Martin. Kat is unnerved by what she walks in on. Pamela has an intriguing offer for Dani. Hayley wonders if her husband is in deep trouble.
Episode 1.94
Anita and Vernon wanted to protect their daughters from the world's violence. They advocated for change. They are proud of the progress made. The world has been better for their children. That instinct was still their motivation after Martin and Vernon were attacked. They needed to shield their daughters from the truth. It was all about protecting them. They didn't need to share the burden. Now, Anita and Vernon decide it's best for Nicole and Dani to know what's been going on with Martin. The secret is spreading out amongst the family. Nicole lashes out at Ted for lying to her again. He did what he was told. He didn't think Nicole could help their son grapple with killing a man. Instead, it was better to forget it ever happened. Ted had the luxury of missing out on the day's events. He was in surgery. Nicole learning about the deception is yet another reason why they can't rekindle their love. He thought their reunion was inevitable. Nicole allowed the thought to linger even though she couldn't accept it right now. With all that she has learned, she doesn't see how she can trust him again. He dismissed her. He believes he was justified. Anita and Vernon still try to explain their actions as well. In hindsight, they would have handled things differently. Right now, they just need to support their family.
Nicole is there for Martin. She isn't angry. She sees how destructive the family has been for a long time. She is no longer blind to the truth. The only person she confides in is her sister. That bond is unbreakable. Dani will support Nicole no matter what. Nicole sees the hard path ahead. She has to set her ego aside to help Martin. Rest is required. That's the important thing. Bill is confident the threat has been handled. He was so busy with that that he forgot to address the lawsuit for Chelsea. He conveniently blames it on the stroke. He allows his daughter to see him as human. It's a cover. He aims to protect her as well. He can't allow anything to disrupt rebuilding their relationship. This family frustrates one another. They always protect each other too. Jacob doesn't see himself as part of that pact. He can't ignore it if someone broke the law. Naomi wants to calm his fears. She gives voice to every angle of this potential story. His concerns about Martin and Elon are correct. He will have a choice to make. One that could destroy this family. It will shatter his worldview. That's pivotal. That tension is juicy. And then, the episode stalls out a little bit with Ashley and Derek using Andre and Shanice to make each other jealous. It just doesn't have the stakes to match the intensity and intrigue elsewhere.
Grade: B
Episode 1.95
Kat took a calculated risk that Eva wouldn't tell Ted about what happened with the accreditation. She was right. Eva didn't confess to her father what happened. Instead, she found a way to become the miraculous savior of the clinic. She fixed the problem. She threw Kat under the bus. Ted doesn't mind. In fact, he sees the solution as reason for why Eva is great at this job. Kat is furious. She wanted everything to implode for Eva. She didn't care who got hurt in the process. She tells Ted how destructive Eva is. Eva has always been loyal to her mother and has tried to steal Tomas. Ted doesn't see Eva that way. Every mistake made has extended from his decision to cheat on Nicole. That's the original sin. Kat refuses to believe it. She still thinks her perfect family can reunite. That's impossible. She doesn't know what's going on with her parents. She doesn't care about the stress Martin has been under. She is blind to it at. Her rage has consumed her. Eva decides to let her half-sister self-destruct. That's the answer to this problem. Yet she causes plenty of drama too with Tomas. She feels comfortable with him. She can tell him anything. He's horrified by what Kat did. He sees her differently. He had doubts about sleeping with her. That's why it didn't occur. And now, he's grateful to Eva and reciprocates her feelings.
Fairmont Crest wakes up to the news of Kenneth's murder. The family knows the sinister truth behind the headline. They don't have the ability to grapple with it. When Ted finally calls Bill, the episode concludes. That's a secret Bill keeps from Hayley. She isn't being completely honest with him either. That remains just a slight tease. It's more engaging to watch Anita and Vernon navigate Tracy and Sharon's feelings. Vernon has the capacity to bring people together. He knows the music transcends everything else. They don't have to recapture everything from the past. They just need to recognize what's important. It's all about the music. That's how they honor where they came from and all they've endured. Recognizing their faults and taking steps to correct them is important. Plus, Anita will remain in Fairmont Crest for the next rehearsals. She won't abandon her family again. She won't allow Vernon to keep secrets. Elsewhere, it's just way too convenient that Allison appears at Orphey Gene's needing medical attention when Chelsea is talking about her. The domestic abuse allegations are serious. Chelsea doesn't believe she can abandon someone she once cared about. Madison sees the red flags. She's concerned. Chelsea may be too innocent to avoid them.
Grade: B
Episode 1.96
Eva and Tomas feel they can tell each other anything. They don't worry about being manipulated or fearing their words will be used to hurt others. It's just the two of them in the moment. They can spend hours just talking. It's a connection they don't have elsewhere. It's special. That's why they grab ahold of it. They don't pull away during the kiss. They embrace it fully. Tomas shares his doubts about dating Kat. He knows about the tension between the sisters. He listens to both. He appreciates the full complexity of who Eva is. Kat is singularly focused. That's great in some instances. It produces way too much pressure in others. She continues to storm around town desperate to confront someone about Leslie's actions. Leslie has filed a police report against Nicole. This time, Jacob follows through on the investigation. He needs to know if Nicole tried to strangle Leslie. Of course, every plot with Leslie is fabricated in some way. Here, she exaggerates her injuries with makeup. Nicole isn't deceived. Ted doesn't fall for her charms. He's distracted by his own fears that his family isn't supporting his business. Leslie views her and Eva as the people actually championing Ted. He doesn't love Leslie. She has caused too much pain. He steps up as a father. He appreciates all that Eva has done. Yet he doesn't understand why she wouldn't tell him about Kat's deception with the accreditation.
Chelsea's compassion is taken advantage of too. Madison sees through the deception. She knows how convenient Allison's ruse is. She questions her story of domestic violence. She has empathy for anyone facing that kind of pain. Chelsea doesn't understand why Allison refuses help. Madison uses that as evidence for Allison faking it for attention. She wants to feel close to Chelsea again. Chelsea can't abandon someone in need. She steps up even when the other person completely ignores her and what she requires. That's true with Kat when she comes storming through the hospital. Allison tries her best to manipulate the situation to her benefit. Chelsea ultimately listens to Madison. That may make Allison more desperate with her actions to keep Chelsea's focus. Or it could produce tragic consequences because she chose to stay in an abusive marriage. These stories are at the forefront. Kat overhears Nicole talking to Dani about Martin's secret. Nicole wants the whole family to know. She doesn't tell Kat because they get interrupted by Jacob. It's chaotic while still providing enough fuel to the various storylines.
Grade: B+
Episode 1.97
If Bill was actually a good lawyer, then he would have persuaded Martin and Vernon to report the attack. He would have successfully argued self-defense in court. Martin would be exonerated for what he did. Nicole makes that argument. Bill isn't an effective fixer. He has made everything worse. He believed covering up the crime was the more effective way to handle it. Members of the family were caught in an impossible situation. Drastic choices were made. They've come to regret how it was handled. Bill still argues that everything was right. He can't accept anything else. He sees himself in Nicole's outrage. She steps forward as the new fixer. To her, that means correcting all the past mistakes. She knows Martin is a good person. Because he suffered in silence for two years, it's impossible for him to believe that. His view of himself has shattered. That happened because it was more important for him to be in Congress. Nicole knows there are more important things than politics. That isn't all that life is meant to be. She hopes to heal these wounds deep within Martin. Naomi believes a reckoning is coming. Anita and Vernon loop her in. She reveals how obsessed Jacob is with the investigation. He won't give up. He sees the connections even when others try to lead him astray. The truth will be exposed. It's better for the family to prepare for that now instead of buying into the false hope that everything has been successfully managed.
It's powerful watching these characters step into the moment. Their energy is required now more than ever. They can't wallow in despair of what happened and fearing what will occur next. They don't always respond in healthy ways. That's human too. Nicole declaring that she is the fixer now is incredible. It's also wild that the show intercuts Vernon revealing the truth to Naomi with Eva and Tomas making out in bed. The latter is still an escalation. It too highlights Eva's drive to be the main character in her own story. She can't cede the spotlight to someone else. She must prioritize her own needs. It's more scandalous when Kat walks in demanding help. The sight of the two of them together confirms everything she feared. It also shows Eva that Tomas isn't as honorable as she hoped. He didn't want to hide. He believed they could explain what was going on. Yet he lied about only being in the hotel room for a book. Eva could see that Tomas still cares for Kat. He isn't willing to end their relationship. And so, Eva pushes him away. That's not what she wants in her life. Kat unloads all of this on Martin. He calms her down. That only affirms his own doubts about being good. Kat sees it. He doesn't believe it.
Grade: B+
Episode 1.98
It was explosive when Nicole confronted Bill. That was the climax of the week's episodes. This one provides a more lowkey update on the various characters in the aftermath. It's still emotional. Kat feels compelled to demand honesty from Tomas. His answers can't entirely be believed. He insists that he only sees Eva as a friend. That's not true. He would have slept with her. He was willing to deepen their connection. Instead, that action is taken with Kat. He feared previously she was forcing herself to do so to prove a point. She had him when Eva couldn't. But now, it may be that she had sex for the first time in order to trust Tomas. It's such a messy situation. One where she acknowledges how obsessed and volatile she has been lately. She quickly blames Eva for everything. She only views her as a manipulative monster. Tomas is equally to blame. She can't ignore that. He chooses his words carefully. She seemingly believes it. That may not be the whole truth based on the look on her face after. She wanted things to be perfect. They are far from that.
Similarly, Hayley is wise enough to question if Bill committed murder after overhearing his argument with Nicole. It's tense when she asks Naomi because she knows the truth. She doesn't feel like offering advice to her former friend. Bill states that he can't share everything. It's not his story to tell. He doesn't want to hurt his wife either. She is just starting to realize that he is a much more complicated person than she realized. Their connection is physical. It's nothing more than that. She wants sincerity in all of her relationships. It's just not happening. She thought she could obtain it in her marriage. Yet she stops pushing once she hits a little resistance. That could be frustrating. But she also pumps Bill up by saying no one could possibly deceive him. That may be foreshadowing to her true intentions. Again, that would require her to be a more complex character. That pivot may occur at some point. Those teases are apparent for those looking. Deception doesn't have to fuel many character dynamics though. Pamela and Andre genuinely root for Dani's return as a model. They champion her. It's also another excuse for an impromptu photo shoot to prove their point. They've done that before.
Grade: B-
