The Duprees get ready for Samantha's cotillion. Ashley is in a panic as Grayson prepares for the worst. All hell breaks loose at the warehouse. Samantha and Jessica make their cotillion debut. Someone dies while a Platinum Deb is crowned. Tyrell and Jessica slip away for their first time together. Ashley and Naomi are shell-shocked. Donnell has some tough questions for Vanessa. Anita, Vernon and Ted have to do damage control. Andre and Dani console someone they love. One of the McBrides has a stunning reunion.
Episode 2.089
Derek hasn't spoken to Jacob in months. Yet he never questioned the cover story Naomi gave him. He recites it exactly once he catches Grayson stealing from the clinic. He has no reason to believe Grayson either. Lia aimed to threaten Derek into compliance. She needed him to stop looking at Grayson with suspicion. She wanted to humanize him by mentioning the care his mother needs. That only resulted in Derek having more questions. This isn't a paid position at the clinic. It seems counterintuitive for Grayson to volunteer when he has to pay for his mother's care. Grayson arranged for Ashley to look after his mother should anything happen to him. He's grateful she has given him happiness and hope over the last few months. He knows he may not make it out of this criminal operation alive. Jacob is hopeful. The police have to act now. The Impaler may move his enterprise out of the DMV. Garland has garnered too much attention recently. Grayson has to make his delivery. Lia needs to prove the logistics still work here. That desperation creates mistakes. Derek inserting himself into the drama also creates plenty of uncertainty.
All of this coincides with the cotillion. The event is finally here. Samantha and Jessica are getting ready at Nicole's house. They are grateful Eva is doing their hair and makeup. The family is dressed up and ready to go. They have traditions that must be preserved. That includes the debutante making her debut atop the stairs at Anita and Vernon's home. Anita has a plan to be present with her family as well. Side effects from chemo still linger. She doesn't want to miss this moment. It's special to her. It's important that the family rallies around each other. That's crucial for their survival. It provides comfort whenever doubt creeps in. Samantha still feels she has to become platinum deb to make her family proud. That isn't required. They are already proud of her. They beam with joy seeing her throughout this day. That's the atmosphere at Nicole's home. It's even joyous with the men as well. Tyrell is a bit dour because Jessica has committed to UCLA. However, his breath is still taken away upon seeing her in her gown. She's doing the cotillion out of family obligation. Her mother may not even arrive until the event starts. She's surrounded by people who are proud of her too. The Duprees include her in all of the celebrations. They understand her perspective and still champion her. This is a special night. One that aims to be remembered.
Grade: B
Episode 2.090
The Duprees essentially take over the cotillion. The chairwoman is sick. The Dupree women step up to present. Anastasia's furious. The Belleclaires believe they have to embarrass others to make themselves look good. Chessy trips Samantha as she makes her debut. It's a vindictive act. It doesn't embody the spirit of this event. Any hope of her being named platinum deb ends with that. It's obvious her fellow debutantes don't like her. They don't wish to help her either. That leaves her alone wondering why people aren't being nice to her family. Anastasia and Chessy present themselves as victims. Their anger isn't righteous. It's a consequence of their own actions. Meanwhile, Jessica's parents view her as an embarrassment. They are grateful to the Duprees for navigating her through this process. They expected her to conform. Her debut is meant to be her stepping into her power. That's the message the Duprees imparted onto her. Jessica does that. It doesn't abide by the poise that typically defines this moment. It's quintessentially her. She doesn't want to stick around to hear who becomes platinum deb. She wasn't chasing the title. However, her behavior exemplifies what the event is suppose to be. She supported Samantha as she was freaking out as Donnell is missing. He arrives in time. Everyone gets to see Jessica as a solid friend.
The cotillion is contrasted with the chaos happening at the warehouse. Smitty and Naomi are distracted worrying about Jacob. Derek follows Grayson because he fears Ashley is in danger. He obviously still loves her. He has to protect her even though his presence only makes things more complicated for Jacob. That's not what disrupts the meeting though. Lia recognizes Jacob. She immediately offers to make a deal. Her attitude shifts. Grayson and Ashley may not like that she gets off easy given the threats she has issued. That may be the unfortunate side effect of the police coming in before the VIPs arrive at the warehouse. Ren was tipped off that Grayson was working with the police. The local prosecutor's office is compromised. The Impaler's influence in the DMV is more expansive than Jacob realized. He hoped it would all end tonight. He could return home after successfully closing this case. That's not what occurs. Instead, shots ring out. Jacob's on the floor. It's a little fuzzy. Elon and Marcel respond quickly. Ren's arrested. Consequences are coming. Derek acted to protect his friend despite not knowing what's actually going on. That paints him in a heroic light. He's suddenly present in a story that hasn't functioned with him. His presence here is at least more understandable than Randy's though.
Grade: A-
Episode 2.091
Every time a Dupree has made their debut in society, they've been named platinum deb. That continues with Samantha. She was so stressed about the cotillion. She felt pressure to make her family proud. The drama around the announcement comes from Nathan foolishly switching the cards to benefit Chessy. He's considerate in a way he has never been before. It's still a dumb decision. He doesn't really know anything about Chessy. He doesn't even spell her name correctly. Deanna's deduction skills weren't necessary to figure out something was wrong. She aims to offer the moment the dignity it deserves. Anastasia wants to declare her granddaughter the winner of the title. She grabs the sash and tiara. It's required of Chessy to be the bigger person. She has to offer the garnishments up to the rightful winner. She has to acknowledge that. Deanna previously shared that the committee was so evenly split that it was the vote of the debutantes themselves that decided who would carry the crown. It's inferred the other contender was Chessy. It's close enough for Anastasia to suggest the Duprees pulled some stunt to ensure their victory. That desperation is the true embarrassment of the event. Everyone else enjoys the celebration. Sure, Martin and Smitty are upset that Tyrell missed his sister's big moment. They don't quite know how to navigate his teenage impulses. He struggles staying present as well even though that's all Jessica needs from him.
Tragedy strikes across town. Naomi fears the worst. Vanessa passes on a message from Joey. He doesn't know what happened at the warehouse. He wants his secrets to remain that way even when Vanessa wants more. She demands to know what chaos has harmed the people she cares about. He doesn't provide clarity. Deanna sees through his manipulation. She doesn't even know the full story behind the cufflinks. Vanessa shared a memory about Doug and then Joey offered the items up to Donnell to forge a stronger connection. He plays things so smooth and confidently. Vanessa and Donnell remain enthralled. Meanwhile, the raid on the warehouse went awry. It occurred before the big players arrived. Jacob is grateful Derek was looking out for him. His friend took a bullet. It proves to be a fatal injury as well. This twist has been somewhat inevitable ever since Ben Gavin was downgraded from the main cast. That occurred only for Derek to be giving a more substantial story running the clinic. And now, he's dead. That's the result of Jacob's undercover investigation. Ren and Lia are arrested. Grayson awaits an uncertain future. Ashley's an emotional wreak. She knows what it means when the surgeon comes out to talk with Shanice. Something went wrong. That now leaves Naomi, Jacob, and Ashley without their friend.
Grade: B+
Episode 2.092
Derek died a hero. That's all he ever wanted to be. He lost his way for awhile. First, it was the bike accident that left him paralyzed. Then, it was losing Ashley. He couldn't return to the work he loved. He found purpose again. He was driven managing the clinic. Ashley saw that he was at peace with himself. She thought the possibility existed that they could be friends again. And now, she's blaming herself for his death. Everything would have been different if she was more accepting when he moved in. That was the dullest story on the show to date. That conflict really didn't serve a purpose. It was trivial at the time. A year later, Ashley finally agrees. That doesn't guarantee Derek's life would have been different at all. Jan offers that wisdom. She wouldn't have been the first person I would want to console Ashley. She has always had a way of riling her daughter up. She was Derek's biggest supporter. She would defend anything. Plenty of Ashley's anxieties come from her mother. In this moment though, they are able to connect and mourn together. Naomi recognizes that family is needed. She provides that for Ashley before seeking it herself. The public has questions about the plasma smuggling operation. Someone was killed. The focus can never veer too far from that despite Derek not being the most engaging character during his time on the show.
Jacob may have to cut a deal with Ren to identify the Impaler too. He thought the boss would be arrested in this operation. He had that expectation. As such, his work can't be done until that occurs. His undercover assignment is finished. Lia and Ren know he infiltrated their operation. The case against them has been building for months. The charges are even more serious now that someone's been killed. Lia doesn't deserve any sympathy for how she responded to losing all her money. Shanice notes that the entire hospital will suffer from that breach of trust. Her mission is to support the nurses. They should know none of this reflects on their abilities. That's her priority. She's not trying to make things easier for Lia. Jacob presents her with an offer. In fact, he's begging for it. He wants to make a deal with Lia so Ren doesn't benefit from what he knows. Lia can't help. She doesn't know who the Impaler is. She can't identify him. Those trying to help her realize there is nothing they can do. She made her decisions. Now, she has to suffer the consequences. Her purpose ends here. It's clarifying for Marcel. He knows he should retire. His skills aren't what they once were. Joey still can't allow that. He stopped Marcel's retirement once and took no action to cultivate a new source with the police. Marcel is too valuable for Joey to let him go. That means Marcel will be sticking around on a job he can't do anymore.
Grade: B
Episode 2.093
The fallout from Derek's death proves to be the focal point for how the plasma smuggling operation was resolved this week. That's odd. It's not exactly wrong. It's a pivotal moment for several characters. Many are allowed to react. However, it's strange that Smitty disappears following the cotillion. He was present for his daughter. He was also obsessed with this case. He was helping Jacob put the pieces together. Suddenly, he's not around to help manage the aftermath. Important questions had to be asked of Joey as well. He seems to have a way to contact the Impaler. He wants to assert control over his territory. Yet the conversation once again pivots back to his relationship with Vanessa. Donnell and Deanna have issues with it. Once again, a child is called an embarrassment for her behavior. It wasn't justified when Jessica received that treatment from her parents. It's not reasonable now with how Vanessa speaks about Deanna. Kat advises Deanna that she has to be more tactical with her opposition to Joey. She can't allow him to ruin her relationship with her mother. She must remain a resource should anything dangerous occur. She receives that advice only to be surprised by her father at the club. Doug's suddenly present once more. It's a suddenly revelation. One that may prove Joey isn't as powerful as he has frequently been perceived. He can't count on Randy or Marcel to execute his orders. That's just speculation based on a brief appearance though.
Ashley is trying to figure out who to blame. Yesterday, it was her selfish actions. Today, she directs her vitriol towards Grayson. Jan complies when Grayson asks for privacy with Ashley. She leaves even though her daughter needs her. She once again becomes unreliable. She openly states she wanted Ashley and Derek to get back together. That wasn't a secret. She acts as if it was. Ashley is understandably upset. Grayson can't say anything that will make her feel differently. He trusted her. She can't bear the sight of him. Someone she loved is dead because Grayson got involved with the wrong people. Grayson won't suffer any professional consequences. The police will protect his privacy. Ashley can't abide by that. She is more accepting of Andre and Dani when they arrive. It's a selfless act on their part. Dani is nurturing without any hint of jealousy. Ashley once mattered to Andre. That becomes relevant once more. Similarly, Nicole tells Shanice she needs to heal herself before being able to help others. That's advice she knows but still needs to be told. Elsewhere, Anita and Vernon question Ted's motives in wanting to install Nicole as interim Chief of Staff at Garland. Setting up a competition between Monica and Nicole for the position could be compelling. However, the show frequently offers Nicole up as a lifeline and dispatches her when it doesn't know what to do. Her exit from the cotillion to help a patient in distress was random and didn't serve any purpose whatsoever.
Grade: B-
