On this episode of The Real Housewives of Potomac, the ladies are flexing their business muscles. Ashley and Gizelle are ready to debut their athleisure clothing line, Wendy shoots her pilot, and Robyn hunts for the perfect space for her franchise. Sprinkle in a magazine photoshoot and someone who has caused drama in the past, and we’ve got a recipe for entertainment.
Ashley and Gizelle have worked tirelessly on their athleisure line and are planning a fashion show to put it out into the world. Speaking of putting things out into the world, Nneka is really ready to have a baby, so she is going to see if she will be successful in having a baby via IUI. It’s an incredibly awkward few minutes as Iyke tries to get some sperm for the procedure, but Nneka does get inseminated… so now we wait and see the outcome.
Mia and Gordon are trying to work on their relationship and are going to therapy to really give it their all. They talk to the therapist about divorce, and Mia explains that she was trying to weigh all her options. She felt like she grew up in a combative life, and she didn’t want to be like that in her marriage. Mia shares that the first time she visited the divorce attorney, Gordon emptied her bank account all the way to zero.
We also learn that the couple has very different ideas of “intimacy,” considering that Gordon doesn’t have the romantic gene. Gordon feels like he isn’t getting attention from Mia, and Gordon feels like Mia just wants him to change. Mia states that she is not on the same page for goals and the future, and she prays that they can get to some sort of understanding. Gordon needs Mia to make time for him and listen to him, yet he feels like they have a great relationship. It’s all very confusing.
Mia isn’t the only one chatting with her therapist on this episode. Candiace has enlisted her therapist because of the recent chatter she’s been having with Chris about kids. It seems like Candiace worries about doing more than one thing at a time, and she whips out the cry-angle as she wonders if she deserves to be a mom. Candiace doesn’t want fear to rob her of motherhood, and she admits that she DOES want a child.
The ladies gather for some drinks, and Mia talks about how she met with the editor of Monarch Magazine. He wants to do a spread to represent women who are trailblazers, and so Mia has brought the group in on the action… well, everyone except Nneka, as she is too much of a newbie in the community.
This is a women empowerment spread, and so each lady is assigned a prominent female figure to dress as for the shoot. Candiace gets Diana Ross, Gizelle gets cast as Beyoncé, and Karen gets Lena Horne. Ashley gets Dorothy Dandridge, Mia gets Pam Grier, Wendy gets Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Robyn is dressed as Mariah Carey. All of the women are honored to represent such icons and the group is excited to do this.
Later, Robyn is shopping with Juan… not for clothes, but for a space for her franchise location of Glo30. It is a membership-based facial studio, and even though the numbers look great, Robyn is still a little scared to dive into this. Robyn is looking for some stability since Juan lost his job, and she is hoping that this studio will help diversify their portfolio.
As she sits on a bench chatting with Juan, Robyn takes that moment to call Gizelle, who has had a family emergency with her dad. We find out that Gizelle’s dad has brain cancer and that Gizelle’s world has been turned upside down. She is trying to help plan this fashion show, but her head is with her dad in Atlanta.
Wendy is thrilled to say that she has finally made it to the pilot of her talk show. She is hopeful that people tune in, considering she has blown her budget… big time. The theme of her pilot is Black girl magic, and she has managed to snag a few noteworthy guests. They discuss affirmative action, and it seems like they have a great chat.
The big day has finally come… GnA is launching. Gizelle makes it back from being with her dad and applauds Ashley for being such a wonderful partner. She appreciates Ashley holding down the fort and getting everything ready for their big debut. Gizelle greets Karen, the first to arrive to support the brand, and Karen knows right away how upset Gizelle is over her father. Luckily, the place is packed, and the ladies all attend, right down to Charrisse and Jacqueline… oh, and Deborah.
Yes, that Deborah. Ashley is messy, huh? Sure, Deborah is Ashley’s friend, but she also accused Candiace’s husband, Chris, of openly flirting with her last season. So yes, there’s a bit of tension. When Deborah comes over to hug Wendy, Wendy pulls some “fake sh*t” and gives a half-a*s hug.
Right before the show kicks off, Mia shares that there will be a release party in two days for the magazine. The women can hardly wait to see how they look in these pictures.
Gizelle and Ashley are backstage prepping and primping the models, and then the show begins. Karen muses that the line be called, “Booty Call Night Club Wear, by GnA, that would sell like hotcake” because it seems like these outfits are not so much workout, but more go out. Obviously, Wendy and Candiace are sh*tting all over the line, and Wendy points out that she wore something like this collection, but Ashley and Gizelle made fun of it then… interesting.
After the fashion show, Gizelle gets the mic, and she shares that she owes the night all to Ashley, the right partner, who stepped up as she navigated her lousy week. Later, Mia tells the group that Gizelle is going through a lot, and Candiace explains that she would rather wish Gizelle’s family well from a distance. Wendy points out that when her mom was in the hospital, they were dragging Wendy, so yeah, she’s good.
The night goes on, and it looks like a nightclub as the women turn up. Gizelle heads out so she can catch an early flight back to her dad, and the cameras get put down… but it turns out that the mics were still on, catching a hot mic moment between Deborah and Candiace. Candiace refers to Deborah as “The Help,” and Deborah reminds Candiace, “You called me Sesame Street.” The episode ends with Deborah asking Candiace, “You don’t have anything to say to me in front of my face?” And there are very few good options in the way this ends…
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE RHOP EPISODE?