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This was a week when everybody ‘thought’ they were moving quietly, but people got exposed, and egos made executive decisions without involving common sense. By the end of the week, the truth wasn’t concealed. It was seated comfortably, waiting to be acknowledged.
This wasn’t about blowups. It was about exposure. Let’s unpack.
Vanessa: Madam of Chaos, Patron Saint of Side Quests
Vanessa had a week that felt like multitasking in expert mode. One minute she’s sending illicit selfies, the next she’s slinging tea with the confidence of someone who doesn’t give a damn. Watching Vanessa hold court is always entertaining, and her run-in with Leslie and then Nicole turned that café into less of a business and more of a confession booth with pastries.
Vanessa and Nicole have been rocky, but you could feel the thaw. The gossip flowed, the laughter landed, the warmth crept back in. That said, Nicole, stop lying to Vanessa. She has many strengths. Being a good mother is not one of them. Let’s not construct fiction and call it growth. Stop the lies.
When Vanessa tells Nicole she’s “in charge of the boys,” Nicole is intrigued, as any woman would be. Unfortunately, Vanessa learns quickly that being in charge also means dodging other people’s entitled husbands, one of whom fully crossed the line. Add in her flirty, double-talk moment with Kial, and suddenly everybody needs to watch their backs. Vanessa, killer boo Joey does not share. Ask Doug.
What keeps Vanessa fascinating is how much of a question mark she remains. Is she playing Joey, fully aware of the power she’s borrowing, or is she dangerously oblivious to the machinery around her? Either way, Lauren Buglioli plays her with so much charm that even when Vanessa is doing the most, I can’t stay mad. She makes chaos charismatic, which is not a safe talent.
Nicole: When Sparks Fade, and Fire Takes Over
Nicole. Nicole. Nicole. Baby, Nicole had a week! Finding out your best friend is a madam. Walking into a hospital and seeing your romantic options lined up like a casting call. And still keeping your posture intact? That’s evolution.
Nicole has always been the epitome of composure, but growing closer to Carlton has revealed a new side of her. The sassy Nicole has emerged, unlocking layers of her personality. Her tongue is sharper, and her backbone is activated.
Running into Kial beside Carlton forces Nicole to confront her dating life in real time, highlighting the undeniable difference between the two. Kial is a spark, a distraction, a flirtation that remains safely theoretical for now. In contrast, Carlton occupies real space in her life—her thoughts, her body, her nervous system. By her own admission, he’s making her forget her own name.
Carlton has been patient, steady, and unthreatened until he wasn’t. His BDE stood up straight and cleared its throat, realizing Kial could be in the way of his endgame with Nicole. He asked the questions, got the answers, and established the hierarchy without theatrics. Kial may light a match, but Carlton is the fire that stays burning long after the room goes quiet.
Also worth noting: Kat was completely unbothered seeing Nicole and Carlton together, which leaves Martin as the lone hater.
Date night briefly gets hijacked by the ghost of ex’s past, but Nicole regroups. Carlton presses forward, Nicole refocuses, and suddenly the table energy turns grown and sexy. She makes it clear she’s ready, and Carlton understands the assignment without needing a flowchart.
Back at Nicole’s house, her nerves finally catch up, but Carlton remains exactly who she needs—grounded, reassuring, and safe without being dull. He even offers to leave if the situation is too much for her. The shocker is when Nicole doesn’t hesitate; she fully embraces the moment. She pulls Carlton to her, telling him that leaving is not an option that would satisfy her.
Carlton only loses restraint once consent is unmistakable. What follows is one of the hottest scenes this show has delivered, not just sexy, but intimate and earned. Daphnée Duplaix and Robert Christopher Riley have chemistry that feels dangerous in the best way. This pairing has years in it if the show has the sense to protect it. But the angst is coming. Because why not? Even with all that, Nicole and Carlton have the “it” factor, and I’m excited to see him fight for his girl.
Dani: The Bird Committee Meets the Consequences
Dani remains the self-appointed chairwoman of the bird committee, chirping loudly while perched on the edge of disaster. This week, she didn’t just flirt with chaos; she sprinted toward it.
The moment she heard Bill was alone and working late, she left her kids without hesitation—no pause, no guilt—and went straight to him. What followed was an emotionally intimate conversation that never should have happened, culminating in Dani initiating an inappropriate kiss.
And here’s the problem: Bill has not earned this attention. At all.
Unbeknownst to Dani, Tomas clocked the entire exchange. And that’s where the foolishness really lands. Dani isn’t coming off tragic here. She’s coming off as reckless and risking a good husband for the man who already discarded her once playing with fire while acting shocked by the heat.
It’s compelling. It’s frustrating. And it’s deeply embarrassing.
Shanice: Cinderella, Sponsored Edition
As messy as Dani can be, no one walked away looking worse than Shanice this week.
She wins the ‘Get Off the Floor’ Award without competition. Shanice slept with Theodore in the same bed he cheated on Nicole in again, called herself Cinderella, and floated through the country club with that wide-eyed, “what’s a girl like me doing in a place like this?” routine like she was being escorted through a bought-and-paid fantasy by a rich sugar daddy who needed a prop.
She didn’t make him work. She was impressed by the bare minimum. Chandeliers, linen tablecloths, and borrowed privilege had her acting like she’d arrived somewhere meaningful. And that, unfortunately, is a recurring problem for the women on this show. They accept less far too often.
And now, for her troubles, Shanice gets a bonus prize: Theodore’s unhinged ex, Leslie. The two of them are headed straight into a full cluck-off over a man who has never been loyal to either of them. Frankly? It’s what Shanice deserves after plotting on Nicole and pushing Kial toward her like a chess piece, clearly trying to move Nicole out of the way so she could have disloyal Theodore all to herself.
No glass slipper. Just fingerprints, feathers, and regret.
Theodore: A Masterclass in Audacity
Theodore continues to be a disappointment as both a man and a human being, and at this point, it’s no longer shocking. It’s procedural.
He is a terrible father who pits his children against each other like emotional gladiators, then stands back pretending he’s not enjoying the blood sport. Kat’s pain barely registers to him because Theodore does not care about collateral damage. He is indifferent to women, family, and consequences. His only concerns are access, control, and gratification. He is a serial narcissist. No footnotes required.
There might be a spark with Shanice, but that country club “date” was not romance. It was performance art. A flex designed to make Nicole uncomfortable. Linen napkins, legacy lighting, and a woman positioned like a trophy to say, See? I’m still desired. It was never about Shanice. It was always about Nicole.
The part I can’t get past is how Theodore believes he can re-enter Nicole’s romantic life after already ruining it once. He hasn’t apologized or made amends; he’s simply destroyed it. His sense of entitlement is staggering, and his audacity is Olympic-level, deserving a gold medal and a podium finish.
He desires proximity without accountability, longing for desire without responsibility, and seeking redemption without effort. The show should cease portraying this man as complicated when, in reality, he is pretty simple.
This week landed messy, layered, and entertaining; this week shook the board, exposed instincts, and embarrassed the right people. They are striking a decent balance with screen time and featuring threads. It’s restoring faith in this show’s storytelling abilities and its fantastic cast. But the drama needs to keep coming. Keep feeding, and the audience will definitely keep eating.
I’m going to land my plane here, but as always, I know what I know.
Catch Fairmont Unfiltered Friday nights at 7:15 CST on Twitter Spaces @iammskye1, where we say the quiet parts out loud and let the mess sit exactly where it belongs.
