Beyond the Gates: Beyond the Gates Recap for February 20, 2026: “Sammy” got around and Anastasia forced Anita into a decision

Here's what went down on Friday, February 20, 2026, on Beyond the Gates when someone got blindfolded, someone brought Denmark to the DMV, and someone got a debutante date.

What happened on Beyond the Gates

Anita decided to counter gossip with truth on Beyond the Gates | Image: CBS

On Beyond the Gates, Vanessa let Joey know that she was about to meet with Nicole and Samantha to discuss cotillion matters. Joey marveled at how Vanessa could go from “garters and handcuffs” to being a blue blood so handily. The casino owner found the blindfold Vanessa had used on him and decided it was her turn, which led to a new playful encounter.

At the country club, Samantha was distracted because of the dirty looks she was getting from Anastasia and Francesca (“Chessy”). Nicole flashed back to dancing with Kial and secretly wondered if the Belleclaires were talking about her. Instead of feeling buoyed that Nicole had helped two debutantes take the crown and had been a deb herself, Samantha continued to fret, so Nicole told her that she didn't have to partake in the tradition if she didn't want to. As Samantha was revealing to her grandmother that she just didn't want to let everyone down, Anastasia sauntered to the table and sneered about Samantha being out of her element.

Nicole cracked that Anastasia had no accomplishments of her own to speak of, so she had to live vicariously through her granddaughter. “Like mother, like daughter,” the elder Belleclaire sniffed, recounting how “wobbly” Anita had been the last time she'd seen her. Nicole waved off the claim, but as soon as Anastasia was out of range, she called Vernon, who relayed that Anita had indeed had a dizzy spell, though she was doing fine at present.

Vernon hovered over Anita again, which the matriarch noticed. But instead of giving her space, Vernon decided that doing so before hadn't had the best results. Anita understood how spooked her husband must have been during her latest incident, which Vernon reiterated hadn't been the first. Though she was frustrated by not knowing how her body was going to react to her chemotherapy treatments from day to day, she refused to lock herself away.

Anita then took a call from her friend Jacinda and was flummoxed by the time she hung up. Jacinda had heard that Anita had been drunk at the country club, news which Vernon added was making the rounds. Mrs. Dupree foresaw damage to the family on a personal level, but to their legacy, so she announced to Vernon that it was time to go public about the cancer.

Vernon had reservations, but when Anita was adamant, he gave her his full support and applauded her bravery. Anita recalled that it was National Cancer Prevention Month, the perfect time to share her story, which both she and Vernon hoped would inspire women to more closely monitor their own health.

Back at the country club, Anastasia ran into Mona, who was there dropping something off for Nicole. Ms. Belleclaire wanted to talk about Nicole and how lonely and empty her house must be. Mona reported that Nicole was always busy with social engagements and declined to answer Anastasia's questions about Nicole and Carlton being seen out together. Anastasia took exception when Mona observed she was snooping; Mona “forgave” Anastasia, reflecting that “some of us just have more to conquer than others.”

Vanessa joined Samantha and Nicole, apologizing for being late because she had been “tied up.” The realtor was surprised when Samantha didn't want to talk about the cotillion, but the subject came up anyway, and Samantha lamented that she couldn't find an escort for the dance. Vanessa offered to connect Samantha with one, which mortified Nicole; when Samantha took a phone call, Vanessa laughed to learn that Nicole thought she was going to arrange an escort for Samantha from Heart Attach. Nicole was much happier to hear that Vanessa wanted to set Samantha up with Donnell, who had been a cotillion escort before; when Samantha was approached with the possibility, she immediately agreed to let Donnell take her to the dance.

Mona found the affectionate Chelsea and Madison at Orphey Gene's, congratulating them on their engagement. Madison was humbled when Mona thanked her for properly diagnosing a choir member from her church who'd had trouble finding out what was wrong with her. After Mona moved on to order pie, Chelsea asked if Madison had been interested in the Copenhagen research program because it would have let her leave her mark. Madison saw where Chelsea was going and assured her that she wasn't having second thoughts about turning down the opportunity.

Bill brought Hayley to the hospital because she had a headache – as they waited for Hayley to be tended to, Bill again complained about the police unearthing nothing about Hayley's mugger and announced to Hayley that he had tasked Joey with finding the criminal. Hayley became upset, not wanting Bill to get arrested for dispensing judgment physically; Bill replied that he and Joey had a history and that they knew how to make things disappear.

Chelsea arrived to bring Madison the identification badge she had forgotten. Hayley saw Chelsea's engagement ring and wished her and Madison nothing but happiness, prompting Chelsea to snark that Bill hadn't followed suit. Once Hayley went in to see the nurse, Chelsea expressed anger toward her father for running to Dani about the engagement in the hope that Dani would try to put an end to it. Bill stuck to his guns that the marriage was impulsive – then Chelsea broached the topic of Madison giving up the fellowship for her. She knew how harmful Dani ending her modeling career for Bill had been, and she was determined that Madison take the opportunity anyway. After Chelsea went in search of Madison, Bill placed a call to Caroline, making mention of a donation.

When Chelsea spotted Madison, she began trying to tell her something, but Madison had to answer her phone. Madison was thrilled to discover that, because of a huge donation, the research facility in Denmark was now opening an arm in Washington, D.C. Madison gushed that being offered a local position was too good to be true...and Chelsea said to herself that it was.

Mona ran into Randy at the diner; Randy tried to beat a hasty retreat, sure that Mona's church friends wouldn't want to see her fraternizing with an employee of Joey's. Noting that Jesus broke bread with everybody, Mona wasn't afraid and invited Randy to attend church with her. Randy affirmed that there was nothing wrong with the way he lived his life, while Mona promised she wasn't judging him. In fact, Mona had seen a gentleman in Randy when he'd saved Vanessa from the angry man who had accosted her. When Mona added that Randy was smart, he agreed to at least consider going to a service with her.

Hayley, having checked out all right at the hospital, wanted to go to Uptown, though Bill was concerned about her going back to the scene of the crime. Mrs. Hamilton insisted, however, and when she arrived at the establishment, she panicked to see Joey there...with Randy.

Joey wanted a progress report from Randy, who hedged and suggested that the man Bill wanted hunted down was probably long gone. Not liking Randy proposing that they call the search a wash, Joey growled that he would find Hayley's attacker with or without Randy's assistance.

“Isn't that Sammy?” a confused Bill asked Hayley, identifying Randy as the man who had taken Hayley to the hospital when she'd had her miscarriage. Hayley opted to get a drink at the bar, and Joey seemed perplexed when Bill reintroduced himself to “Sammy.” Bill wanted to speak to Joey privately and sent “Sammy” over to talk to Hayley, whom Randy thought was foolish for showing up where her fake mugging had happened. Hayley told her cousin that Bill was desperate for answers, with Randy responding that Joey had commanded him to find those answers. And, if Randy couldn't come through – which he couldn't since there was no mugger – it would be over for him; he implied that Joey's solution would be permanent.

After Joey gave Bill his update, he asked the returning Randy, “What's shakin', 'Sammy'?” Randy tried to splutter out an explanation, but Joey was disinterested, only saying that if Randy brought his “mess” around him, he would have no further use for his right-hand man.

Bill joined Hayley, wondering how it was that “Sammy” knew Joey. Hayley deflected by complaining about her bruise being visible and launching into a spiel about how she actually was feeling traumatized by being back at Uptown. She twisted the knife about not having been able to get in touch with Bill after her “attack,” which caused Bill to pull his wife into a hug...and Hayley to grin widely.

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