Derek is losing his mind and I am here for it.

original release date: Thursday, January 29, 2026 | writers: Jamey Giddens, Danielle Paige | director: Anthony Pascarelli

Thoughts:

• Zucchini fries? No thanks. Dana, that sounds beyond nasty.

• Derek, where the Hell do you get off acting in such a pestilent way? It is unbecoming and off-putting, but good on Grayson for standing his ground (and I see you, Ashley, eye-fücking Grayson when he does so).

• Derek has to return? Oh, that is too good to be true. 🤣🤣🤣

• Katherine, calm your ass down. You are doing too much (per usual).

• A massage? Oh. Sign me up! I could use me one of those.

• For a woman who wants her husband dead, Hayley is surely trying to get Bill in the sack as much as humanly possible.

• Yes, Dana, you are an old rock. One that should be tossed into the ocean and sink to the bottom.

• Good on Eva for not falling for her mother's tricks. She is learning to have her own voice and mind. We love seeing growth like that.

• As much as Bill wants to be re-included in the Dupree circle, Vernon is going to make damn sure he never will because of how hurt he is over Bill breaking Dani's heart. That is a father right there.

• Not Katherine's mouth getting her in trouble, AGAIN, at Uptown. She cannot keep her mouth shut.

• Dani's pettiness about Hayley towards Lynette was hilarious. Calling her AI and referring to her as broken? Hilarious. She is quick with her tongue. So quick. Brilliant.

• Eva, go get her. Claw her eyes out. Get rid of her! It is time!

Notes:

• writer² needs to go; his breakdowns are atrocious and bring down the quality of the writing team. He is the weak link.

• The continued improved lighting and use of light throughout multiple sets is stunning.

• The Washington Record seems to be the first fictional publication we have seen. Makes me wonder if the 2026 clearance they had is lessening?

• We keep hearing the name Lauren Fenmore, and it just makes me wish Tracey Bregman would show up!

• The continued shift they have done with Ben Gavin's Derek is insane to me. But it works.

Edited yesterday at 08:02 PM1 day by Liberty City

32 minutes ago, Vee said:

Derek is losing his mind and I am here for it.

I am too! Although I wonder if that final scene with Derek/Ashley felt like a 'goodbye' or at least 'I'm going recurring now'... I guess we'll see. They did put Ben Gavin in the official cast photo, so maybe he'll still be around a bit?

I thought Dani was a little rude to Lynette. I get being rude to Hayley, but not a stranger/client.

I don't understand how writing a character that is supposed to be 50+ and acting like a teenager is someone to root for?

When Nicole dresses up in a sexy dress and goes out for a night as a single lady, she comes across as confident and sure of herself. Someone that you would want to have a conversation with and enjoy getting to know.

Whenever Dani does the same thing, it's giving off someone that is trying too hard and someone that doesn't value themselves or what they have to offer someone. It's why she relies so much on sex because deep down, she feels that is all that she has to offer.. and it wasn't helped by Vernon being patronizing and babying her (I cringe when he does the same thing to Anita).

To me, I would prefer she and Andre be focused on as a couple in love while Bill isn't the end game.

@Taoboi I'm not sure if it was you that said this, but someone had mentioned/joked that Ashley was a favorite of MVJ's.. and I'm curious if that was mentioned by MVJ.. or if it was just based on the fact that she's still on the show and being rebooted?

Derek going a bit unhinged is a nice change... usually it's the female that goes unhinged when they're scorned (i.e. Dani and SPS/Leslie).

Maybe Hayley's pushing the sex thing with Bill as a way to pretend to be into him.. and maybe hoping that he dies while making love to her. Would be the most effective way for her to off him and get the payout.

Edited yesterday at 08:46 PM1 day by Soaplovers

55 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

Maybe Hayley's pushing the sex thing with Bill as a way to pretend to be into him.. and maybe hoping that he dies while making love to her. Would be the most effective way for her to off him and get the payout.

😁@Taoboi

Leslie saying "hehe" was hilarious. All of her delusions about Ted are not helped by Eva always carrying Ted's business back to her.

Probably my favorite part of the episode was how Vernon let Bill know exactly where he stands. The use of the word "disappointed" was a good choice because it's the most painful thing children can hear from their parents at any age and since Bill sees Vernon as his father it really was effective.

Kat striking up a conversation with Izaiah was all about her keeping friction going with Eva.

Derek is doing the most and acting a little crazy, but Grayson is a bit shady. Derek might end up being a rescuer.

Edited 21 hours ago21 hr by ReddFoxx

-- Ashley gets a lot of time at work to flirt with guys and have conversations with exes.

-- Vernon hit Bill with a lot of truth, but haven't we seen scenes between them that seemed to move past Vernon's intense anger at what Bill did?

-- Dani was beyond rude to Lynette. Total mean girl. Why wasn't Lynette offended?

-- Using that airport/mall coffee shop set for Dani to run into Hayley and Lynette made no sense.

Today really seemed so ominous for Derek. Not sure how long this illegal plasma ring is gonna last but I think he's going to be a casualty of it. His line about not doing anything heroic or something to that affect makes me think he'll lose his life saving someone.

The actress that plays Lynette is GORGEOUS . Dani should hire her and make an honest woman out of her lol. I think Hayley is about to use her to seduce Bill though.

Looks like Eva is about to see what it feels like when another woman is chummy with your man lol. Lets see how cool she plays this.

Edited 19 hours ago19 hr by Rmodelboy

1 minute ago, Rmodelboy said:

Looks like Eva is about to see what it feels like when another woman is chummy with your man lol. Lets see how cool she plays this.

2 minutes ago, Maxim said:

As my granny use to say. It aint no fun when the rabbit got the gun lol.

5 hours ago, alwaysAMC said:

I am too! Although I wonder if that final scene with Derek/Ashley felt like a 'goodbye' or at least 'I'm going recurring now'... I guess we'll see. They did put Ben Gavin in the official cast photo, so maybe he'll still be around a bit?

I think the writers having Derek become unhinged is a red herring to throw off viewers. Just guessing but I believe that it will be revealed that Grayson is a bad guy involved in the blood plasma ring. He will turn out to be the one unhinged.

So. much. exposition.

There was some good dialogue between Vernon and Bill but it seems repetitive. Bill (maybe under the truth serum of whatever Hayley is giving him) admits he has regrets about leaving Dani. It made me wonder whether he also regrets having multiple affairs during their marriage because he also did that.

It's not the clothes, it's the writing that makes Dani seem utterly immature.

I'm looking forward to seeing Leslie ruin yet another one of Ted's relationships. Maybe then, he might realize that he cannot build nor maintain a friendship with someone who sexually assaulted him.

I am honestly bored with the Kat/Eva tussle. Put someone else in the equation with Izaiah.

Rinse. Lather. Repeat.

Can't wait to see what's in store for Black History Month.

Writers:
Sara A. Bibel
Cheryl L. Davis

Director:
Steven Williford

Look at Nicole with her date options and two men pining after her. She deserves this!

Eva, Kat and Izaiah getting mixed up together in the modeling scene is the way to go.

It's moments like this I really miss Kamar de los Reyes, who'd do well playing the fearsome father or older brother to Tomas (who can get chucked into the dumpster at any time).

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by Vee