On Thursday, October 23, 2025, the episode of Beyond the Gates featured Hayley stepping up her plan to drug Bill. Martin and Smitty enjoyed their post-vow renewal bliss. Ever since the reveal that Hayley is nothing but a con artist and since the Smith-Richardsons said “I Do” all over again, we can’t get enough of their scenes.
Key Takeaways:
- Hayley continues microdosing Bill’s tea, proving she’s the ultimate schemer.
- Caroline may be in danger as she grows suspicious of Hayley’s actions.
- Martin and Smitty’s relationship is thriving after their heartfelt vow renewal.
Tea and No Sympathy
Hayley (Marquita Goings) showing her true colors is the best thing that’s happened for the character. Before the big reveal, we knew nothing about the character other than she was Naomi’s (Arielle Prepetit) bestie who had climbed the social ladder to become Bill’s new trophy wife.
But there were hints at so much more. And now that we know that she and Randy (Maurice P. Kerry) are cousins who con together, Hayley’s actions have been downright devilish. And that makes for riveting TV.
Image Credit: CBS/Paramount
In Thursday’s episode, she continued microdosing Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett) and his tea. The first time, she was unsuccessful, but at the law firm, she managed to get him to drink the laced concoction. What’s even more fun is that we get to hear some of the things that she is thinking.
For instance, it’s clear she has snowed Caroline (Ellie Wang) and has been using her. But that may not last for much longer, because Hayley isn’t appreciating the fact that Caroline might be getting suspicious of her. In fact, we might need to start worrying about Caroline’s safety because if she becomes too much of a “nosy beyotch” (Hayley’s words), Hayley and Randy might have to eliminate the obstacle.
Hayley’s facial expressions, her conversations with Randy, and her willingness to go the extra mile to find that life insurance policy helped make Thursday’s episode so much fun.
Second Chances Are Everything
If you think back a few months to the beginning of the series, we were struggling to figure out how Martin (Brandon Claybon) and Smitty (Mike Manning) were together. They weren’t on the same page, and their interactions were cold and distant. The couple was broken, we know now. There were massive secrets that kept them from connecting on any sort of level.
Image: CBS/Paramount
Post-vow renewal, and it looks like we’re seeing a Martin and Smitty that we’ve never seen before. Their interactions are now enjoyable, and they communicate with each other regularly. Who knows if this will last? We’re super curious what Smitty’s new article/feature is about. He already told Martin that he didn’t want to share it yet. This could mean it has to do with Martin’s family again.
For now, Martin and Smitty are joking with each other. Martin couldn’t wait to tell his husband about how Kat (Colby Muhammad) broke Tomas’ (Alex Alegria) penis organ. They also discussed Martin’s parents’ divorce and how they felt bad for them. The only thing we’d love to see is the show incorporating Smitty’s family. Is there anybody on his side of things that could be introduced? That dynamic might be interesting and dramatic.
What did you think of Thursday’s episode? Let us know in the comments.
