The Potomac Housewives are back, and this season, everyone’s got something to prove—or hide. The premiere opens with the original crew—Gizelle, Ashley, and Dr. Wendy—plus newcomers Stacey and Kierna—catching up in the wake of Grand Dame Karen Huger’s prison sentence. The group expresses concern (and a bit of judgment), with Gizelle reminding everyone that this isn’t Karen’s first DUI rodeo.
Over hors d’oeuvres and wine, the conversation turns, naturally, to Stacey Rusch’s love life. You’ll recall that last season’s reunion ended in fireworks when Stacey’s then-boyfriend, TJ Jones, claimed she paid him to appear on the show. Stacey still denies it—loudly—and insists she’s moved on. For a second-year Housewife, she’s committed to the performance art of delusion. The other ladies, meanwhile, are beginning to question if her QVC charm is just another sales pitch.
Dr. Wendy Osefo, no longer in the classroom, is thriving in the cannabis industry alongside her husband, Eddie. But imitation may be the new form of shade in Potomac: rumors swirl that Stacey wants to launch her own cannabis line. Wendy, ever the professor, calls it “flattery.” Translation: she’s unbothered—at least for now.
Ashley Darby, officially divorced and calling it her “second bloom,” is planning a divorce party to reintroduce herself to the world (as if she ever left it). While shopping for the perfect revenge dress, she brings along Stacey for what should’ve been a bonding moment. Instead, it turns into a dissertation on hypocrisy. Ashley—who rarely offers full transparency about her own marriage—has suddenly become obsessed with Stacey’s paperwork, or lack thereof.
In classic Housewives fashion, Ashley drops a bomb mid-convo: apparently, at ESSENCE’s Black Women in Hollywood event, she and Gizelle ran into someone claiming to have legal docs proving TJ is suing Stacey. Stacey responds with the wide-eyed innocence of someone auditioning for The Truman Show. She insists she’s forgiven TJ, she’s moved on, she’s happy. Maybe she’s also hallucinating. Either way, Bravo cameras will always reward a delusional queen.
The confrontation spirals when Ashley questions whether Stacey’s divorce is even finalized. When Ashley says she couldn’t find any record online, Stacey fires back with an immaculate read: “Maybe you should invest in a vocal coach instead of Google.” (Cue the flashback to Ashley’s off-key Roberta Flack moment.) A mic drop, followed by Stacey’s signature walk-off.
Meanwhile, Gizelle Bryant—now an empty nester—has turned solitude into a brand. With her daughters in college, she’s juggling multiple ventures, from Reasonably Shady with ex-Housewife Robyn Dixon to her GNA partnership with Ashley. She’s single, she’s thriving, and she’s still the reigning queen of the confessional smirk.
Elsewhere, Kierna introduces us to Angel Massie, one of Potomac’s newest Housewives. Angel’s got the kind of résumé Bravo dreams about: BET alum, wellness entrepreneur, and wife to former NFL player Bobby Massie. The couple co-owns Wanderland, Colorado, a luxury outdoor experience brand that sounds like Goop but with better lighting. Angel says the business helped her heal after her mother’s passing—and already, she’s shaping up to be the show’s most balanced newcomer (which probably means she won’t stay that way for long).
Over lunch, Kierna fills Angel in on Potomac’s social dynamics. Gizelle: sharp but lovable. Ashley: messy but magnetic. Wendy: brilliant, but maybe condescending. Kierna accuses Wendy of selective attendance—saying she’ll skip an event, then popping up anyway.
Then it’s time for Ashley’s “Second Bloom Ball,” which the other ladies note never had a “first.” Semantics aside, she arrives in a sparkling gown and a staircase entrance straight out of Cinderella: The Aftermath.
Gizelle shows up with another newbie, Tia—a posh realtor from London with royal Nigerian roots. “If you need to curse someone out,” Gizzy says approvingly, “Tia will use proper subject-verb conjugation.” Already, I can sense a strong relationship between Tia and Dr. Wendy (hopefully).
Inside, the meet-and-greet chaos begins. Angel meets Gizelle, Charisse makes a nostalgic cameo, and Stacey—ever the optimist—extends an olive branch to Ashley. It doesn’t last long.
Ashley throws shade about Stacey’s breath (“a lot of bacteria going on in there,” Gizelle adds helpfully), prompting Stacey to blow in her face for proof. Angel’s confessional line—“Her mouth greeted me before she did”—was hilarious actually.
Things unravel quickly. Ashley demands to see Stacey’s divorce papers before she’ll “move forward.” Stacey refuses, calling Ashley “the devil.” The screen fades to black on that note, because Bravo knows exactly how to end a premiere: mid-chaos, with everyone pretending to be shocked.
Watch The Real Housewives of Potomac Season 10 every Sunday night on Bravo.