Nicole decides to come clean with Ted about her fantasies. Andre confides his fears in Chelsea. The Hawthornes celebrate one of their own. Naomi and Smitty have a long overdue chat. Monica gives Vernon an answer regarding his job offer. Hayley and Randy discuss how their con against Bill began. Andre consoles Dani while she takes a tough stroll down memory lane. Vernon secures the support of his friend Victor Newman for Martin's upcoming fundraiser. Grayson seeks Ashley's forgiveness.
Episode 2.098
Nicole is so wise when helping others process their emotions. She's also so dumb when it comes to managing her own. She tells Vanessa she needs to face her feelings about Doug's death. Everything was reignited following Derek's murder. Vanessa claims she's cleaning out Doug's things to prove to others she is moving on. She can't hide behind that excuse. Nicole needs her to admit what she's feeling and allow herself the grace to experience it. Vanessa enjoys pivoting the conversation back to Nicole's sexual fantasies. She theorizes that Carlton and Kial don't satisfy her. That's why she keeps thinking about Ted. It's a weird story. It certainly doesn't merit Nicole talking with Ted about it. She's happy Ted and Shanice are dating. She reassures Shanice that she would have checked on her as a friend even if Ted hadn't asked her to do so. That showed how unserious Ted can be. He and Nicole had many conversations over the years. They were never as truly honest as Nicole thought. They only went so deep. She thought they were more. The fantasies suggest they are too. It shouldn't be seen that way. Ted's being asked to grow so he is deserving of Shanice. That should be good enough. Nicole can work with him professionally. Getting tangled up in sexual fantasy just comes across as goofy. It's a distraction from the serious stuff happening elsewhere. Nicole can face these emotions on her own. She doesn't need to involve Ted to provide some guidance. He probably couldn't handle that.
Similarly, Naomi refuses to let Jacob dismiss his worth. He doesn't feel like a hero. Lia and Ren were arrested. He delivered a significant blow to the Impaler's operation. He thinks he's a failure because he didn't unmask the man at the top of the organization. Derek was killed. He made that sacrifice. That was a hero worth celebrating. Jacob didn't achieve anything great. Naomi sees him as a hero. She was terrified for months. Now that she knows what he went through, she sees him as an even greater hero. He should be able to give himself some grace. However, Naomi isn't completely willing to open up with him either. He senses that something more happened while he was gone. He couldn't be there for Naomi while Anita was undergoing cancer treatment. Naomi doesn't know how to reveal she carries the BRCA gene. It's terrifying enough for everyone to fear Dani could one day develop cancer. That's paralyzing. They fear her joy could be ripped from this world. So many people love her. She's finally in a good place. This fear always exists in the back of their minds. It comes to the forefront more often than people would like. The Duprees have too much to lose. Information is power. It allows them to arm themselves against these threats. It's also terrifying to imagine the worst possible scenario.
Grade: B-
Episode 2.099
The shots that killed Derek still ring out in Jacob's mind. They invade his thoughts. They are traumatic. It's immediately understood and visceral. He doesn't feel like celebrating. He believes he's a failure. The family is grateful he survived this undercover mission. That only reminds him of what he lost. He can't cope. He can't get back into the banter of the police station. He's adrift. Naomi doesn't want him to go undercover ever again. She barely survived not knowing what was going on with him. She thought he would be dependable. She never stood in the way of his career ambitions. Now, she doesn't believe she can handle it. It's too stressful. Dani reminds her to be supportive. She shouldn't dim Jacob's light because she's afraid. She can't control what he does with his life. It's worthy of a deeper conversation. Jacob can't even focus on the future. He's still haunted by the recent past. Plus, he's driven solely in pursuit of the Impaler. The story is unfinished. It doesn't matter that Elon believes the operation will never reorganize. He's actually foolish for thinking that given the upcoming meeting between Joey and the Impaler. Elon and Marcel don't offer any reasonable advice. And so, Jacob just escapes.
Izaiah needs Darlene to be nice to Eva. She risks pushing her son away. He already has a strained relationship with his father. He shows up to celebrate his brother. His issues with Elon won't stand in his way. He demands his mother accept how serious he is about Eva. She can't dismiss their relationship. Being kind in person does little to rectify the situation. Everyone understands it to be fake. Leslie is more deserving of Darlene's vitriol. It's laughable when Leslie suggests she can be nice. She doesn't need to be. She only has to point out that Izaiah has grown more comfortable with Eva's family. That's enough to set off Darlene's insecurities. Naomi knows what to expect from her mother-in-law. She even bonds with Eva over Darlene redoing all the work they just did. It's only a small moment. It showcases how Eva isn't alone. She's not being singled out for a reason. It's just how Darlene is. She can't help but be critical of the women her sons date. Elsewhere, Bill truly is being isolated from his family. Hayley doesn't want him thinking about the Duprees whatsoever. That creates more opportunities to poison him. No one else will notice his symptoms. She can control who has assess to him before her plan succeeds in killing him.
Grade: B
Episode 2.100
Monica doesn't want to give up her life's work to become Garland's new Chief of Staff. No one is asking her either. Nor does she have to make a major commitment to this job. She can agree to a one-year contract. That will allow the Board to seek out the perfect candidate for the permanent position. Monica accepts the offer. She sees the importance of being there for her niece. Her wisdom brought Shanice back to Ted. Now, she returns to an environment rocked by scandal and grief. She advises Shanice not to look at Derek's death as part of the job. He was her friend. He wasn't her patient. That requires her to process things differently. She can't expect the same outcome. It's freeing to share stories about Derek. Eva is the beneficiary of that. For the first time, she mourns someone she actually liked. She saw Derek as her friend. They only interacted professionally. He was grateful she tried to keep her mother away. She didn't always succeed. That created plenty of drama. Now, she hopes to laugh at those stories. She doesn't want to fall into depression over all that Derek will miss. It's better for everyone to remember him as a hero. They have plenty of people to lean on going through the same thing. No one has to suffer alone. Eva receives that clarity. Meanwhile, Naomi maintains some distance.
Naomi finally expresses her gratitude to Smitty for supporting Jacob during his undercover assignment. She knows her husband could rely on him during that time. She's upset over what was kept from her. She's terrified this will all happen again given how Jacob's been talking about the Impaler. Smitty needs space to write the first draft of his story. When Naomi arrives, he understands the context of his actions are seen differently. He doesn't know what to expect from her. He kept her busy during this trying time as well. She recognizes that effort. He was looking out for Naomi and Jacob even though he couldn't be completely honest. It's a complicated situation. It was told through care and consideration. That's in contrast to Nicole and Ted where the show just feels like stirring up drama between them. He accepts that there's no good in reflecting on the past. Meanwhile, she talks to Anita about her feelings. Her mother provides better advice and clarity than Vanessa did. It still leaves Nicole torn about what to do next. She doesn't know how to respond or behave. Her being unsure of herself is potential intriguing. It suffers because it pertains entirely to Ted. That shouldn't be revisited yet the narrative continues to do so.
Grade: B-
Episode 2.101
The dialogue is awkward and stunted when it pertains to the present-day characters reflecting on the events of the past to people who also lived it. It's reasonable to assume everyone involved already knows these details. The audience even understands the gist of Bill leaving Dani because he fell in love with Naomi's best friend, Hayley, who has actually been conning him this whole time. That story has been told. The nuance comes from Bill facing his regrets for how he behaved and Dani extending grace to herself. She wasn't desperate. She wasn't a woman who deserved pity. She was fighting for something she believed in. Their marriage was good. It wasn't perfect. They chemistry was undeniable. They have immense love for their daughters. They needed family. Bill leaving forced everyone to realize that importance. It only came after everything was destroyed. It can't be rebuilt. Dani has moved on with Andre. He nurtures her. All of this makes for Dani and Bill's dynamic to be so nuanced. They acknowledge the past. It informs all of their dynamics moving forward. It can't be ignored. That's in contrast to Ted. He wants to move past the past and only focus on the future. Yet he can't disregard the pain his actions caused. He deserves his own reckoning. That would require more people being honest about how dysfunctional his marriage to Nicole was. Dani and Nicole are in similar situations. However, the show has always treated Dani with more compassion and nuance.
Hayley feels confident because she has evidence her plan is working. It's not the physical side effects either. She's actually tracking Bill's health. She sees the numbers declining. Of course, that could be evidence used against her. It could pinpoint a problem that existed before his death. She's celebrating. She openly brags about her skills. It's all been easy for her. Randy bows to her charms. She was right. She deserves this moment. It's incredibly premature. That's how confident of success she is. She destroyed this family. The Hamiltons won't be restored once she's been eliminated as a threat. The truth may come out eventually. Naomi and Chelsea operate with that certainty. They don't even know what's being kept from them. They regret how loving and trusting they were of Hayley right away. This con artist knew how to manipulate people. It was relatively easy. Her targets aren't as one-note as they were during her initial approach. They've grown more complicated after two years. How it all started is depicted now. Everyone is in a different place. This story happening now suggests its resolution will occur shortly. Otherwise, it doesn't feel like much purpose came from including it at this moment.
Grade: B+
Episode 2.102
Martin's upcoming fundraiser is about more than having the funds to defeat his upstart primary challenger. It will ensure he has the resources to defend himself should his secret be exposed. As such, Anita and Vernon call in some heavy hitters from The Young & the Restless. Victor Newman is the only one seen onscreen. However, references are made about more coming to the event. Vernon is proud of landing this support for Martin. He sees it as opening doors for national donors to invest in his grandson. It also establishes a lengthy history between Vernon and Victor that formed at the start of the former Senator's political career. This is all expectation-setting for next week's episodes. The same applies to Joey preparing for his meeting with the Impaler. The new criminal's identity is about to be revealed. It hasn't happened yet. Joey's reaction suggests it's someone he recognizes at least. He's also adamant about Vanessa being far away from this meeting. It needs to be one-on-one. He must carry the burden of whatever threats emerge from this sit down. He can't allow Vanessa to be entangled in this mess. She sees it as an opportunity to prove her worth. It's too dangerous to throw her into the deep end of Joey's business though. And so, she's confided to the condo. She's only comforted by having Randy at the casino to protect Joey. That shouldn't be reassuring. It's a familiar face she trusts at least.
Jacob and Ashley are grappling with survivor's guilt. It's informing every thought they have. Jacob is willing to compromise his ethics to expose the Impaler. He asks Smitty to do the same. He wants the journalist to publish falsities to lure the criminal out of hiding. It's not even a fully-baked idea. He's flailing for what to do next. Elon doesn't believe there are next steps in the Impaler investigation. He's the only one who thinks the red market is gone for good. Vernon cautions that if Joey is involved he may leverage his relationship with the Duprees to avoid federal prosecution. Jacob has theorized about Joey too. This case is the only thing giving him purpose. Naomi sees the pain her husband and best friend are in. She analyzes Ashley's behavior. Ashley thinks if she gives Grayson a second chance it would be a betrayal to Derek. The two situations where boyfriends lied to her are different. Ashley refused to forgive Derek. She lets Grayson in. That suggests hope for reconciliation. She never gave that to Derek. She didn't have time to do so. She regrets that now. She's rewriting the past and blaming herself. She's taking it out on those around her. It's a lot of conflicting feelings. That doesn't inherently add up to something exciting though.
Grade: B-
