On this week’s episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Joe G. lays down the law at home with Melissa regarding some of her behavior towards his sister. Caroline decides that making peace between Teresa and her brother is beyond her capabilities. Kathy and Rich’s relationship is tested as the two try to work together. And Rosie decides to meet with Teresa.
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Bad News Travels Fast
News of Joe G.’s latest confrontation spreads quickly. As soon as Joe G. gets home, he gives Melissa the rundown. Melissa admits to sending out a nasty tweet after attending Gia’s birthday party. The tweet in question was a pretty mild and petty attempt at revenge. It basically just put Teresa’s financial problems back in the spotlight. So what if Melissa threw some shade her sister-in-law’s way? If she hadn’t, how else could this feud continue to drag on and on and on and on.
What Melissa didn’t count on is that Teresa calling her brother ‘p***y whipped’ has motivated him to educate his wife when she’s doing something wrong. Uh oh, somebody’s ego took a beating. Teresa sure knows what buttons to push. Melissa tells her husband that Teresa is messing with his mind. Poor Joe G. doesn’t know whether he’s coming or going. He still feels loyalty to his sister and doesn’t want Melissa to retaliate against Teresa, no matter what she says or does.
Teresa and her Joe take demon spawn Milania to soccer, and while sitting in the stands, she gives her husband all the gory details of the run-in with her brother. Joe says that Joe G. has a Napoleon Complex. Teresa, an idiot for the most part, thinks Joe means that her brother is bi-polar. Joe provides his wife with the Cliffnotes version of Napoleon’s place in history in order to clarify the comparison. Teresa swears that Melissa has so much control over her brother that if she wanted to make things better between her husband and sister-in-law, she could. Joe, sitting in the midst of mild-mannered soccer moms, says that Melissa definitely straps one on and … well, you can figure out the rest.
Jacqueline, Kathy, Caroline and Rosie are at some spa/beauty salon opening/event where a few of the girls are enjoying a little pampering when Caroline receives a call from Teresa. Teresa tells Caroline that she saw her brother at the gym, and he treated her aggressively for no reason. Teresa is confused because according to Caroline, Joe G. was looking to make amends. Caroline says that after speaking with both of them, she was under the impression the siblings wanted to make peace. Teresa says she still wants to make up, but she will wait until her brother is ready.
Caroline suggests counseling, something Teresa and her brother have already tried before. In fact, their one-time therapy session was indeed Joe G.’s idea. They might have considered sticking with it a bit longer. Teresa suggestion maybe they need some type of holistic healing. Caroline gracefully bows out as mediator between the incredibly dysfunctional siblings.
Caroline immediately reports back to the other ladies about her conversation with Teresa. Rosie is fed-up with the entire situation. In case you missed last week’s episode, that fact became pretty obvious at Victoria and Rich’s joint birthday party. Rosie says she’s tired of flying off the handle every time Teresa’s name comes up. Rosie acknowledges that she grew up with Teresa and still cares about her. Jacqueline not only offers no comment but looks completely ambivalent. Maybe everyone should take a page from her book on how to handle Jersey’s most tempestuous housewife.
Don’t Forget the Cannolis
Kathy is trying to turn her passion for desserts into a bona fide business. Rich is trying to help but isn’t quite in sync with his wife’s vision. Kathy has very specific demands regarding her product’s packaging, but Rich goes ahead and pays for thousands of ordinary white boxes without checking with Kathy first. He assures her that his choice makes more sense. Rich tells Kathy she’s got to trust him, and she responds that they aren’t trying to sell gasoline (Rich’s primary source of income). Rich tells Kathy she’s damn right they aren’t selling gasoline because while gasoline always sells, Kathy’s cannolis aren’t flying off any shelves yet. Rich is confident that he has to be involved in Kathy’s business because he “married a housewife, not an entrepreneur.”
As with most marital arguments, there are usually deeper underlying issue. And this battle over the color of a box is no different. Kathy says that Rich is used to being in control and that dynamic has always worked for them in the past. She says she supported him blindly. Sweet, sweet Kathy is pissed. Rich made a decision and completely disregarded what she wanted.
Rich makes an effort to redeem himself by finding Kathy a place to work outside the house. Again, Kathy feels he’s taking liberties by not even asking her opinion or discussing things with her first. Rich is understandably upset since he feels his gesture is not appreciated. Especially since Kathy had mentioned having her own space, free from her husband’s hyper-vigilant involvement. She accuses him of taking a mere suggestion and running wild with it.
Be Nice Until It’s Time to Not Be Nice
Rosie and Joe G. meet for cocktails. Joe makes it clear up front he doesn’t want to talk about Teresa, so Rosie suggests they talk about girls. Rosie reveals that she hasn’t had sex in six years. She attributes some of her temper to pent-up sexual frustration. However, both agree that they are hotheads in general. Rosie claims that she and Joe G. have soft hearts but bad tempers. Rosie smoothly segues into her concern for Joe G. and all the drama is taking an emotional toll on him. She tells him that in order to reconcile with someone, you have to start with something positive.
Joe G. is having none of it. He feels his sister owes him an apology before they can move forward. As we all know, Teresa is laboring under the same belief. Rosie wants bygones to be bygones and everyone to move forward. But if you never resolve issues, they are bound to resurface. Every time someone encourages Joe G. or his sister to make amends, it always ends the same. I believe that is the definition of insanity.
Kissin’ Cousins
Rosie calls Teresa and requests that the two meet. The last time they were in each other’s presence was at the season 4 reunion where Rosie threatened to rip Teresa’s head from her body. I’ve got to give Teresa some props because Rosie can be a force to be reckoned with. Even Teresa says her cousin is old-school Italian, and you don’t mess with Rosie’s family. Rosie admits to Teresa that whenever her name comes up, it makes her angry. Rosie says she doesn’t want to feel that way anymore. Rosie’s main complaint is the rift all this drama has put between her mother and her brother, and that she and Kathy can’t go see their uncle. They should have agreed to have coffee because Rosie’s tone and temper quickly escalate.
Teresa brings up Kathy’s comment at the reunion, and Rosie reminds her that Kathy has already apologized to Teresa. Teresa says she was hurt, but she got over it. if that was truly the case, then why does Teresa bring it up again? As Rosie grows louder and more agitated, Teresa backpedals and says the situation they are in now is not her doing. Instead, she blames it on her ailing father. Rosie argues that her mother never said anything, and wonders what he’s holding onto. Teresa makes the major mistake of bringing up Kathy again, and Rosie flips out. It makes last week’s outburst look like a toddler’s tantrum in comparison. Teresa finally loses her cool, and her voice reaches a decibel that might actually shatter some wine glasses in my kitchen.
Rosie manages to reign it back in, and the two discuss Teresa’s relationship with her brother. Rosie suggests that a good old-fashioned, knockdown drag-out fight might just be the answer. She says once they take it to the mat, they can be done with it. Teresa mentions some kind of weekend retreat that sounds like it is bound to be full of forced togetherness and team-building activities. Rosie suggests the whole family attend. Rosie believes there is good in everyone and wants Teresa to see that too. Frankly, I think Rosie’s optimism stems from a perpetual buzz more than anything else.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs Sundays at 8pm on Bravo.
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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.
