BTG: April 2025 Discussion Thread

[Bright Eyes]

Eva/Leslie were the bright spots again, like they are in any episode they are in. As it is now, if they left, the show wouldn't be worth watching. The show needs to use Tomas just as a quick stepping stone in the Kat/Eva rivalry and then get rid. Have Kat dump him after finding out Eva slept with him and we never hear from again. Kat wants revenge, and when Eva finds herself a new man, Kat will happily do anything she can to ruin it. 

As for the person who asked why Vanessa is contract and Doug isn't, personally I can't help but feel Doug is definitely going to be the first character to be killed off. Whether Joey kills him or pressures him enough that it'll be self-inflicted, that man feels like a goner to me.

I really hope Mona gets to be at the anniversary party where 'Leslie' is poised to show her true colours. 

And sorry, that song was awful and Tunie did not sound good. Anita was right to be worried about her voice. But by her presence alone, I am intrigued where her story will go.

The u/5 praising Vernon scene was cringe. Unless one of them is going to get a psycho stalker, stop the ass-kissing please.

Edited April 21 by Bright Eyes

[Taoboi]

Very. Crossed with Blair Waldorf. 

 

So ready. That feud continues to give. And Tomas SHOULD know better. 

[watson71]

That’s what it looked like.  Who was Joey talking to on the phone.

Also, did anyone else today’s episode was awkwardly edited?  The cuts before commercial breaks and in between scenes were choppy and looked slapped together.

[Maxim]

I'm finally pretty up to date. And I'm not gonna say much, because I don't want to be a hater. The writing is still very up and down... some of it is absurd, some of it is okay.

I'm in agreement that if it was not for Leslie... I don't know if I would be able to sit and listen to everything without checking my phone or... drifting off. 

What happened after these first 2 weeks? The show came in like a fresh scent of flowers... and now it's like... I'm struggling to keep myself interested.

I'm also in agreement that there should be better cliffhangers. Lots of people said it. Now I'm just repeating. In this day and age, where people have so many distractions, scrolling on phones all day long... you can't just end an episode like nothing happened. AND we need better background music. I'm once again feeling emptiness in scenes. Maybe it's the bad acting... that I want hidden or just... made more bearable with music, I don't know... but something is missing. The editing needs to be BETTER! 

And I'm sorry to say it... - this was not a good comeback performance for Anita. Felt like a drag queen show. I expected something more classy. Didn't suit Tamara Tunie. The dancing Dani in the background was... one step closer to making me burst out laughing.

Dani is just... sorry to say it - feels like a tired character after 20 years of seasons. I have no idea how they made her so tired and uninteresting so fast. And I'm not seeing dimensions. I'm seeing camp. Boring camp. 90 percent of the time. And sometimes... it just works. Especially if Nicole is around.

ALSO WHY DOES DANI HAVE TO BE IN FREAKING EVERY SINGLE THING IN THIS FREAKING SHOW?!!!

EVERY TIME SOMEONE HAS A MOMENT... SHE HAS TO BE THERE ON STAGE TOO.

UGH.

UGH!

Lord, I was not gonna say a thing, but here I said it. Don't hate me. I'm just... waiting for quality material. I saw they can do it, so I expect an improvement in the future. 

 

 

[Taoboi]

Indeed...the only mutual people Joey and Doug have in common so far is Randy and Vanessa. And I'm sure Joey would have said his name. So the plot thickens.

 

So far (cuz I'm rewatching), I would say no. But it seems like it's doing quick primetime cuts for the breaks. And I did feel the ending was awkward when I watched earlier. But I know I'm in the minority when it comes to the cuts. 

[Gatecrashers]

Good! I thought it was just me. I don't see Ryan Chamberlain. I see Kevin Collins doing a Sonny Corinthos impression. And, don't EVEN get me started on Cady...

[Vanguardian53]

RIVETING is the word this show should entail. How about a compelling storyline where Andre inexplicably goes missing and it somehow ties in with the death of his parents. The cookie cutter stuff ain't giving.

[Taoboi]

I mean if Kevin is going to do better than Sonny is doing these days...well...*sips* hehe

[janea4old]

Same.  And it's sad for me because I'm a Jon Lindstrom fan.   I keep thinking about how, in real life, Jon just wrote and published a novel about Hollywood gangsters, and perhaps he feels that that's his main interest now?  I feel like Jon is hamming up the gangster stuff and not *being* the character -- however the writing for Joey is bad, too.    But Joey just doesn't feel like a real person to me.  Slightly more believable today, but the hospital set scenes were so weirdly blocked, that it made it even less believable.

Did MVJ always envision a random gangster in her show bible?  Or did she shoehorn this in for Jon?  I wouldn't be asking that question if it were done well and worked as part of the canvas.  But the dialog for Joey, and the poorly designed casino back room set, make it all feel discordant with the rest of the show.

And of course I have to ask, did Guza want mob stuff?  I hope that's not from him.  I'd rather just watch MVJ's show.

Oh and Joey seems to be known to the locals as a gangster.  So how was he let into Fairmont Crest to meet with Vanessa?   They frown on Hayley but he walks right in?

Edited April 22 by janea4old

[Maxim]

I agree. I can't stomach him. So boring. So one note. And I'm definitely sensing it's the writing at fault in his case. The conception is not right. Another one I am having issues with is Vanessa...  She is very sit-com-ish... Sex and the city B-character that is given questionable dialogue.  

Overall there are a loooot of issues in the writing, something I didn't expect to say so early in the game. But nothing that can't be fixed yet. I'm still pathologically optimistic and calling it growing pains. 

 

Me too. I hope this is not a taste for what's to come. I DO NOT WANT MOB STUFF. Soap operas should retire this tired old stuff NOW. 

[Taoboi]

If anything, I take it the gambling storyline will end by end of May because Guza will be dealing with the mob/gangster side of said storyline. 

[CrazySexyQ]

All facts.

I think more people are starting to realize that maybe we expected too much from Beyond the Gates. 

I had so much hope and excitement for this show and went to the Paley Center event. And it just crashed out after a few weeks. Although, if I'm being honest, the story of Bill blackmailing the Duprees to be at his wedding to his side piece during the first week was a huge red flag. That and a firefighter rescuing a cat shouldn't have made it out of the writer's room. 

I briefly got excited when Anita showed a backbone last week, and now it's American Idol time. 

I've missed a chunk of episodes on Paramount Plus, cringed at today's episode in real time, and changed the channel.

I don't like that I feel this way, but BTG has exhausted my goodwill. 

 

[janea4old]

I really love the show.  The only parts I don't like are Ashley/Derek and the casino mobster stuff.  Otherwise, I'm very entertained!

[ranger1rg]

I agree with all of this. I've been complaining about the Joey character since he first appeared, and I'm just not seeing this chemistry with Vanessa. I don't know what she sees in him. The guy is a liar and has nothing on Diego in the looks department.

-- BTG needs to decide who Vanessa is. Is she a sad wife in a lonely marriage who loves her husband? Street trash who screws hotel employees and treats them like garbage? A devoted and loving friend to devoted and loving Nicole? I'm not buying this character.

-- And I'm not buying Nicole's passivity at Vanessa being such a cheat.

-- I literally CRINGED when I heard the opening riff to the BBD New Jack Swing song. I thought we were in for a disaster. However, I ended up liking that performance. Unexpected as hell, but it worked, and Tunie was good.

-- Who is dressing Martin? My God, those slacks were amazing. Package for days.

-- I liked seeing Smitty all loosened up at the club in background scenes.

-- I'll put up wit Tomas' wooden acting if he's a cheater. If he's faithful to Kat, I don't want to see it.

-- I don't understand why the writers took the party planners from gay and campy and so fun all the way to obnoxious and mean -- all in the span of two scenes.

-- The edits and cuts are still terrible. Sorry, those are not primetime cuts. No one on primetime is doing that.

 

[Maxim]

I had an organically WHAT THE HELL IS THIS reaction to the performance. Now re-watching it... I'm tolerating it more and more. But still... in my opinion it looks like a performance you will find on youtube titled "What happened to Anita Dupree?" I would have loved just... a ballad... something that focuses on her VOICE. 

The only thing missing from this performance was a drag queen collecting money on the stage. Maybe it was the crazy-eyes Dani to the side... but it was all too cringe for my taste. Not a good FIRST impression of her talents. Maybe it was better she retired and had a family.  Hahaha.

Same on this. She's sooo Sex and the city Samantha from the dollar store. 

I agree. They need work on that. And these endings, loord.