Beyond the Gates Recap, September 22, 2025: Two, two, two Anitas in one

Here's what went down Monday, September 22, 2025 on Beyond the Gates when Chelsea and Eva separately did their best Dr. Ruth, it was the final countdown for Nicole, and Dani became a Richardson.

What happened on Beyond the Gates

On Beyond the Gates, Bill welcomed his daughters to the country club banquet room. Chelsea seemed uncomfortable, but clarified that she was still getting used to being around people again. Naomi was surprised to hear Bill say that he wanted to make family dinners a regular thing and wondered how Dani would react to not being invited.

Chelsea was startled by a staffer and conceded that she was still constantly on alert. That said, she realized she couldn't be a hermit and appreciated the “rotating door of Duprees” that were checking in on her. After Chelsea left for the washroom, Naomi and Bill acknowledged that Chelsea's reactions were normal, but that it was still difficult to see her struggling. The topic changed to Dani, and Bill said that he had sat with Naomi's words about Dani potentially interpreting their reconnection as romantic; he reported that he had reconfirmed his boundaries with his ex...even if it had been at Hayley's behest.

At another table with Vanessa, Doug watched Bill with his girls and thought back to quelling Randy's suspicion that Bill couldn't be trusted in regard to helping to put Joey in jail. Vanessa noted how, with Doug no longer working at the hospital, they now had time for dinners out; Doug suggested that she retire as well, but she objected, saying sotto vocethat she couldn't just tell Joey that she was no longer going to launder money for him. “That didn't stop you from telling him you're not sleeping with him anymore,” Doug hissed.

Vanessa said that she and Doug needed to be smart about things; Doug cryptically replied that he was in total agreement. He reminded Vanessa of a romantic trip they had taken to the Greek islands before their children were born; Vanessa felt equally sentimental about the sojourn, but sensed that Doug wanted to make the trip again and told him she simply couldn't get away. Vanessa suggested they try during the holidays, except Doug noted that their kids, Deanna and Donnell, would be home then. Doug wanted to block off three weeks and be alone with Vanessa somewhere.

Doug got a text from Randy, urging him to call. Vanessa noticed; Doug would only say that Randy didn't want to risk Joey learning where he was, with Vanessa insisting that Joey would never hear it from her. Doug wished Vanessa were as careful protecting them as she was Randy and got frustrated when Vanessa recalled that he had gotten them into their mess. After Doug excused himself from the table to call Randy, Vanessa and Bill locked eyes.

Kat arrived, having been texted by Chelsea; Bill welcomed his daughter's cousin and praised the idea of an online ChelseaKat launch. Though Kat told Chelsea she could step back any time if she got uncomfortable, Chelsea was feeling like she could handle the event. Naomi and Bill had to take their leave, after which Chelsea wanted to hear all the details about Kat's night with Tomás – in fact, Chelsea was confused that the two weren't together at that moment. “Girl, it was a catastrophe,” Kat complained.

Chelsea listened as Kat described how she had made up with Tomás and how everything had seemed wonderful...until her body again refused to align with what she was feeling and thinking. Kat insisted that Tomás had labeled her broken, and mentioned that she had told Tomás he was bad in bed in retaliation. Chelsea was of the opinion that Tomás had simply been trying to help Kat figure out what she liked, since she was new to sex, and that Kat had overreacted.

Kat had figured that sex would be more instinctual and found the idea of discussing nitty-gritties awkward. “Chemistry gets you into the bedroom, but communication gets you to an orgasm,” Chelsea said sagely. She went on that Kat was putting too much pressure on herself – and Tomás – but to Kat, the real pressure was society's expectation that a relationship was doomed if first-time sex wasn't “mindblowing.” “If I don't get this right,” Kat sighed, “he's gonna leave me for someone who knows what the hell they're doing.” Chelsea intuited that Kat felt judged whenever she was with Tomás, and that's why Kat's body couldn't relax into lovemaking. Was the judgement coming from him, or her? Chelsea wanted to know.

Bill saw Doug giving Vanessa a departing peck on the cheek in the lobby. After she got a suggestive text from Joey, Bill disquieted her by announcing that she didn't know what a dangerous game she was playing. Vanessa didn't think it was any of Bill's business and left.

In Las Vegas, Andre piggybacked Dani into a gauzy, sparkly pink chapel. A giggling, drunken Dani didn't quite realize where she was and said the room smelled of “discount perfume and questionable life choices.” When a sequined attendant entered and noticed that both Andre and Dani were inebriated, Dani said, “We're just here for the picture,” prompting Andre to take Dani aside and say they should take advantage of their surroundings. It appeared to dawn on Dani what Andre was asking, and when he said they should let fate decide their next step, she handed him a coin to flip.

The coin landed heads – which meant Dani and Andre would get married. Dani wanted a best two out of three, but Andre declared that the universe had spoken and booked the “Sammy Swinging Wedding Special,” since, as a kid, he'd loved to dress up as Sammy Davis, Jr. for Halloween. The attendant said that “Sammy” had gone off the clock an hour before – when suddenly Anita walked in and preened that she could do the honors; rather, it was a lisping Anita Williams impersonator.

Dani was awed. “We have to do it!” she said of the nuptials. “Mother says so!” But when Dani noted that Anita would never call her “hon,” Andre lied that Dani was just a big Anita Williams fan and likewise pivoted when Dani bragged she had been in the first row at The Articulettes concert. The doppelgänger wasn't afraid to admit she was cashing in on the publicity following the show, and the attendant offered to bring in a Vernon double to walk Dani down the aisle...for an additional fee.

“Anita” asked Andre, and the again doubtful Dani, to speak now or forever hold their piece. Dani assented to the ceremony, and “Anita” proceeded to go off script, dancing and proclaiming that “sometimes the heart recognizes its home long before the brain has a chance to do the paperwork.” The impersonator had the attendant put on an Articulettes instrumental, and she proceeded to sing the vows as the intoxicated Andre and Dani rocked out. Abruptly, Dani exclaimed, “We can't get married like this!”

Dani slurred that they didn't have rings while “Anita” took a slug from a flask. Andre ran out and got them costume jewelry from the casino, and the ceremony continued, with Dani and Andre drunkenly making asides in addition to the vows. “Anita” gave up and declared them husband and wife, taking a selfie with the soused newlyweds in the background. Later, as the new Richardsons stumbled and chortled over their wedded bliss, “Anita” told the attendant that she'd be surprised if they even remembered that the nuptials happened once they sobered up.

Andre carried Dani into a bridal suite, and they fell onto its bed. “We really did it,” Dani marveled. “We got married.” They kissed, and Dani struggled to get her coat off; by the time she did, Andre was nearly passed out. She snuggled next to him and laid her head on his chest as he dozed off.

Eva came to Orphey Gene's to see Martin, who apologized for not keeping in touch with his newfound half-sister. Martin told Eva he had heard about Barbara being Leslie's biological mother. Eva felt that both Leslie and Barbara had received similar treatment, between the constant rejection and ostracizing. Martin understood the empathy Eva felt for Leslie after Eva berated the Duprees for ganging up on her mom, but he reminded Eva that Leslie hated the family because she believed that Nicole had stolen Ted from her – when Nicole hadn't even known that Leslie had existed. Eva saw Martin's point, but once Martin pointed out that Leslie needed to accept that Ted wasn't into her, Eva opted to change the subject.

June took Martin and Eva's orders, glad to meet another member of the family. Eva was shocked to learn that June was Samantha and Tyrell's biological mother and that she had been homeless and a drug addict. Learning that Martin was taking June to see Nicole, Eva felt the visit would be good for the recovering woman. Eva smiled that Nicole had a way of making people feel good about themselves – unlike Kat.

At that moment, Tomás walked into the diner; Martin offered for his sister's boyfriend to join them, and Eva looked pleased when Martin said he'd need to be leaving soon. Tomás lied that things were going well between him and Kat, which Eva noticed. Once Martin was gone, Eva asked if Tomás and Kat were “in the same toxic loop,” and she was stunned to hear that her “bougie princess” half-sister had apologized for coming down on Tomás over his friendship with her. Tomás added that Kat had seemed different and had said everything he had wanted to hear...but they hadn't been able to make love. He was upset that Kat had gotten defensive and had claimed that he'd called her broken instead of their sex life.

Eva knew all too well that Kat couldn't take criticism and sussed out that Kat had made Tomás solely responsible for their sexual malaise. After Eva found the notion ridiculous, Tomás responded that Eva couldn't know for sure – but Eva said she simply knew. Tomás looked back and felt that Kat had worked to talk them both into believing that she was ready to lose her virginity. Eva recommended that Tomás not focus on the sex – he needed to let Kat know that he cared about her as a person. Tomás was surprised that Eva would offer such sensible advise about a sister she'd been fighting with since they'd met.

On Nicole's summons, the real Anita rushed to her daughter's house and was disgusted to learn that Ted actually had slept with Leslie. Anita yelled that Ted was a fool, and Nicole chastised herself for never realizing who Ted really was. Nicole denied her mother's assertion that Ted had gone to bed with Leslie as revenge for the divorce and corrected that Ted had simply been drunk. The shrink couldn't reconcile his behavior with the devotion he had professed for her in front of the family. Anita felt that, as much as it had hurt her, Nicole had needed the wake-up call, as she had been looking for an excuse to take Ted back.

This made sense to Nicole, who admitted she had built Ted up as a “pillar of integrity” from the beginning. Anita didn't want Nicole blaming herself; Nicole promised she was done with Ted and notified Anita that Martin was coming over with June, whom Nicole wanted Anita to meet. When June arrived, Nicole noticed the improvement in her complexion; June attributed it to the diner's food, which she called “almost as addictive as those drugs I used to be strung out on.”

June confessed that she was having her issues learning the ropes of waitressing – most customers had been patient, but there some that had made her want to “spit in their oxtail stew.” When Anita came in with refreshments, June fangirled over her and blurted out that there had been times that Anita's music had been the only thing that had kept her from going crazy.

Nicole loved that June had reconnected with her sister, Regina; June revealed that Naomi had gotten her a cell phone, which she was using to keep up with Samantha's socials. Tyrell, however, hadn't accepted June's friend requests. Anita soothingly said that Tyrell took time to warm up to people, but it would be worth the wait. Martin chimed in that kids should determine their own boundaries, making Nicole laugh that Martin had been “the original helicopter parent.”

June talked about how she would be meeting with Samantha the following day, and how she worried that she was going to say stupid things. Nicole said that Samantha – and Tyrell – only needed to know that they were important to June. Anita let June know that the family respected her and wanted her to succeed, making June smile.

Hayley welcomed Caroline to the Hamilton house, telling her friend that Bill had caught on to her scheme to use Tomás to make him jealous – yet it had resulted in the Dani situation being “very much over.” When Bill came home, Hayley crooned that she'd been beginning to think that his daughters had kidnapped him. Hayley was hoping to “ramp up the volume” now that Bill was present and accounted for...which she did by donning some skimpy lingerie to entice him.

Doug met with Randy at the diner, relieved to hear Randy say that his source had unearthed no connection between Bill and Joey.

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