This week, saw the elevation to soap opera vixen status of Beyond the Gates schemer and conniver, Hayley Lawson as played by Marquita Goings, in deliciously written scenes that showcased that Hayley is a force to be reckoned with no matter how she is initially down for the count!

First, Dani (Karla Mosley) figures out that Hayley has been trying to “Kill Bill” by slowly poisoning him. After she sneaks into Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett) and Hayley’s house to find the evidence, Hayley catches her and pulls a gun from her purse, which then results in the “turn about is fair play” moment, harkening back to when Dani pulled a gun on Hayley and Bill at their nuptials in the very first episodes of Beyond the Gates back in February of 2025.

After spewing her venom at Dani, and how no one would believe her story, especially when she tells the cop she shot an intruder, Dani had a leg up on Hayley and brought back up. Jacob (Jibre Hordges) and Naomi (Arielle Prepetit) enter the living room. Next, Jacob cuffs Hayley and brings her to the police station. Eventually, she gets caught with the poison (in her bra no less) and now is more serious legal trouble and looking at jail time.

Courtesy/CBS

HAYLEY FACES THE MUSIC

However, in Friday’s September 25 cliffhanger episode, Marquita Goings really had us relishing all of Hayley’s next moves. First, while she is handcuffed at the police station, Bill, along with Dani, confront her. He has left the hospital to face his wife. When Hayley sees Bill, she begins to cry crocodile tears that she is being framed for attempted murder. Bill had a great line about “losing IQ points” listening to all of Hayley’s lies and walks out on her as she screams for Bill to come back.

Next, Jacob begins processing Hayley which includes taking her mug shot. And if you caught it, Goings did her signature wink that she actually does in the opening title sequence of Beyond the Gates, which was a hilarious touch while being photographed.

At this point, Hayley is completely stuck with no one to bail her out as she can’t reach Randy (Maurice P. Kerry) and Tomas (Alex Alegria) comes to see her and explains to her there is no way he can represent her as it would be a conflict of interest, because he works at Bill’s law firm. Sitting by watching this entire thing unfold at the police station is Leslie (Trisha Mann-Grant). In the end, it’s Leslie who comes to Hayley’s rescue and posts her bail.

Courtesy/CBS

YOU CAN’T KEEP A GOOD VIXEN DOWN

Later, Hayley finds Randy and explains to him her credit cards were canceled and she can’t get into Fairmont Crest to go home as the accessing code is blocked for her. He gives her some cash and she storms out.

However, what comes next sealed the deal for us. Hayley all sexxed up shows up in Bill’s hospital room. Bill tries to hit the call button from his bedside, but she slaps it out of his hand.

Bill proceeds to tell off Hayley and her “gold-digging ass” and how he is going to divorce her and get a restraining order, calling Hayley a “sorry, evil bitch!” But, Hayley’s got something on Bill. At the conclusion of the episode and with a cold and menacing look and voice, tells Bill firmly, “That’s now how this ends!”

Photo: CBS

BRAVO

Throughout all of the scenes mentioned above, Marquita Goings truly brought Hayley to next level villainy, and yet we enjoyed seeing her manipulate everyone in the process, too!

It all starts with the page and the script, but it’s the actor who brings it to life. We’ve got to say, we throughly enjoyed Goings performances which reminded us of old school soap in the best possible way.

For all these reasons noted above, Michael Fairman TV gives the nod to Marquita Goings for The Power Performance of the Week.

So, did you enjoy the performances of Marquita Goings on this week’s episodes of Beyond the Gates? What did you think of how Hayley came back after posting bail to threaten Bill at the end of Friday’s episode? Share your thoughts on our pick for the Power Performance of the Week via the comment section.

The Friday, September 25, episode of General Hospital  brought with it major developments! Sonny (Maurice Benard) told Justine (Nazneen Contractor) he is all-in on her romance, but major trouble awaits the couple. Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) may be sent packing because of her stunt to frame Drew (Cameron Mathison), Monet (Blythe Howard) had terse words for her sister, Jordan (Tanisha Harper), while Curtis (Donnell Turner) and Sidwell (Carlo Rota) were targeted in a brutal prison attack.

Here’s more on what went down: Charlotte is upset with Rocco (Finn Carr) for ratting her out. He tries to explain, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) wanted his help so she didn’t make the biggest mistake of her life trying to frame Drew (Cameron Mathison) by making it look like he was inappropriate with a teenager.

It all came full circle for Charlotte’s parents, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) and Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins). Next thing you know, Valentin informed Lulu that he thinks it’s best that Charlotte goes back to boarding school to steer clear of Drew and Danny. Once Charlotte comes back to Lulu’s, her parents tell her their plans for her. Charlotte’s jaw drops.

Courtesy/ABC

PUT YOUR MONET WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS

After being blindsided that her estranged sister Monet had settled down in Port Charles, and at the Miller & Davis law firm, no less, Jordan finds it hard to believe in all of the places in the country for Monet to choose she came to Jordan’s city. The two have a very icy conversation from there, where Monet gets a few more jabs at Jordan, leaving her upset, which did not go unnoticed by Michael (Rory Gibson).

Sonny and Justine get cozy and discussed their relationship, and how the two are going to handle their burgeoning feelings for one another now that Jordan was the first and probably not the last to see them publicly. He tells Justin that he feels more comfortable than ever just being around her.

PRISON BLUES

Cut to: Pentonville, and something bad is about to go down. First, Curtis gave Sidwell a heads-up that an attack was coming shortly. Curtis suggested that Sidwell go into protective custody with the warden, but Sidwell just flatly refused.

Later, alone in his cell, three men (including the one who warned Curtis) enter and begin a beatdown of Sidwell. Curtis returned to the cell, as one of the men was about to knife Sidwell. Now with Sidwell a bloody mess on the floor, Curtis takes a beating. As the three men leave, the leader uttered to Sidwell, “Sonny Corinthos owes you this and more.”

Now below, watch the confrontational scenes between Monet and Jordan.

Then weigh-in: Do you think Sonny had anything to do with the beatdown of Curtis and Sidwell? Or is he being set-up? How would you feel about a Jordan and Michael romance? Will Charlotte be sent to boarding school triggering the exit of Bluesy Burke? Share your thoughts via the comment section.

At the end of the September 24 episode of General Hospital, Jordan (Tanisha Harper) had a run-in with Monet Mitchell (Blythe Howard), the latest attorney to join Miller & Davis. However, when the two women laid eyes on each other it seemed from a happy moment for Jordan.

As it turns out, Monet is Jordan’s younger sister and in fact, the lawyer was quite rude to Jordan even making a comment about the scars on her sister’s face. The cliffhanger ending put an end to the speculation of just who Monet had a connection to in Port Charles as had been teased, although we have to say most viewers predicted this from the start.

Earlier in the episode, Monet paid a visit to Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot) and was quite threatening and unrelenting about Tracy making sure her client, Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard), has no issue moving back into the Q’s with his daughter Phoebe and wife, Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton). That’s something Tracy doesn’t want. In the end, Tracy was taken a little off-guard by Monet’s terse demeanor.

This marks the first time in over 12 1/2 years on the show, that the character of Jordan actually has a family member on the canvas, and within that span, four actresses have played Jordan: Vinessa Antoine, Briana Nicole Henry, Tiffany Daniels (a short fill-in for Henry) and Tanisha Harper.

Photo: ABC

JORDAN AND MONET HAD A SISTERLY FALLING OUT

Blythe Howard told TV Insider, about wanting the part of Monet Mitchell, “I saw it come through and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is giving Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, and I don’t get those auditions ever,’” she says. “It was just a really fun, spicy role and I couldn’t pass it up.”

The actress also gave a bit of the back-story that will fuel the sisters dysfunctional relationship,“You’ll find out that we’re estranged.” In speaking about her new Port Charles alter-ego, Howard added, “I think Monet is just here to keep everybody on their toes. I love that she’s strong and doesn’t take no for an answer. She goes after what she wants, and she’s not afraid to maybe step on some toes to get what she wants.”

Viewers may get a clue soon that Monet knows exactly what she is doing and why. “We never know what her angle is going to be or what she’s up to,” confirms Howard. “I think she knows exactly what she’s up to, but everybody else doesn’t.”

FAMILY MATTERS

As the counterpoint, Tanisha Harper weighed-in and teased this new sisterly on-screen relationship viewers are about to see to Soap Opera Digest. Harper expressed, ‘Having Monet on the show is going to allow viewers to see another side of Jordan.”

Tanisha continued, “We had Jordan as this strong businesswoman, and then we started to see a little bit more of a vulnerable side to her when she went through the car accident, and now, having her sister come onto the landscape, I think that getting to see what their dynamic is will be interesting for the viewers and add just another layer to the show in general.”

Harper says of the ending of Thursday’s GH, “I think Jordan is in shock, and she’s a little leery, as well, about what her sister’s motives are for coming to Port Charles. Out of all the cities she could have come to, why pick this particular one, knowing that her sister lives there and they haven’t spoken in many years?” Hmmm.

So, were you glad or disappointed that Monet turned out to be Jordan’s sister? What do you think happen between the sisters that caused their estrangement for years? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.