Naomi and Jacob spend their anniversary apart, both remembering their love story from first date to wedding vows. Leslie crashes Eva and Izaiah's lunch with Darlene. Nicole and Ted have a candid chat about their dating lives. Tomas makes a bold move against Bill. Chelsea and Kat lock horns over the potential Fenmore's deal. Smitty commits a crime. Eva and Izaiah struggle to find their footing. Joey puts Randy in the hot seat and then Deanna does the same to Joey. Naomi and Bill team up when Madison gets sued.
Episode 2.063
Naomi and Jacob spend their anniversary apart. Even though they just reconnected at the hotel, they are missing each other. This episode details the history of their relationship. It started with Jacob being too nervous to ask Naomi out. She needed encouragement from Ashley to make it happen. This relationship was meant to be. It has always been about uplifting each other. That means being supportive of each other's dreams. They have to be encouraging of those pursuits. They've faced their struggles. That's been proven onscreen already. Now, Jacob beams with certainty about their marriage. They can survive whatever comes their way. The undercover work is that obstacle now. It's also insane that Jacob invites Izaiah to the hotel. He recruits his brother to put together a grand romantic gesture for Naomi. He delivers. Izaiah still feels guilty about not being able to show up how his brother needed during the wedding. So many characters have commented on his past antics. Yes, he was disruptive during the reception. It all stems from his rebellion against his father. That got in the way of being a good brother. He didn't make his family proud. He wants to do better even though he's still making mistakes. It's all too easy for him to slip back into the black sheep mentality. He internalizes that and believes it's all that he deserves.
The episode is at its strongest when it focuses on Naomi and Jacob. When it veers off to comment on other stories, it's less meaningful. Darlene didn't like Naomi when Jacob first introduced her. As such, Izaiah and Eva have to put in the work to earn her approval. The tension between Naomi and Darlene is depicted. The moment in which they come together isn't. That's striking. It means the audience still doesn't quite know what their current dynamic is like. Naomi needs support from her loved ones. Her parents know Jacob's training is a lie. They fear the worst. They choose to celebrate their daughter in their own ways. Dani doesn't call attention to it. Instead, she acknowledges that it's part of him pursuing his dream. It requires sacrifice for the reward to come to fruition. Meanwhile, Bill doesn't entertain the lie. Instead, he views it as the couple having problems just like his marriages have had. That isn't true in the slightest. Bill projects his own feelings onto the situation. Naomi probably didn't have to remind him of how he used Jacob to arrest Dani. His instincts are well-meaning but not necessary. Naomi appreciates his presence. She receives the most comfort from Jacob making his presence known even though he can't physically be with her. That final moment highlights their strength as a couple.
Grade: B+
Episode 2.064
Izaiah doesn't set realistic expectations with Eva about meeting his mother. He was hopeful Darlene would love her as much as he does. That doesn't happen. Eva knew that. Darlene was cold towards her when they briefly interacted before. Izaiah didn't want to read too much into that. He wants everyone to see Eva as special. That isn't possible. Darlene knows the history of how Leslie and Eva targeted the Duprees. They didn't deserving that. Darlene would have been critical no matter what. That's how she behaved at first with Naomi. She had opinions then and made them known during the conversation. She's not going to shy away from the truth to keep things pleasant. She stayed through this lunch for as long as she could. She simply couldn't tolerate Leslie's behavior any longer. Leslie crashed the meal. She needed to be the center of attention. As such, Eva is judged because of who her mother is. Some may say that isn't fair. Eva strives to exist as her own person. She's exasperated by her mother's antics too. The differences between them isn't all that extreme though. She tolerates a lot. Darlene believes her son deserves better than that. And so, she can't approve. Instead, she becomes just as hostile towards Leslie and Eva as Kat is. That's a fresh change of pace from how the Duprees have behaved.
Jacob contacts Smitty to go over strategy. They clash over the sacrifices they've each made. The secrets have been tearing them apart. That's not what risks this mission. That comes when Smitty offers to spy on Grayson at the hospital. Jacob has made no progress in identifying Grayson's contact. That makes things a bit awkward because the audience already knows it's Lia. As such, no progress really occurs. The narrative devotes a lot of time to this investigation. It hasn't resulted in a lot of wins for Jacob. He remains stuck in a corner scheming on how to take down this massive operation. He argues with Smitty over tactics. Smitty is invested. He's willing to embark on this mission. It's a way to prove himself too. It's a lot of talk without much action. That's disappointing. It also gets in the way of connecting with Martin. The congressman feels that too. He seeks counsel from his grandfather. That's awkward but endearing in a way. It's mostly keeping everyone involved. They update their loved ones about what's happening in their lives. It's a summation of events instead of propelling any particular story forward in a meaningful way.
Grade: B-
Episode 2.065
Kat's frustrated whenever someone says she should give Eva another chance. She fires back the same advice upon hearing about Nicole and Vanessa's double date. Her mother knows what to expect now. If she loves Vanessa, then she would do this for her. It may not be smart to do so with Carlton. That's why she has Kial. He's a viable alternative. Nicole enjoys that Kial isn't pressuring her. They don't need to define their relationship. Him attending the Easter brunch wasn't serious. Carlton read too much into it. Ted shares his opinion. That ultimately serves as a renewed spark for Nicole and Ted possibly rekindling. Kat would like that. She may be the only one. She wants her parents together. They've found a way to be civil. They enjoy being able to talk. They discuss their new relationships. They like where their lives are at. Vanessa wants all of the people she cares about to get along. That isn't possible right now. Dani advises her to embrace what makes her happy. If that's Joey, then celebrate that. Everyone will come around eventually. Vanessa doesn't enjoy the turmoil. She wants everything to be perfect right now. She doesn't get to dictate how others respond. She must give them space to decide whether they can accept her relationship. If not, she may lose those connections for good.
ChelseaKat bags will soon be available at Fenmore's department store. Naomi and Anita share the exciting news. Chelsea and Kat were growing angsty about the deal. They thought the other one messed up the presentation. They bicker and heal. They throw together an impromptu celebration. It's another excuse for the family to cheer their accomplishments. That's what the Duprees do. They are always there. Hayley is exhausted by it all. She's also being pressured by Lynette. She wants this blast from her past to leave town for good. Instead, Lynette is laying down roots. She will exploit Hayley for millions. Bill and Tomas are suspicious of her. They even theorize that Lynette staged Hayley's mugging. There's some truth to that. The story is more complicated than they think. Bill continues to believe in Hayley's innocence. She wasn't innocent when she was targeting Tomas' job though. She wanted him gone. Bill made the final decision. He refuses to accept Tomas' resignation. Instead, he showers praise on his junior partner. That's enough for Tomas to forget about the plans he made with Kat. He wanted to work for Bill. That still compels him forward. This little amount of attention reaffirms what he has always wanted to hear. And so, nothing changes with his employment. Instead, Bill keeps him from being with Kat at Uptown to celebrate.
Grade: B
Episode 2.066
Smitty exploits his personal relationship with Nicole to obtain information about Grayson. He uses her hospital computer to pursue his case. Naomi catches him. He wants the freedom to investigate. He can't be saddled with a bodyguard following him everywhere he goes. It's a precaution Martin arranged to protect his family during the campaign. It also jeopardizes Smitty's job. He strikes a deal so he won't be followed. He will be set up with a panic button if he needs it. The narrative continues to foreshadow that something bad is going to happen during this undercover arc. Previously, the attention was on Jacob potentially not returning home. That threat has been communicated consistently. His family is worried about him. He's undercover all the time. Progress has been slow. He tells Smitty before his father about any updates. Elon orders Marcel to reach out to Lia. That could alert the smuggling ring that the police are investigating. Marcel doesn't suspect Lia could be involved. She is. She wields power over Grayson. Her influence could be more than that. And now, the show establishes that something bad could happen to Smitty as well. He's not being protected. He navigates his home life and the secret nature of this case. It's a lot to handle. That potentially exposes him to all the risks without anyone knowing the extent of what he's been up to.
Darlene is concerned about two of her sons. Naomi's grateful to finally be able to talk. Darlene understands precisely how she's feeling in this moment. She provides comfort and support. Naomi can finally be honest about the stress she's been under. She doesn't share everything. It's enough to ease some of the burden. Meanwhile, Darlene gathers opinions on Eva. Naomi has chosen not to get involved. She's grateful Eva provided Derek with the clinic job. She too makes a distinction between Eva and Leslie. The daughter shouldn't be judged harshly for the behavior of the mother. Of course, Eva and Leslie champion themselves as a unit. They have each other's backs no matter what. Leslie tests the strength of that bond more frequently than her daughter. Eva will always be there for her mother. That can't be ignored. And so, Leslie's behavior has to be tolerated if Darlene wants to accept Izaiah seeing Eva. He's becoming so enthralled with her. He insists he spoke up in her defense when his mother judged her. He provides Eva with the praise and attention she deserves. He makes her feel special. This relationship continues to grow stronger. They rarely have the freedom to exist in their own bubble. They are tested by those they care about not seeing how good it is. They don't care which could create problems in the future.
Grade: B
Episode 2.067
Nicole eases one volatile situation and inadvertently complicates another one. She tells Samantha and June they need to communicate better about their feelings. It matters to Samantha that her mother is present at the cotillion. June fears her presence will ruin her daughter's chances of becoming platinum deb. June has been judged her entire life. People look down on her because of her background. That remains true despite the progress she has made. She doesn't want that judgment to impact Samantha. Meanwhile, her daughter wants this event to be a celebration of everyone who got her to this amazing opportunity. That includes June. This was possible because of the sacrifice she made. She would be honored to share this spotlight with her. It's an incredibly sweet and wholesome moment. And then, Nicole reports that her hospital computer has been compromised. Smitty didn't do a good enough job covering his tracks. She noticed it right away. If hospital security couldn't incriminate Leslie for trying to kill Laura, then Smitty may not suffer any consequences for this invasion. Those may turn out to be different situations. Hospital leadership has a vested interest in ensuring the smuggling ring goes unnoticed. Smitty has now gotten his mother-in-law involved. He's compromised her. Naomi will be able to offer a timeline of events she witnessed in the office.
Additionally, Nicole and Vanessa finally talk about the disastrous double date. Vanessa doesn't believe Nicole put any effort in to make it work. Nicole believes Vanessa is prioritizing a man over their friendship. It's an explosive fight. Meanwhile, Deanna confronts Joey at the casino. She will be willing to let him prove himself if he's honest with her now. She needs to know when he started seeing Vanessa. She knows the truth. No one has confirmed it yet. Similarly, Joey knows Hayley and Randy are conning Bill. He's not acting on it because he enjoys the thrill of the chase. He also focuses his investigation on Lynette. That's what Bill has hired him to do. She's staying in town despite Hayley's order. Hayley jumps from one annoying situation to the next. She doesn't like people disrupting her selfish needs. She belittles the Hamilton daughters even though they enter a crisis. Madison has been sued. She's being held accountable for a medical statement her mother attributed to her online. She decides to fight. It may be the more intense and unpredictable option. It's the best way to prove her innocence. It allows Bill and Naomi to work together. That's what he has always wanted. Meanwhile, she sees the benefit of pulling back his worst impulses. Regardless, Madison is treated as a family and will be protected as such.
Grade: B+
