New Year’s Eve

On New Year’s Eve, Claire Morgan coordinates the final ball drop setup for Times Square with Brendan. She confirms the countdown, directs the staff, and steadies the plan as the crowd begins to gather. The night’s tension hints at the many intertwined stories about to unfold.

One of the Times Square Ball’s LED panels malfunctions, jamming the countdown and triggering a scramble behind the scenes. Claire calls Kominsky, the electrician she fired weeks earlier, to fix the issue before midnight. The hiccup forces a quick pivot but sets the stage for later drama.

Kominsky repairs the jammed ball and is trusted to oversee the ball’s operation as Claire rushes to join her father. His help stabilizes the countdown, giving the team a chance to pull the night back on track. The act cements his temporary leadership role just before the stroke of midnight.

Claire heads to the ball drop with her father, Stan, sharing a bittersweet moment as the ball begins its descent. The crowd erupts in celebration while she clings to him, trying to savor the moment. Their shared quiet amid the spectacle underscores the personal stakes woven through the night.

Shortly after the ball drops, Stan's condition worsens and he dies with Claire at his side. The scene juxtaposes public celebration with private loss, marking a defining emotional turn for Claire. Nurses Aimee and Mindy appear later in the hospital as the reality of Stan’s passing sinks in.

Ingrid Withers quits her job and tasks Paul with helping her complete a set of New Year’s resolutions. She offers him tickets to the Ahern Records Masquerade Ball as a reward if he can finish the list before midnight. Paul agrees, initiating a partnership that will weave through multiple stories of the night.

Paul works with Ingrid to check off items from her determined list, including ambitious travel goals and personal performances. Their strange alliance deepens as Ingrid hands him two tickets to the Ahern Records Ball. The exchange marks an unexpected bond blooming amid the hectic NYE events.

Randy, the comic book artist, is trapped in an elevator with Elise, a singer who will back Daniel Jensen. Their awkward stalemate becomes a flirtation as they share stories through the glass. The elevator is later fixed by the building superintendent, allowing Elise to rush off to the concert, and Randy to advance toward a renewed romance.

Laura, who is catering the Jensen concert, has a fraught history with Jensen, who proposed to her the previous NYE and then walked away. Jensen returns briefly to apologize to Laura, who seems ready to forgive and move forward. The private moment contrasts with the public spectacle unfolding in Times Square.

With Jensen absent, Elise steps in to perform and quickly captures the crowd’s attention. During the moment, she and Randy share a kiss, sparking a new romance that runs parallel to the ball’s celebration. The pair begin a relationship as the NYE night roils with activity.

Sam fights to reach the Ahern Records Ball after his car crashes on the way to NYC. A tow truck helps, but no ride into the city is available, so he accepts a lift from a family in a station wagon. Along the drive, he recalls the mysterious woman from last NYE and the note she left, hinting at a future reunion.

Griffin and Tess Byrne welcome their first child during the NYE festivities. Although their baby is born first, they choose to save the family's bonus for James and Grace Schwab, who already have two children to support. The gesture adds warmth to the night’s competing family stakes.

Hailey disobeys her mother and heads to Times Square to be part of the celebration. She witnesses Seth being kissed by another girl and is heartbroken, but Seth apologizes and Hailey forgives him. Her mother Kim relents and allows Hailey to attend an after-party, closing one emotional loop of the night.

Kim tracks down Sam after his speech and goes to a restaurant to meet him. They finally reveal each other’s names and share a quiet moment amid the NYE chaos. The two unresolved threads finally intersect as the clock edges toward midnight.