Primetime Soap Ambitions Returns With New Episode Tonight On OWN

The wait is over — Ambitions, the prime time sudser on OWN is back tonight! The show ended on some powerful cliffhangers in the mid-season finale last August: Senior was shot; Joaquin kidnapped; Amara discovered her husband, Titus, with long-running rival Stephanie!

Ambitions Is Back

What can viewers expect to see in tonight’s return? Soap Hub chatted with creator/executive producer Jamey Giddens about what’s going to happen! Read on to get the scoop!

Soap Hub: Tonight’s episode has so much going on! Brely Evans (Rondell) really shines as she deals with her father — Senior’s (Tony Vaughn) death.
Jamey Giddens: Rondell has believed in her cause up until this point, wanting to protect both Thelma’s Place and the neighborhood. In doing so, she’s lost the most important person in the world – her father. She’s asking herself, ‘Did I cause my father’s death?’ She feels guilty she sent Stephanie’s [Robin Givens] bodyguard away.

There’s a scene with Stephanie, Rondell, and Amara (Essence Atkins) that reminded me of Knots Landing’s Abby (Donna Mills), Karen (Michele Lee), and Val (Joan Van Ark).
When Lee Daniels created Empire, he admitted unapologetically he was inspired by some of the storytelling in Dynasty. I can readily admit that the dynamic among those three women on Ambitions [is] an homage to my love for Abby, Karen, and Val on Knots.

Stephanie finds Amara when she comes to visit Rondell. She’s thinking she first stole my boyfriend and now she’s going after my sister-in-law? Stephanie might be all rainbows and sunshine if she hadn’t felt betrayed all those years ago.

Getting The Lowdown

Does Amara believe Stephanie set her up to think she’d been intimate with Titus?
Amara has been living in fear of this moment happening during the course of her whole marriage. Amara has always seen herself as the woman Titus chose by default. Seeing them in that room together brought all of that home, almost a self-fulfilling prophecy. But we know that Amara cheated so she feels she needs to hear Titus’s side.

How is Bella (Erica Page) handling Joaquin (Eli Daoudi) being kidnapped?
Bella [Erica Page] is experiencing every mother’s worst nightmare. She had made a shift in her behavior, pushing Ignacio [Matt Cedeño] away and focusing on her business and child. A chain reaction has been set off that will cause heartbreak and suffering for Bella for multiple episodes. She and Evan [Brian White] will head back into each other’s orbit.

Was it a tough decision to kill off Senior?
Absolutely. Tony is a delight and Senior is the heart and soul of the Lancaster family. We needed a moment that would send Rondell and Evan [Brian White] on their heroic journeys. They’re going to fight hard to bring justice to Senior and end Greg Peters’ [Gino Anthony Pesi] reign of corruption and terror.

Will [Packer, executive producer] and I both felt that Senior’s death was going to be a game-changing catalyst. You’ll also see Stephanie’s reaction. She truly did love her father-in-law.

More With Jamey Giddons

Any new characters coming on in the second half?
In addition to Rick [Hearst] coming as on Jerry Lannigan, we have Anthony Dalton as Rasheed, Stephanie’s new private investigator – Nick [David E. Collier] took another case. You’ll see more of the [recurring] players we had in the first half of the season including Stephen Williams [Ray], Donna Briscoe [Irene], Christina Kirkman [Lori], and Matt Cedeno.

In tonight’s episode of Ambitions, Stephanie has an unexpected reaction to two bodyguards who get in her way.
We never know what Robin is going to do. [Her reaction] wasn’t written – that’s just how she chose to play it. She loves strong, sturdy dames of classic films like Bette Davis. When I saw [what you’re referring to], I just howled.

What’s it like to have your dream come true with your own soap on OWN?
As someone who grew up watching soaps and who grew up watching every episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show to now have a soap on the Oprah Winfrey Network [makes me] want to pinch myself. I tell people to never give up on their dreams. It’s never over as long as you’re on this side of the dirt.

Will you have a cliffhanger?
[Laughs] Have we met? I’ve never met a cliff that I didn’t want to dangle people off of! We’re going to be live-tweeting the show on social media. If you can’t watch live, please watch within those first few days! Ambitions returns tonight, November 12 at 10 p.m. ET on OWN.