Beyond The Gates Weekly Recap: Someone Is Dying and Vanessa Is Still Annoying

This week on Beyond The Gates, Anita rings the bell, Chelsea takes control of the narrative, Eva and Izaiah exchange “I love yous,” and Grayson continues to be Lia’s favorite lab rat. It was a better week than last week, so let’s discuss.

Monday

Anita rings the bell after receiving her final treatment. Nicole and Dani are happy for her, as they should be. Speaking of Nicole and Dani, Darling Nikki tells Dani about seeing Ted while she was trying to get busy with Carlton. Dani assures her that it is probably because of the anniversary, which was both the day Nicole and Ted married and the day they split.

Speaking of Ted, he is still trying to convince Shanice that he is worth her time. Spoiler alert, he isn’t. However, Leslie is rude to Shanice and Ted merely tells her to do better. Sir, do more. Somehow, Leslie still manages to finagle a birthday dinner for Eva out of him. Ted invites Izaiah, who suggests that he cook for the family.

At Orphey’s, Samantha talks about the issues at cotillion practice that we never get to see. If you are going to feature the teens once in a while, how about we actually follow their story instead of getting abrupt pop-ups for the plot point of the quarter? Eva has volunteered to be the glam squad of one and offers to include June. Leslie comes by and is very nasty to June because Leslie is a classless clown who thinks money can buy heart and class.

Tuesday

The plasma ring story continues. Joey is involved, and he has Randy, his lackey, follow Smitty around. This leads to the discovery that Smitty is meeting someone at a motel, which Joey assumes means Smitty is stepping out on Martin.

Later, in the alley of espionage, which is a joke because it is actually the alley of folly, Jacob and Smitty discuss Lia and the Lynette connection. Where is Lynette? Bring her back.

Joey confronts Smitty, who tells him that his source doesn’t like to meet in public, so they chose a motel. Joey doesn’t buy it and makes sure Randy stays on his tail.

Madison and Chelsea dine at Orphey’s, and Madison’s forced hiatus has been reversed. However, the slimy lawyer the plaintiff hired, Mike, the same guy Bill fired because he was sexually harassing women, has hired someone to goad Chelsea. The reporter succeeds because Chelsea snatches his phone and throws it, breaking it. Elon happens to be there and is able to talk him out of filing charges.

Wednesday

Tomas and Smitty talk about Lia and Lynette.

Dani and Chelsea get some mother-daughter time, but that is interrupted when Chelsea’s confrontation with the reporter goes viral. Dani and Kat encourage her to take control of the narrative. Chelsea does a livestream, and it actually works.

Izaiah cooks for Eva, Ted, and Leslie. Ted has a shellfish allergy, so Izaiah just makes dry ass mac and cheese with truffles.

That was it, and he said there was plenty. Maybe I am just a big back. I don’t know. Leslie throws shade because it isn’t

extravagant, but she eats her words because dry ass mac and cheese is delicious, I guess.

Leslie gifts Eva a diamond necklace to match the earrings she bought her for Christmas. Ted’s gift is more heartfelt. It is a box of things he would have given Eva over the years.

After Ted ushers Leslie out, things get romantic between Eva and Izaiah, leading to “I love yous.” Those scenes were sweet.

Thursday

Nicole and Anastasia face off, Chessie is a bully, and there is more cotillion talk.

Mona and Randy flirt, and I am just not into it. Mona is a gorgeous, God-fearing woman, and I just don’t think Randy is right for her. Their little whatever is not giving what it is supposed to.

Joey tries to son Donnell by giving him cufflinks. Vanessa had mentioned that Doug had done that, but she could not find them. Donnell declines, but later apologizes to Joey because his grown-behind mother had a temper tantrum, complete with tears. I cannot be bothered to say much else because Vanessa is such a disappointment. I hope Joey’s sister hates her guts.

Friday

Vanessa and Nicole discuss the run-in with Anastasia and Chessie at the club. Nicole reminisces about Kat’s cotillion and how good Ted was at calming her nerves.

Eva and Ted talk about cotillion, and he apologizes to her because she didn’t get to have a debut. Eva tells him that she and Izaiah confessed their love for each other. They talk about Shanice, and then the scene weirdly cuts to Shanice’s aunt meeting with Ted.

Naomi has been designated as Ashley propper and follows her to work. Naomi refuses to leave the bland one alone with Lia. Meanwhile, Lia reminds Grayson that he was stabbed and tells him about the work he now has to do at the lab. The first shipment is tomorrow night, and he had better get creative and do what he is told. Lia tells him it is a matter of life and death, his.

Jacob and Smitty talk about Grayson working at the clinic. Maybe Lia is working with someone there. Jacob mentions Leslie, but Smitty helps him see reason. Ren calls and tells Jacob to show up at the warehouse because VIPs will be there. Jacob reports to Elon and thinks it will all be over soon, but I have a bad feeling.

Vanessa asks Nicole which paramour she will take to the ball. Tyrell acts like a grumpy child who missed naptime.

Ted tells Shanice’s aunt about Leslie and explains that it happened before he and Shanice were together. Later, Shanice enters his office and finds her aunt there. Meanwhile, at the country club, Vanessa and Nicole discuss Nicole’s public sex fantasy about Ted, and Ted almost overhears.

Final Thoughts

This week was okay and better than last week. Next week seems to be bringing the drama, and to my surprise, this week we actually saw the clinic when Grayson was snooping around. It was a lab room, but it is a start.

Also, I was wrong. It looks like we are having a cotillion. Someone dies next week, and there is a surprise reunion. Now that is what I came for.

Until then.

What did you think?

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