The Best “Real Housewives” Moments Of The Week

We’re in that Bravo sweet spot where RHOP, RHOBH, and RHONY are all airing simultaneously, and it’s truly an embarrassment of riches.

First up: Potomac

Bravotv.com / Via bravotv.com

This season is off to a ~fiery~ start.

The RHOP editors shade Karen

@facesbybravo / Via instagram.com

The RHOP editors love to mess with the Grande Dame. During Wendy’s dinner, Karen called out Gizelle for a comment she made about Ray four years ago, prompting the other ‘Wives to ask Karen why she didn’t confront Gizelle in the moment. Karen responded by saying that, at that time, her children were “young, and they were hurting.” Cut to clips of Karen’s kids four years ago, when Rayvin was 19 and Brandon was 27. But even this moment of shadiness couldn’t top the picture the editors chose as an example of “Young Hot Karen.”

Wendy’s titty cupcakes

Wendy Osefo @wendyosefo / Via instagram.com

Obviously, cupcakes modeled to look like Wendy’s new boobs are the ideal dessert for the Nude Interlude party, which served as Wendy’s reveal of her ~revitalized~ boobs and butt. Extra points for the close up of Gizelle flicking the cupcakes’ “nipple” with her tongue.

Ashley’s conversation about pregnancy sex

Ashley Darby @ashleyboalchdarby / Via instagram.com

I think Ashley is one of the best current Housewives across all franchises, but her marriage to Michael is a huge bummer. Her conversation with her mother, where she revealed that “God gave her more than one hole,” so she was able to be creative having sex with Michael while nine months pregnant, was cringeworthy. And then for her mother to imply that Michael’s cheating could be excused if Ashley wasn’t willing to have sex with him? Yikes.

The “Sing Sing” Reveal

Karen Huger @officialkarenhuger / Via instagram.com

One of the funniest (and most confounding) moments from the premiere was Karen accusing Gizelle of having a 🔥“fiery box”🔥 and proclaiming that said fiery box was the “reason she went to Sing Sing.” In the moment, the girls (and the audience) were confused about what she meant. In this week’s episode, she clarified to Ashley that she really just though “fiery box” and “Sing Sing” sounded good together and that implying that Gizelle went to prison at Sing Sing was a “stretch.” Never change, Karen.

Gizelle’s daughters calling her out on her abysmal taste in men

Gizelle Bryant @gizellebryant / Via instagram.com

Because someone had to say it.

“Zen Wen” sparring with new girl Mia

Mia Thornton / Via instagram.com

Wendy is coming in hot, as second-season Housewives are wont to do (the post-first-season plastic surgery makeover is also a classic Housewives move). She goes hard at Mia from the jump, and I’m anticipating that Wendy is going to show her cards too early and Mia will eventually come out on top. I’m excited for Mia to be here, if only because her and her husband’s answer to the question “Where was the craziest place you’ve had sex?” was the Waffle House bathroom. 🧇

Next up: Beverly Hills

Bravotv.com / Via bravo.app.link

We’re currently witnessing RHOBH’s best season in years, and I’m here for it.

Kathy Hilton arrives in style

Kathy Hilton @kathyhilton / Via instagram.com

The girls are recovered from COVID and heading to Kyle’s Palm Springs house for a vacay! This is definitely a more low-key trip than the BH Housewives usually do, so it’s funny to see them carrying in their own luggage…except Kathy, who’s looking for a “man” to grab her bags. Instead, she gets Kyle and Dorit.

Erika’s soap opera-worthy entrance

Erika Jayne @theprettymess / Via instagram.com

I’m finding Erika to be pretty irritating this season. She had been dealing with the fallout of her impending divorce from Tom and the criminal charges against him just before Palm Springs, and her entrance at Kyle’s - including awkward (fake?) tears - was obnoxious. I would like to hear her mention, just once, that she feels bad for the people her husband took money from, rather than just lamenting her own bad fortune.

The running joke of Kyle’s lasagna

Bravotv.com / Via bravotv.com

I love that Kyle was cooking a lasagna for almost the entirety of this 45-minute episode. Especially considering I doubt that many of the ‘Wives eat lasagna at all - Rinna’s little 1/4 cup serving of pasta made me sad. Watching Kathy and Kyle/Doogie in the kitchen was worth it, though, even if they probably threw away half that food at the end of the night.

The Champagne Papi/Pappy debacle

Crystal Kung Minkoff @crystalkungminkoff / Via instagram.com

During dinner (with a table half-assedly set by Kathy Hilton herself), Kyle revealed that Drake (aka @champagnepapi) follows Rinna on Instagram, which prompted Crystal to say “I would die if @champagnepapi was following me.” Definitely Crystal’s most likeable moment so far. What are you waiting for, Drake?! Oh yeah, and Rinna pronouncing “papi” like “pappy” - I could almost hear Leah McSweeney’s “okay, boomer” all the way from New York.

Erika’s word salad explanation of Tom’s “car accident”

Yahoo News / Via news.yahoo.com

Once dinner is in full swing, Erika is eager to spill lots of tea about Tom. She tells the ‘Wives that she’s noticed a mental decline in Tom as he’s aged, tells a nonsensical story about Tom getting into a car accident a few years back, and accuses him of cheating on her. It was impossible to tell what was true and what wasn’t - I’m glad that Sutton called it out in her confessional, and I’m ready for these ladies to hold Erika’s feet to the fire later this season.

Finally: New York

Luann DeLesseps @countessluann / Via instagram.com

This season of RHONY hasn’t been its strongest, but this week’s episode was a reminder that even mediocre RHONY is still pretty damn good.

Bershan and Sonja’s continued brawl

@queensofbravo / Via instagram.com

Last week’s episode was a “To Be Continued,” and we pick up with Sonja and Bershan screaming at each other at a restaurant in Salem, MA. Things calm down pretty quickly, with Ramona talking to Bershan 1:1 and the others taking (a very drunk) Sonja to bed. However, soon we get one of my favorite Bravo devices: the fight flashback with a Housewife narrating. The next morning, Leah calls Lu and tells her what happened the night before when Bershan and Sonja both ended up in her room. We see footage of them devolving into an almost-physical fight, with both women getting into each other’s faces and producers breaking them up before Sonja destroys the hotel’s fire extinguisher. Honestly, I’m Team Bershan here. Yes, she could’ve walked away, but she was correct in describing Sonja’s troubling behavior, and it’s silly for her to get more heat for calling Sonja drunk than for Sonja being belligerently drunk. Plus, Sonja screamed at Bershan and put her hand in her face quite a bit before Bershan reacted. They need to stop treating Sonja with kid gloves. Bonus points to Leah, who was scared to break up the fight because she didn’t want to get hit in her “new nose,” and who doesn’t seem bothered by the fact that her iPhone charger is hanging by a thread.

Sonja making up with (and then immediately shading) Bershan

Bershan Shaw @bershanshaw / Via instagram.com

At lunch, Bershan genuinely apologized to Sonja and then made up quickly, which was nice to see. However, right after they hugged, Sonja told Bershan that it was a good thing they didn’t get into a physical fight because Bershan was so much “bigger and stronger” than her. One step forward, three steps back.

Sonja’s wine bar intervention

Reality Tea / Via images.app.goo.gl

Lu, Ramona and Leah decide to approach Sonja about her drinking…while at a wine bar, over espresso martinis. Shockingly, it did not go as planned, and Sonja was less than receptive.

Secrets revealed at the seance

Ramona Singer @ramonasinger / Via instagram.com

There was a wide range of emotions at the seance. Lu seemed closed off and Bershan’s reading was word and nonspecific (something about her grandfather and mountain goats?), but the other ladies got deep. We learned that Sonja has abandonment issues from her father, who was an alcoholic (!!!!), and Ramona had a brother who was 14 months younger than her, had a troubled life, and died recently. It explained a lot…and I’m glad the medium recommended that Sonja see a therapist with a PhD. 😳

Leah’s backwards dress

Leah McSweeney @leahmob / Via instagram.com

After the somber nature of the seance, the tension was broken by Eboni realizing that Leah’s dress was on backwards - and Leah immediately changing it while they were still out. Honestly, it looked good on her both ways.

The mid-season trailer

Eboni K. Williams @ebonikwilliams / Via instagram.com

Apparently there is a lot to look forward to on the back end of RHONY - from penis-shaped cakes to the ‘Wives dressing up as each other to Ramona singing off-key - and I’m ready for it!

Any other major moments from the Housewives this week?