Chels. :P

Had to catch up last night because I missed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Leslie is playing a dangerous game over having her name on the clinic. Joey is not the one to play with and she's definitely going to overplay her hand.

Nicole just might take advantage of Vanessa's escort service. She looked interested when she was staring at the card and was surprisingly approving of Vanessa running the service. With all that said, Nicole has no room to be bothered by Ted seeing Shanice since she wanted the divorce.

Speaking of Shanice, her read of Anastasia was epic.

Dani treated Andre different when they got home from the club after the Hamilton celebration. Something tells me that Dani is going to do something really stupid while Andre is away and it probably will involve Billy Goat.

Hayley is increasingly pissed off and that hallucination seeing Dani makes me think that Dani will end up on his kill list. Leslie is definitely going to end up being blamed for whatever happens to Bill because she is so public about her disdain for him.

Kat being angry at Ted loving his children equally is ridiculous (when he said "all my children" thought of AMC). She has to the right not to embrace Eva, but the notion that only her and Martin are entitled to the same sort of love is absurd.

Chelsea is going to lose Madison messing around with drugs.

Not sure if something bad will happen to Jacob on this undercover assignment but he definitely looked like he was in over his head after Elon explained the details.

Writers:
Sara A. Bibel
Jazmen Darnell Brown

Director:
Steven Williford

original release date: Thursday, January 22, 2026 | writers: Sara A. Bibel, Jazmen Darnell Brown | director: Steven Williford

Thoughts:

• It annoys me when people walk in public on their phones (via social media) as if it is not an inconvenience to the rest of us in society.

• The look of disdain on Nicole's face at Shanice and Ted's date and how attentive Ted is to her just smells of pure jealousy.

• Lance, you were unhinged on the phone, but now you are tracking Vanessa down in public? Maybe talk to your WIFE, the person who used Vanessa's service. She is the one to blame, not Vanessa.

• Red market blood plasma? Damn. That is some serious business right there.

• Lynette is devious, and I love it, and she clearly is keeping Hayley on her toes. It is nice seeing someone who can truly get under her skin and make things happen for themselves.

• Lance, home slice, you are crossing some lines and acting like a controlling, abusive POS. You might want to look at yourself in the mirror rather than a Lolly's choice to hire someone to sexually please her.

• Not Tomas telling Bill to go home to Hayley, and then Dani showing up like absolute clockwork with food for them to share.

• So Chelsea's past habits are well-known to Katherine. That is interesting. But now Chelsea is acting beyond immature.

• I feel bad that Jacob is shutting Bradley out after he is the one who gave him the tip-off about what was going on.

• Looks like Joey is going to go after Lance due to his abusive manhandling of Vanessa. He should have just talked to Lolly instead.

• Nicole wants to lose those cobwebs she has been collecting.

• Not Shanice telling Ted to hang up some pictures in his hotel room, but she is right. Hopefully an apartment or townhome can come his way in the coming months. Damn, Shanice, you are turned on? Love how forward you are in this moment.

• Yes, get picked up and put against the doorframe, Nicole. Get that good-ass loving.

• Hayley, are you really going to have Randy flat-out murder Bill? That is insanity.

• Tomas, once again, seeing things he should not be seeing. He has got ample ammunition where Bill and Hayley are concerned. That promotion to partner is his!

Notes:

• Bibel and Brown did exceptional work together. They were well-paired.

• I like the template use of social media on this soap; however, I still do not get the allure of TicTac or whatever it is called. Another social media rotting the brains of those who use it.

• It annoys me on this soap when men sit down and do not unbutton their suit coat. Unbutton it. Simple.

• Once again, no one is doing love scenes like Beyond the Gates. NO ONE. At all. Brilliant.

• Daphnée Duplaix (Nicole) and Robert Christopher Riley (Carlton) have fiery chemistry. They are the pairing we need right now. I hope it fully develops as 2026 continues on.

So many wonderful moving parts

Great show today

My money is on Carlton being The Impaler with Grayson working with him.

I also really feel like Leslie is about to become Hayley's fall girl

Edited 5 hours ago5 hr by Rmodelboy

Dani really pisses me off. She has a good man in Andre that genuinely loves her but the second he’s out of town she’s making out with her obsession Bill. I wish she had even an ounce of self respect for herself.

Besides Carlton being a terrible friend, the actor has one of the strangest drawn on beards I’ve ever seen and it distracts me.

Nicole truly was feeling a type of way about Ted and Shanice and she deserves it. Good love scenes from both couples today though.

Finally Smitty and Jacob reunite. I loved them as a team last year.

Why are Haley and Randy still meeting in extremely public spaces having conversations about murdering Bill. There’s gotta be an alley they can film in at the soundstage damn.

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by Antoyne

Dani, noooooooo!!! I love you but you're an idiot.

Jacob & Smitty reunited and it feels so good.

Hayley & Randy are the WORST grifters ever!!! 😂😂😂

I didn't feel bad for Vanessa when they guy went off on her because she is long overdue for a chewing out even if it was from a random stranger. And Hayley sitting in the corner being entertained was everything.

Nicole has no business being indignant that Ted is moving on. He granted her the divorce like she wanted and it's not like he didn't ask for another chance.

57 minutes ago, Antoyne said:

Besides Carlton being a terrible friend, the actor has one of the strangest drawn on beards I’ve ever seen and it distracts me.

That shìt terrifies me.

Hayley was in a fine form at the end of the episode. About time she start stepping up LOL

If Vanessa wants to make it possible for men/women to have affairs.. she needs to deal with the fallback. Can't pretend to be a girl boss and than not deal with the risk of getting pushback.

Can we all agree that Bill is Dani's addiction? If it isn't alcohol or sex with Andre... it's Bill that's on her mind.

-- Elon goes to JOEY about his own son? No concern about putting his kid in danger by doing that?

-- Would this blood plasma case really be handled by a local police department?

-- Vanessa is such a whore. She has no empathy whatsoever about wrecking people's marriages.

-- I still don't understand why a realtor making millions in a high-end market would risk any of that by running an escort service.

-- Madison needs to dump Chelsea who claims she hasn't been her "authentic self" with Madison. Really? Does "authentic self" mean popping street drugs from a dealer? Girl is an absolute mess.

-- Nicole gave face like she was OK seeing Ted and Shanice together, but she was clearly pressed. At first I wondered if Ted was being too much with Shanice in front of her, but I changed my mind quickly. Nicole is the one who moved on almost immediately WITH HER HUSBAND'S BEST FRIEND.

-- And sorry, I don't see any chemistry between Nicole and Carlton.

-- Tomas doesn't come off like law partner material in any way.

-- Why is a partner-in-waiting spending so much time on Lynette's case? Makes no sense. Now we know the woman has no money. Gotta love these criminals who are always broke.

-- Dani is embarrassing. She needs therapy for her sickening obsession with Bill.

Carlton is a) still creepy and b) clearly the Impaler.

Kial and Grayson will both be red herrings (or Grayson an accomplice).

38 minutes ago, ranger1rg said:

-- And sorry, I don't see any chemistry between Nicole and Carlton.

Same! Just not feeling them at all

Yup Carlton is clearly the impaler and both Kial and Ted will come running to Nicole’s rescue; ending with Kial as the victor thus giving way to a Shanice/Ted/Nicole/Kial quad.

Today’s episode was a good one. Since the special episode on Monday the show has felt different, more energy and direction. Something tells me the show will hit its stride during season 2.