Nothing is ever set in stone on a soap. Between meddling kids, nosy exes, and unexpected complications you need to be aware that Plans Can Change: A Beyond the Gates commentary by Soap Central founder Dan J Kroll for the week ending August 28, 2026.
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Living life flying by the seat of your pants might seem exciting, but life tends to be a little easier when you have some sort of plan. Take Chelsea and Kat, for example. They’ve spent a great deal of time planning how to take their handbag line to the next level. What they didn’t expect was that a business partner could bring all those plans crashing down in minutes.
Then there’s Hayley who has been planning her husband’s demise for months. A plan was in place: methodically dose Bill’s drinks with some mystery poison and wait for him to keel over. That plan wasn’t moving fast enough, so Hayley called an audible and started giving Bill poison every chance she got.
You would think that Heather, the head of an international criminal enterprise, would plan every action out in advance. But her trip to the DMV has me thinking that she just makes things up on the fly. Blackmail, stalking, threats, annnnnnnd murder! Is keeping track of three different schemes too much even for a beautiful babe bitches be jealous of?
Why’d You Come In Here Lookin’ Like That?
Forget all the stuff I said about Heather being the Impaler. Okay, maybe it’s not so much a “forget all the stuff” as it is a “put all the things I said about Heather being the Impaler to the side for a few moments.” I still hate it, but I am more receptive to the idea that there was a reason for it.
Heather is messy, messy, messy. What I am trying to decide this week is if her mess is a throw poo against the wall and see what sticks kind of mess or something more of a controlled chaos of a mess. A better question might be: Why is Heather really in the DMV? Is she trying to pick up the pieces of her red market operation? Does she really want to reconnect with Joey or is she trying to keep him close to eventually take over his criminal activities? Is she there to win Andre back? Is it all of the above? I know when I travel, I try to get as many things done in one visit as possible. It’s nice to know that criminal overlords share the same sense of efficiency, though in her case it may be more about expediency.
Til The Last Shot’s Fired
Heather is the Impaler. See, I told you we couldn’t totally forget about it. Her DMV operation was thwarted by Jacob’s investigation and Smitty’s exposé. She doesn’t seem too torn up about it. Yes, she did talk about possibly harming Smitty, but I can’t tell if she was serious or just trying to be menacing to impress Joey. It was definitely menacing when she sidled up to Martin and Smitty’s table at Uptown and later hovered over Smitty at the country club. There was no way that Heather was going to harm Smitty in public, but her just being near Smitty made me nervous.
Heather promised Joey that she wouldn’t do anything that would bring trouble to his doorstep, but that promise was about as good as the Monopoly money June once tried to use to pay her lunch tab. We know that Heather was involved in Lia Whit-no-more’s “overdose” death. That would seemingly indicate that Heather is trying to wrap up the loose ends of the blood and plasma operation. Heather claimed that she only needed to have one person killed to get her point across, but do we believe her? Lia wasn’t the only loose end. There is also Smitty, Grayson, and Jacob. Are these three men also in danger? I can’t see the show offing Smitty or Jacob, and it would be really, really cruel to have Ashley lose a second boyfriend in under a year.
Tell Me That You Love Me
The same level of uncertainty still hangs over Heather’s friendship with Dani. What is the end game? Does Heather want Andre back? She has claimed that she just wants another roll in the sheets, but is that all? If Andre is as good in bed as she hinted, I can’t imagine she’d stop at just one more round. If Andre refuses… is Heather going to harm Dani in some way? I can’t imagine that killing Andre’s wife is going to make him go running back to Heather. Is it the threat of violence that Heather thinks will make Andre fall into bed with her? And then… Heather tells Dani that Andre cheated on her, Dani dumps him, and he runs back to Heather? That’s doesn’t seem very realistic.
Does Heather just want Andre to have his heart broken? Heather is obviously hung up on Andre, but we don’t know yet if his leaving her broke her heart. Heather has claimed that she’s not the settling down type, so I’d guess she is more mad that he broke off whatever they had than heartbroken. Or maybe she just wants to prove that she’s still got what it takes to get Andre into bed.
9 to 5
There are also questions about whatever she’s got going on with Joey. It seems less and less likely that Heather wanted to reconnect with Joey, but this is not a typical family. Maybe their idea of “reconnecting” isn’t the same as mine. Both Armstrongs have jobs that are not your typical nine to five. If I had to guess, I’d say that Heather’s return probably has more to do with Heather’s need to show off that she’s as big and bad as her brother is. The danger with that is it’s making Heather a little more unhinged.
Or maybe she’s not as good a multitasking as she thought. Having to divide her criminal mastermind between work, love, and family might be what is making her so messy.
More Where That Came From
I did not foresee Heather and Carlton hooking up. That doesn’t even happen in the alternate universe where Mona is the Impaler. I don’t know what to make of it… and I like that. I guess it was one of those rare instances where everything lined up just right and… pow!
The bar foreplay was kind of hot. I didn’t see Carlton as the pick-up-a-woman-in-a-bar type. That’s not a judgment on my part. He sat quietly by for thirty years hoping that Nicole might one day be free. I’d have to imagine he’s had relationships in that time. Maybe knowing that Nicole is no longer an option freed him to be who he wants to be, much like the divorce allowed Nicole to experience dating again.
Now that Carlton and Heather have had a one-night stand… will there be more to the story? Carlton doesn’t even know Heather’s name or how to find her. Maybe he’ll sit on a barstool for the next thirty years hoping to run into her again. I guess I am wondering more if this will be a recurring sex appointment or if Carlton might end up in the same terrified state that Andre is currently in.
I have just begun
In one of my alternate universes, Carlton was the Impaler. I thought up that scenario because it seemed like the perfect way to get Nicole and Ted back together. Nicole falls for a man who has loved her for years only to find out that he operates a notorious blood theft operation. So maybe in this universe, Carlton embraces his dark side and runs off to Europe to be a criminal with Heather.
In a doomsoaping scenario, Heather and Carlton continue their hooking up and Carlton figures out who Heather is. That would probably end very, very badly for Carlton.
Heartbreak Express
Since we’re on the topic of unlikely couplings, is it just me or does it seem like Beyond the Gates is teasing us with the idea of possible relationship shakeups? It’s not like the idea is a foreign concept. Soaps love a good breakup, a makeup, and dating your ex-partner’s sibling. And oftentimes dating your current partner’s sibling. (Hi, Brooke Logan!)
So far, Beyond the Gates has pretty much kept the course. The only pairings that have ended since the show debuted are Nicole and Ted (divorce), Vanessa and Doug (Doug died), and Ashley and Derek (rejected proposal/his death). You could maybe toss in Bill and Dani, though that pairing was over well before the show started. And, yes, Tomas and Kat broke up for three-point-two seconds before getting back together.
Of all the pairings on Beyond the Gates, I’d have to say that the least popular couple among fans is Tomas and Kat. That’s why it was very interesting to see Tomas and Eva reigniting their friendship after Kat ditched Tomas to have a meeting with her mom. While Eva was being a good listener, Kat and Izaiah were over at Orphey Gene’s laughing it up. Kat and Izaiah seemed awfully chummy. And it’s not the first time. I’m not the only one to notice this. During Kat’s failed pitch for naming ChelseaKat’s new handbag “The Nicky,” Nicole asked Kat when she and Izaiah had become such good friends.
Potential New Boyfriend
It wasn’t all that long ago that some fans were trying to make Kat and Jacob a thing. While I was totally opposed to that, I’d admit that the not-a-couple definitely had chemistry. Thanks to the amazing on-screen presence of Colby Nixon (Kat Richardson), Kat has chemistry with just about everyone on the canvas. The romantic possibilities are endless. Will fans move from a potential Jacob/Kat pairing and get behind and Izaiah/Kat pairing? That remains to be seen.
Would the show really shuffle the deck and swap the romantic partners of sisters who already have a lot of beef? Would this de-liver (Sorry, I had to) the drama that fans seem to want? Or is this the writers having a little fun by making viewers try to figure out what they’re up to?
Just When I’d Begun to Get Myself Together
Kat and Izaiah might be fun together, but I can’t see Izaiah getting involved with Eva’s half-sister. As for Eva, I really don’t want her to get involved with Tomas. The only thing good that could possibly come out of that would be Tomas embracing more of shady side and less of his goody-two-shoes side. Other that that, I don’t think Tomas is the right guy for Eva. Before you ask, I don’t know. I like Izaiah and Eva together, though I am not sure that they have that “spark” that I like in my couples. They are cute together, Izaiah clearly adores Eva, and I believe that Eva fully loves him back.
It’s because of that that I can’t see them splitting up. Eva might not like Izaiah and Kat being so friendly, but that’s not going to be enough to put an end to their relationship. The only way I could justify an Eva/Izaiah split would be if Izaiah were to revert to the way he was when he was younger and start getting caught up with the wrong crowd. His past has been mentioned several times recently, but I’m not sure that it’s a harbinger of impending doom the way some other mentions are.
He Don’t Love You
If there are a lot of questions about Kat and Eva’s relationships, there are also questions surrounding their dad’s. I am not convinced that Ted loves Shanice. Normally, I take a little while to get to that sort of declaratory statement. Here, though, it just needs to be said. I am not even sure if I think that Ted believes that he loves Shanice.
There are myriad possibilities about what’s really going on here. First, Ted was married for a long time and Shanice is his first relationship since that marriage ended. I think it’s entirely possible that he believes he loves her because he enjoys being with her – something like mistaking like for love. It’s also possible that Ted is someone who “needs” to be in a relationship and is forcing the relationship in a direction to fulfill that subconscious need to be someone’s man. A third option is that Ted sees that Nicole has moved on and he wants to do the same and he has latched on to the first person he’s dated to keep up. Another possibility is that Ted is trying to distract himself from that fact that he still loves and wants Nicole by strongarming a relationship with Shanice.
Like I Love You
I’m sure there are more, but if you can come up with five reasons why a relationship isn’t working… that’s probably not a good thing. Now let’s add in all the time that Nicole and Ted are in each other’s orbits of late. Sure, you can say that they work at the same hospital, share children together, or a number of other things, but it’s more than that. We even saw Nicole flashback to almost “reuniting” with Ted when asked if she had any regrets.
Nicole and Ted are getting back together, right? Or, as I asked in the previous section, is this just the writers making us think that this is where things are going, knowing full-well that they have no intention of going there?
Please Don’t Take Him Just Because You Can
As I mentioned in a past column, it’s a given that Beyond the Gates has no intention of killing Bill off. If they did, Hayley’s bosom poison would have been much faster acting. Turns out, I was wrong. The show did kill Bill. Of course, it was only a fake out.
The Evil Richard Simms, who was a guest on my podcast earlier this year, messaged me to ask for my thoughts on the fake out. He was of the opinion that it would have made for a better cliffhanger at the end of the episode. I agreed that it would have been a really great way to end the show, but I explained that the next episode was probably going to be a brand-new day which would have made it challenging to resolve the cliffhanger at the top of that episode. If the next episode had been the same day, then, yes… it would have been a huge missed opportunity.
Time For Me To Fly
After weeks and weeks of fans asking how no one has overheard Hayley and Randy plotting Bill’s demise – this is a soap, people overhear things all the time. — someone finally overheard Hayley. Bill hearing Hayley’s weird phone call was enough to make him follow her to Uptown to see what she was up to. There, with his face pressed against the window, he saw Hayley having a jolly good time with Randy. This is why you don’t stalk people. You might not like what you see.
I wasn’t sure if Bill would burst in and confront the duo or sit on the news. He chose to sit on it… and to go back to his office and chow down on the tainted salad that Hayley had made him. There’s a good chance Bill will collapse before he confronts Hayley, but maybe he just started eating when Hayley returned from her “dentist” appointment. I think the wheels are about to fall off of this sham of a marriage, but I still can’t figure out exactly what will be the breaking point. Bill now suspects Hayley is cheating on him, but Hayley is clever enough to have some excuse prepared. Maybe Hayley will throw Randy under the bus so that she doesn’t have to share any money with him.
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.
Here You Come Again
As expected, Allison was the one prank calling Chelsea. The threat seems to have been neutralized now that her contraband phone was found. That still doesn’t address all the letters that Allison has written to her “wife.” Was Allison’s return a one-day thing to mark the anniversary of Chelsea’s kidnapping or is there something more brewing? From the dialogue, it doesn’t seem like Allison will be in the psychiatric care facility forever. So it’s only a matter of time before she is released…
Play Ball!
Timing, they say, is everything. With Beyond the Gates taking place in the DMV, it’s not surprising to have a mention of the Nationals. Apparently, Kial took Nicole to one of their games. It was really a nice touch that when Nicole mentioned they’d gone “last night” that there was actually a Nat’s game the day before. I’m not sure if the writers looked up the schedule or if it just happened to magically align.
Do I Ever Cross Your Mind
During their breakfast hang, Izaiah and Jacob once again mentioned their brother Luke. He is the only member of the Hawthorne family that we’ve yet to meet. That naturally has me wondering when we are going to meet Luke – and what we can expect from the third Hawthorne brother.
Starting Over Again
I have no idea if fan criticism of Joey’s VIP gaming room led to the show crafting this mini-story about Vanessa wanting to redo the room. That said, whatever the reason I am happy it’s being done. Most high roller sections of casinos have a little more oomph and glamor than the rest of the casino. Joey’s VIP area is kind of blah. It has a small little bar that looks like it was purchased at a thrift shop, a couple of stock card tables, and wood paneling. I have no idea what Vanessa has in mind, but I’m here for it.
It was a fun moment when the booked-solid interior designer suddenly found some free time for the project when Vanessa texted him the budget and what she’d pay for him to get things done in a week.
Hey, Lucky Lady
Speaking of the VIP room, it still amuses me that Mona has twice taken Joey for a couple of stacks. We don’t really know much about Mona, so I think that mystery plays into the surprise of her being so good at cards. This week we learned more about her cardshark origin story: she has studied the various games. I really enjoy the Joey/Mona scenes. It’s not a typical “good versus evil story.” This is more playful. There are layers. I wouldn’t mind seeing Jon Lindstrom (Joey Armstong) and Karan Kendrick (Mona Wilson) share more scenes together.
Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Lawyer Man
Is Naomi going to end up working at Bill’s law firm? Well, we haven’t seen hide nor hair of Noami’s place of employment so it’s not like the show would be losing a set. Naomi has been spending a lot of time at her dad’s law practice of late. Toss in several references to Tomas perhaps getting a new job and it seems inevitable. Now, Bill and Naomi will be working on another case together: the case of June’s friend who may be priced out of her rent-controlled home.
Coat of Many Colors (That Child Labor Made For Me)
I didn’t see the latest twist in the ChelseaKat saga coming. It might not be the most jaw-dropping story twist in the history of daytime television, but it does take the story in a different direction. Chelsea and Kat were so looking forward to their handbags being part of the Tokyo Fashion Collective… and now it’s a liability waiting to happen. We’ve all known for years that a lot of clothing manufacturers choose to make their clothing overseas because the labor is significantly cheaper than in the U.S. I think we’ve all also known that some companies are using child labor. To my knowledge, this is the first time that such a story has been told on the soaps.
Business-related storylines tend to fall flat with soap audiences unless they involve family members fighting for control of their family business — or a bitter rival gaining control of a business. Others, though, like The Young and the Restless’ gaming and podcast stories end up being snoozers even if their topic matter is timely. It will be interesting to see how the Beyond the Gates writers handle this story
BTG: Behind The Graphic
If you are wondering what the header art for this week’s column and podcast is all about, there’s no need to go following anybody around town to get answers.
The bird is a sparrow, which Joey referenced when he got a little religious and mentioned “His Eye Is On The Sparrow.” The bicycle is Randy. No, really. Hayley said she would never cheat on Bill because he was a “Bentley” and Randy was a lowly bicycle. The peach cobbler waffles were the special of the week at Orphey Gene’s. And the hot dog? Leslie ordered one for Marcel to eat, but she was more interested in his meat than what room service delivered.
The title of the column was something Heather said to Andre when he tried to figure out what she was up to.
And just in case you didn’t figure it out, most of these week’s subsections all reference song titles or lyrics by Dolly Parton.
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).
“Look at us, using our hatred of Hayley for good.”
Dani joking to Naomi about their hatred fueling their need to find out if Hayley was cheating on Bill.
“Shame on Barbara for not birthing a mermaid.”
Leslie continuing to rail against the idea of not wanting to live on Marcel’s boat.
“Why in the world would I trade in a Bentley for a bicycle?”
Hayley arguing that she would never choose Sammy/Randy over Bill Hamilton.
“Your hotdog really does look good to me.”
Leslie suggestively segueing from Marcel’s food to his naughty bits.
“Since when don’t you want a poke?.”
Dani to Vanessa.
“She couldn’t have been adored more if she had been born in a manger.”
Martin joking that miracle baby Kat was always their parents’ favorite child.
“His eye is on the sparrow. Apparently, yours is, too.”
“The Enforcer and the Evangelist just left for choir practice.”
Joey talking about Mona and Randy’s closeness.
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.
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.
Have a penchant for gardening, interior design, or fixing up old houses? Check out my Manor Makeover series where I write about all of the things I’ve been up to here at Kroll Manor in Allentown, PA, over the past decade.
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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. Liz is on deck with week with a new column called, Dial K For Killow.
To read more thoughts, opinions, rants, and raves about daytime television, be sure to check out our Editorial section.
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