The Real Housewives of Potomac Premiere Recap: From Bottle Girl to Duchess

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It’s hard to believe it’s been six months since we last discussed *The Real Housewives of Potomac*! So much has happened since then. Remember our last conversation about the cherry blossoms? Well, Karen Huger, once known as the Grand Dame, has been arrested and released after serving time for her fourth DUI – a dramatic downfall reminiscent of Luann de Lesseps’s troubles in Palm Beach. Karen will have a hard time shaking the image of her rambling about Thomas Jefferson while her wig was askew, and it remains to be seen how she’ll try to rebuild her reputation.

While fans wonder if Karen will return to television, the women of Potomac are determined to show they’ve stayed strong without her. Gizelle is enjoying her newfound freedom as an empty-nester, relaxing at home in comfortable clothes and rediscovering her style. Wendy and her husband are finally seeing success with their “Happy Eddie” brand, expanding it to three states after several previous attempts. After seven years of marriage, Ashley Darby has finalized her divorce from Michael Darby. And after rewatching past seasons, Kiearna realized her relationship with her former partner was unhealthy and has moved into her own place.

Of course, things aren’t easy on Bravo reality TV, and without Karen, the drama continues. The women have to deal with the aftermath of the reunion, including the strained relationships many of them had with Karen and the ongoing conflict between the main cast and newcomer Stacey Rusch.

After Karen received her sentence, the women met at Gizelle’s house to talk about it. The conversation swung wildly between genuine worry, sympathy, and moments of unexpected humor. One minute Gizelle was seriously hoping Karen would be placed with older inmates, and the next Ashley jokingly brought up a historical anecdote. Any attempt at a serious discussion about taking responsibility was quickly derailed by the ridiculousness of the situation. While they hope Karen’s time in jail will lead to some self-reflection, they’re not planning on letting her off easy anytime soon.

Without Karen to deflect attention, all eyes are on Stacey Rusch as she returns to the group. Last season, Gizelle confronted Stacey, accusing her of being insincere and pretending to be someone she wasn’t. Gizelle also claimed Stacey was planning a rival cannabis business and faking her relationship with TJ for the show – something TJ confirmed on a video call. The women remain skeptical of anything Stacey says or does, even down to her wigs.

Stacey is skillfully deflecting every question thrown her way. When Gizelle presses her about TJ, she immediately fires back with a pointed question of her own – “Haven’t you ever been humiliated by a man?” – and then storms off, clearly pleased with her response. No matter how many contradictions are pointed out, Stacey remains firm in her story. She insists TJ not only lied, but has sincerely apologized and wants to take back his words. She says she’s chosen to forgive him because she’s a kind person.

The women weren’t buying any of it. Ashley and Gizelle shared that they spoke with an actress—likely Shanola Hampton from *Shameless*, who’s been on *Watch What Happens Live* and publicly stated she’s close to TJ—who claimed TJ was suing Stacey over money she hadn’t paid back. Stacey strongly denies this, dismissing the story as completely made up. Ashley, always curious, then looked up Stacey’s divorce records in Virginia, but found nothing—a fact Stacey didn’t dispute.

I’m not saying Stacey is a liar, exactly. I think most of the housewives bend the truth to some degree, it just varies. But I received a press release about her cannabis brand a couple of months after the reunion was filmed, which shows she’s comfortable withholding information until she has to reveal it. We see this again in the premiere – she’s arguing about her divorce and relationship with TJ while secretly getting back together with her ex-husband. I actually admire her commitment to her own version of reality, even if it’s not based in fact. She just walks away when the truth gets too much. Her insistence on living by her own rules is going to annoy the other women as the season goes on.

We’re starting to see the impact of this dynamic at Ashley’s “second bloom” event – honestly, I’m not sure what that even is, but I’m happy for a reason to see everyone dressed up! The women aren’t buying Stacey’s overly sweet act anymore; they see right through her and recognize her as someone who’s always planning and strategizing. They’re not afraid to call her out on it, even with her friend AJ by her side. Keiarna and Ashley are already good at mimicking Stacey’s pageant personality, and they have Gizelle as a strong ally in this conflict. If Stacey can handle all of this pressure in her second season, she could become a real standout housewife.

So far, we are off to a promising start. See you all next week!

Cherry Blossoms

Seeing Ashley carefully and awkwardly make her way down the narrow stairs in her large dress was really funny.

I’m not trying to criticize anyone’s wig game, but Stacey’s installs just aren’t great. You can tell she doesn’t braid her hair first, which causes a noticeable bump at the back, and her wigs are always positioned too far back on her forehead. These are common issues that most people fix after their first time, so it’s really surprising to see this happening.

It’s good to know Keiarna’s family feels the same way about Greg as we do – they definitely don’t want her to get back together with him. And on a completely different note, Keiarna’s mom looks amazing!

The episode briefly introduces us to Tia and Angel, along with Angel’s husband. It’s too early to form an opinion on them, but we’re looking forward to seeing how they fit in with the rest of the group.

This season, viewers are seeing a pattern of Wendy being portrayed as someone who only sticks around when things are good and who tries to improve her social status – a criticism she’s faced before. Although Wendy appears more confident on camera this season, it will be interesting to see if Keiarna finally confronts her, especially now that she has a potential ally. Based on the first episode, Keiarna will need to be more direct and assertive to prevent Wendy from downplaying or dismissing the subtle negativity in their interactions.

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2025-10-06 04:55