Bill and Vernon lock horns over Martin. Ashley brings Naomi up to speed on Grayson's stabbing. Kat decides to question Lia about Lynette. Nicole and Leslie have an unpleasant reunion. Joey assigns Randy an urgent task. Vanessa has a business proposition for Hayley. Lia's threats chill Grayson. Nicole and Carlton run into special guest Sunny Anderson. Dani and Andre's imaginations run wild. Grayson makes a life-changing deal. Ted and Shanice continue to clash over Leslie. Martin catches up with his cousin.
Episode 2.081
It's been a year since Ted and Nicole's anniversary party. It's not even surprising when Nicole and Kat run into Leslie and Eva at the scene of the crime. It's not special whatsoever. It's always possible that someone will bump into Leslie. She's integrated herself into this world. She hasn't grown much. She has no remorse for what she did. She just feels liberated. That's worth celebrating. She expects Nicole to be grateful as well. Yet it's insane for anyone to extend grace to Leslie. Martin is right to caution Ted away from it. Not much of the focus is actually on the anniversary. It's noted. Martin and Kat put a plan into action to check on their parents. Ted and Nicole don't need that reassurance. They agreed to reminisce over their happy memories. That creates the space for Martin and Kat to delve into other concerns. Kat questions Lia about being one of Lynette's victims. Bill is furious Tomas allowed that to happen. Lia doesn't provide much either. Meanwhile, Ted wants Martin to know that everyone who helped him that night did so as an investment in his future. It's ultimately his decision on what to do next in his career. He must do so in consultation with his loved ones. He can't be impulsive. Bill sees that as Martin's most destructive quality. It can't be contained no matter how much Vernon tries to do so.
Naomi's distracted even when trying to be present with Anita. She's carrying several secrets. She can't even hide it well any longer. She doesn't open up. That's another thing for Anita to worry about. Naomi can't process anything because she's immediately thrust into Ashley's orbit. Her friend wants to uncover what Grayson has truly been up to. She already connects Grayson and Max. She noticed her boyfriend was acting weird previously. She wasn't in denial like Derek suggested. Everything plays in new context upon Grayson being stabbed. She treats his injuries. Jacob wants Grayson to open up as well. He refuses to do so. When he was going to name his contact at the hospital, he received a cryptic photo of Ashley. That immediately freaks him out. Ashley and Naomi are openly talking about this mystery while being monitored. If they were overheard, that could endanger their lives. They already theorize that Smitty is the person they need to contact. He was Max's emergency contact. He was at the hospital. It doesn't make sense because Naomi doesn't know exactly what Jacob's undercover investigation is. The pieces are starting to fall into place. More characters are being drawn into this story which could produce even more unexpected complications.
Grade: B
Episode 2.082
Grayson knows Jacob is undercover. Naomi and Ashley weren't surprised when he suggested Jacob was a dirty cop. He immediately decides to confront the man trying to get him out. That's how he responds to threats. He did the same thing with Lia. It wasn't good enough that he was stabbed. She needed him to know Ashley was in danger too. He thought the only way to escape was to run. He had to get his mother and Ashley to go with him. Ashley refuses. He hasn't given her a reason to trust him. She still feels safe. She believes she will be fine at work. When Naomi alerts Jacob, he arranges police protection for her. She wants to keep Ashley safe too. The smuggling operation is preparing for something big. Lia wants to eliminate any threats. She can't afford to upset her employers. Smitty sees the escalating danger. He thinks publishing the story now would be the smartest thing to do. Jacob has invested too much to let these criminals get away without being arrested. He needs to prove himself. But now, Grayson knows that he's been played. He's upset. Moreover, Randy has been following Smitty to ensure this investigation doesn't compromise Joey's business. Smitty thinks no one is following him. However, he completely misses Randy whose mind is being pulled in multiple directions.
It's easy to see Joey and Vanessa's relationship as one where he is manipulating her. And yet, he proves to offer real vulnerability when she asks for it. Apparently, this was the day his sister ran away from the family. Heather left a note for Joey. That's the last contact they've had. She promised to find him if she ever needed him. He only allows himself to wonder about her life on this day. He shares that with Vanessa. It's rare that he even mentions Heather. It's clear she meant a lot to him. The cut between him calling someone and Lia on the phone could infer something. I might be reading too much into that. It's a possibility. Elsewhere, Kat is frustrated over Bill refusing to accept her help. He can't allow her to be involved in investigating Lynette. He has people more than capable of handling the job. He pays them. He knows they will abide by his standards. He aims to be a protective uncle even though Kat is no longer family. Kat's not quick to accept that. Instead, she has to settle for knowing her mother doesn't need her protection either. Nicole is more than capable of having an enjoyable evening with Carlton. She basks in that happiness while the drama takes place elsewhere.
Grade: B
Episode 2.083
Dani and Andre always have fun adventures together. Effort has been done to showcase different dimensions of their relationship. However, their roleplaying as spies doesn't quite adhere with the rest of the episode. It stands out. They are isolated. They've operated that way previously. As such, it shouldn't be too surprising. They remain one of the strongest couples on the show. It's just an elongated way to get to Andre's surprise. He's booked a new job and wants Dani to join him. That's it. Sure, it reintroduces the possibility that he is hiding something. Dani is playful when she asks. The audience knows to be a bit more weary. Nothing more has been elaborated. Similarly, the viewer knew it would be huge when Jacob and Smitty learned Lia was Grayson's handler at the hospital. That too comes near the end of the episode. Grayson needs a deal in writing before sharing what he knows. He needs to protect his mother no matter what. He doesn't trust Jacob's word because he has been lying to him for months. The truth comes out now. Smitty does that. They're caught. It's better to be upfront with their objectives. And yet, Ren has apparently changed the shipment after Lia put everything into motion. She also sees Ashley as a loose end that has to be taken care of. The smuggling operation once again seems to be ahead of Jacob and Smitty.
Smitty wants a distraction from work too. Martin provides that. Naomi was looking for him. She wants answers as to what's going on. She doesn't receive any. She's worried about Ashley. The nurse is working overnight. She will text if anything happens. Martin knows Smitty isn't entirely present when he comes home. Their lives have gotten so busy lately. They hardly make time for each other. This moment is special. It's not long before work creeps in yet again. Jacob had to share his information. Smitty needed to know about it too. That couldn't be denied. Similarly, Nicole can't forget that she imagined having sex with Ted while in bed with Carlton. It took her by surprise. That proves she was incapable of escaping her lingering feelings for her ex-husband on their anniversary. She startles Carlton when she moves away. That's only a momentary distraction. It proves she still has feelings for Ted. Meanwhile, Shanice accuses Ted of having feelings for Leslie. Ted laughs at the prospect. Yet he's far too willing to entertain whatever nonsense Leslie comes up with. Shanice must now decide if she can handle that in her relationship.
Grade: B-
