Chelsea turns down her mother's offer. Leslie and Vanessa bond. Derek and Ashley have a heated exchange about Grayson. Nicole seeks out Joey for a tense exchange. Tomas gets new intel about Lynette. Someone gets stabbed. Martin updates a wary Nicole. Tomas romances Kat. Joey witnesses an argument, then makes Martin an offer. Vernon gets an important update from Madison. Ashley finds herself stuck between a rock and a hard place. Chelsea questions Bill about Hayley. Dani and Naomi comfort each other.
Episode 2.073
Dani's envious of Bill and Naomi working together. She wants to recapture the magic she once had with Chelsea. Her daughter isn't keen on revisiting the past. She turns down her mother's offer for business reasons. She doesn't want to dilute the brand or jeopardize a potential overseas deal. Her not wanting to work with her mother is a secondary reason. Dani sees that as a permanent rejection. She simply got too eager. She thought Chelsea would embrace her idea of walking the runway with a ChelseaKat bag. This all speaks to something deeper. Dani's confident in herself. She also feels compelled to share the spotlight with others. She needs permission to be selfish. Andre gives her that. He's not insecure about their relationship. Bill and Hayley are projecting. That doesn't stop Dani from yearning for more. Being Chelsea's manager was good for her. Chelsea needed to escape. She set her boundaries. Naomi did as well. And now, she's working with Bill. These dynamics evolve over time. Chelsea isn't willing to collaborate with Dani right now. It's a respectful rejection. It's not done with any malice. She simply had to reassert her boundaries to protect her sanity. That was healthy. Plus, Chelsea has been more than willing to welcome her mother's advice with the wedding planning.
Grayson wants to volunteer at the clinic. Lia ordered him to do so. Derek is right to question what's motivating Grayson's sudden interest. However, Derek receives most of the interrogation. His actions seem like a jealous ex-boyfriend determined to win Ashley back. Ashley is adamant that won't happen. She no longer sees Derek as a friend. He's interfering with her life. He's grateful Eva provided him with purpose again. He wants others to trust his instincts about Grayson. He hasn't given them any reason to do so. Grayson and Jacob will be punished if they don't comply with orders. Jacob doesn't want anyone else to get hurt. He's trying to protect Naomi and Smitty. They continue to worry. Smitty's investigation sends the case off on a new tangent. It may be connected. It may not. No one suspects Lia. Grayson is reluctant to share. Seeing the consequences may only make things worse. He may suffer for failing to convince Derek to change his mind. He doesn't have time to forge a new connection. He's not as cunning as Vanessa. She gets Leslie to show more of her humanity. She appreciates the affection Marcel has shown her. It has made her feel good after a lifetime of men being ashamed of her. It shouldn't change anyone's opinion of Leslie. It allows a new shade of the character to come to the forefront.
Grade: B-
Episode 2.074
Vanessa was certain if Nicole spent more time with Joey she would understand why she loves him. Their double date was a disaster. It nearly ended their friendship. Vanessa believes Nicole saw the error of her ways and made up. Dani knows it's silly to argue over a man. That wouldn't have destroyed Vanessa and Nicole's friendship. Nicole and Dani remain skeptical of Joey. He has leverage against their family. It's random when Martin mentions the guilt he still carries for killing a man. That drama intensified last year when Kenneth came to town. Vernon is convinced that secret is buried. It won't be unearthed even if Martin ran for Senate. He trusts in the self-preservation instincts of those involved. Martin hasn't had a therapy session with Nicole in a long time. He's too busy to mention these feelings with anyone else. Nicole makes time to speak with Joey. During that, she comes to realize he truly loves Vanessa. He's not just using her. She still sees that as a distinct possibility. She will defend her friend no matter what. But now, she no longer treats Joey as the enemy. That's an improvement. It's the only amount of real progress that occurs though.
Tomas is given the task of investigating Lynette. Bill has him on the special assignment. Tomas even has a convenient cover story for wanting to speak with every member of the support staff. Bill doesn't even tell Caroline about it. The firm's investigator knows. Tomas employs him. Bill reached out to Joey. That hasn't produced anything meaningful. So, Tomas may be the one to reveal Hayley's scheme. She's back to poisoning Bill. Time is running out for that plan to work. The narrative needs to provide movement in this plot. She can't be playing Bill for too much longer. She's confident in her skills of deception. He questions why Lynette would leave town so suddenly. It doesn't align with the timeline. Hayley hadn't cut her off yet. She had no reason to end this friendship. Bill believes he must undergo a forensic audit of his finances. That may prove how much Hayley has been spending. However, her scheme is entangled in his death. That's where her payoff resides. Bill made that decision. He's not yet suspicious of her motives. She pivots the conversation to "Babygate." She was upset about it just like Dani said. Bill is paying the price now. It's all a means of distraction. Meanwhile, Hayley trusts Randy to cover up every trace of Lynette. The slip up may occur there. It requires the viewer to trust in Tomas' abilities. That's hard to do given how boring he's been for a year now.
Grade: C+
Episode 2.075
Martin didn't register Bill mentioning his secret as a threat. Bill was simply trying to make himself useful once more. When Joey brought up buried bodies, Nicole knew he was targeting their family. As such, she has a different reaction upon hearing Martin's political ambitions. She doesn't trust the people involved in this coverup. They will exploit their family. Martin wouldn't be able to do all the good he wants if he's indebted to them. He already wields power. His current position is enough for him to feel important without having a large profile that demands more scrutiny. The world expects more of him. He wants to have a lasting legacy just like his grandfather. People always talk to him about Vernon. They appreciate all he did for the community. Martin wants that praise for himself. He continues to carry this secret. He hasn't been freed. Nor is he being honest with his husband. He promised to do better. Now, he's weighing this big decision without including Smitty. He doesn't want to upset the happiness they have. It's rare for them to be together as a family. Everyone is so busy. The longer this goes on the more pressure builds. Plus, the cliffhanger where Grayson gets stabbed only proves that something dangerous could happen to Smitty. Martin may not have the time he assumes will be there to discuss this in the future.
Kat is comforted by the idea she and Tomas have the same expectations with their relationship. They love each other. They aren't ready to move in. She's not avoiding the idea of living on her own. She enjoys being there for her grandparents. When Tomas surprises her with a trip to visit his family, she's suddenly overwhelmed. She covers it well. Tomas doesn't see the uncertainty. He's thrilled to introduce her to everyone. She agrees to it. This is a big step. Both continue to make progress in their lives. They need to do so together in order to remain strong as a couple. That's not inherently present in this news. Ted and Shanice are on the same page. Things were awkward before Shanice left for a conference. She doesn't want to leave this relationship. She wants to explore what's possible. Ted agrees even though people are starting to comment on how he and Nicole have been acting around each other again. Some characters can only be oblivious for so long. Bill interrogates Hayley about missing money in his accounts. She concocts a story that really shouldn't be believed. Bill somehow buys it because he believes in her naivety and innocence at his own expense.
Grade: B-
Episode 2.076
One moment, Ashley's in a Tide commercial. Then, she's dealing with Grayson as he's bleeding out in her apartment. The tonal whiplash was jarring when Grayson was still at the hospital. It only intensifies when he somehow makes it to Ashley. He doesn't want to be treated at the hospital. He knows these criminals have access to the building. He wouldn't be safe there. Ashley may not have the tools to treat his injuries. Plus, they're interrupted by Jan who remains observant and concerned. Ashley can't get her mother to leave quickly. It's a mess. Plus, Jacob has Smitty looking all over the hospital for Grayson. He knows the attack happened. Lia's even scrambling. She knew a message had to be sent. She recruited Ren to handle it. Now, she's dismayed by the violence. She knew that's how he would handle things. Yet she remains surprised. Jacob must be silent or suffer the same fate. Even then, Grayson's calling him constantly for help. Jacob can't provide any. That means Grayson will have to expose this part of his life to Ashley. She understands why he's desperate for money. She also wants to hear the truth while his life remains in peril. That's her priority. She needs the story to better understand the man she's treating.
Should Vernon's support for Martin's Senate run be seen as another side effect of his vitamin D deficiency? That's the source of his memory issues. Madison wants to run more tests before prescribing anything. More sleep and exercise may be enough to solve the problem. Anita stumbles upon this secret. She forces it out of him. She resents not being included. It would have been another thing worth fighting for. He apologizes. Similarly, Smitty's upset over Martin not discussing things with him first. He understands why his husband would seek Vernon's counsel. Martin's grandfather is his strongest political supporter. However, both Nicole and Smitty raise concerns about Martin's plans. This invites more scrutiny into their lives. That jeopardizes their credibility too. If Martin's secret is exposed, then Smitty will never be trusted as a reliable journalist. Martin can't protect his family from the fallout should that occur. It's not worth the risk. He yearns for more. His talent has been noticed. He feels the pressure to make himself smaller as penance for what he did. No one can offer certainty that the secret will remain hidden. Nicole and Smitty see that clearly. They wonder why Vernon thinks differently.
Grade: B
Episode 2.077
Jan constantly stresses her daughter out. Now, Ashley can't get her mother to leave her apartment even with Grayson bleeding out in the bathroom. It doesn't seem to compromise his health in a significant way. It remains dangerous he's not going to a hospital for treatment. Ashley provides some care. She still worries he's going into shock. Jacob and Smitty speculate on where Grayson is. He's not returning Jacob's calls. They fear Ashley will be brought into this danger. She has been exposed to this part of Grayson's life. He doesn't confess yet. He promises to do so. He needs someone to care for him. Ashley provides that even though it's completely overwhelming. She's realizing that yet another boyfriend has deceived her. She can't even reckon with that yet. She simply hopes Grayson will be okay. Greater clarity will arrive in the future. That's what Jacob and Smitty accept. They can't do anything else tonight. They could see if Grayson's vehicle is at Ashley's place. They don't. Instead, they'll just wait for any news. Meanwhile, Smitty will continue to investigate Rachel in the lab even though she doesn't have any apparent connections to the smuggling ring. It's busy work that doesn't advance the plot or characters at all.
It's sweet that Dani and Naomi get a moment to share their anxieties. Naomi is lonely because Jacob is away. Dani feels empty now that her girls no longer depend on her. That's at the root of Chelsea's rejection. Dani gets overexcited about her ideas. She wants everyone to be supportive. She doesn't handle rejection well. In fact, she's returning to the modeling world with less confidence because being a mother gave her so much purpose. She never regretted stepping away from her career. Naomi says Dani and Andre could have a baby. Dani laughs at the suggestion. Perhaps the audience should see that as a possibility. It was a conversation Bill and Hayley had. Now, Chelsea's the one raising concerns about Hayley's insecurities. She believes Hayley is causing drama to get Bill's attention. He has been welcomed into his family once more. Everything is good amongst them. That didn't seem possible for a long time. Naomi still wishes she never brought Hayley home. Hayley's comforted by hearing Bill say he has no regrets about marrying her. He remains committed. He's exactly where she wants him. Everyone else is skeptical. Bill refuses to see it. Chelsea has to take her father at his word. She expresses her concerns. Then, she backs down by Bill's assurances. Elsewhere, it's encouraging to see Carlton and Kial as more than rivals for Nicole's love. Their relationships are in competition with one another. However, it's more engaging to see them playfully tease each other instead of taking things too seriously.
Grade: B-
