Beyond the Gates Recap, August 18, 2025: Peaches verified Leslie's inheritance and inadvertently counseled her former lover

Here's what went down Monday, August 18, 2025 on Beyond the Gates when Dr. Madison came down with feelings, Vanessa released her inner Joey, and Ted got advice from a peachy source.

What happened on Beyond the Gates

On Beyond the Gates, Leslie had trouble believing that “original Articulette” Barbara was her birth mother and that she had “classic soul magic running through [her] veins.” Peaches stood by her announcement and let Leslie know she was entitled to “a lot of zeros” – yet Leslie was convinced that Nicole had paid Peaches to do a number on her. Leslie made such a stink about Nicole that Peaches asked for information about the woman. After Leslie described how furious Nicole had been that Leslie had dared to show up at the Articulettes concert, Peaches swore she didn't “know Nicole from the man on the moon.”

Peaches promised that Leslie was about to become very rich. Leslie remembered “decades of eating dollar store noodles” and still doubted talk of a “miraculous inheritance” – so Peaches provided birth certificates and other substantiating documents she had amassed. When Leslie persisted that papers could be faked – which she had done herself – Peaches stressed that she was too sick to play those kinds of games. Leslie listened as Peaches explained how considerable funds had been set aside to benefit Barbara's family – and now that Leslie was the only member left, that money was hers.

With Leslie still dubious, Peaches produced a hairbrush of Barbara's, the follicles from which could be used to conduct a DNA test – even though Peaches had already had the test run and proved that Leslie was Barbara's daughter. “You're about to go from a have-not to having it all – and then some,” Peaches declared.

Later, Leslie studied her Articulettes program as Eva raced in, having received an urgent text from her mother. When Eva heard Leslie's claim that Barbara had given birth to her, Eva was certain that Leslie was messing with her as payback for taking her inheritance notification to Tomás to be verified. Leslie shocked Eva by having her meet Peaches, explaining that their visitor had raised her. Peaches hugged Eva, and it registered with her that she was, in effect, Eva's grandmother.

Peaches told Eva that she had never been informed about her because of her volatile, estranged relationship with Leslie. Eva studied Peaches as she recounted the story about bringing up her best friend's baby – and that that friend, Barbara, had died around the time Leslie was learning to walk. While Eva was coming to the conclusion that the contested bequeathment letter had been for real, Leslie purred that they were “about to level all the way up.”

Leslie thanked Peaches, not just for the life-changing news, but for being a mother to her “even when I was out there actin' a fool.” After Peaches excused herself, Eva marveled that she had a grandmother; Leslie and Eva squealed together about their imminent wealth, even after Leslie jokingly faked Eva out with “what's all this 'we' business?”.

The mother and daughter then contemplated how quickly things could change; Leslie was bitter that Peaches had only emerged out of a desire to tie up loose ends before she died. That said, if there really was an inheritance, Leslie planned to get Peaches the best possible health care. Eva thought that amazing, since Leslie and Peaches had been disconnected for so long – Leslie maintained that, in the end, your mother was your mother...and that's what love was.

Nicole and Vanessa continued partying, emptying multiple bottles. But Nicole expressed her worry that Vanessa had deemed her marriage to Doug not worth sticking with. When Vanessa didn't want to talk about Doug, Nicole changed the subject to Joey and warned her that Mr. Armstrong was not to be toyed with. Vanessa smirked that Nicole was obsessed with the casino owner, since Nicole mentioned him to Vanessa at their every meeting. However, Nicole didn't believe it when Vanessa crowed, “The only thing between me and that man is escrow.”

Vanessa played dumb when Nicole insisted that Joey was dangerous, instead trying and failing to fish for intel about him from her friend. Nicole took a call from a colleague who needed to meet her at Uptown; Vanessa remarked that Doug was at the establishment as well, which she knew from putting a finder app on his phone “after he went rogue.” Nicole offered for her and Vanessa to ride over together so they could further discuss Joey.

At Uptown, Ted found a resentful Doug, who came down on Ted for questioning his surgical abilities. Ted admitted he could have tried a less combative approach with him, while Doug was certain his dressing down and subsequent resignation were the topic of hospital gossip. Doug softened when Ted mentioned that Nicole was divorcing him and was sincere in his condolences. Ted had been thinking about what the Duprees had told him about the chance of saving his marriage if he truly worked on it, but the plastic surgeon didn't know how to even start getting Nicole to look at him the way she used to.

Doug, becoming cold, advised Ted to find out what was “blocking [his] blessing” and “eliminate it...by any means necessary.” Just then, Jacob joined the men, and Doug excused himself to speak with the detective. Jacob was taken aback when Doug asked if he knew Marcel; Jacob affirmed that the man was his uncooperative partner on the force. As Jacob decried Marcel's tendency to follow his own rules, Doug determined that Jacob was the right person to help his friend with his problematic employer...Joey Armstrong.

“The man moves like he's bulletproof,” Jacob harrumphed. When Doug wanted to demonstrate otherwise, Jacob would only pursue the matter legally; Doug gave that assurance and reported that his friend had dirt on Armstrong. Jacob wanted Doug's friend to help him build a case, but Doug said that would take too long – and revealed that his friend had been ordered by Joey to murder someone. Doug understood that whatever else he said would be used in an investigation, which was what he wanted – but just then, Vanessa strolled in and found Doug in conference with Jacob.

Vanessa suggested that Doug and Jacob not attempt to snow her about what they'd been talking about and demanded answers. Jacob made a diplomatic exit and approached Ted about whether there had been any further scenes with Leslie; Ted wondered how much time she could get for stealing Eva's concert ticket. Afterwards, Peaches approached Ted at the bar and introduced herself, ordering a fancy drink and saying a lady had to treat herself to the finer things from time to time.

Seeing Ted staring longingly across the nightspot at Nicole, Peaches sassed that Ted looked like a puppy afraid to go home when he could have “all this full-body spicy vintage.” Ted described his situation as complicated – Peaches understood and laid out how she hadn't spoken to her daughter for years after the girl had crossed an unforgivable line. Pride had kept Peaches from reaching out, so she counseled Ted to reach out to his wife instead of drowning his sorrows. “Don't wait for fate to force your hand,” Peaches added, “like it did mine.”

Nicole, who had accompanied Vanessa to Uptown, locked eyes with Ted, who was sitting at the bar. The soon-to-be-ex-Mrs. Richardson averted her gaze and sat with Madison, who needed a palate cleanser after a rough day at Garland – plus, the neurologist wanted Nicole's counsel because she was becoming emotionally involved in a case. Madison fretted that she might botch a surgery because of her growing lack of professional stoicism. When Nicole asked what might have prompted Madison's shift into sentimentality, Madison immediately realized the change was because of Chelsea.

Madison admitted that she loved Chelsea but also deemed it a problem. Nicole had seen Madison's proficiency and was confident she would again be able to compartmentalize her emotions just enough to offer the care she always had – though the psychiatrist noted that an emotional tie could benefit both patient and doctor. Madison found that prospect terrifying, but she was willing to attempt openness.

Once Madison departed, Ted approached; Nicole had noticed Ted's drinking companion and was glad to see he was moving on. After Nicole huffed that she still had a sense of humor, if not a marriage, Ted apologized for how badly he had taken the news of the divorce papers. Ted said he had been thrown; Nicole held she had been by the revelation of his mistress and love child. Nicole didn't give Ted a chance to say anything else and left him standing alone.

Vanessa grimly hoped that Doug hadn't been talking to Jacob about Joey. Doug replied that Vanessa could stop him; she figured that would be by ending things with Joey and pretending they had a happy marriage while instantly curing Doug's gambling problem. Vanessa railed at the audacity of Doug making demands when he had created their mess and proclaimed that she had the power with Doug now unemployed. “You can kiss this lifestyle you've become accustomed to goodbye,” Vanessa stated, advocating that he not antagonize her any further.

Shanice suggested that Ashley go home and rest rather than pace the nurses' station at Garland while awaiting post-op news about Derek. Ashley stubbornly refused but asked Shanice to be Derek's physical therapist, since the firefighter faced a lengthy recovery period. Shanice acknowledged that she did have experience with paralytic patients; Ashley trusted Shanice despite their recent bickering. When Ashley stopped short of asking if Derek might make a full recovery, Shanice vowed to push Derek past his limits to “get our boy back on his feet.”

Once Derek was out of surgery, Ashley was initially concerned that Derek would be able to intuit his possible paralysis from her expression, but she fell back on her nurse's training instead. Though Ashley invited Shanice to see Derek with her, Shanice felt the moment belonged to the exes. Derek saw Ashley entering his room and said that he sensed his operation had been successful – in fact, the feeling was already coming back into his legs...even though he couldn't yet move them. Ashley remained silent to the point Derek asked into it; Derek closed his eyes and dared Ashley to touch his leg, after which he would tell her where he felt it. Ashley had already moved her hand from Derek's thigh, while Derek thought she hadn't touched him yet.

Derek was staggered when he watched Ashley grasp his other leg, only to not be able to feel it. He had been positive he'd felt tingling in his lower limbs; Ashley described it as phantom limb sensation. Ashley couldn't give Derek the lecture he'd been expecting about his recklessness landing him in the hospital, but she did want to know why he had taken the perilous curve at a breakneck speed when the other cyclists were exercising caution. Shanice came in before Derek could answer and informed him she'd been assigned as his physical therapist.

Baldwin considered himself lucky, though Shanice apprised him that she would be putting him through his paces. When Derek pondered how he'd become Shanice's patient, Shanice eyed Ashley and said there had been a special request. Later, Jacob found a flattened Ashley, who got him up to speed on what his best friend had suffered. Ashley took Jacob to see Derek, but first laid out how Derek was playing it cool and not fully comprehending the hard road he had ahead of him.

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After some good-natured banter, Derek caught Jacob's distressed tone and explained how he knew he had poorly navigated the course's hook and damaged his back, thereby damaging his legs. Jacob stayed neutral when Derek tasked the detective with finding his bike so he could fix it and get back on the road. Some time later, Madison returned to the room, and Derek wanted good news. Madison carefully said that, while Derek's surgery had been successful, he was facing weeks of physical therapy and hospital care – and that, when Derek finally was released, he would be going home in a wheelchair. Derek was devastated by the prospect of never walking again, no matter how hard he worked to.

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

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