Hayley tries to poison Bill against Tomas. Ashley comforts a distraught Naomi. Kat confronts Lynette. Andre and Dani do something they've never done before. Ted blurts something stunning to Shanice. Carlton and Joey clash while out with Nicole and Vanessa. Naomi holds a past lie of Hayley's over her head. Bill updates Dani on his future. Carlton steps in it with Nicole. Lynette blackmails Hayley. Special guest star Jennifer Holliday sings for a friend. Grayson receives a threat. Naomi and Jacob find a way to connect.
Episode 2.058
By the time Kat deduces Lynette and Hayley are up to something shady, they've already enacted a scheme to get Tomas fired. Kat's instincts were right with Eva. She believes Tomas should trust her now about Lynette. That doesn't matter. His job is at risk. Hayley told Bill that Tomas sexually harassed Lynette. Now, he was obviously flirting with her. He wasn't particularly smooth. It's unclear if he was trying to get close to learn more about her or not. He failed spectacularly. Lynette called him out in the moment. Meanwhile, Hayley concocts a way to get Tomas out of her life for good. She saw him as useful once. Bill will never let her forget she used Tomas to make him jealous. As such, it's striking that her opinion has changed so quickly. Bill isn't going to fire Tomas right away. He expresses his disappointment. He believes all of his advice as a mentor has been ignored. Tomas wasn't listening. He only created more problems. Tomas hasn't been impressive onscreen as a boyfriend or lawyer. The narrative remains invested in him. He can't jeopardize his career because Kat wants to investigate further. He doesn't have the connections to survive the fallout. He can't even bring any business to the firm. He's not remarkable in the slightest. Yet he threatens Hayley's con. That drew her attention and she pounced.
Grayson thinks quickly when Ashley steps onto the elevator with him and Jacob. She only notices how his demeanor changes from moment to moment. First, he's kissing her. Then, he gives a vague reason why they can't hang out later. She leans on Naomi for support. Naomi feels bad about disappointing Darlene. She thinks the situation must have gotten worse if Darlene is this upset. Izaiah wasn't a good messenger. He only made things worse. Naomi doesn't have a strong enough relationship with Darlene to simply talk with her about their similar fears with Jacob. Meanwhile, he's thrilled to get a massive clue from Grayson. Their drop off location doesn't change. Instead, Jacob learns Grayson's contact is a woman at the hospital. He needs to spill the news with Smitty as soon as it happens. They are equally invested in this case. It continues to distract them from their families. Smitty is physically present with his. He remains far away. He can't abide by the rules of putting their devices in a basket. He has to keep working. Martin is running a campaign. He's more focused and present. That's startling given all they've been through previously.
Grade: B
Episode 2.059
Bill has extended a lot of generosity to someone he knows very little about. Tomas raised these red flags previously. Bill didn't listen. He decided to trust Hayley instead. He wanted to keep his wife happy. Helping Lynette did that. He hasn't become suspicious of Hayley yet. Instead, he goes to Joey to uncover Lynette's sordid past. He wants to know who she is. He will eliminate any threat that unearths. That will eventually expose Hayley's role. Hayley believes Bill will do whatever she wants. She too has grown frustrated by Lynette. She can't drop her act no matter what. The closest she comes is when she threatens Tomas. She no longer pretends to be nice. She wants him fired. He sees that possibility. He's reached out to a recruiter. Hayley argues that further proves he isn't loyal to Bill and the business he operates. Tomas doesn't have the freedom to go unnoticed. He's involved in this mess. Kat and Chelsea are as well. Chelsea notes that Tomas' behavior has been concerning previously. Kat forgave him. Her resolve has been shaken too. She's adamant about Hayley and Lynette being up to no good. That serves as a distraction. She doesn't need to reckon with her relationship so long as she's focused on exposing these even shadier individuals.
Ted's behavior can also be read as deflection. Shanice opens up about being cheated on in the past. That makes her more weary now. She's confident in herself. She also fears Ted will cheat on her just like he did with Nicole. She compares herself to Ted's ex-wife. She revers Nicole as the personification of grace. She didn't deserve to be cheated on. Shanice doesn't deserve that either. Instead of offering some insight into his actions, Ted blurts out that he loves Shanice. The tone of the conversation immediately shifts. As such, he gets away without having to be honest. Secrets damaged Vanessa and Doug's marriage. It culminated in his death. So much of Vanessa's plot is rehashing what occurred last year. The most pivotal moment comes when Deanna asks when her mother started seeing Joey. Honesty could derail this relationship further between mother and daughter. Yet that's what Vanessa is seemingly committed to. Meanwhile, nothing's dysfunctional between Dani and Andre. He returns home and immediately showers her with attention. It's intimate and vulnerable. It's also incredibly sweet. These two understand each other. That remains clear. Nothing dramatic happens. Yet their inclusion ensures something heartwarming is still occurring in Fairmont Crest.
Grade: B
Episode 2.060
Chelsea is meant to be Kat's ride or die. Yet Naomi immediately believes everything Kat has to say about Hayley and Lynette. She too got a weird vibe from Lynette during their brief interaction. Now, she's certain Hayley is targeting Tomas with false allegations. It serves as a nice distraction from worrying about Jacob. That isn't mentioned here. Instead, Naomi immediately confronts Hayley. She wants her to stop targeting Tomas. If not, then she will tell Bill the truth about the fake sonogram. Hayley sees that as old drama. It won't hurt her in the slightest. However, Naomi is yet another person looking into her business. Joey issues a warning too. Bill has tasked him with digging into Lynette's past. He sees a con. That could potentially disrupt whatever Hayley and Randy are doing together. He wants Hayley to feel the pressure. He doesn't jeopardize her standing. All of that could change at a moment's notice. Hayley has to be careful with how she responds. She doesn't have a moment to catch her breath. She simply goes from one perilous situation to the next. Meanwhile, Kat and Naomi have the freedom to engage with other stories. Those are even more personal to them. But any threat could unravel what Hayley has built up. She scammed this family once. Naomi pledges not to let that happen again.
Deanna knows Vanessa is lying about when her relationship with Joey started. She's not concocting a fantasy where Vanessa's betrayal led to Doug's downward spiral. That's the truth. Vanessa refuses to admit that. She still has so much love for Doug. Their children struggle to reckon with that. They see the complicated side of this marriage. It's entirely from Vanessa's perspective. She tries to paint herself in a more flattering light. It's unsuccessful. She forces her daughter to engage when she clearly isn't ready. Even Donnell walks away with more questions and concerns. Vanessa doesn't get to retreat into her refuge with either Joey or Nicole. They are both present. It's awkward because their double date has finally occurred. Joey immediately strikes by going off on the predatory nature of Carlton's profession. Plastic surgery killed his mother. He has no intention of being civil. This normalcy doesn't appeal to him. Vanessa wanted it to work. It doesn't. This isn't possible. The people she cares about can't mingle. It's not worth the effort. That's in contrast to Ted who realizes his actions have to build up trust. He can't rely on his word to get the point across with Shanice. She needs more from him especially because he's been careless. He can't behave that way if he wants things to work.
Grade: B-
Episode 2.061
Joey doesn't strive to be someone he isn't. He's not going to censor himself to appease Vanessa. She has tried to change him. He has refused repeatedly. She still finds a way to find him charming. She always comes back to how sweet and enduring he is towards her. She believes others should see that too. Then, they would love him just as much as she does. He only behaves that way towards her. It's partly because he needs something from her. It's also because this is the only intimacy he wants. He's content with his life. He's confident in himself. Vanessa silences herself instead of speaking up. She makes her life more difficult because she's drawn to Joey. She didn't help Doug during his addiction. She made things worse. He couldn't stand her being with Joey. That resulted in his death. Joey removed a problem in order to embrace Vanessa. He needed her to be his. He was done sharing. Nicole only sees the red flags. She wants to save her best friend. Carlton understands the impulse. He also uses the moment to call Nicole out for changing. He doesn't like the person she has become following her divorce. She doesn't appreciate that. She won't give any attention to the notion. Instead, she sleeps with Kial. She runs from one relationship to the next. It's comforting to her. It doesn't require her to sit with her thoughts. She doesn't want to contemplate whether Carlton is right. Vanessa also refuses to listen to reason.
Dani and Bill have actually become civil. They aren't combative like the other relationships. He even puts her back in his will. He's not leaving any money for her. He understands the sentimental attachments from their time together. He wants her to have that picture. He also lets her know his plans for their daughters. He understands that family is his greatest legacy. Naomi never wanted to work for him. Yet he plans on her inheriting his stakes in the firm. This planning could come to fruition if Hayley gets what she wants. She needs Bill to die. The opportunity to strike may have already passed. Joey suspects Hayley and Randy. If something were to happen with Bill, then Joey would investigate. He would interrogate them much more harshly than the police would. Moreover, Lynette announces that she won't spoil Hayley's con so long as she gets a cut of the profits. She demands more and more from her friend. She has the leverage to exploit. Tomas had the right instinct to want to put all of this behind him. He's received an offer for an equity partnership at a smaller firm. He's ready to accept and build a life with Kat. Instead, she sees that as a reason to team up and expose what Hayley and Lynette have truly been doing.
Grade: C+
Episode 2.062
On Easter, Anita woke up with more energy than she's had in months. This day seemed impossible just a week ago. She's ready to grab ahold of the opportunity. She joins her family for Easter brunch at the club. Vernon also proves he doesn't need much time to plan an elaborate surprise. He knew Jennifer Holliday was in town. So, he coordinated for her to perform. It's a tremendous gift. The show didn't really set up any expectations for the holiday this week. It's an event where everyone gathers. They reminisce over past celebrations. The focus really isn't on the holiday even though it serves as a powerful reminder of love and family. Plenty of ongoing stories are touched on. Vernon shows his gratitude for Bill helping Anita update her trust. Dani and Bill check in on Naomi knowing Jacob will be absent for their anniversary. Anastasia pops in to gloat about her family having superior preparation for the cotillion. Kial is grilled by the family about his background and intentions with Nicole. Hayley's annoyed by Lynette continuing to rack up hotel charges. Chelsea mentions she and Kat are still waiting for an update about the potential Fenmore's deal. Anita continues to receive praise for going public with her cancer battle. It's all perfectly pleasant. The more shocking developments happen elsewhere.
Lia spies Jacob and Grayson in the stairwell. She only knows Jacob as Rashad, a courier. She's annoyed Grayson is changing the drop site to be more accommodating. She doesn't want Grayson going rogue and making his own plans. She's in charge. She will flex her authority whenever she likes. She's pleasant towards Ashley to show how miserable she can make Grayson's life if he crosses her. It's impossible for his relationship to progress because he's caught in this operation. He can't introduce his mother to Ashley because he's covering up this part of his life. Jacob demands more from him as well. Grayson isn't opening up. He only sees Jacob creating more trouble. He's caught in the middle whether he likes it or not. Meanwhile, Naomi gets to unload all of her anxieties onto Jacob. He believes the case will be wrapping up soon. He can't promise that. It's better to have these brief moments where they sneak away to be with each other. It's dangerous. Naomi made the right decision not to give her burner phone to Darlene. She hasn't spoken with her mother-in-law. She doesn't know that she understood the decision. She was upset with Izaiah too. He's the one who made everything difficult. Naomi just needs her husband's comfort. Jacob provides that.
Grade: B
