Beyond the Gates: Beyond the Gates Recap for May 12, 2026: Mike Davis reared his sleazy head

Here's what went down Thursday, May 12, 2026, on Beyond the Gates when Joey suspected an affair, Nicole and Carlton got lazy getting busy, and Elon had a full day.

What happened on Beyond the Gates

Smitty got new info from an unexpected place on Beyond the Gates | Image: CBS

On Beyond the Gates, Randy reported to Joey that Smitty had been repeatedly seen going into a motel room rented by a "Rashad Moore." Given how much time Smitty was spending there, Joey concluded that Smitty might be cheating on Martin. Randy promised to keep an eye on the reporter.

In the alley, Smitty met Jacob with his discovery that Lia was clean – except for the fact that embezzler Lynette Wise had emptied Lia's investment account. Jacob reasoned that Lia had gotten involved with the plasma ring in an attempt to recoup her retirement losses. Smitty also revealed that Tomás had been Lynette's lawyer, so he planned to talk with Tomás; Jacob liked that idea, but not Smitty's intention to have a conversation with Nicole, since he had already hacked into her laptop.

Later, Joey found Smitty at the atrium and baited him about possibly having an affair or perhaps just hooking up with male prostitutes. Smitty found the implied accusation amusing and dared Joey to speak on the record about owning the escort service Heart Attach. Joey clammed up, but afterwards Smitty placed an urgent call to Jacob, telling him it was clear he was being surveilled by Joey's men. “That's the last thing we need,” Jacob grumbled.

News or something

Chelsea nearly cut a bitch on Beyond the Gates | Image: CBS

At Orphey Gene's, Elon took a call from Jacob, who filled him in about Lia being a part of the plasma ring. The police chief couldn't believe that the hospital chief of staff would have skin in that game, since she had consulted with the department for years. Jacob and Elon agreed that Lia could lead them to someone higher in the chain of command...and even that they could get Lia to flip.

Madison was with Chelsea at a table, picking at her food. Chelsea reminded Madison that at least her forced sabbatical had been repealed, but Madison was still bothered that Chelsea's family had been brought into her malpractice ordeal. Just then, a man who seemed to be a reporter ambushed both women with hurtful, malicious questions; when the apparent reporter shoved his phone in Chelsea's face, Chelsea swiped at it. Elon came upon the scene, and the man threatened to sue Chelsea for assault and for his cracked screen.

Bill was stunned to find former partner Mike Davis (whom Bill had fired for sexual harassment) strolling into his office, declaring himself opposing counsel in the case against Madison. When Bill picked up that Mike seemed bitter over being dumped by his one-time best friend and close associate, he accused Mike of representing Hazel Harcourt, the woman suing Madison for Willow's quack cure, nearly killing her child, out of revenge. When Naomi arrived, Mike leeringly asked if she had worn her outfit just for him. Bill and Naomi railed that Hazel had no case, since Madison had never even met her.

Still, Mike was ready to “drag Madison's name to the earth's core” and throw roadblocks into the proceedings unless Bill and Naomi settled right then, for $40 million! Bill sniffed that Mike had gone from being a good lawyer to a hustler, and Naomi was appalled that Mike would exploit the suffering of a child just to get back at Bill. Mike countered that he had a video showing Hazel sobbing over the damage done to her son – and the boy receiving medical care – and was certain that Madison's career would end instantly if he posted it. Bill threw Mike out, but Mike warned him to settle before he made the video public.

After hearing about Mike's scheme, Madison was ready to get another lawyer just to spare Bill and Naomi the grudge, though they refused to back down. When Chelsea sheepishly described the altercation at the diner, she, her father, and sister put it together that Mike had sent the “reporter” to purposely goad Chelsea into a physical reaction that could be used against her and Madison.

Slap da outcha

Grayson took one for the team on Beyond the Gates | Image: CBS

Ashley's head was swimming with everything Naomi had told her about Lia being implicated in illegal activities. Naomi had had to talk the escalating Ashley down and remind her that, if Ashley acted anything but normal at the hospital, the two of them and Jacob would be at further risk. Lia startled Ashley at the nurses' station, but Ashley attributed it to having worked overnight and overtime. On Naomi's advice, Ashley played up the fact that she and Grayson had split. Almost maternally, Lia told Ashley that she was better off.

Grayson shocked Ashley by showing up for work, especially when she had been certain that he and his mother were long gone. Ashley peppered him with questions – was Lia moving drugs? Why was Lia so hot to have Grayson volunteer at the clinic? Grayson began to tell her that it all had to do with the blood bank, but he saw Lia watching them, so he pushed Ashley into hitting him. Ashley went along and complained to Lia that Grayson wouldn't accept that their relationship was over. Lia defended Ashley and sent Grayson on his way.

Lia later got Grayson alone and informed him that he was to begin volunteering at the clinic that evening. Grayson balked that Derek had refused his services, but Lia gloated that she had gone over Derek's head to Leslie. Lia wanted Grayson to observe the clinic but carefully; Grayson was aghast that Lia wanted blood stolen from it so quickly. Grayson was scolded for his subterfuge, without which he would already have been able to smuggle plasma out.

The knowledge

Didn't they just do this on Beyond the Gates? | Image: CBS

Carlton visited Nicole in her office, having heard that Anita had completed her final round of chemo. Nicole marveled that Carlton had been supportive ever since they had found out about Anita's cancer on New Year's Eve. When Nicole inquired into Carlton's plans for the rest of the afternoon, he decided he wanted to be with her, so the two snuck off to Nicole's house for more lovemaking.

Ashley saw Smitty at the hospital, remarking that he had been looking for her at an earlier point. Smitty said he had gotten what he was looking for from Shanice, but Ashley immediately cornered Smitty by revealing that she knew it had been about a blood supply. Ashley labeled Smitty's claim of working on a PSA an excuse and cryptically took him into Nicole's empty office, where she accused him of having broken into Nicole's laptop.

Smitty called it blackmail after Ashley implied she'd tell Martin that Smitty knew about two people getting stabbed; Ashley called it desperation and fretted that Grayson could have been the one to knife Max. Ashley took it in when Smitty finally admitted that Grayson had actually saved Max from being killed – and that Grayson had only been stabbed to keep him in line. Deducing that the criminality went way beyond Garland, Ashley could only guess why Grayson had been trying to volunteer at the clinic. Smitty considered the revelation a major clue.

Elon got another update from Jacob, who slipped that Smitty had been his source. Though Elon was furious that his son had gotten the Duprees mixed up in things, Jacob swore Smitty could be trusted – and that Smitty wouldn't release his exposé on the plasma ring until told to. Having been told by Jacob that Joey was having Smitty followed, Elon went to Joey and recalled that Joey had said he had no connection to the red market. While Joey maintained his innocence, Elon suggested that Joey could be waiting for the hierarchy of the syndicate to collapse so that he could take over.

Joey pieced together that Jacob was trying to bring the ring down and that Smitty was helping him. Elon didn't want Joey's men interfering in an active investigation and instructed Joey to stop tailing Smitty. However, once Elon left, Joey called Randy, who was sitting at the hospital waiting for Smitty to come out of Nicole's office. Instead of pulling Randy out, Joey directed him to let him know where Smitty went next.

Tune in tomorrow when Tomás talks turkey about Lynette, Eva, and Izaiah seem to be on the verge of upping their game, and Vanessa goes advice columnist.

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