In the season 8 finale of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, “Who’s Been Naughty Who’s Been Nice,” Phaedra decides to throw a holiday party to celebrate her fresh start, Porsha has babies on the brain and rumors circulate about Phaedra.
It’s the season finale of RHOA, which means it’s time for a party. Now that she’s file for divorced and taken her boys to prison to visit their father, Phaedra is ready to forge ahead by throwing a fabulous, over-the-top holiday party. Her partner in crime when it comes to throwing tacky theme parties, Dwight, is sure to help make this soiree one to remember.
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Silence Speaks Volumes
Porsha stops by Phaedra’s under the guise of just checking in, but she’s got some tea she’s just dying to spill. The Feds confiscated some of the belongings that Apollo was storing at Todd and Kandi’s house. So we’re circling around to this again.
Todd, trying to be a good friend, offered to keep some of Apollo’s big-boy toys in his and Kandi’s garage. When Phaedra found out, she was not happy and took it as kind of a slap in the face that Kandi and Todd would a) do such a thing, and b) not tell her about it.
Guess those motorcycles and such were the result of Apollo’s ill-gotten gains if the Feds are pounding down Kandi’s door to get them.
Porsha mentions that it’s almost like the government knew exactly where to go. Phaedra’s response? “Mmh! That’s very interesting.” Porsha can’t imagine what it would be like to have government agencies come knocking, but Phaedra has some experience. We get to see a flashback of that conversation earlier in the season when Phaedra and Kandi tried to clear the air about the Apollo mess. She told Kandi that law enforcement came banging on her door looking for the stuff Apollo had hidden away at Todd and Kandi’s.
Porsha’s just full of information because she tells Phaedra that Cynthia and Peter were storing stuff for her soon-to-be ex as well. Phaedra knows the government isn’t playing around when it comes to collecting Apollo’s debts, and she’s got no sympathy for all his bosom buddies getting dragged into the mess.
Porsha tells Phaedra that she hopes Kandi doesn’t think Phaedra tipped off the Feds.
A Happy Ending for Peter
What a difference a few months make. When season 8 started, the future of Cynthia and Peter’s marriage looked very grim. He was spending all his time canoodling strange women at his sports bar in Charlotte, and Cynthia wasn’t sure she was even still in love with him.
But, according to Cynthia, their trip to Jamaica was a big turning point, and now she’s feeling some love anyway. She’s prepared a romantic night, including a sexy massage for her man with a “happy ending.”
Just as Peter is pitching a pup tent under that sheet, Cynthia’s daughter, Noelle, makes an appearance. Mom thought Noelle had already left for the night. Having Cynthia’s ex, Leon, show up really put a damper on the mood.
Sell-By Date
With her career on point, Porsha is turning her attention towards her personal life. Porsha hasn’t given up her dream of being a mom, even if the father is TBD. Porsha decides to see her doc just to make sure that everything is good to go when she is finally good to go.
Porsha suffered a miscarriage while married to Kordell due to fibroids and had to have surgery to get rid of them. Her main concern is the fibroids returning. The doctor informs Porsha that while she does have a few fibroids, they’re small enough that they shouldn’t prevent her from having a healthy pregnancy. The doctor also tells Porsha she doesn’t need to worry about taking drastic measures like freezing her eggs quite yet. She advises Porsha to focus on finding the guy first, and if that doesn’t happen in the next few years, they can reassess.
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Ho, Ho, Hos
It’s time for Phaedra’s party, and that means it’s also time for some season-ending drama. Kandi arrives, and she and Phaedra act chummy enough, but Kandi does find it odd that the Feds showed up to her house out of of the blue, so she doesn’t know where she stands with Phaedra.
Sheree is in attendance, as is her ex-husband, Bob, who also accompanied her to Jamaica. Bob is interested in having a little something-something with Sheree, but he’s going to have to work for it. Sheree has never been one to give it up just like that.
Quite a few of the guests have really embraced the holiday spirit and come in costume. Porsha and Shamea show up dressed as slutty penguins, complete with hot pants and white furry boots. All Kim can do is shake her head. Maybe instead of a makeup-free brunch, she needs to throw a ‘how to not dress like a hooch’ dinner.
Glad Tidings to All
NeNe is on hand for the festivities, and she continues to be in high spirits. Kandi hasn’t really seen NeNe since they went at each other like a couple of alley counts during the season 7 finale. The one time they crossed paths, NeNe didn’t even acknowledge her. But if NeNe can play nice with Dwight, resplendent in a purple suit, surely she can be kind and rewind when it comes to a preggers Kandi.
Tammy, who we haven’t seen since she got knocked out in Miami, is back. This leads to some more recycled drama, regarding whether besties Bob and Tammy got to know each other in the carnal sense while he was married to Sheree.
Bob denies ever saying he slept with Tammy and blames brain trauma. Looking at the guy, I’d buy that excuse for a dollar. Bob asks Sheree to not hold him to what he used to be because he’s done with that. Sheree is willing to give Bob the benefit of the doubt, at least until he gives her cause to do otherwise. Sheree must be hard up because Bob is not much to look at and he’s not a member of any brain trust either.
The last to arrive is Kenya, and she makes quite an entrance dressed as the Grinch, complete with green body paint.
New and improved NeNe corners Kandi and is interested in making amends. They don’t rehash all their issues. They just come to the conclusion that like oil and water, the two sometimes don’t mix. Kandi doesn’t think they’ve argued about anything serious enough to hold a grudge, and she’s good with hitting the restart button where NeNe is concerned.
It was only a matter of time before the Fed conversation started. Kenya brings it up to Cynthia and Sheree, and Cynthia tells the women that she and Peter got a visit from them as well.
NeNe asks how Kandi and Phaedra are doing, and Kandi states that they’re in a better place than they have been. It’s obvious NeNe suspects that Phaedra may be behind the “raid” by the government, and Kandi isn’t ruling the possibility out. She’s going to keep her distance from Phaedra until she’s sure the two are really cool.
Kenya has no doubt that Phaedra dropped the dime on both Cynthia and Phaedra, but if she did it, Phaedra has yet to admit it.
Cynthia says it best: “It’s not easy to hang with this group of ladies. It’s always going to be some ups and downs, some fall-outs, some moments that you wish you could take back. But at the end of the day, I definitely love the sisterhood that I have with all of them.”
Don’t we all.
Post-Finale Updates
Kandi and Todd’s son, Ace, was born in January, and she still doesn’t know who called the Feds.
Porsha will appear in the next season of The Celebrity Apprentice.
Moore Manor is almost officially finished, and rumor has it the new abode has a nursery.
Kim is set to appear in the new season of Dancing with the Stars.
Cynthia’s eyewear line is doing well. She and NeNe are still friends, and her marriage to Peter remains a work in progress.
Phaedra is keeping her romantic life hush-hush until her divorce is finalized.
Part one of the RHOA season 8 reunion airs Sunday, March 20 at 8pm on Bravo.
(Image courtesy of Bravo)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Jennifer has worked as a freelance writer in the entertainment field since 2012. In addition to currently writing feature articles for Screen Rant, Jennifer has contributed content ranging from recaps to listicles to reviews for BuddyTV, PopMatters, TVRage, TVOvermind, and Tell-Tale TV. Links to some of Jennifer’s reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
