Here’s what went down April 24, 2026, on Beyond the Gates when Joey got framed, Naomi asked about the possibility of another younger sibling, and Chelsea’s warnings still didn’t clue Bill in about Hayley.
What happened on Beyond the Gates
On Beyond the Gates, Joey came home to his fireplace roaring and Vanessa smokin’ in a sparkly red dress. He liked finding her there,d but his pensiveness had Vanessa asking if what was on his mind affected “[their] enterprises.” (She don’t give up, do she?) Joey sidestepped the question and noticed that the photo she had placed on his mantel was not of Deanna and Donnell. (You eagle-eyed viewers yesterday were right!)
Vanessa claimed they were “Aspen friends,” John and Jane Campbell, but she quickly got Joey to take a selfie with her; Joey knew that the picture frame was meant for a snap of them once Vanessa announced that she had already loaded his printer with photo paper. (Is Vanessa that much in love that she needs to keep pushing for signs of commitment, no matter how many she gets, or that insecure?) Joey liked the picture of them in his house and delighted Vanessa when he added that it was a statement that she was here to stay. (What’s next, Vanessa, a blood oath? Krazy Glue-ing your hand to his?)
Elsewhere, Carlton popped in on Nicole in her office, noting that they hadn’t seen each other since their disastrous double date with Joey and Vanessa – and not since Carlton had popped off about Nicole’s sexy upgrades to her life. Carlton apologized, and Nicole conceded that she could have handled their conversation better had she not been upset by Vanessa’s gangster boyfriend. Nicole agreed to have dinner with Carlton in the near future, but the following week was her first wedding anniversary without being married to Ted, and she wasn’t sure what kind of company she’d be. (A year already since Leslie lowered the boom on that anniversary party? Love that GATES is sticking to important dates like birthdays and anniversaries without moving them around!)
Kial unintentionally interrupted, having come back early from being out of town. Carlton graciously gave Kial his seat and gave Nicole a peck before lumbering out. Nicole lit up and purred to Kial that she’d have been waiting for him at his condo had she known he’d be back sooner. She teased him about meeting another woman while on his trip; he said he wasn’t seeing anyone else despite their non-exclusive parameters. Nicole appreciated that Kial wasn’t trying to lay anything serious on her, since her upcoming not-anniversary was making her realize she wasn’t ready. Kial thanked Nicole for not playing games and kissed her. (Looks like Nicole is choosing, Kial, doesn’t it? And we finally learned the name of Kial’s other son – Connor!)
Later, Kial approached Carlton, sorry that he had busted up Carlton’s chat with Nicole. Carlton was a little adversarial at first, but decided that Nicole was “[choosing us] to blossom” with after a tough year, and Kial reiterated that it was up to Nicole which of them she ended up with. When Carlton said he’d had his eye on Nicole for decades while Kial was a newcomer, Kial figured that was why Carlton had acted out his frustration when they’d played basketball and challenged him to another game. The men laughed as they set it up, which Nicole happened to see. Uh huh, they aren’t supposed to be getting along, are they, Naughty Nikki?
Mama used to say
Naomi surprised Dani with a visit, hoping she wasn’t intruding on her and Andre. Dani relayed that Andre was at his condo working on a project and took Naomi up on the offer of watching a comedy together. However, Dani could see that Naomi was bummed; although Dani wasn’t buying the continuing cover story that Jacob was away on training, she didn’t press it, simply hearing Naomi’s admission that she had needed to get out of her empty house. What does Naomi expect her loved ones to believe Jacob is training for, having cybernetic implants installed for better police protecting? We are Borg?
Dani showed Naomi her proofs from her first modeling shoot with Tatum Stewart (we don’t get to see?), but Naomi could tell her mom wasn’t all that excited. Naomi listened as Dani described how Chelsea had turned down her idea of carrying a ChelseaKat bag down the runway, sad that Chelsea didn’t want to work with her anymore. Dani had hoped to do so with Chelsea the way Naomi had teamed up with Bill, but she was also feeling sentimental for when the girls were young because of what Anita had been through. Naomi made Dani laugh out loud when she asked if Dani might want to have a baby with Andre. Dani couldn’t see that, but admitted that she wouldn’t mind going back in time to when Naomi and Chelsea were little. (Just no more flashbacks with late ’90s Bill and Dani, who don’t look anything like them. OK?)
It’s tricky
Hayley entered Uptown with Bill, her left hand weighed down from the giant diamond ring he had bought her to replace the one she’d had stolen during her “mugging.” Despite the Hamiltons just having had make-up sex, Hayley promised Bill more goodies to come once they got home. “You trying to kill me?” Bill snickered. (MMM-hmm.) Bill noticed Chelsea sitting alone at the bar, so Hayley invited her join them…yet made a face behind Bill’s back as he and Chelsea were on their way to their booth. (Then why did you invite Chelsea in the first place, silly? Were you hoping Bill would say no?)
Bill engaged Chelsea in conversation about the purse line and the suit against Madison, but Chelsea gave short answers, not wanting to “talk shop.” Hayley read into that that Chelsea wanted some alone time with her dad, looking up to the heavens in thanks as she made her way to the bar. With her husband on the other side of the room, Hayley flirted openly with the bartender. Isn’t it getting a little old that Hayley gets away with everything? She’s catching up to Leslie in that department, and we’re far overdue there, as well.
After Chelsea got assurances from Bill that he and Naomi would emerge victorious in the malpractice suit against Madison, she turned the subject to Hayley, wondering why she had allowed her friend Lynette to cause problems between Kat and Tomás with her whole sexual harassment accusation. Bill declared the point moot since Lynette had left town, but Chelsea smelled a rat where Lynette and Hayley were concerned. Plus, Chelsea noted, the family was close again after Bill had blown it apart, and she sensed that Hayley might be feeling pushed out of it. Hayley ducked into the booth behind Bill and Chelsea and listened in as Bill said that he had regretted prioritizing work to the detriment of his daughters, and he was sorry that he had hurt Dani. Chelsea observed that Bill had gravitated back toward Dani – was that just because of Anita’s illness or was he hoping for something more? Bill said that he considered himself happily married to Hayley; Hayley smirked from her hiding place. Surely Bill realizes by now that all is not what it seems with Hayley? Could his perfect view of her just be him playing her?
The hospital rap
Smitty met Jacob at the motel room (at least we’re not in the alley anymore), having just come from Grayson’s place. He reported that no one had been home, and that Grayson’s car hadn’t been parked there or anywhere nearby. (So Smitty and Jacob know what Grayson drives? How?) Jacob winced from his bruising and reached for pain relievers, his hand shaking as he opened the bottle. (Dude’s got internal bleeding, right? Remember, he never got treated for his injuries, either.) Smitty and Jacob both realized Grayson may have made his way to Ashley’s apartment.
Jacob fumed that if Grayson had gone to Ashley, it would make her complicit. Not to mention, if Grayson told Ashley anything about his activities in the blood plasma ring, it would be putting a target on Ashley’s back. (Now this is getting interesting.) Smitty, who himself saw that Jacob was in pain but didn’t comment on it, promised Jacob he would go home – but that, in the morning, he would swing by the hospital to both get a bead on Ashley, hoping to discern Grayson’s whereabouts, plus find out more about Rachel Lewis, musing that Rachel might be Grayson’s boss in the syndicate. (Not even close, Smits.)
While Grayson continued bleeding in Ashley’s bathroom and avoiding Jacob’s calls, Ashley was lying to Jan, telling her that the blood on her hands was really the tomato sauce she was preparing for Grayson. Jan missed a boatload of hints that Ashley wanted her to leave, content to stick around and keep an eye on the sauce while Ashley took a shower. So entrenched Jan had made herself that Ashley finally blurted out, “Oh my God, Mom, please stop!” Jan found the utterance rude; Ashley alleged that she just wanted her first home-cooked meal for Grayson to be perfect, which included not having her mother hovering about. Jan finally left but told Ashley she wanted to meet Grayson soon. (No wonder Jan wouldn’t split. She was tryna get a peek!)
Learning from Ashley that the coast was clear, Grayson limped out of the bathroom and collapsed to the floor, even passing out briefly. Ashley feared that Grayson was going into shock, but he still refused to go to Garland for treatment, or to any hospital – he just wanted nurse Ashley to do what she could right then and there. She managed to get him up on her bed (Jan probably won’t stop asking why Ash suddenly got a new bedspread); Ashley cleaned and dressed Grayson’s wound but warned that he was still at risk for infection.
Grayson expressed regret that he hadn’t told Ashley the whole truth about why he’d been attacked, but said he would once “it” was all over. He complimented Ash on her blouse; she half-joked that “some guy” had gotten blood all over what she’d been wearing before. “What a jerk,” Grayson chuckled through his agony. “Tell me about it,” Ashley replied. Ouch! That had to hurt more than the scalpel Ren pilfered from the hospital!
As Grayson seemed to nod off, Ashley asked his sleeping form just what he had gotten into. Wait ’til you find out, girl. Derek scratching your refrigerator is gonna seem like chump change in comparison!
Tune in next week when Ashley goes bad girl, Ted and Nicole get mushy on their anniversary that isn’t, and Tomás is about to hit paydirt with Lynette.
Beyond the Gates airs weekdays on CBS and streams on Paramount Plus.
Next week, the show will be pre-empted for UEFA soccer on Tuesday, April 28, and Wednesday, April 29.
Edited by Michael Maloney