GLATWT88

I really hope so. I can do without an alcoholism story for a while.

I'm assuming it's a surrogate. How else is she going to pull this off being 10 weeks and all. Eventually, she's going to need to put a whole lot of effort into faking it. Wonder where they are going with all of this.

Same reason Hayley is still 10 weeks pregnant even though almost 3 whole weeks have passed (not including the week we had repeats) since Hayley had her scare. So much has happened since then, I would have preferred she said 11 weeks at least.

Definitely. I think it was further highlighted when Vernon said that Nicole and Dani never had to go through something like that and how Anita and Vernon shielded them from it. The Dupree offspring have lived in privelege and they can be detached from harsh realities that everyday people have to go through. I can't with the internet sometimes 😅 Well I guess Hot Girl Summer for Nicole.

I think it's one of those weird instances where we think they dropped a story, but then it pops back up again. Sorta how we thought Malone and Elon were dropped for a sec. I'm sure it will be back.

I'm assuming they didn't want Nicole/Ted and Nicole/Martin to go down in the same episode. I felt more positively towards this episode, because there was real emotion from Daphnee and Karla really played her parts so well. I thought the Nicole/Ted scenes highlighted how far from over the affair she feels. Her arguments about Ted not telling her were rooted in her hurt around the lies of the affair, because where was this anger towards her father and why isn't she more looking at herself and questioning why her son chose not to come to her for two years. Yes, he was being advised by Vernon not to speak, but at some point if he really felt he needed his mom he would have turned or her. There is some weird fracture between Martin and his parents and I wonder if it is intentional and the writers will play into it or if it was an accident brought about by the way stories have been written thus far.

Ted is a terrible father to Martin.

I haven't said this in a while, but today's episode was a good episode.

I understand Nicole's anger towards Ted, but she needs to realize that her son is grown and he chose for two years not to confide in her when he had that choice. Maybe she should be asking why he chose not to come to his own mother even when he was clealry struggling with this secret. Ted wasn't even there and Vernon who was decided to also keep it from Nicole. I get that this is her husband but I also get wanting to protect his wife from everything that this entails.

If the strange dynamics that have played out in the Anita&Vernon/Martin/Nicole&Ted relationships are intentional and an avenue to show how the grandparents have co-opted the parental role from Nicole/Ted because a) Martin is the first grandchild and b) he is the only male Dupree offspring, I can live with it. I know we have all beat a dead horse that Martin should've been Anita and Dante Green's...ermm Vernon's child, but it just isn't so. If this is the alternative then I can roll with it. It would have been more believable if Nicole had been a teen mom or something and Anita pretty much raised Martin, but I guess there is an aspect of doting that happens with the first grandchild. Also, Martin has followed closely in his grandad's footsteps either by admiration for his grandad or by design. I wonder how goody two shoes cop Jacob is going to handle not only the revelation that Martin and Vernon covered up a murder because they were victims of a hate crime, but that his father was involved. It seems that as a black man and police officer, Jacob is caught in the middle. He is very much by the book and black and white - something his father doesn't seem to be. While I am sure Jacob will empathize with Martin, I do not feel he would think they shouldn't have gone above the law. One other thing I noticed and I wonder if others feel the same is that the drama seems to be muted. The tension is not overt or palpable. I know that one of the goals with BTG may have been to modernize the soap opera, but many times it feels like the tension is missing. It feels like things just are. They happened and that's what it is, but there is no deep suspense or drama.

Yes! But it's not the first time they've done this on a Friday episode where the previews were more exciting than the cliffhanger or lack thereof. Well Orphey's is where he found out Kenny was dead during his tense and dropped press conference on the secret. That leaves Uptown.

The episode was fine. The choices were odd. This conversation with Anita should have happened after Martin told Nicole. Also, where 👏 is 👏 the 👏 drama 👏? Where is it? No dramatic cliffhanger? Nicole just learned her son killed someone.

Yes! I was like hold up. Don't go and zero in on Ted doing this surgery and not telling you when your grandad and son who were victims of this attack never said a word to you about it and it should be on them whether or not you knew anything at all.

Did they not trust BC to deliver? I mean I know some here feel otherwise, but his acting needed work in the attack scene and when he spilled to Smitty, but nonetheless an odd choice to have Anita tell Nicole first. Did they want to give TT something to do?

Smitty to Samantha: Anyone ever tell you you're like a 30-year-old stuck in a 16-year-old's body? Samantha: I was born 16 so the math is mathing. Definitely.

As if there isn't a lack of connection between Martin and his parents, Nicole is seriously unaware that her son has been acting different these past two years. Would have been better if the dialogue said something to show that Nicole noticed Martin hadn't been acting himself but she didn't realize there was a problem in the marriage. And are they really going to have Anita tell Nicole the secret instead of using this moment to foster and showcase the relationship between Nicole and Martin. Still doesn't make sense to keep this from Nicole when two years ago she was okay.

If my partner kept something that serious from me for two years knowing how worried I have been, I would be angry too. I do think it was too soon to kick Martin out considering he just unloaded all this trauma on Smitty. He could have spent the night and they could have discussed it further. I get why Smitty didn't tell Jacob, but I am also curious how goody two shoes Jacob will react to the events based on the circumstances. Will he empathize being a black man or will he think the law is the law and they should have followed the appropriate channels.

Not the geriatric daughter...

This is the last I will mention this, because what's done is done and I want to be hopeful that there is a greater vision and story in mind, but I think it was a total missed opportunity to make this night a secret to the audience. We missed an opportunity to explore race and the law in America and really go deep into what that means for black men in particular. This fall out that is happening now could have still happened with the audience in on the secret. We could have witnessed the attack and seen Vernon's struggle with doing what's right and what he felt he needed to do. In today's episode Vernon said something to the effect of he should have called on his connections (which I made a point of yesterday), but instead he acted in fear. How much more thrilling would it have been to see Vernon call Bill, Elon, and Malone and concoct this whole plot out of fear of what could happen to Martin and himself. Instead we got repetitive conversations and scenes that appeared to be cut short because we were being held off from knowing too much about the secret. Also, Kenny shouldn't have been killed off. How brilliant would it have been for Martin to actually out himself. He was riddled with guilt, anxiety, and fear but he still decided to do what is right. We should have had a trial (probably wouldn't because there is no set). This trial should have highlighted all the dynamics that come into play with race, racism, and the legal system. It should have shown why Vernon was scared to do the right thing to begin with. It would have been soapy and it would have been timely. We should also be shown how the Duprees having status and wealth are privileged but still vulnerable. Vernon's connections and Bill would ultimately get Martin free, but it would demonstrate how even in their privelege, they are still Black in America. Ultimately, this would give Martin a platform as congressman, even if he would have to start small again and build his way up. I may have mentioned this yesterday, but while being in on the secret we would understand why Martin was keeping the secret from Smitty. We would also still get to see Nicole spiral after learning something else her family kept from her. Nothing that is happening now would have been lost. Perosonally, I think there was such a lack of foresight in telling this story. If the focus was racism and how the law is bias, then this focus on a secret was not the best choice. Unless there was another element of secrecy like Martin having an affair but we don't need another one of those. I also agree with you guys that Smitty shouldn't have thrown Martin out. He clearly just heard the trauma that Martin had endured and everything he was dealing with the past two years and he decided that now is the time to kick him out? Martin messed up and he should have told Smitty sooner, but there should have been more of a discussion as @ranger1rg pointed out.

Marcel: Kenny I'm'a need you to lay there for this photo I got to send Bill. Kenny:

Wait...no...what??? I thought those scenes in the car were horrible. It was like.. Martin: And then he said Mary had a little lamb Martin: Vernon:

A hate crime story and a murder in self-defense definitely doesn't need a twist. However, the way they played it out, there should have been another element of surprise to it. Otherwise, we should have a) seen the crime play out on our screens from the start and riden this story out from the beginning or b) had an early reveal of Martin beating someone to death and later on get a reveal that it was an act of self defense. But to have us watch Martin have his That's So Raven visions but getting to see nothing on our end, made it seem more sinister. It went on for too long with characters repeating conversations as to not spill the secret too soon. Which ultimately led to a letdown, because most of us already assumed this was it. It seems like the writers want to make the Duprees flawed, but not too flawed. I would have been here for Martin being a bit of a hypocrite and forcing Smitty into this heteronormative relationship for his political gain, but ultimately feeling stifled by it and having a little fling on the side. This fling turns ugly when he begins to blackmail Martin for money and things take an ugly turn where maybe Martin would have to defend himself in a similar way. But this just fell flat for me.

I'm having a difficult time understanding why Vernon's first instinct was a cover up. Vernon is a well respected civil rights leader with good standing in his community. Martin is a congressman with a similar reputation as far as we are concerned. They are a wealthy and well connected family as well as being in with the police, they have the "best" lawyer as a family memeber. Of course race plays a role in their apprehension, but they have clout, money, and status on their side. Their story was credible. Why would they pull over the side of a random road to beat some guys, one of which was armed. So why would two reputable men be involved in an intentional murder with two men they have no connection with. Furthermore, Vernon called Marcel and Elon...they could have easily doctored a report that favored the Duprees. That would have been more realistic than two officers just risking their careers and freedom to hide a crime of this magnitude. Bill is the best, but he couldn't argue Vernon and Martin out of this? And what's Joey's role? To intimidate the police and Kenny? To transfer funds for Vernon so it's not tied to the Duprees?

Same here.