Hayley is definitely keeping the baby.

She'll be annoyed that she's pregnant for 5 minutes, then realize Bill is a better mark than it is for her to move on as a nanny.

All of this should make Dani run and never even look at Bill again, but we all know she has to change her panties every time she thinks of him.

I actually enjoyed Thursday’s episode. I love Jackie Tyree — it’s fun, it’s campy, and you can tell Tamara has a blast playing her.

Pamela has also become one of my favorites. I just appreciate how Cady makes an effort to entertain us. Her acting choices at the very least, keep things interesting for me.

That said, while watching the episode, I kept wondering how viewers who aren’t Dani fans would react. I’m generally not a fan of episodes centered around a single character, so I can empathize.

Moving on, I hate to say it, but does anyone actually care about Smitty’s storyline? I doubt anyone is on the edge of their seat wondering what will happen to him. His mother was a pleasant, if completely random, addition. I was pleasantly surprised that, for once, they cast an age-appropriate actress. But there’s absolutely no suspense here. I’m also baffled that not a single member of the Dupree family seems to have even the slightest suspicion about Smitty.

As for Jacob and Naomi, she can’t help but come across as condescending and self-centered. There’s absolutely nothing to root for in this couple. And while Jacob is a terrible detective, I can’t help but sympathize with him.

ETA: forgot to mention - loved Chelsea’s outfit 🤣

Edited October 25Oct 25 by Aback

On 10/23/2026 at 7:34 PM, Taoboi said:

Now while we agree on many things on this show, we both know that our views on Dani are different. ;) Because she DID get plenty of character growth year one and the first half of year two in and I know you have always felt the opposite.

That said...I don't like her regressing at all...which I felt she has since July with the elevator sex. I don't like that Dani and Andre's whole relationship was built on not only just good sex, but on honest communication. No matter how messy and uncomfortable said conversations were. It's why they truly became a whole relationship and now marriage at all. And also why the audience started to cheer them on in spite of the writers writing it like Andre was a placeholder. Thank God, Karla and Sean also played what WASN'T on the page. I was expected for them to have secrets from each other, but I starting to not like the handling of said secrets at all. More from Dani than from Andre. Why? That regression. As if the last year and a half going on two years didn't happen at all.

If we agreed on everything, it would be boring :)

With that said, I'm glad that you see that Dani's regressed since her elevator adventures with Bill and considering that he's an addiction for her, it's in character and realistic. I've had friends that have smoking, drinking, and food addictions backslide and they always beat themselves up over slipping to the level of intensity that Dani has.. and they have to work through their feelings of guilt and get right back on the wagon.

Problem with Dani is that she doesn't have anyone in her life that could coach her back onto the wagon. Her parents and sister would judge her, her daughters would also judge her (especially Naomi), Vanessa is all about cheating, and Pamela is the only one that could help her.. but she travels a lot. I think the best medicine for Dani is therapy because this addiction/attachment to Bill didn't just manifest out of thin air... I think it stems from her homelife growing up under the shadow of Naomi (hence her acting up to get attention) and being judged by Anita (they're very alike) and coddled/bailed out by Vernon (to her detriment).

I still remember the first week of the soap where Dani had decided she was going to go to Paris to get away for a bit so she wouldn't have to be reminded of the Bill/Hayley wedding.. but was commanded by Vernon to attend the wedding like all good Dupree's do. That first week of scripts written by MVJ introduced the dysfunction of the Dupree family that hasn't been followed up on except as some aspirational Hallmark Channel family togetherness model.

31 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

If we agreed on everything, it would be boring :)

With that said, I'm glad that you see that Dani's regressed since her elevator adventures with Bill and considering that he's an addiction for her, it's in character and realistic. I've had friends that have smoking, drinking, and food addictions backslide and they always beat themselves up over slipping to the level of intensity that Dani has.. and they have to work through their feelings of guilt and get right back on the wagon.

Problem with Dani is that she doesn't have anyone in her life that could coach her back onto the wagon. Her parents and sister would judge her, her daughters would also judge her (especially Naomi), Vanessa is all about cheating, and Pamela is the only one that could help her.. but she travels a lot. I think the best medicine for Dani is therapy because this addiction/attachment to Bill didn't just manifest out of thin air... I think it stems from her homelife growing up under the shadow of Naomi (hence her acting up to get attention) and being judged by Anita (they're very alike) and coddled/bailed out by Vernon (to her detriment).

I still remember the first week of the soap where Dani had decided she was going to go to Paris to get away for a bit so she wouldn't have to be reminded of the Bill/Hayley wedding.. but was commanded by Vernon to attend the wedding like all good Dupree's do. That first week of scripts written by MVJ introduced the dysfunction of the Dupree family that hasn't been followed up on except as some aspirational Hallmark Channel family togetherness model.

I believe the Duprees attending the wedding had some tie-in to the secret Vernon and Bill were hiding for Martin. Bill wanted to save face with the public by having it look like the Duprees approved of his new marriage while the Duprees had their own personal interests as well. I will say that Bill was mean and ruthless at the beginning and he has turned into a completely different character. I am all for Bill having a soft spot for his kids and even Dani to some extent, but the way he handled Mike recently was so out of character for that first Bill we met. I am glad they touched on his cheating past a little more this week ( I haven't watched yet) but it seems like the past year has glossed over his really messy and harmful cheating past.

BTG has been on fire since Hayley got busted. I've enjoyed it immensely. I haven't been posting as much because life has been lifeing but the show has been my respite.

Writers:
Sara A. Bibel
Jazmen Darnell Brown

Director:
Michael V. Pomarico

original release date: Monday, October 26, 2026 (#397) | writers: Sara A. Bibel, Jazmen Darnell Brown | director: Michael V. Pomarico

Thoughts:

• Randy, you need to stop going to Hayley's rescue. You are not her keeper. At all. This heifer does not understand it takes two to tango in conceiving a child.

• At least Bill can acknowledge he is not one to judge another man's marriage. I just hope he upholds that mentality and stance.

• Oh, Naomi is doing sleuth work to find out about the Impaler. Hopefully Grayson can shed some light on things for her.

• Eight?! Ridiculous. Ted, I get that you have standards you are used to, but this is brand-new to Shanice. You might want to ease her into it a bit more.

• The tensions are 'tensioning' between Heather and Joey... Vanessa, you might want to duck and take cover.

• Batman and Robin? Bill... you do not know the online connotation that comes with making that comparison, right?

• Locked in? Possibly. But no child should be saddled with Hayley Lawson or whatever her actual name is as their mother. At all.

• Oh no... Ashley, I understand your position on this, but if Grayson could help set Bradley free from his charges, then that is a good thing. On the other hand, it could also put Grayson directly in the line of Heather's eyesight.

• Not Joey just presenting finger sandwiches at the meal. I have a feeling Vanessa is not going to let this slide. 🤣 But the ability to not care is refreshing.

• Hayley thinks so highly of herself. So ridiculous. And her parents resented her? Very interesting backstory lore to learn. Very interesting.

• The fact that Randy, who is a father and one who supposedly cares about his son, is talking about using Hayley's unborn child as a pawn in their schemes is downright gross. GROSS!

• The fact Joey is so unbothered about this is comical. I know Vanessa is going to read him the riot act and it will not do a damn thing to disuade him. At all.

• Oh, I forgot about Ren. Would not surprise me if he were still on the Impaler's payroll and doing their dirty work. Could be a worthwhile idea to follow.

• Hayley... you forget, being a mother is not just 18 years. It is the rest of your life. Self-centred I see.

• Enchanted cottage with a walk-in closet? Sounds like a dream come true. I would like something a bit bigger than a cottage, though. But that is just me.

• Damn. Heather knows how to turn on that likeable, personable charm when she needs to. And when it should alarm those she is around... it does not, but I am glad that Bill and Jacob are kind of... picking up on the vibes she is putting off.

Notes:

• Beginning the week strong with Bibel and Brown. What a way to start! And Pomarico's direction was tight and brilliant.

Ted and Shanice need to slow down and get their sh!t together. Why propose if you haven't even talked about housing or what your goals/preferences are in a home? I bet there are other 'big' things they probably haven't talked about yet too.

Loved the Hayley/Randy stuff today. It feels like Randy should just be a contract player, he's on so much these days, which I like.

Also LOL at Heather and her constant introductions to everyone in town.

Marquita is the gift that keeps on giving. She had me cracking up today. I wonder if they little bit of info about her parents will manifest.

I also wonder if her and Randy are first cousins , second, etc. He seem to not know much about her parents

LOL!!

Jen Jacob looked different today to me.

Like extra tanned.

42 minutes ago, MontyB said:

Jen Jacob looked different today to me.

Like extra tanned.

I read today that these scenes were filmed during the summer months so that's probably why

-- They're trying too hard with the "Randy is a great dad" stuff. First, it's like Josh Griffith took over and wrote it all off screen. Then we get the 180 reaction to USING Hayley's baby as a meal ticket -- the complete opposite of decent parenting.

-- I just can't with the whole Ted and Shanice discussion about living in a mansion. Are you kidding me with this? Ted's lived in a hotel room practically since this show started, and now we hear he cares about status and wealth and 6 bathrooms? Deadly.

-- Vanessa is still trying way too hard and caring way too much about Joey and Heather getting along. Maybe she should worry about her relationship with her own kids.

-- I'm still struggling with this Red Menace storyline. They keep adding names and details and layers to the story, but to me it all comes off as distraction so we don't realize there's nothing there. Just throw in a bunch of plot elements to make it seem complex and interesting. It isn't.

-- We still haven't gotten the proof that the video of Smitty was AI. It would not take this long to uncover that deception, but we have to keep pretending there's a reason to have Smitty under suspicion. There isn't.

-- Thank goodness for Hayley doing some Hayleying, because without her, this episode would've been a complete miss.

2 hours ago, ranger1rg said:

-- We still haven't gotten the proof that the video of Smitty was AI. It would not take this long to uncover that deception, but we have to keep pretending there's a reason to have Smitty under suspicion. There isn't.

Does Smitty even have a motive for the murder? I can't think of what it could be.

Seriously. Why would a reporter kill a good source?