Beyond the Gates Recap, July 8, 2025: Dueling dates and “Kenneth” missing his date with destiny

Here's what went down Tuesday, July 8, 2025 on Beyond the Gates when Dani took the sweet out of her potato pie, Marcel tried to cover his tracks with Smitty, and Randy's new refrain was, “rogue, rogue, rogue...”

What happened on Beyond the Gates

On Beyond the Gates, a displeased Jacob summoned Smitty to the station – the detective was upset because the reporter had gone to Elon about Marcel when Jacob had specifically said Elon wasn't involved in whatever Marcel had done. In hushed tones, Smitty explained that he had found a connection between Marcel and Vernon, and when Jacob hadn't been there, Smitty had decided to see how Elon would react to that detail. Jacob brusquely said he was on his father's side, while Smitty stressed that he was looking after Martin.

Jacob thought it unusual that Smitty had mentioned Martin, who wasn't tied to Marcel's doings, outside the possibility that Martin might or might not be afraid of the cop for whatever reason. Smitty said that he would take however his husband might factor into things to his grave, after which Jacob requested that Smitty share everything he had learned about Marcel and Vernon. Smitty went over how Vernon had been a character witness for Marcel and how Elon had claimed confidentiality...yet gave Smitty information anyway. Jacob hesitantly admitted that Elon had mandated he opt out of further conversations with Smitty.

Despite Jacob's reluctance, Smitty took Elon's suspicious move as a sign that he needed to keep digging...just as Marcel approached and overheard. Smitty and Jacob lied that they were planning a karaoke night, but Marcel made it plain that he realized a good reporter stayed hungry. Jacob watched as Marcel grinned, and Jacob had better be making his partner look good and their surveillance of a strip club should best stay off the record. Standing firm, Smitty reported that he had spoken to Elon, who'd had nothing but praise for Marcel; Smitty wondered if Marcel had something on Elon.

In the back room of the casino, Joey finished counting the money that Randy had retrieved from “Kenneth.” Angry that he had noticed a discrepancy, Joey called Randy, only to hear Randy's phone go off in a nearby wastebasket. Joey then phoned Marcel, who, in front of Jacob and Smitty, let the call go to voice mail; Joey informed Marcel that Randy had gone rogue and directed the detective to find him.

Once Smitty excused himself, Jacob could tell that Marcel had manipulated the reporter into leaving and wanted to know why. Marcel out-and-out said it was because of his bank account – more specifically, that Smitty had had info pulled from it in an effort to suss out a connection between him and Joey. Detective Malone told Jacob that the first potentially shady deposit for $5,000 had been from winning at the tables while conducting a sting operation at the Lakeview Casino – and the second deposit in the amount of half a million dollars had come from the sale of his parents' house, which he had split with his sister. Jacob queried why Marcel's sister would pay him in cash, so Marcel described how different his sibling had been...before she passed away.

Jacob offered condolences but considered Marcel's explanation hard to verify. Hawthorne pointed out that Smitty was family, and Marcel's comment about which family was going to sign Jacob's paychecks once Smitty got through digging through his personal business was one that Jacob took as a threat. Marcel said that partners looked out for each other and that he simply didn't want Jacob to get chewed up and spat out by a reporter before leaving to take a phone call.

At the Richardson-Smith condo, Martin found “Kenneth” sitting with Tyrell, who explained that he had invited his new chess buddy over to get some instruction in the game. Martin called Tyrell away from “Kenneth,” who had a bandage on his face and introduced himself as if he were meeting Martin for the first time. Martin wouldn't shake “Kenneth”'s hand at first, but when he did, he yanked him toward the door over Tyrell's objections. Once the smirking “Kenneth” left, Tyrell felt humiliated but also confused when Martin demanded that Tyrell cut off contact with him.

Tyrell insisted that “Kenneth” wasn't a stranger – he had been playing chess against him online for the last couple of weeks. Martin had his son show him “Kenneth”'s profile, which Martin promptly deleted from Tyrell's. When Tyrell balked, Martin said he didn't have to explain his actions; Tyrell was angry that Martin kept treating him like a child. Martin got a notification on his phone and had to leave; he urgently commanded Tyrell to double lock the door and not open it to anyone.

Martin, having been texted by “Kenneth,” followed the man to Orphey Gene's and ordered him to stay away from his family. “Kenneth” called Martin uppity and smugly said that Martin wasn't calling the shots. Martin grumbled that “Kenneth” was supposed to have been “handled”; “Kenneth” conveyed that things hadn't gone as planned and that there would be payback for Martin pulling a fast one. “Kenneth” didn't believe Martin's contention that he should have gotten his promised money and alleged that Martin was surprised that “Kenneth” wasn't “floating face down in the Potomac.”

The congressman swore he didn't know “Kenneth” was going to be attacked, but “Kenneth” didn't buy it and doubled his payment to $200,000, which he wanted by sunrise. “Kenneth” used the example of how easy it had been to get to Tyrell and promised harm to Martin's family if he didn't cooperate.

Someone arrived at the Hamiltons' house, which Bill monitored via his new security system. Bill advised Hayley to be ready for a battle, but Dani came sweeping in with a sweet potato pie as a gesture of goodwill. Dani told Hayley how relieved she was that the baby was okay after their argument, but Hayley wanted an apology from Dani for causing her hospitalization. After Hayley doubted Dani's sudden concern for her fetus, Bill started to take Dani to task; Hayley changed her mind and chose to let the incident go...but not before adding that Dani herself seemed insecure and desperate, traits Dani had charged Hayley with possessing.

Bill relayed that he had wanted to move forward with Dani as friends, but it still seemed like his marriage to Hayley was something that Dani viewed as temporary. Though Hayley is worried about Bill's blood pressure, he flamed Dani: after nearly inducing a miscarriage in Hayley, “You think you can walk in here with a damn pie?” Bill made Dani a proposition – either she could apologize to Hayley, or she could “walk [her] bougie, self-righteous ass right out that damn door.” Fuming, Dani replied that she was “ten toes down” and that she stood by everything she had said to Hayley, including accusing her of faking her pregnancy.

Dani was certain that time would prove Hayley unworthy of her new life at Fairmont Crest and that taking the high road, as she'd constantly been advised to do, was lost on someone like Hayley. The former Mrs. Hamilton seethed that the new Mrs. Hamilton had weaponized a simple conversation and conveniently turned it into a medical crisis. Dani then snickered that she had baked the pie from scratch, with the Hamiltons taking that to mean Dani might have poisoned it. Once Dani sauntered out, Hayley wanted to know if Dani had always been so unhinged. Bill confessed that Dani's instability had been part of the attraction for him.

Later, Hayley marveled at getting another visitor – Martin. Hayley sensed that he and Bill wanted to speak alone and left them to it, after which Martin admonished Bill and the others for making his situation worse. After Martin went over why, Bill felt that “Kenneth” connecting with Tyrell had only been his way of sending a message, but Martin was frightened for his family. With new fatherhood imminent, Bill understood Martin's concern; once Martin exclaimed that “Kenneth” hadn't been paid, Bill sent Martin home so he could attend to the problem. Martin wasn't sure he could trust Bill again after the failure.

Martin entered his condo to find a pacing Tyrell, who was still mad over being embarrassed in front of “Kenneth.” Tyrell couldn't understand why his pop had treated the man like a criminal, claiming that he and Samantha were able to go to the much more chill Smitty with their problems, while they all had to walk on eggshells to prevent Martin from overreacting and blowing his top. Martin clammed up when Tyrell wanted to know why he had taken such a hard stance, causing Tyrell to scoff that the silence was “just another pointless Martin Richardson crash-out.”

Smitty returned to the station, acknowledging to Jacob that he had gotten carried away with his karaoke story. Jacob communicated that Marcel knew about Smitty looking into his finances and that Marcel had had explanations for his mysterious deposits. When Smitty wondered if Jacob also judged cash proceeds from a house as suspect, Jacob responded, “What do you think?”

Joey called Bill, who notified the casino owner that they had a problem; Armstrong said that his man had skipped town and that he already had somebody on it. When Bill announced that “Kenneth” was still alive, Joey thought back to Randy placing his gun on the poker table while confirming that “the job” was done. “Fix this now,” Bill snarled, “or everyone involved is screwed.”

Ashley walked up to Uptown with Andre but hesitated before she reached the door. She recalled her many times at the establishment with Derek, including his proposal; Andre offered to take Ashley somewhere else, but she made the decision to enter. “You ready to turn some heads?” Andre asked, escorting Ashley in – except they found Derek sitting at a table with Shanice. Ashley was cold to her boss, who said, “The only thing I'm bossing is this martini glass.” Shanice gave as good as she got as Ashley began making sarcastic statements. Andre managed to diplomatically pull Ashley away and seated her at their own table.

After Ashley couldn't stop eyeing Derek with Shanice, Ashley remarked that she was surprised Derek was splurging on a night out when he'd always lived on a tight budget. When Ashley added that the supposedly heartbroken Derek had returned to “the scene of the crime,” acting like nothing had happened, Andre reminded Ashley that she had done the same thing. Ashley thanked Andre for preventing another of her spirals. Meanwhile, at Derek's table, Shanice questioned her selecting Uptown, and Derek admitted he had thought he wouldn't run into Ashley there after his botched proposal. Derek and Ashley continued to make eye contact; Derek had hoped that returning to the spot would help him rise above the disappointing moment that had happened there.

Derek admitted he had been surprised by Shanice's dinner invitation and deemed her fun and interesting. He wanted to learn more about her, so she told him how she had grown up curious and intrigued by mysteries, yet with a pull toward helping people. Shanice studied Derek as she stated that she had become a nurse and a physical therapist because she had wanted to understand how the body works and help people heal; she touched his hand as she continued about being able to give her kind of memorable care. Derek reciprocated by elaborating on how he'd watched a firehouse as a child and how the firefighters had eventually allowed him in, telling him how they'd found purpose in their vocation...which had inspired Derek. Shanice liked that Derek was also gratified by serving others.

Ashley caught her gaze drifting toward Derek and expressed regret to Andre; she commended Andre for how comfortable he made women. She toasted the jet-setting shutterbug and promised him her full attention the rest of the night, then wondered why he was slumming it with a first-year nurse. Andre declared Ashley the most interesting person in the room. When she wanted him to tell her something others didn't know about him, he winked that he wore a size 11 shoe – but then confided that, since he had inherited a fortune from his parents, he donated whatever he made from photography to causes his mom and dad believed in...in their names.

After a while, Andre noticed how Ashley had stopped looking toward Derek and wanted to know what he was doing right so he could keep doing it. Ashley marveled at why Andre was still single; when he professed that he viewed relationships as overrated, Ashley had a hard time believing it. Andre said that everyone meant “forever” until they didn't, and even his “relationship goals” aunt and uncle couldn't even be in the same room anymore. Ashley comprehended Andre's pragmatism, while Andre said that it would just be a matter of meeting someone who made one forget why one had played it safe in the first place. “Someone like you, for starters,” Andre affirmed as he took Ashley's hand.

Derek wished Ashley and Andre a good night as he and Shanice left, but then Dani walked in to see her lover holding Ashley's hand. Dani angrily threw her purse on the bar...which got Andre's attention.

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