Beyond the Gates Recap for Thursday, March 13, 2025: Vernon rained on Martin's presidential parade and Eva handled “Sherry”

Here's what happened on the March 13, 2025, episode of Beyond the Gates

On Beyond the Gates, Anita and Vernon toasted with their red plastic cups at Orphey Gene's – decked out in gown and tux. Vernon wanted to make sure Anita was fed before singing her praises at Nicole's awards gala. Anita was proud that Nicole had followed in Vernon's footsteps by winning the Distinguished Service Award. She admitted that it was nice to come out from behind the gates on occasion. Vernon agreed that their roots were “out here.” After dinner, Anita was approached by a fan from her singing career who wanted a selfie. Vernon took a call and received news that bothered him.

In Dani's bedroom, she scrolled through pictures of Bill and Hayley on their Italian honeymoon but was interrupted by Chelsea, Naomi, and Jacob; she deflected that she was looking over her notes for Nicole's ceremony and promised, as emcee, not to upstage her sister. Once alone, Dani upset herself by returning to her ex's social media honeymoon shots. She was about to chuck her tablet when Naomi's entrance startled her. Following Dani to the living room where Chelsea and Jacob were waiting, Naomi referred to her mother as a “junkie for pain” and reminded Dani that Bill and Hayley were married, which no one could do anything about.

Anita arrived with an “amen” and wanted to be sure everyone was on the same page about having a drama-free night. Dani understood and told everyone she'd be right behind them after she locked up. She retrieved her tablet, then thought better of it, set it down, and turned out the lights as she exited.

Eva unexpectedly encountered Martin at Nicole's house and introduced herself to her secret half-brother. Martin shared that he'd been told Eva was practically part of the family, to which Eva tried not to react. She told Martin she was there to see if the Richardsons needed anything before the gala, which was why Martin had come over, too. Eva wowed the congressman by knowing his platform and marveled that he had reached his position so young. Martin relayed that he had never felt intimidated by his power couple parents and that they had never pushed him or Kat growing up.

When Martin smiled that ambition just naturally ran in their family, Eva raised an eyebrow. Martin departed, and Eva again stared at the photo of her almost relatives. Ted arrived and kindly wondered what was up with Eva looking at images of his clan. Nicole joined them, and Eva flashed back to Leslie telling her how Ted had run out on her when she was pregnant with Eva. After Eva offered the explanation of just having met “rock star” Martin, she asked if the Richardsons required anything more from her that evening. Being told no, Eva prepared to leave when Nicole surprised her by saying she wanted Eva to be a guest at the ceremony.

Eva felt she didn't belong there, but Nicole declared that she wanted all her staff there — especially Eva, as Eva had taken care of all the arrangements. Nicole invited Eva to go through the out-of-town Kat's “non-current” wardrobe and pick out a dress to wear. Eva then fixed Ted's crooked tie, but recalled Leslie's words about how Ted couldn't be trusted.

Wearing Kat's dress, Eva fantasized about being accepted as Ted's daughter, who called all the primping women in his life “perfectly perfect.” Eva joked that the child of a plastic surgeon had to serve at all times, and Ted happily said he was getting used to Eva calling him “Dad”. He was grateful that she had told him the truth about them being father and daughter. Eva apologized for not admitting it sooner; she had just been afraid of offending Nicole. Ted appreciated Eva bringing it up in a quiet family chat instead of with some kind of fanfare — though Eva laughed that Kat had fallen off her seat before accepting her.

Eva continued imagining Ted promising to call her every day and spoil her at Christmas now that she was family. Coming back to reality after picturing herself and Ted saying “I love you” to each other, Eva left a message for Leslie, hoping her mom was having a good night.

At the country club, a bedecked Martin and Smitty met Samantha and Tyrell post-tennis lesson; they described their game in teen slang, prompting Smitty to wonder if they were speaking the same language. Martin handed his kids their wardrobe for the gala and thanked them for agreeing to attend their grandmother's ceremony, which meant a lot to her. Tyrell good-naturedly snarked that Martin was getting sappy; after Samantha commented it was chill because Martin never got sappy, the teens left. Smitty told Martin he was glad they'd had it out over Smitty taking a reporting assignment after being a househusband so long. Smitty felt it had brought him and Martin closer; Martin agreed and kissed him.

Martin was approached by a man who had a reporting gig for Smitty, but Martin lied and said Smitty wasn't interested. Afterward, Vernon grabbed Martin's shoulder. He was not pleased to have been notified about the “bored” congressman's presidential aspirations. Martin thought his grandpa was angry about not having heard it from him first, but Vernon cautiously warned that no national candidate, especially a Black one, could stand up to the scrutiny of the public discovering Martin's secret.

Martin called his skeleton long buried. The former senator found Martin arrogant for not understanding the firestorm that would kick up if Martin ran — prophesying that it would be Martin's undoing. Smitty, Tyrell, and Samantha saw the argument, with the girl calling the confrontation “sus.” Smitty later questioned Martin about Vernon's lecture, but Martin blew it off as Vernon micromanaging his daughter's gala.

A maître d' took a new employee through her paces. It was Leslie! As “Sherry,” she offered Smitty and Martin champagne. Leslie listened as the Richardson-Smiths debated boomers versus millennials with their kids. They were joined by Andre, answering questions about the tribute video he had made about Nicole. Martin approached “Sherry” and asked if she could take their drink orders early; she complied, but as she grabbed her pad, she ran into Eva.

Leslie shushed Eva when she called her “mama,” and before Eva could get an answer about why Leslie was there wearing a wig, the maître d' reminded “Sherry” that she needed to be at the congressman's table. Leslie winked as she left and Eva informed the maître d' that she needed to be informed as soon as Nicole and Ted entered. When Leslie came back, Eva took her aside again and angrily said Leslie had promised to stay home and not expose Ted that night. “And miss all this glamor and opulence?” Leslie retorted. Eva pointed out to the vengeful Leslie that Ted was her target, not Nicole, so the retribution could wait.

Leslie wondered where Eva had gotten her fancy dress. Eva lied and said the Richardsons had given her extra money to buy one since she was working the event. Leslie chirped that she was working, too; a temp job had just happened to come up. Eva sensed the gig being at the country club was more than a coincidence, but Andre unwittingly broke up the conversation. Then, “Sherry” slinked away. When Eva worried about where the Richardsons were, Andre coaxed Eva to relax and take in the gala that she had made happen, then caught a candid shot of Eva doing so.

The Duprees made their entrances and looked forward to Andre's tribute video. As they perused his photos of Nicole, Andre made conversation with a sullen Dani, praising her dress and adding that he'd like to see her out of it. Eva was relieved when Nicole and Ted showed; she then excused herself to tend to gala duties. Chelsea exhorted her family to get some group photos and Andre clicked away in a montage.

After praise was heaped upon her, Ted could see that Nicole was nervous and went to fetch her a drink, discovering Leslie. Ted reminded her that he'd told her to stay away from Nicole, but Leslie spat that Ted didn't get to tell her what to do. She had a job and it “preyed” pretty well. Ted called it a stunt, as was pretending to be suicidal on the hospital roof to get to Nicole. Leslie sneered that Ted couldn't destroy her as he'd threatened, because he already had...and she'd survived it. Leslie sauntered out to “work the room,” after which Nicole walked in wondering what had happened to Ted. He covered by saying he'd taken a call from a patient.

Dani began the ceremony cheerfully divulging that she had always been in awe of her older sister and that there were those who thought Dani belonged on Nicole's psychiatrist couch. Dani whipped up a round of applause for Nicole, during which “Sherry” inquired if Nicole needed anything. As Eva watched, Nicole recognized “Sherry” and remarked that she was glad “Sherry” was doing better. “Sherry” wanted to thank Nicole for “pushing” — bad choice of words, “Sherry” corrected herself — her to take control of her life. She wished she could go to the podium and speak her heart. Ted looked on uncomfortably as Leslie excused herself.

As Dani introduced Vernon, Eva followed Leslie and demanded to know why Leslie had been talking to Nicole. Leslie found Eva's use of the word “coy” uppity, presuming Eva was becoming snobby like the people she worked for. Eva ordered Leslie to leave before she got caught and ruined their plan. “Leave me alone, Little Miss Big Shot,” Leslie retorted before taking her leave.

Inside, Vernon sang Nicole's praises and observed that politics had skipped a generation; looking at Martin, he added that being in government was brutal. He then had Anita speak. She reminisced about Nicole being a toddler when she started helping other children. Leslie rolled her eyes at the accolades, then scoffed when Ted took the podium and called raising kids with Nicole an unparalleled delight. Martin read Kat's congratulations from his phone and hailed their mother as their champion. Martin eyed Vernon as he said that Nicole had taught them that no aspiration was unattainable.

Dani then teed up Andre's video. Leslie silently derided Ted and Nicole telling the story of how they'd met on Maui at a medical conference, but the clip proceeded and concluded without incident. Dani presented Nicole with her plaque. Nicole recalled how she had watched her son Martin wed Smitty (after some “nudging”). After Nicole waxed lyrical about Kat, she asked for Ted to join her at the podium, and they hugged while the guests clapped. Leslie kept quiet but fantasized that it was her at Ted's side while he accepted an honor, calling her the love of his life.

Leslie snapped herself out of it and began to make a beeline for the podium when the maître d' suddenly escorted her out of the room, chastising her for watching the event instead of working it. He asked Leslie to leave because he had gotten complaints about her unprofessional behavior — and because she wasn't supposed to be talking to the attendees. When “Sherry” kept staring back into the hall, the manager implied he would call security if she didn't return her uniform and pick up her belongings. While Nicole ushered her entire family up to the dais, the maître d' thanked Eva for alerting him to the issues with the departing server.

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