Kat and Tomas leave each other equally stunned. Dani, Nicole and Vernon await the results of Anita's lumpectomy. Joey informs Vanessa of a change in their business arrangement. Leslie and Monica lock horns. Grayson receives an unexpected offer. Naomi's admission leaves Dani and Jacob reeling. Samantha's news has Smitty and Martin worried for Tyrell. Madison's deposition goes from bad to worse for all involved. Dani discusses a sensitive matter with Ashley. Leslie and Darlene come to a new understanding.
Episode 2.118
Suddenly, the Duprees trust Kat to make the right decision. Most of them bullied her until she agreed to donate her liver to Eva. That action is now described as selfless. It demonstrates how strong she truly is. The family is in awe of her. They didn't give her much of a choice. They feel compelled to celebrate her because of how they behaved. The family needs to come together to shower praise on each other. A homecoming would have been thrown regardless of Tomas' intentions. He waited to propose until Kat was surrounded by family. He made his intentions known without sharing any of the actual details. As such, it's embarrassing when he proposes in public and rejected in private. All of the Duprees had reservations about the potential engagement. No one thought it was a good idea. No one warned Kat. Chelsea knew it wasn't right to pressure Kat into doing something she doesn't want once more. In this situation, the family trusts Kat to make up her mind. They like Tomas. They don't see the proposal going well. They are relieved when Kat arrives without a ring on her finger. No one thought the proposal would happen during the party. That's how oblivious Tomas truly is. Family is important to the Duprees. He wants them all present for this moment. He doesn't understand that this is the opposite of what Kat wants. He can't take this back. They can't act like it didn't happen. This should be seen as another strike against Tomas for failing to know who Kat is.
At least the homecoming is allowed to be all about Kat. She's the focus of the celebration. Eva is released from the hospital at the same time. It would have been in keeping with the show to have Ted torn about which of his daughters to support. He so often feels compelled to mention them as a collective unit. They went through this ordeal together. Their experiences were vastly different. Their individuality needs to be recognized. Eva is still a key part of the episode. Her loved ones welcome her home. That's all she needs. Kat deserves attention from her own family. Ted was told to be there for her. It actually looks like he follows that advice. That's a stunning change of pace. It may not last. This experience forced Darlene to act with more empathy towards Eva. She obviously still wants her family to get along. She invites Izaiah and Eva over for a family dinner. Izaiah appreciates what Darlene and Leslie do for Eva. Ultimately, he just wants to be the one caring for her. The visits are nice and showcase love as these characters can offer. Izaiah presents as a figure who knows what Eva actually needs. That's offered as more genuine than what Tomas provides for Kat. As such, it's a little unfortunate for their relationships to be presented in contrast to each other. Those comparisons aren't needed for the character stakes to be real.
Grade: B-
Episode 2.119
Kat wants to make Tomas feel better but isn't reconsidering the proposal at all. Once again, she believes moving in together will fix all of their problems. Meanwhile, he goes to Eva for advice. He's not expecting sex. Eva shuts that down. She sees it as part of his pattern whenever he and Kat are on the outs. They haven't talked since the proposal. He needs to be honest with Kat about how he felt. He can't be a man with a frail ego. The Duprees want better for Kat. Nicole and Dani don't want her to make the same mistakes they did. They see the potential for history to repeat. That possibility exists. That contributes to no one thinking getting married was a good idea. Tomas was impulsive. So is Kat. She decides to put an offer on a condo. She's excited that Deanna will be in town for the summer. That will create problems for Joey. He's already trying to manage them despite Vanessa's annoyance. She wants a happy relationship with her daughter and more access to the business with Joey. Those goals just aren't attainable right now. She refuses to accept that. That runs the risk of exposure. The stakes are heightened given the money laundering. Everything is more personal between Kat and Tomas. He should strive to make more friends. She should learn to trust him. The solution she offers isn't viable. He sees that right away. Chelsea was also trying to steer Kat away from this decision.
Nicole, Dani and Vernon are back at the hospital worrying about a loved one during surgery. This time it marks the potential end of Anita's cancer journey. Her lumpectomy is performed. Dr. Bauer reports that it was a success. More treatment and monitoring is needed. However, this marks a crucial moment for the family. As such, it's surprising how the show doesn't rally the family to mark the occasion. It may just be an outpatient procedure but it's critical for the strength of their matriarch. The family often compares themselves to Anita and Vernon. That was the highest compliment Kat could have received for what she did for Eva. And now, everything is slightly returning to normal. That's not too surprising given the nature of needing to produce an hour of content daily. It's also lackluster for such a critical storyline. Anita isn't even seen until the procedure is finished. She's grateful to be surrounded by family. It affirms how blessed she is. Her moment of stubbornness about walking out of the hospital instead of using the wheelchair is largely unnecessary. It showcases a familiar pattern too without any appreciation for how this journey changed her and brought the family closer together. That's communicated but isn't quite as effective as the story has been at its best.
Grade: C+
Episode 2.120
A reason always pops up for why Kat and Tomas can't move in together. It's exhausting. They aren't compatible. After a year of trying to make them work, they should just give up. Kat is starting to wonder if a relationship should be this hard. Mona and Jan offer support. Tomas only wants to live with Kat if he can contribute financially. Kat doesn't need that help to afford the condo she likes. She doesn't see the importance for Tomas. He has something to prove. He feels the burden of expectations from his family. Yet those haven't pushed him into becoming an engaging figure in this world. He's just as lackluster now as he has always been. Kat wants things to work. The family supports her decisions. However, this drama isn't even interesting. This entire episode is boring. It's the same drama for Kat and Tomas. Meanwhile, the intrigue over whether Leslie has changed is mixed. She asks Jacob to run a background check on Monica. That's in keeping with the past. Then, she tells Mona she would have been devastated if Kat had died during surgery. She also convinces Monica to keep the partnership between the hospital and clinic despite the past animosity between her and Shanice. Monica tested Leslie. Actions speak so much louder than words. The latter is all there is though.
Moreover, the show goes against what it has established in the past in order to set up new dynamics moving forward. Uptown has been the go-to spot for the entire ensemble. But now, the establishment apparently doesn't know how to serve drinks. A situation is created for Grayson to step up. He was looking for part-time work. It falls in his lap while Ashley has to be there for Jacob and Naomi. It's convenient without being interesting. It's not as much of a surprise when Monica informs Ted that Shanice is nervous about the extravagant life he wants to show her off in. The amount of nervousness expressed though is entirely in contrast to how Shanice has operated. It showcases her strengths at work and struggles in her personal life. Yet that's a fairly basic idea for a couple that has been together for months now. They haven't moved beyond the basics. That spells potential doom. Again, it's drama for the sake of creating tension. None of it really amounts to much. And so, the show becomes boring after weeks of taking some wild creative swings. That's unfortunate.
Grade: C-
Episode 2.121
Naomi foolishly lied to her family for months about having the BRCA gene. Ashley told her from the start to be honest. Naomi didn't listen. As such, it became a much bigger thing. Now that Naomi is ready to share the truth, she goes to her mom first. Dani provides all the love her daughter needs. She doesn't need to be told how to respond. Later on, she needs Andre to support her. He is. However, he also takes it as the moment to suggest Dani could be more proactive with her own diagnosis. Dani doesn't want to change anything about her body. She believes she is managing her health by cutting back on drinking and eating healthier. She knows this isn't a death sentence. She may never develop cancer. Naomi opted to gather more information. She talked with Carlton about a double mastectomy. She put it this work before informing her loved ones. They weren't part of the decision. She needs them to trust her. Jacob needs to show his love. He did with their makeup anniversary. He also has to show it when it comes to facing this truth. Dani and Andre are upset about the lie. Naomi knows she betrayed them. Her reasons seem quaint now. She's finally accepting reality. That's a crucial step. She no longer has to carry this on her own. Dani wishes Andre would respond how she wants him to. He's not willing to do so because he has his own opinions. She lashes out because she too is carrying her own secret.
It's stunning and baffling that Kat believes she has to apologize to Martin. He's the one who wasn't considering her feelings whatsoever. It didn't dawn on him that she was having surgery until she had complications from the procedure. He was being reckless with his sister's life. He wants to get away with that the same way Ted did. They prioritized Eva because they missed out on time with her. They saw Kat as not needing that attention. She was dependable because she has been there for so long. She needed compassion and consideration though. No one was on her team. And now, Kat feels compelled to share the details of her dream. Martin is happy that his sisters will be getting along. He wants a happy family and is seemingly getting it. Kat was the problem. She owns up to that. She creates peace despite not being the one to produce the latest drama. And then, the situation pivots to Martin and Smitty being concerned about Tyrell. He refuses to accept that Jessica will break up with him before leaving for college. That's her plan. He thinks she will change her mind after he creates many memorable experiences together. As such, he's changing himself to please her. That also undercuts the sweet message he hopes to send by getting a tattoo that honors June.
Grade: B-
Episode 2.122
Naomi wants Jacob to be honest about how he feels. She doesn't want him to respond with what she wants to hear. That caused problems for them in the past. He agreed about not having kids without thinking about it for himself. She's put in the research about the BRCA gene. She's thinking about a double mastectomy. She wants Jacob's opinion. He isn't given much time to process. Fortunately, he reminds her of Madison's deposition. That allows things to remain open-ended. What happens next with Jacob really isn't that informative. He delivers Orphey Gene's cornbread to Eva. He reinforces that Darlene's recent actions show she's accepting of Izaiah and Eva as a couple. He also bumps into Smitty where they once again talk about the Impaler evading capture. Nothing really happens. Elsewhere, Darlene remains skeptical of Leslie. They agree to find a way to coexist for the sake of their children. They don't want to be an impediment to their relationship. Darlene's guard is still up when Leslie asks for a recipe. Leslie is starting to convince people that she is sincere about changing since Eva's death scare. She promised to change. She's still making that promise. But again, her actions will determine whether or not she can be trusted. Everyone remains reluctant around her.
Meanwhile, action appears to finally kick in with Hayley's poisoning of Bill. It happens in the middle of Madison's deposition. Even Mike agrees to end it when it becomes clear something is wrong with Bill. Madison should have the medical expertise to know how to help. It doesn't amount to much. In fact, the story highlights how nervous she is and how determined Mike is to make Bill suffer. No one in the office is willing to indulge in Mike's tactics. However, Bill allows his former partner to aggravate him. He fails to listen to his own advice. He's noticeably off before the final moment. Naomi and Hayley fear another stroke. That means another character will soon be entering the hospital for a medical crisis. That's been the source of so much drama recently. Yet it's the only viable outcome for what Hayley has been scheming for a long time now. Dani's at the hospital already thinking about Bill. It isn't her place to tell others about Naomi's lie. She continues to feel drawn to Bill. It comes at a time when Andre and Ashley have asked how she plans on handling her own diagnosis. She knows how to improvise. She expects that to serve her well with her health. She will adapt as the situation requires. She isn't going to change despite this news. That's in contrast to Naomi who wants to take major preventive steps now.
Grade: B-
