The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Chronic Disagreements

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Gizelle Bryant recently shared her thoughts on being a main cast member on a reality show for ten years. She jokingly admitted that people often misunderstand her, saying she doesn’t really care what others think. While she’s aware some see her as a villain – a role she accepts for the sake of staying relevant and financially secure – she does care deeply about those closest to her and her love life. Her difficult marriage and very public relationship with Sheldon have made her determined to avoid being embarrassed by a partner again.

Gizelle’s role as a central figure on the show is best understood through her complicated relationships with Stacey and Monique. Their interactions showcase both her charm and her frustrating tendencies. Her back-and-forth with Monique was filled with underlying tension – they clearly didn’t like each other, but understood each other’s experiences, which often got under their skin. Early in the series, Monique had a strong case against Gizelle, portraying her as someone who enjoyed creating drama in other people’s relationships just for fun. However, Gizelle was quick to recognize Monique’s difficult situation in a failing marriage and felt compelled to intervene. This is partly why Gizelle’s attempts to hold Monique accountable felt unfair – Gizelle herself understands how damaging gossip can be to a family.

Watching Monique and Gizelle finally talk things through was a relief, honestly. It felt like Monique lost some credibility when she turned the barn into that wrestling arena – it let everyone avoid taking responsibility for the drama. But seeing them now, it’s clear they’ve both done some thinking. Monique admitted she was already so defensive and ready to explode, not just with Candiace, and Gizelle actually apologized for pushing Monique’s buttons when she was clearly struggling. I don’t see them becoming best friends anytime soon, and Candiace isn’t part of this reconciliation, but it’s still good to finally close the book on that messy chapter of Potomac history.

Gizelle continues to struggle with Stacey Rusch, who seems to bring out the worst in her. Gizelle hasn’t realized that Stacey loses her influence when not taken seriously. Instead, Gizelle criticizes Stacey for not conforming to the group’s unwritten rules and expectations, which only makes Gizelle appear more unhappy and stuck in her approach.

Calling Stacey’s small cannabis launch a full-blown business feels similar to when I exaggerated my job title while collecting donations for Greenpeace. While it’s noteworthy that Stacey Rush might be the first Black woman in Virginia to release cannabis gummies under another company’s brand on Juneteenth, her launch feels more like a small-scale event – a bit like Dorit designing a room at a chain restaurant. However, if Stacey keeps consistently promoting her product, the other women could have at least shown some support by attending her launch party and posing for photos.

In the end, only Ashley, Tia, and Jassi attended the event. Ashley, as usual, took on the role of carrying the drama surrounding Gizelle, even though she wasn’t there. She continued to make things awkward by desperately trying to justify her ongoing problem with Stacey on camera. It became increasingly uncomfortable to watch Ashley invent offenses Stacey supposedly committed. Eventually, she admitted that the women see new cast members being targeted as just part of the show’s dynamic. She tried to disguise this by talking about “authenticity” and “accountability,” but the show lost any real authenticity a long time ago – arguably when Ashley’s ex-husband was repeatedly behaving inappropriately towards the cast and crew while still being filmed. Ashley understands, like everyone else, that the show is all about creating a compelling story, and they’re annoyed that Stacey seems to be good at that without following the established pecking order.

Okay, let’s talk about this week’s episode. Honestly, the women are getting bogged down in petty grievances when they could be really calling Stacey out. The whole accusation that Stacey is hiding business secrets from Wendy – who doesn’t even have a weed business – felt completely manufactured. It’s clearly about payback for what Wendy and Eddie said at the reunion, and frankly, Stacey has every right to be wary. Though, Wendy is probably her only genuine ally on the show, and even that feels shaky. This really highlights Stacey’s strategy of playing every angle. Remember when Tia had her cornered about lying? Stacey did try to manipulate both Tia and Wendy with that Temu story, and then had the nerve to tell Wendy she felt closest to her while simultaneously pretending to be closed off! But because Tia was standing alone, Stacey managed to turn things around, create a scene, and basically force Tia to leave. The other women’s attempt to boycott Stacey’s event just backfired, denying them the chance to truly expose her manipulative behavior. Instead, Tia was the one who ended up leaving. And next week? Angel’s getting the boot, and Wendy seems a little too pleased about it. Until next week, folks!

Cherry Blossoms

Okay, look, I understand shows need to make money, but the recent Mercedes G Wagon ad felt really forced. It clocked in at three minutes, and honestly, it felt like overkill. We saw the characters visit the dealership and go on a test drive? I think the story could have flowed much better with just one of those scenes. It just felt like a blatant, extended product placement that pulled me out of the show.

It’s not surprising Ashley doesn’t see a future with men younger than 50. Regardless of any personal history, she’s always prioritized financial stability, and her current suitor isn’t providing that.

I’ll be honest, I was a little worried when Wendy said she always uses credit cards. It seems like that’s where things are going wrong.

I understand Tia wants to show everyone she’s employed, but it seems unrealistic to me – having been a manager myself – that she’d openly talk about expanding the business on camera like that.

It seems unlikely that Keiarna’s boyfriend, Greg – a divorced dad who runs a children’s charity – could realistically afford both a condo and an expensive engagement ring. Unless this situation was deliberately set up, it looks like they’re heading for trouble and will probably regret their decisions later.

It’s funny to see Gizelle and Wendy publicly push for Karen to come back, especially given how things ended between them. But honestly, I think they’re just annoyed that Angel and Keiarna aren’t performing well and believe Karen could have fixed the situation.

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2025-12-08 21:57