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RHOP Recap

The Real Housewives of Potomac

Season 9, Episode 5: “Blast From Everyone’s Past”

Grade: A-

This season of RHOP continues to be an excellent return to form. The former cast members are gelling quite well with the new cast, there’s enough drama that feels more fun than vitriolic, and this season is the funniest RHOP has been in years. Last year, I wrote “The Plan to Save Potomac,” where I gave my thoughts on who should be axed from the show and who should stay. I wanted the show to keep Candiace, Gizelle, Karen, and Mia. I put Ashley, Nneka, Robyn, and Wendy on the chopping block.

I’ll admit that I was wrong about axing Wendy. Candiace’s absence this season has given Wendy room to mend her relationships with Gizelle and Karen, which became even more apparent this week as she tapped in with Karen at breakfast to do battle with Mia and Jacqueline. I’m still right about Ashley, however. How do you solve a problem like Ashley Darby? The first four seasons of the show relied on her messy relationship with Michael to provide drama. She was also a pot stirrer, but she at least had shit going on in her own life. Lately, she’s still peddling her “divorce” as a storyline and offering absolutely nothing else to the show. Even her pot stirring has fallen flat this season. Stacey called her out on it swiftly. Wendy told her to shut the fuck up this episode. She fades into the background when the newbies are talking. Either way, her heart isn’t in the game anymore. This is a shame because she’s one of the few long-running Housewives who has never capitalized on her fame. It’s time to let Grizabella Darby go into the Housewives Heavyside Layer.