Beyond the Gates Performer of the Week: Colby Muhammad as Kat Richardson

When Katherine “Kat” Richardson was introduced on Beyond the Gates, we only knew two things about her: that she was a snob who could cut you down in an instant for wearing the wrong shoes and that she was considered Ted and Nicole's “miracle baby,” though we didn't get an explanation for why until later (the Richardsons had suffered through several miscarriages after Martin, until Nicole was able to carry Kat to term). But, like all GATES characters, Kat is well-rounded, and particularly consistent, and the past five episodes gave portrayer Colby Muhammad yet another chance to show us many of Kat's nuances – and that's why she's Soap Central's Performer of the Week.

Brat summer, winter, spring and fall on Beyond the Gates

Leslie loves to call Kat a brat, and for good reason: that's what Kat is, and she's not ashamed of it. Look at the way Ms. Richardson dissed on Eva's combat boots this past week while openly denying sneaking into Eva's hotel room. That's part of the uniformity of how Kat is written, and Muhammad serves up Kat's put-downs with panache. Of course, if that's all Kat was, and if that's the only way Muhammad played her, the marketing manager would get boring pretty quickly. Luckily, Muhammad relishes the other parts of Kat's personality, several of which were on display.

Kat is one of the only GATES denizens who can go up against Leslie! Not only did Kat very deliberately put herself in the line of fire by going over to Leslie's apartment to call a fake truce, she took a big chance in cracking open Leslie's window – with Leslie in the room, albeit with her back turned. A brave brat? Yep, and Muhammad seemed to give a bit of Kat feeling like it was beneath her to go crawling through a window, but her determination to protect her family overrode such superficiality – even if Kat couldn't help a bit of smugness once she succeeded in planting Leslie's telltale motorcycle helmet and gloves in her own ottoman bench for the police to find.

Again, if Kat is afraid to get into confrontations with Leslie, Muhammad doesn't let it show. Leslie, tired of Kat's continual interference in her life, warned Kat, “Keep pushing. See what happens when I push back” – but Kat barely even flinched. Not bad for a pampered, sheltered girl who's never before run up against the likes of Leslie Thomas.

Kat might have a brat summer in all four seasons, but even when she's throwing shade, Muhammad gives her alter ego an impishness that shines through. Now, that trait does surface more readily when Kat is relaxed, like she was during her multiple scenes with cousin Chelsea this past week. Sure, Kat was all business trying to get Chels to focus on purses instead of cute neurologist Madison – but Muhammad (and for that matter, Chelsea's portrayer RhonniRose Mantilla) makes us feel like these cousins are real people who genuinely love each other – and love hanging out. Kat both shipped Chelsea's new crush by beaming that Madison was “the total package” and couldn't help teasing Chelsea about her wanting to see what was under Madison's doctor coat. Muhammad was so natural in these scenes that it was hard to wipe the smile off watching them.

The same held true when Andre made the huge mistake of lumbering into Dani's guest house looking for her, only to find Kat there with Chelsea. Kat's protective mode kicked in as she wondered how Andre could have gotten onto the property, but she soon picked up – almost psychically – on Chelsea's realization that Andre was having a fling with her aunt. Muhammad was hilarious as Kat joined Chelsea in baiting and taunting Andre – good-naturedly, but enjoying every moment of the photographer trying to squirm his way out of the exposé he knew he'd created for himself. Who didn't giggle and squeal along with Kat and Chelsea, at least inwardly, as Kat gave voice to the knowledge of the Dani/Andre affair once he bolted out?

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Kat also gets some of the best lines on the show – perhaps this week's offerings weren't the pinnacle of such dialogue, but Muhammad always delivers them with acerbic certainty. Annoyed that Jacob had likened her to Leslie for being so hellbent on proving Leslie's guilt, Kat eye-rolled, “Comparing me to Satan in a wig? Nice one, Jacob.” And in her scene with Eva, Kat basically gave us her mission statement after Eva accused her of rifling through her hotel room like a common thief – “I'm not a common anything,” Kat scoffed. And aren't we glad. More Kitty-Kat, please! Meow!

Beyond the Gates airs weekdays on CBS and streams on Paramount Plus.

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