Derek has a big decision to make concerning his future. Eva is rocked to see her father in such distress. Nicole debates her treatment of Ted while he deals with an unwelcome reality check. Tyrell and Samantha clash. Leslie one-ups the Duprees. Anita proposes a game-changing idea to help Kat and Chelsea. Tomas has big plans for a romantic evening with Kat. Vanessa is stunned by Joey's offer. Doug uncovers a way to make the casino kingpin pay for his sins. Leslie seeks out information regarding her mother.
Episode 1.129
It shouldn't be weird to see Ted and Leslie connect sexually. Leslie was motivated into action because of the intense feelings she had from their affair over 20 years ago. Those still burn brightly. She never felt more betrayed than when Ted deceived her about his house. She instead turns upon learning he is vulnerable. She preys upon him. She takes advantage of the situation. It's still notable to see him comply. It's not consensual. Add that to her many prior crimes. She has yet to be held accountable for any of them. The most consequences she has gotten has been being removed from the country club because Anita and Vernon finally ask. The Duprees have influence but have been reluctant to use it. Leslie will remain a problem for them. Right now, the focus is on Ted. He has the potential to become interesting again by also fighting back against the Duprees for belittling him. Nicole admits that she still misses the good parts of her marriage. She isn't going to forgive him. She believes Smitty should in his own marriage. That contrast is seen but not fully evaluated. Instead, the focus shifts to Samantha wanting to ask June for advice. She's gone from not wanting her in her life to needing a female perspective. So many women in her family are capable of stepping up. So, it's strange that she selects June for this task.
At the hospital, Derek eventually accepts Ashley's marriage proposal. They've each been fully committed to this relationship at different times. They've never been on the same page. Ashley needed time to contemplate Derek's proposal. He was frustrated she couldn't express that to him. Now, he's the one keeping secrets. Shanice knows he has made progress in physical therapy. He doesn't tell her about the sensation in his leg. It's baffling. It's as if he wants to be tortured. He wants to hurt as a result of his actions. He doesn't believe that he is deserving of good things. And so, he keeps all potential hope to himself. He doesn't want others to make big decisions about their lives for his benefit. It's all a little too chaotic and empty. Something fascinating is happening under the surface. This couple has serious commitment and self-esteem issues. All of that could be unpacked effectively. It's just not happening. They don't have the luxury of other characters just succinctly summarizing their motives elsewhere. That leaves the audience having to make all the assumptions.
Grade: B-
Episode 1.130
It was always possible that Nicole and Ted could reconcile. She believes Leslie's constant presence in Fairmont Crest is the reason why they haven't. Her heart reached out upon seeing him vulnerable. The family delighted in his misery. She had a different reaction. She still loves him. The situation is made more complicated by Ted and Leslie having sex once more. Leslie was unhinged when she simply pinned after their affair. Now, she will be unleashed because of the mixed signals Ted sends. He regrets the sex immediately. He also requires so much emotional support in order to function. Eva felt she had to step up in that role because the rest of the family wasn't willing to forgive him. She was eager to do so because she wanted to know her father. Now, she sees he is just as reckless as her mother is. She's invested in their well-being. She wants to support them. That impulse is taken advantage of. Leslie can't hold herself back from telling her daughter about what happened with Ted. She's constantly scheming no matter what. Eva is left to pick up the pieces. That pattern has repeated one too many times for Eva to keep falling for it.
Money provides Leslie with power. The Duprees couldn't get her to leave when she was broke. Now, she embeds herself fuller into their community. No one can stop her because she has money to throw at any problem. It's trivial at the moment. It can't always be that way. It forces more confrontations. The family can't escape her. Similarly, it's now much more likely for more characters to interact with June now that she's working at Orphey Gene's. She's a terrible waitress. The manager wants to fire her after her first shift. Charm only gets her so far. She is given a second chance. She has another opportunity to connect with Samantha and Tyrell too. Samantha wants to get to know her. The siblings don't have to agree on everything. They have the kind of relationship that relies on them being honest though. They can't avoid that simply because they are exploring something new. Samantha wants June to be the person she goes to with questions about being a woman. It's determined largely by not wanting to bother the rest of her family. They have enough problems going on. It's important for her to set realistic expectations though.
Grade: B
Episode 1.131
It's ugly how Derek is lying to Ashley. It's all driven by insecurity. The only reason she is with him is because of the accident. She had to be there to offer support. Everyone gives her plenty of outs if she isn't committed to marriage. She is certain in her decision. She doesn't have all the information. Shanice calls Derek out too. He's eager to start his life with Ashley. He won't let anything get in the way of that. He will compromise his health if that means getting the woman he loves. That's so incredibly destructive. He expects Shanice to lie for him. He calls her into the room to cement this decision. This is only going to end badly. It shouldn't necessarily lead Ashley back to Andre either. He awkwardly hears about the engagement. He shares a drink with Dani. She hates that Hayley has told Bill to stay away. Bill needed to establish more firm boundaries. Dani took that to mean they couldn't be around each other again. She fears what that means for his relationship with his daughters. He could easily be absent from their lives once more. It's all in the name of pleasing Hayley. Dani has that clarity. She knows this is how he will respond even though he refuses to admit it to himself.
Anita understands how to provide what her family needs as well. She's always skilled at giving advice. She trusts Nicole to make her own decision about her marriage. She is direct with Kat about needing to apologize to Tomas. It's easy to mend that relationship. It remains obvious they are on different pages though. Kat even states that they lost the spark between them. Tomas insists that his feelings never changed. That attraction was always palpable. They mend things. That doesn't mean they are suddenly in sync. Kat is happy. Yet she's more excited when the re-launch of ChelseaKat is formalized. Everyone wants Chelsea to set the pace for her recovery. She remains raw. They also don't want her to miss out on what she has worked so hard on. She deserves to celebrate all that she has accomplished. She may have conflicting feelings about her exposure online. However, the family can still launch the company. It can be a private event. One that still offers a direct appeal to get the world excited for the brand. The situation is capable of adapting. Anita offers that understanding. Kat is immediately supportive. In fact, it provides more stakes for the audience because the viewer is now more invested than when the initial launch occurred.
Grade: B
Episode 1.132
Well, this was incredibly dull. Obviously, the show needs to produce episodes largely focusing on various couples. It's light on overall tension amongst these dynamics. It's still necessary to provide new and interesting flairs to their stories. It can't just be the same issues being talked about over and over again. It was obvious what was going to happen between Kat and Tomas the moment he unveiled his surprise. She was uncomfortable once she saw the bed in the hotel room. He promises that he will do whatever she asks. They still fail to connect sexually. Instead of having an honest conversation about it, she gets immediately defensive. Whenever he speaks, she only hears accusations. She's vicious with him as a way of protecting herself. She doesn't want to behave this way. It's instinctive. The problem is apparent. They aren't taking any steps to actually improve it. That doesn't endear them at all. In fact, it increasingly builds a damning case for why they should break up. A relationship shouldn't be this much effort. It's so transparent too.
Dani and Andre commiserating over drinks is something new for them. But again, it still pivots back to the idea that he is a player. She wants to emulate that mentality. And so, they drunkenly decide to go somewhere. That's the entire extent of their story. It offers no resolution. It's just the two of them living in the moment. That's fine. It's just annoyingly padded out to occupy the same amount of time as the other stories when it has nothing else to say. Meanwhile, Vanessa and Doug continue to insist that they love each other. Their bond transcends her need for sex. Things can only get so real between her and Joey. She can't move in with him. Their relationship is limited. She has never been satisfied like this before. She doesn't want Doug coming in to save her. He feels compelled to protect her. He must take a stand against Joey for belittling him. Randy won't help him. He hopes Bill will. Yet Bill immediately goes to Joey to discuss this problem. It's messy. It's lacking depth. It should be thrilling given how Joey has compromised the Dupree family. So much is lost because he's willing to risk it all for Vanessa.
Grade: C
Episode 1.133
Anita and Ted aren't going to make the same mistakes as the past. Their honesty may invite more pain into the lives of their loved ones. Anita guards herself for the emotional manipulation from Leslie. However, her presence allows Anita the opportunity to talk about Barbara. She's not bonding with the woman who destroyed her daughter's marriage. She is simply sharing the story of where she came from. She fought to escape. Barbara was inspirational in so many ways. She didn't enjoy the same success. Leslie wants answers. She wants to know who her mother was. It's not to weaponize against Anita. It's a moment of genuine reflection and appreciation. Of course, it's difficult to see how much it stuck given she's dreaming about Ted immediately after. Leslie is never going to change. As such, it's up to others to be honest about her schemes. Ted knows he created trouble by giving Leslie what she wanted. She took advantage of him. He explains it as a moment of weakness. He's upfront about that with Eva and Nicole. He was upset about the divorce. Nicole confronts him. She still cares. He sees that. Learning the truth makes the betrayal sting even harder. And now, Nicole is determined to make the divorce more painful. That's how she gets her retribution.
Doug foolishly believes that Bill is honorable. He thinks that sharing everything he knows about Joey's operation proves that Bill's loyalties aren't to the mobster. Bill doesn't have to think about what to do with this information. He immediately informs Joey about the threat. He's not bound by the rules of confidentiality. He simply views Joey as the more important ally in this fight. He knows it's tricky based on Vanessa's role in it all. She can't be protected no matter what. Doug no longer views the murder as the best way to target Joey. As such, the Dupree family is safe from getting caught up in that mess all over again. Everyone is protected. Meanwhile, Doug remains confident that this scheme will work. It won't. It's simply a matter of what Joey will do next. He has all the power. Randy tried to warn Doug. It was completely futile. Randy's mysterious connection with Hayley may produce something beneficial. However, that may only update the audience as to what they're up to instead of focusing on Doug's concerns.
Grade: B
