Beyond The Gates Weekly Recap 08/11-/08/15/25

Are We Surprised?

Ashley on three days this week? Not me. The writers clearly can’t help themselves. She gets a new storyline, a triangle, and yet again, multiple men circling her. Meanwhile, Dani frigging Dupree...supermodel, smart, worldly, witty, is in two triangles where the man is centered and somehow keeps getting left for bland airheads. It does not compute. 

Derek is rushed into the ER after he crashed his bike during the triathlon, after stubbornly refusing to slow down. Ashley crumbles, blaming herself and confessing her love. The show is angling for star-crossed Blandre. Newsflash, writers: you can spin it however you want, but Blashley is still dull, and Andre still isn’t dynamic enough to be the anchor in this story; pairing him with Ashley doesn’t fix that. If this was always the plan, Dani should never have been mixed in. Period.

Dirty Dancing (Or Not)

Tomas arranges a salsa lesson for Kat, expecting a woman instructor. Instead, Santi walks in. Tomas fumbles, and Santi steps in to show Kat how a real man leads. Tomas gets a little jealous, and suddenly he finds his rhythm. On the floor with

Kat, sparks fly. HOWEVER...

When things get to the bedroom? Not so much. Kat is left unsatisfied. Again. Tomas is desperate to get it right, but with a wounded ego, ends up leaving and heading to the Uptown.

Later, Kat calls him "a bore in the bedroom" when explaining her evening to Chelsea. Chelsea suggests maybe the problem isn’t Kat, it’s Tomas, maybe she just doesn't like him. It isn't her sexuality; she isn't asexual, so it has to be that. Kat worries that if she doesn't figure it out, she will lose him. My question is, Kat, why do you want him? I feel it is her desire to win over Eva.

At The Uptown, Eva's vibe makes it clear she's still into her sister's man. Can we give her a little self-respect, please? Tomas is not worth any of this. He is nearly as bland as Blashley.

Martin and Family

Samantha "Parent Traps” her parents, texting Martin from Smitty’s phone to lure him over with pizza. The night gives Martin hope and the kids a family moment. Later, Naomi and Jacob reveal the truth about June being the children's birth mother. Smitty, recalling his reporting on foster care, explains why he chose to adopt them. A flashback here would have been perfect.

June initially refuses to meet the kids, but Naomi works her over with a makeover and coaxing. The eventual meeting is emotional, raw, and well-acted. Martin and Smitty, though conflicted, give the kids space to decide. Martin, in therapy, is terrified of losing them but determined to be better. This entire arc started slow and a little boring, but landed beautifully.

Leslie and Eva: Mother-Daughter Clash

Eva presses Leslie to respond to a letter about an inheritance that she received. Leslie thinks it is a scam, and Eva is exhausted carrying Leslie’s weight. Leslie resists accountability, manipulating and guilt-tripping as usual. Their fight ends with Eva insisting she deserves her father’s love and that she also loves Nicole. Leslie reminds her that she is the one who brought Ted into her life and she is the one who gave birth to her, not Nicole. Well, gee, Leslie, could it be because Nicole was supportive without requiring anything in return? Without placing things on her that should not be?

Enter Peaches, the woman who raised Leslie. She reveals that Leslie’s mother was none other than Barbara, the fourth Articulate. Barbara rejected motherhood, leaving Leslie with Peaches, and later died by suicide, leaving Leslie a fortune. This reveal was juicy, and we know that tidbit about suicide is going to cause her to seek redemption. Looking forward to this mess.

Two Divorce Parties

Ted is shocked to learn that Nicole has filed for divorce. He approaches Anita and Vernon, who tell him to ask Nicole, who just walked in with Carlton. 

Nicole and Carlton talk. Ted is about to approach. Anita tells him to sit and checks him. Nicole tells Carlton that having breakfast with him rejuvenated her. Anita tells Ted that if he wants to fix his marriage, then he needs to fight for her.

Ted interrupts.  Nicole tells him to move on; it feels remarkable.

Later, Ted and Andre discuss their love life over drinks. Ted feels like his mistake was 20 years ago, and Nicole is inflexible. He gives himself a pity party, meanwhile, in contrast, Nicole is having a happily divorced party. Dani talks about Andre and says sometimes it's better to keep a sneaky link, a sneaky link.

The Stalker

Chelsea and Madison’s country club catch-up leads to Chelsea getting an exclusive offer from Allison. Chelsea wisely shuts it down, proving she’s no fool. The stalker subplot simmers in the background, adding intrigue without overpowering the week.

Thumbs Up 👍🏾

• The June reveal

• The Leslie mom twist

• Nicole’s divorce party

• The stalker story

• Devon’s return and sparks with Dani

Thumbs Down 👎

• Ashley’s New Storyline - tired and contrived

• Ted’s pity party

Final Thoughts

This week was a good week overall. We all know what is happening with Leslie and her sudden wealth. I’d like her to be a viable character, but some comeuppance is required for many viewers to accept her. I know that she is over the top, but taking her too far over the top makes her a cartoon villain. I do not want that for her. I really enjoyed those scenes and again, I would have liked flashbacks. The same with Smitty finding young Tyrell and Samantha while working on a story. The only people that we get to see working are the cops, Bill, and Ashley. You all know how I feel about Ashley by now. She brings the show down, and even the actress doesn't feel like Andre or Derek are for her. I won't go on that tangent this week. 

I loved the Articulate goodbye. Sharon softening up was a surprise, but a nice one. I am glad that Anita provided them with the opportunity to tour and that they showed their gratitude. Ted needs to step up. The final straw for Nicole was his stepping in to help Leslie during their scuffle. He hasn’t done anything to truly fight for her. Carlton applied more pressure. I am rooting for them, but he needs to step it up.