Bill and Hayley try to celebrate their anniversary. Shanice's aunt gives Ted the third degree. Carlton and Kial compete. Izaiah is put on the spot. Kial has an update for Vanessa that affects Nicole. Ashley seeks out Madison for information that could help Grayson. Chelsea and Madison spy a peculiar duo. Vanessa and Leslie don't see eye to eye and Derek is caught in the middle. Jacob's new assignment threatens the entire undercover operation. Someone unexpected is revealed to be part of the plasma ring.
Episode 2.040
Smitty's oncology expert, Monica, also happens to be Shanice's aunt. This proves to be a small world. She offers more encouraging words to Anita. Everyone continues to uplift her following the interview. Yet she's terrified because chemotherapy is about to become more intense. She's comforted by Ashley being the nurse administering it. That only further highlights the secret she's keeping. She knows Naomi is a carrier of the BRCA gene. She's told directly by Anita how much it means for her granddaughters to be protected from this threat. She faces that impact directly but can't share her concerns. Meanwhile, Monica is blunt in looking out for Shanice's best interest. She aims to protect her while dating Ted. She grills him in the hopes he'll be able to withstand the pressure. He succeeds. The show places more legitimacy onto this couple. He earns the approval of a relative. That signals more acceptance from the family. That's a serious step. He's grateful for Shanice helping him rediscover himself after his divorce. He's confident in who he is again. He credits her with that. He also acknowledges how she is more beloved than him. Everyone will support her if anything goes wrong. He would be punished for any messiness. He has that awareness. That represents growth even though he's still a bit too oblivious elsewhere.
Naomi becomes the first person to question whether Kat and Tomas work as a couple. Kat shuts that down quickly. She doesn't have any reservations about her relationship. She's simply heartbroken over no longer being the most important relationship in Chelsea's life. The engagement requires her to adjust. Dani and Andre help Chelsea see how all of this is painful for her cousin, best friend and business partner. They are entwined in each other's lives. This has nothing to do with their romantic relationships. It's all about things changing between them. The conversations work best when they remain focused on Chelsea and Kat. They need to get to the truth of why they are feeling this way. When the focus drifts to Naomi feeling alone, it falters a little bit. The same applies to the cutaways to Bill and Hayley celebrating their first wedding anniversary. It definitely should be noted. A lot has happened during their first year of marriage. They are still together despite all of that. Things now become tense because they are thrown into a situation that should be light-hearted but isn't. Bill wants to gamble at Joey's club with Hayley as his good luck charm. Instead, Joey is testing Hayley and Randy over how they interact. Their story remains solid. Joey examines deeper. Even Bill has some probing moments that could raise an eyebrow over why they've behaved certain ways.
Grade: B-
Episode 2.041
Leslie expects a wedding between Eva and Izaiah. She will make it happen no matter what anyone else wants. All things considered, it's probably the least destructive thing she could focus on. That also makes her story low-stakes in comparison to the drama she has caused before. Everyone is so exasperated by her antics. They don't want to tolerate her for very long. The audience suffers because we have to endure it all. She was once a fun and unpredictable character. Now, the rest of the show has leveled up. She exists with no consequences. Nicole notes that. Yet that's still somehow not enough for her to connect with Kat. It's strange. Moreover, Tomas needs to offer the reminder that Ted actually did confront him about his intentions with his daughter. It feels performative in the moment. Ted is doing what Leslie asked of him. It seems too early. It's not even the focus of their time on the court together. It culminates in Izaiah declaring his intention to keep Eva happy. He doesn't want to cause any pain. He understands where she came from. He knows how difficult and demanding Leslie can be. He owns up to his past mistakes. He pledges he put in the work to improve himself. It's enough to win over Ted. Potentially, it's a new character dynamic that will be onscreen more. Or perhaps it's nothing more than a one off.
Leslie may only be invested in this relationship because she wants a connection with Elon. She expects the Chief of Police to protect her if his son is married to her daughter. Eva knows how foolish that is. Izaiah and Elon aren't close. Leslie asks Eva to meddle. Eva doesn't wish to manipulate like that. She's skilled in that department. She has the potential to weaponize what she knows against Leslie. She hasn't hit that breaking point. And so, all of this could ultimately be nothing more than empty threats. Elsewhere, Carlton truly appears to be getting in the way of his own happiness with Nicole. He may genuinely be too busy to accept her dinner invitation. His attitude suggests he's thinking too much about how not to blow it. He wants to play things cool. Ultimately, he's pushing people away with his antics. Kial and Andre call him out on it. Kial can't speak objectively because he's also interested in Nicole. Hopefully, Andre's words linger. Carlton needs to relax and be confident in his charm. Similarly, Tomas needs to trust his instincts about Lynette's past. He can't overlook her lack of online history. He must be smarter than Bill in that regard.
Grade: C+
Episode 2.042
A conversation with Vernon has come to indicate a particular storyline's importance. It heightens the severity because that's the gravitas he brings. As a character, he isn't serious all the time. In fact, it's joyous when he breaks into laughter here. He's a multi-faceted individual. However, his presence becomes a tool to indicate which plots are worth investing in as a significant point of conversation. His inclusion needs to make sense though. It's understandable why Chelsea would seek advice from her grandparents. It comes after her having the same conversation with Dani and Andre. Her takeaway from that was she was acting like Bill. She has far too much compassion and empathy to be labeled as such. She cares how her actions were perceived by Kat. Having that awareness and actually making things right are different. She hasn't done the latter. She needs to reassure Kat that nothing is going to change. Kat's feelings should be validated. They can't be dismissed even though everyone frequently does just that. It's a little frustrating. Moreover, Chelsea immediately pivots to a new story with Madison where they see Hayley and Randy meeting. For some reason, Vernon has a conversation with Carlton about dating Nicole. It highlights how one of her suitors isn't on the same page as her. She delights in the casual fun of Kial. He also has to admit their relationship isn't the sole reason why he's staying in town. It's seen as such nevertheless. Nicole wants simple fun. The relationships she's in imply much more depth. That's simply how the men feel. Vernon's inclusion wasn't necessary to get that point across.
Lia grows concerned with the romantic entanglements of her staff. She doesn't want anyone to compromise their ability to do their jobs. Ashley's interest in Madison's trial extends from her being more than just friends with Grayson. She plays it off as that. Lia sees it as more. A nurse and lab tech are kissing in public. She witnesses it. She makes comments about it just like when she saw everything going on with Ted, Shanice, Nicole, Carlton and Kial. It's a messy situation. One that potentially jeopardizes the hospital. Is that her only interest though? Or is she simply being inserted as a way to create pointless drama? She doesn't have the depth yet to actually provide a meaningful perspective. Elsewhere, Bill has yet to clock how Hayley is playing him. He mentions wanting to try for a baby again. He imagines a life with a son. Hayley explains how that's a lot of pressure so soon after her miscarriage and attack. She spins Lynette's case as a distraction taking away from their time together. If he wants this to happen, then he would get the charges against her dropped. He puts that plan into motion. He's serious. He undermines Tomas to benefit Hayley. That won't go unnoticed. Plus, Lynette may not take that gratitude and leave. It may be reason to ask for even more.
Grade: C+
Episode 2.043
Hayley and Randy are accustomed to going unnoticed at Uptown. It's a popular location across the entire ensemble. They were bound to be noticed at some point. Chelsea sees Hayley upset. She checks on her. She understands the pain of going through a traumatic event. Hayley is tasked with giving the performance of a lifetime. She was caught. She has to think quickly. She was upset because Bill wanted to try having a baby. Hayley doesn't want that. Randy notes how she's overcome more pressing issues before. She doesn't have to be freaking out now. It's largely amplified due to Lynette's lingering presence. Hayley doesn't know Bill got the charges dropped. This uncertainty remains overwhelming. Tomas is the one suddenly at a loss. Free time is given. He doesn't know what to do with himself. Bill also tasks him to build up his network of connections. Bill is so effective because he's well-connected. Many people owe him favors. He became valuable. People sought him out for his skills. Tomas learns from him. He tries to emulate him as best he can. The parallels don't neatly align. He doesn't reckon with that. It's also rare for the show to provide him with a private moment. He's definitely been giving more time to engage with other plots beyond dating Kat recently. His relationship is still the primary focus. Similarly, Hayley's struggles are the same they've been for awhile. The situation changes but the underlying issues haven't.
It's thrilling when Vanessa and Leslie trade blows back-to-back with no hesitation. Both are willing to stand their ground and read the other person. It communicates power. They are required to be dysfunctional partners in the free clinic. They aren't productive during this meeting. It requires Eva and Derek to keep things focused. Derek has the opportunity to make sense during this chaos. Eva gets by with just rolling her eyes. This is typical behavior from her mother. She doesn't stand up to it. She does nothing. Derek steps up. He's putting together a plan for the clinic to actually be successful. He's grateful. He found purpose in life again. He's not thrilled by the offer to become the public face of the clinic. In fact, it's striking how even Vanessa dismisses Samantha's involvement in this idea. She came up with it. That's where her contribution ended. Joey got the clinic to become a memorial to Doug. That's all he wants to do with Leslie. She continues to insert herself. She accepts the deal on the table. She's reluctant to do so. That's her causing trouble for no reason. She's against people simply because she doesn't like them. That's not a good enough reason. That's especially true given how her actions have earned plenty of distrust.
Grade: B-
Episode 2.044
During the pregnancy scare, it was difficult to see Jacob and Naomi as compatible. They presented as the next couple headed towards divorce. Now that they are separated, they're yearning for each other is palpable. Naomi can't concentrate on work because she's worried about Jacob. He asks for any updates when he meets Smitty. Flowers are a nice touch to show he wants to ease her pain. Jacob's building trust with the smuggling operation. He realizes an esteemed institution like Garland has been compromised. Everything is more organized than he thought. He discovers someone the audience knows is involved in the operation: Grayson. That seems destined to produce even more heartbreak for Ashley. It also serves as validation for Derek. He's proven right about having his suspicions. He was concerned. He's now being positioned with redemption. He provides enough structure to help the free clinic get off the ground. It's strange how his meeting with Lia is basically a random ambush. Eva and Vanessa have the connections to schedule a meeting with the Chief of Staff. It didn't need to be this awkward. It is in order to showcase Derek's passion. He needs to communicate how important this project is. It's a rather forced dynamic. The clinic is becoming a more central aspect of the show. The audience has to adjust to that. Similarly, the viewer should look back and question Lia's response when questioning whether Grayson's romance with Ashley will compromise work. That could mean different things now. Moreover, Jacob's undercover identity could be exposed because Grayson met him previously.
Smitty struggles keeping a secret from his loved ones. He believes it will all be worth it in the end. He made a deal with Jacob to be involved. He's the only person Jacob trusts. Smitty makes himself available. That also means he has to lie to Naomi about what's going on. He's not happy when Martin surprises him by coming home early. He breaks his own rule of having his phone at the table. He's distracted. He hopes everything will come to light soon. The victory needs to be massive to support all that's occurred. The heavy emotions come across town though with Anita responding to the latest round of chemo. She's exhausted. She's not herself. Vernon instinctively knew she needed Tracy by her side. He's perfect in expecting her needs and fulfilling them. That's been evidenced multiple times already. Anita confides in Tracy. She can't be this honest with her family. She's terrified because treatment is so much worse than she could have imagined. Her body has betrayed her. She can't even think about getting onstage and performing. The offer is extended to her when she's healthy again. This week has seen people planning for the future. Right now though, it's a victory simply for Anita to get out of bed and make it downstairs.
Grade: B
