The Truth Has a Way of Coming Out: A Beyond the Gates commentary by Soap Central founder Dan J Kroll for the week ending March 13, 2026.
You can create carefully crafted alternative facts, flat-out lie, or dodge the issue, but one thing is true in life (and in soap operas): the truth has a way of coming out. It might not come out as quickly as you’d like it, but it will eventually see the light of day.
There are a lot of hanging threads on Beyond the Gates, things that, according to “experts” on social media, the writing team has totally forgotten about. Others, like myself, like the idea of secrets and lies smoldering or festering for months… until they explode and create absolute chaos.
Jacob’s undercover gig is the worst-kept secret in history, but that didn’t stop his face-to-face with Grayson from being dramatic. Now he’s scrambling to keep his mission alive, while Grayson is scrambling to make sure that he doesn’t end up behind bars. And we still don’t know who else is involved and how that involvement could take down other people.
Vanessa tried to hide her relationship with Joey from Deanna. In fact, she had this whole carefully choreographed performance of how she would eventually break the news to her daughter. She might not have been lying lying, but she wasn’t being totally honest either. What makes this such a tinderbox is that Joey has a secret of his own. You know, this little, tiny secret that he had Doug killed.
Madison had a secret until Kat outed her as a multi-decibel screaming machine in the sack. “Nicole After Dark” isn’t really a secret any more, and now Dani has outed her sister’s men as being “old and busted.” Mona and Randy’s situationship took a turn when Mona caught him sucking Lynette’s fingers. And then there’s the best-kept secret in daytime: the awesomeness of Beyond the Gates‘ recurring players. Why no one other show has tried to replicate the success of BTG’s background players is a mystery me.
So let’s start exposing some of these secrets in this week’s column.
A Clinic in McDrama
The dedication of the Doug McBride clinic got as much on-screen time as Doug’s homegoing ceremony. Poor Doug, gone, not forgotten, but not shown.
I have to wonder if we will ever actually see the clinic. Maybe the show is waiting until the Impaler storyline bleeds (sorry!) into the clinic story. With the way DracLia (that’s my cute, working nickname for Chief of Staff Lia Whitmore) was practically foaming at the mouth when Derek asked her if Garland Memorial could partner with the clinic, I have to assume that’s eventually coming. And I hope it does because that is a storyline that has drama coursing through its veins.
Closed Before it Opens?
It seems a given that the clinic is going to get caught in the crossfire of Jacob’s undercover mission. Here is what I’ve crafted in my mind as the possible fallout. Leslie’s investment is going to go up in smoke and it may somehow spiral and dry up her seemingly never-ending supply of money. With Joey as an investor, his enterprise is going to end up under a microscope… which could lead to Joey and Vanessa’s “laundry” business being exposed.
We don’t know if Marcel Malone is really infatuated with LSD (That’s Leslie/Sherry/Dana for new readers) or just playing along. If he really does like Leslie, might he fall on the sword to save her? He could turn State’s evidence and testify that Joey had Doug killed. Joey, in turn, could make public whatever it was that he showed Leslie to get her to stay in line.
Vanessa’s world would explode. Or implode. Hell, it would probably do both. She’d be devastated that the man she was cheating on her husband with had her husband killed. Deanna and Donnell would probably never forgive Vanessa. Vanessa herself could turn to overindulging… or she could realize she has nothing left to lose and try to kill Joey.
Before this column turns into a work of fan fiction, I’ll just wrap things up in this section by saying that I want and need everything to just goes nuts.
Communism and Joey Armstrong Are Just a Red Herring
One last thing: I thought it was interesting that Joey talked about a new “project” he had taken on, one that had become a “bloody mess.” I am nearly certain that this comment was a red market herring. Joey has done a lot of bad things, but I think the blood and plasma theft is outside of his orbit. Not only that, the writers have given Joey enough simmering drama and don’t need to pile on anything else.
She Came In Like a Wrecking Ball
I have grumbled for quite a while about Deanna being missing in action. I think I’ve been grumbling about it ever since Doug died. This week, Deanna finally showed up… and it was well worth the wait.
I thought it was a nice touch that the writers mentioned on multiple occasions that Deanna had not been back to town because she was struggling with Doug’s death. That makes it better than having had her return but not been shown on-screen.
I felt for Deanna. We don’t really know much about the kids’ relationships with Doug. Was Deanna a daddy’s girl? Not that it matters, but her reaction to Doug’s death seems to be a lot stronger than Vanessa and Donnell’s. I am wondering if there is some other underlying reason that we don’t know about. Grief, of course, often has no rhyme or reason and Deanna is absolutely entitled to feel however she feels. I just don’t like to see people – real or fictional – in so much pain.
How Long Has This Been Going On?
There was an upside to her pain. The way that Deanna tore into Vanessa at the post-dedication party was a thing to behold./
Anyone who watched the “Next Week…” previews last week knew that the Deanna read was coming. Every time Deanna appeared on screen I reached for some popcorn and wondered, “Is this when it happens?” When Deanna stared intensely at the door as Vanessa and Joey stood outside, I knew it was just moments away. Sadly, I had already eaten all of the popcorn and had nothing left to snack on.
“How long have you been screwing Joey Armstrong?” Deanna snarled. This is one of those moments when I wondered if PG-friendly dialogue dampened the moment. Would a naughtier word choice have made the confrontation more powerful? I don’t think so in this case because I believe that Deanna still respects that Vanessa is her mother. Well… mostly respects because her next remarks were… Well, judge for yourself.
“What kind of man comes in here and dedicates a building to your dead husband and drops all that money unless he’s getting something in return,” Deanna continued. “Clearly, you’re serving it up.”
Extra Extras!
So much of our Beyond the Gates conversations have to do with the main characters on the show. But I really need to take a few moments to praise the work of Nydell Nalls, who plays a member of the Fairmont Crest Country Club staff. His performance when he tried to clear Leslie’s table of crumpled paper made me laugh. While he had few lines, his face told an entire story. It was part, “They do not pay me enough to deal with this kind of crazy” and part, “This bitch.”
The Wonderful Twins
While I am on the topic of actors who are not on-contract, I really, really like the scenes with the twins at Orphey Gene’s. If you made a bet saying that this would be the column where I mention being an only child, prepare to get paid. As an only child, I have no idea what it’s like to have a bond (or any sort of relationship) with a sibling – and I definitely can’t fathom what it would be like to have another me out there in the world. Thankfully for those in the world, you will never have to find out.
I thought the Donnell and Deanna scenes felt real. Siblings can tell each other that they are sucking the life out of the room in one breath and in the next say how much they love each other. Or at least that’s my vision of siblingdom.
Standing In the Shadows
And making this a trifecta of extras, the waitstaff at Uptown also had me cracking up. We never got to clearly see who they were, but if you rewatch the scenes when Deanna tore into Vanessa, you’ll see them listening intently to what was going on.
I’ve always complained when a TV show has some “big” scene and only the main characters seem to be in on it. If I am at a restaurant and someone starts a very loud conversation, I am definitely listening — after I look for the nearest exit.
Ketchup and Mussed Hair
Can anyone think of a time on a soap when two recurring characters had a sex scene? And I am not referring to a star who was on contract and then dropped to recurring for some reason or another. I ask because I kind of wanted to see what Randy and Lynette were up to with all that ketchup Lynette mentioned. But I guess since neither are on contract we’ll never get to know.
Beside, Behind, and Beyond The Gates: The Speed Round
Here are some of the thoughts and observations about other things happening on Beyond the Gates.
Undercover
Jacob might be the worst undercover agent ever. First, he told everyone that he was going undercover. Second, he didn’t even try to disguise himself when he did the pick-up at Garland. I am not sure if he was supposed to engage Grayson after being spotted, but I squirmed while watching him try to convince Grayson that he really was a courier for the blood smugglers.
I couldn’t even keep track of all the excuses he tried to pass off. He was in debt. His marriage was in trouble. His marriage wasn’t in trouble. I honestly have no idea if Grayson believes him. Even though I don’t like Grayson, at least he had a singular reason for doing what he was doing: he needed money to pay for his mother’s healthcare.
Derek Do-Right
Derek really should have walked away from the clinic when Leslie started being rude and disrespectful to him. I know that he’d never turn his back on the community because he’s very much a Dudley Do-Right. Still, Leslie deserved it and I don’t think anyone would have blamed him.
Movin’ On… Over?
I’ve heard the explanation straight from her mouth, but I really don’t understand why Kat decided to move in with Anita and Vernon. We’d previously heard how she needed to experience life on her own… and now she’s chosen to move to in with her grandparents on the other side of the gated community?
If she thought hearing Madison scream her way through sexytimes was bad, Kat had really better hope that Anita isn’t equally as “expressive.”
Why Even Pack a Bag?
Bill and Hayley have been on two vacations in the last year… and both have lasted about 24 hours each. They are either the unluckiest vacationers in the history of life, or Bill is just looking for reasons to not be abroad with his broad. Bill needs to make sure all of these places have extradition treaties before going anywhere with Hayley.
Miss Wilson If You’re Nasty
I laughed and laughed and laughed when Mona whopped Randy on the back of his head. The scene was perfectly constructed and the acting was brilliant. Big tough bodyguard Randy looked like a little boy when he asked Mona why she’d bopped his head. And Mona’s delivery of, “Because ya’ll are nasty” was absolutely everything. Adding in seductress Lynette and her subtle digs at Church Lady Mona made the scene even more delicious.
Putting the Fireplace In Its Place
I know that Beyond the Gates is a television show and sets need to be made camera-friendly, but I cannot for the life of me understand why so many people have furniture backing up to their fireplaces.
For example, the upholstered chairs at Martin and Smitty’s face away from the fireplace. Wouldn’t you want to face the fireplace when reading a book or having a fireside conversation?
The Devil You Don’t Know
Vanessa had a lot of reckoning to do this week. Obviously, there was the incident with Deanna. That, however, led Vanessa to realize that she didn’t really know all that much about Joey. To be fair, we don’t really know that much about him either. Let’s see… we had a cursory knowledge of his “enterprise,” knew that his mom died undergoing a medical procedure, knew that he has an occasional soft spot for some reason, and that he likes the Scotch he keeps in his VIP room. Other than that? Not much.
When Vanessa pressed Joey for information, I worried she might regret what she’d be told. Either that or she would simply realize that she and the man she moved on with didn’t have much in common outside of the bedroom and poker table. Well, now we have a little more detail into Joey’s life. It seems that Joey followed in his old man’s footsteps. The unnamed dad was as “old-school syndicate” in New York who forced Joey to become his “apprentice.” Joey’s dad studied at “the iron fist school of parenting” who didn’t care that Joey didn’t want to follow in his footsteps. We also learned that Joey has a sister named Heather that he hasn’t seen spoken to in a very long time.
Vanessa also had to turn down what could have been a big stepping stone in her career because of her relationship/involvement with Joey. The tally of losses from the relationship is starting to add up. Still, Vanessa declared her love for Joey and promised that she’d never let him go. I’m not Nicole Dupree, but to me that sounds like she’s trying to overcompensate for what happened to Doug. Still, I wonder how much more loss Vanessa will be able to take.
Quick Takes
Can I tell you now much I loved that Vernon’s hearty laugh got reshown in the Monday episode recap? As soon as I get a free minute, I am turning that laugh into a notification tone on my phone.
I want to know more about “Anthony,” Nicole’s first love. Will he show up at Fairmont Crest now that his name has been mentioned?
It was fun to see Joey have a reminder in his phone about the $10,000 bet he and Dani made. It was even more entertaining to watch Joey and Dani dance around their bet while a clueless Andre tried to figure out what was going on.
I don’t know where Shanice received her physical therapy instruction, but none of my therapists ever got that “hands on.”
Beyond the Gates: Lines of the Week
The Beyond the Gates writing team seems to be having a little too much fun. Here are some of the lines of dialogue that tickled my funny bone or that I found memorable over the past week (and haven’t already mentioned in this column).
“I have become a woman who kisses and tells – and I love it!”
A giddy Nicole revealing the details of her date with Kial.
“All your men are old and busted.”
Dani zinging sister Nicole when Andre came out unscathed from the basketball match that had Ted, Kial, and Carlton on the injury reserve list.
“All Hail Nicole, queen of the reverse harem.”
Dani with another quip about her sister dating multiple men.
“Money talks. I’m money.”
Leslie explaining why she needed a prominent speaking spot at the clinic dedication ceremony.
“Is that the guy who shows up in the old school mix in your car?”
Hayley’s response when hubby Bill mentioned Jimmy Buffett.
“Because ya’ll are nasty.”
“I can’t believe I let you share my pew.”
Mona after seeing Randy literally eating out of Lynette’s hand.
“You know there is nothing little about me.”
Randy reminding Lynette of his, um, personality.
“Are you Nicole-ing me?”
Leslie’s reaction when Eva started a little makeshift therapy session.
“You and I have felled many a tree. Not one of them has ever made a sound.”
Joey, attempting to calm Malone’s fear that someone might find out that they played a role in Doug’s death.
“Madison’s a screamer.”
Kat, offering more information than I ever needed to know about Chelsea’s fiancée.
“How long have you been screwing Joey Armstrong?”
Deanna’s question wasn’t necessarily funny, but it sure was memorable.
“It think this tricycle needs to be a bicycle.”
Chelsea, as she excused herself to allow Kat and Tomas some time to talk.
“That son of a bitch!”
“No, my grandmother was a fine woman.”
Vanessa’s reaction to learning that Joey’s dad wasn’t such a great guy.
Gatecrashers: Reader and Viewer Feedback
I love interacting with other Beyond the Gates fans. So I thought I’d create a section to share some of the comments I’ve received on my columns and social media posts. If you’d like to see your comments shared here, you can scroll down to the Comments section below this column and post away. You can also chat with me on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and/or TwitterX.
My new #BeyondTheGates column is posted. This week I talk about Deanna’s return, Doug get shafted again, the deepening blood theft drama, Mona whacking Randy, extra Extras, Lines of the Week and more. Please give it a read if you can. #BTG #Gatekeepers
Follow my Random Acts of Dan
That’s all I have for this week’s My View From Beyond the Gates column. Thank you for reading and, as always, please feel free to share your thoughts on my column or Beyond the Gates in the Comments section below.
If you’ve enjoyed my column this week and want to see what I have written about Beyond the Gates in previous weeks, you can check those out in the My View From Beyond the Gates archive.
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Life outside the gates
Two of my former Two Scoops columnists from Soap Central, Liz Masters and Tamilu, have joined me here on my personal web site — and they are still writing about General Hospital. Tamilu is on deck with week with a new column called, Sign Your Name Across My Heart.
To read more thoughts, opinions, rants, and raves about daytime television, be sure to check out our Editorial section.
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