5 takeaways from the super-sized ‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ premiere
Karen Huger, Gizelle Bryant and the rest of the gang are officially back for the seventh season of the popular series.
“The Real Housewives of Potomac” is back and better than ever! The popular series in the Real Housewives franchise has returned for its seventh season almost a year after last season’s reunion aired. Sunday night’s premiere episode had fans buzzing all over social media and theGrio has our five biggest takeaways from the jam-packed hour.
An “OG” reunion
The season premiere episode kicks off as a reunion of sorts with Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Robyn Dixon and Karen Huger meeting for a picnic under D.C. ‘s iconic cherry blossom trees. Unlike many “Real Housewives” shows, Potomac currently has four “OGs” remaining in its cast, an aspect that many fans believe account for the show’s success. The season also marks the return of Charrisse Jackson Jordan who was a cast member during the 2016 series premiere (she returns this season as an official “friend.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be Real Housewives if they didn’t get right into some tea and they certainly did with Ashley at the picnic. The women pressed Ashley about how her divorce from husband Michael Darby is going. Curiously, Ashley confirmed her separation — which theGrio reported earlier this year — but the arrangements surrounding their split leave her friends confused.
A Single Ashley?
When Ashley first announced her split from Michael, many fans seemed pleased about her decision to separate from her now-estranged husband. Michael has had quite a controversial time on the show, including moments of infidelity often on full display as well as tension between him and other cast members.
Ashley tells the other women in the episode, however, that while she is separating, she still is planning on buying a house with Michael under an LLC, something that Gizelle, Robyn and Karen tell her is not a good idea. “This is not no damn divorce,” Karen exclaims at one point.
Later on in the episode, Ashley meets with her family, who she tells the audience has been a strong source of support as her life transitions. Just like Ashley’s friends, however, her family also warns her that it is not a good idea to continue to intertwine her life with Michael’s if she truly plans a separation. As she confirmed on “Watch What Happens Live! with Andy Cohen” after the episode, Ashley is currently separated from Michael but they are still cohabitating.
Mia’s sophomore season
After a drama-filled first season, Mia Thornton is also back this year and from the premiere alone it seems like she’ll continue to have all the girls talking. Earlier this year, she revealed on social media that she had been going to a cancer center. “I have a few lumps that have appeared inside of my body and we don’t know where they came from. So I obviously have been going through extensive testing over the past several months,” she disclosed in an interview. “Whatever it is, what we are going to do is make sure that it is not spreading.”
The way that Mia posted about her scare, however, leaves the women with more questions than answers. Her initial post could have been interpreted as her already receiving a diagnosis, while her subsequent posts discussed how she was still getting testing. Gizelle asked in typical fashion, “This is what cancer, no cancer looks like? Is this cancer or no cancer?”
Enter Peter Thomas?
A familiar (and peachy) face has entered the chat in Potomac. When we reunite with Dr. Wendy Osefo, she reveals her plans to break into the restaurant business, having formed a business partnership with a familiar ghost of housewives’ past. Enter Peter Thomas, who fans will remember as Cynthia Bailey’s ex on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” and who discusses Osefo’s dreams of opening a Nigerian lounge.
It seems that Peter may be a frequent face this season, as the supertease showed the women questioning whether Gizelle (who herself is recently single) is romantically linked to the ex-RHOA star. Gizelle has since denied that rumor in various interviews.
A Dillard Bassett Baby?
In another staple of the Real Housewives universe, the premiere also features a medical visit for none other than Candiace Dillard Bassett. Fans have gotten to see much of her life on the show, including her wedding to Chris. In Sunday night’s episode, Candiace reveals that she has begun the process of trying to freeze her eggs.
“It’s now or never girl,” Candiace said in her confessional. “Like if I don’t do it now, I’m gonna have two eggs left and no kids!” The episode did reveal some tension between Chris and Candiace, however, as his struggles with work-life balance are becoming a major issue for the “Drive Back” singer.
“The Real Housewives of Potomac” airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
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