The season finale of The Real Housewives of Rhode Island ends with a trip to Block Island and a bombshell arrest. Kelsey has decided to host in an effort to get the group back together, but there are a lot of fires to put out first. But, if Kelsey can (sort of) make up with Rosie, anything is possible!
Everyone is busy packing for Block Island. Liz is going into this trip attempting to be carefree, but she is not holding her breath that Jo-Ellen will behave the same way. Rosie just wants to have fun and Liz is thrilled to be heading to the place of her engagement and wedding.
Husbands and boyfriends will also be in attendance on this trip. At the ferry meeting point, a fake hug ensues with Liz and Jo-Ellen and Jo-Ellen likens their friendship to “an abusive relationship” that she just keeps going back to.
Rulla and Brian are the last to arrive and things are…awkward. Rulla has “mixed feelings” about being stuck on an island with Jo-Ellen. An hour later, they arrive at the destination, but it’s cold and windy, which is not quite the vibe Kelsey was going for.
As they squeeze into some cabanas, Jo-Ellen and Liz decide to take a walk to maybe try and move forward. Jo-Ellen wonders if Liz thinks they have a genuine friendship. In the heat of the moment, things have been done and said that have broken trust, but Liz suggests that they start over from a new place. Jo-Ellen simply wants to move on and Liz is up for that. They hug it out and the tension is lifted.
Before Jo-Ellen and Liz rejoin the group, Rulla thanks the other girls for having her back. She admits that she has not spoken to Jo-Ellen since polo. The stress of it all has been paying a toll on her and, according to Rulla, it does not seem like Jo-Ellen is really a true friend to her. However, to some of the ladies it seems like Rulla does not want to accept reality and that she just continues to defend her husband, Brian.
Alicia‘s fiancé Billy chats with Jo-Ellen’s husband about their lack of a wedding. He feels like he has let Alicia down. Alicia loves a good fairy tale, but their proposal ten years ago didn’t really feel romantic. Billy didn’t even get down on one knee and he thinks that a re-proposal might be just what they need to reset.
Rulla makes it clear that this video Jo-Ellen showed everyone at the castle is nobody’s business. She wants to handle her story her own way. But in the meantime, Rosie fills Jo-Ellen in on the newest.
Rulla knows (courtesy of Rosie) that there is a video floating around with Brian and his mistress. When Brian walked up, he was bright red after being confronted. Brian brushed the video off as fake, but Jo-Ellen refuses to be called a liar. Rosie points out that it’s easier for Rulla to call Jo-Ellen a liar rather than acknowledge that her husband is cheating. The proof is there…and Rulla DID ask Jo-Ellen for the facts- Jo-Ellen did not randomly go digging for the drama.
They head to the Atlantic Inn and find their quaint rooms. Jo-Ellen is happy to report to her husband that things between her and Liz are now better. But when it comes to Rulla, Jo-Ellen is not letting the mouse go. Rulla was the one who asked Jo-Ellen for proof of the affair and when she came to Rulla with the evidence, Jo-Ellen certainly should not be called a liar just because Rulla can’t handle it!
Before the rest of the group arrives, Billy takes Alicia to a romantic set-up. Alicia admits that Billy never does anything like this for her and so when he makes a gesture like this, it is blowing her away. He pries Alicia’s engagement ring off her finger and redoes the proposal, but this time, he goes down on one knee to ask for her hand in marriage (again, after 10 years). This is a symbol of a restart- now it’s time for them to move forward.
Rosie and Rich shriek congrats from the window and Alicia suggests they renew their proposal every ten years. Alicia lets Billy know that she wants a new ring, though- one that is so big that her hand falls. Maybe THEN she will start thinking about the wedding…
Jo-Ellen pays a visit to Rulla’s room. She wants to clear the air with Rulla and claims she is not trying to overstep- she merely got the proof Rulla asked for. Jo-Ellen does not want to be called a liar by Brian when she has been honest and telling the truth. Rulla has no intention of seeing this video, considering anyone can fake a date and time stamp. This is all too sensitive for Rulla to handle. Jo-Ellen lets Rulla know she will not bring it up again and they decide to put it all to bed.
In the meantime, Jo-Ellen’s husband pulls Brian aside to confront him. Brian admits to getting filmed (so the video IS real), but wants to try to move past all of the drama. Jo-Ellen is making it hard, as she keeps bringing all his dirty business to light.
Later at the clam bake, Kelsey announces that they will be playing a clamshell confessional game, which makes Rulla a little nervous. Kelsey admits that it is a little shady, but it should make for some good entertainment. The game starts off cutesy, reminiscing about favorite memories from the summer, etc., but takes a turn when Rulla pulls a shell out that says, “what is the most embarrassing thing your partner has done in public?” Awkward.
Instead of answering, she passes the question along to Jo-Ellen’s hubby. When another question asks, “who is the one person who will stab you in the back, but smile in your face?” Rulla answers and admits she might’ve said Jo-Ellen earlier this summer, but nowadays, her thoughts have changed. Rulla does not think that anyone in the group would “fit that mold” and they refer to each other as “ride or die b*tches.”
Brian makes a speech about how proud he is for the way Rulla handled all the awkwardness because now they are the most popular and are the ones everyone talks about the most. What?! Rulla becomes emotional talking about the support system around her and Jo-Ellen tells Alicia that she talked to Rulla nicely and in private.
It seems weird to Rosie that they are blaming Jo-Ellen for all of Rulla’s angst, and Rosie points out that the real problem is sitting right next to her and it’s Brian. Who, btw, tells Rulla that he is happy she put her “ego and pride aside for the good of our family.” It is a sure thing that Rulla has no intention of divorcing this guy. In the end, Kelsey is so happy to find out that the group seems healed and they are all on the same page.
Rosie’s house remains under construction, just like her friendship with Kelsey. And, there are no kids on the agenda as of now. Jo-Ellen is working on the bond with her mother and letting bygones be bygones with Rulla, but she does still communicate with Brian’s mistress…
Liz and Dolores’s gummies have launched and she is not only getting a granddaughter, but also a son-in-law. Kelsey’s ex is no longer paying her rent and she is finally learning how to write a check -omg. Ashley’s fam is still holding onto Audrey’s, and she is raking in the dough through all of her social media deals. Alicia and Billy are planning their wedding and she is trying to get more creative control over Pizza Mama. She is also working on her own crack-ah line.
Rulla forgave Brian about the video, but one month later, Brian found himself in a whole world of trouble. He pled not guilty to a domestic violence charge and Rulla filed a no contact order against him. It turns out, Brian was arrested for tracking Rulla’s car. Seems like her car knows more about her marriage than she does! This is considered stalking, which falls under domestic violence in RI. Rulla had to take her car to the nearest police station to get the tracker removed.
Jo-Ellen claims she always got a weird vibe from Brian and shares that his mistress picked him up from jail. WTF. Jo-Ellen seems like she is vindicated, but Rulla is having a hard time feeling “thankful” for all that Jo-Ellen was trying to bring to light. But now, where does Rulla go from here??
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE RHORI FINALE EPISODE?