What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

 

Note:  We have new Wives coming onboard the franchise. The Real Housewives of Potomac premieres January 17. I hate to say it, and maybe I’ll change my mind, but from the previews, it looks like Andy Cohen might be slumming here. Perhaps they were just showing the “choice” bits, but these ladies didn’t look even remotely classy. We’re also supposed to get The Real Housewives of Dallas, but there’s no air date yet, nor has there been a preview.

Also, the new (and last…sniff…) season of Mob Wives premieres January 13 on VH1.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Every time I hear Phaedra say that God is impressed with her, I just shake my head. Not too presumptuous.

Kandi and Mama Joyce are checking out nursery colors and furniture. Kandi says the situation with her mother and the others around her has changed for the better. I hope so, because at one point, Mama Joyce sure looked like she was losing it.

Mama Joyce suggests a crib that the baby can grow into. Kandi says she thinks Mama Joyce sees her previous mistakes and wants to have a better relationship with the new baby. The saleswoman gives Kandi a catalog to check out cribs. Kandi talks about her conversation with Phaedra and how she thought things were cool, but then Phaedra turned around and complained that they weren’t close anymore because Phaedra owes Todd money. Mama Joyce suggests that she talk to Phaedra, but that’s a no as far as Kandi is concerned. She says Mama Joyce doesn’t need to talk to anyone about anything because she can go from 0 to 100 pretty quickly. Yep.

Kenya meets her Aunt Lori and friend Brandon at the Detroit airport. Her mother and father were 15 and 16 when she was born. Her mother wanted to give her up for adoption, but her fraternal grandmother begged to keep her. She was raised by her grandmother and says her mother has ignored her ever since. She wanted to invite her to the family reunion she’s organizing, but has no way to get in touch with her. She says the rest of the family wants her to leave her mother alone, and she can’t even get a phone number from her aunt. Kenya doesn’t want to leave Detroit without at least talking to her.

The airport limo goes by Kenya’s mother’s house, and she gets out.

Since Peter is in romance mode, he’s told Cynthia to pack a lot of sexy stuff and to be ready to go on a trip. Cynthia and her daughter, Noel, discuss relationships. Cynthia says it’s a lot easier when you have a boyfriend and can just tell him to hit the road, but marriage is a whole other animal. She says she and Peter need time to reconnect alone.

Kenya says she’s spent years not speaking to her father and they have a decent relationship now, so she sees no reason why she can’t have one with her mother. Her father tells her that her mother’s father didn’t want any more “illegal” (he means illegitimate) children in the family, and Kenya’s mother ignoring her was the result. He doesn’t want her to go to her mother’s house because he thinks it will be a futile effort.

Kenya goes to the door by herself, knocks, and only hears it lock. After a while she gives up and tells the other family members that she heard her mother say “Don’t answer the door.” In her individual interview, Kenya says she’ll never treat her children that way, no matter who they are. She also says this is her last time trying with her mother.

Kenya’s father and stepmother, Kathy (along with a younger brother?), come to the hotel room. When Kenya ran away from her father’s house as a teenager, there was a lot of friction between her and Kathy. Kenya is thrilled that they’re both here to support her now. She says they can’t relive the past, but they can move forward and make new memories. My hat’s off to her for her maturity.

Porsha is working out with her trainer, DP. Her sister, Lauren, comes by and makes annoying comments. After Porsha is done working out, she has a talk with Lauren. Lauren missed a package that came to the office, but Lauren says she was sick and couldn’t be there and has no help. Lauren says since she’s pregnant, she’s going to work from wherever. Porsha gets stupid, yelling about how Lauren isn’t doing her job. Lauren says that her world has revolved around Porsha for a long time and her own life hasn’t mattered. Then Porsha tells the joke of the century, saying she’s not a selfish person and she’s worked hard to get where she is.

Phaedra, who becomes more ridiculous with every episode, is at the office when Mama Joyce, against Kandi’s advice, pays a visit. The last time Mama Joyce was there, she wanted to choke Phaedra out for introducing Todd to Kandi. In her estimation, two people with big heads shouldn’t procreate. (She said it, not me.) Phaedra asks what’s up, and Mama Joyce wants to know what happened between her and Kandi. Phaedra says they had a misunderstanding, but they’re cool now. Mama Joyce brings up the incident where Phaedra was caught talking about Todd. She says that Kandi is having a high risk pregnancy, and she doesn’t want anything to go wrong and she doesn’t want Kandi to get upset anymore over this. Phaedra says Mama Joyce is in the “pot stirring business,” which is true, but Phaedra is no one to talk. Mama Joyce also asks for help with Kandi’s shower.

Phaedra says she likes an element of surprise in a party. She suggests a theme of “Coming to Atlanta” in the vein of Coming to America. Why is Phaedra dressed like Heidi going to a funeral?

Lauren comes over to Porsha’s apartment. Porsha says she was pretty angry with Lauren, but Phaedra talked her down, explaining that a lot of hormones are probably raging. Yeah, it must be that. It couldn’t possibly be that she’s tired of Porsha being an insensitive idiot. Porsha says they’ve always been close, but Lauren didn’t tell her about the pregnancy right away. Lauren said she was hesitant because she was afraid it would bum Porsha out, considering she’s divorced and childless. She didn’t put it exactly that way, but that’s what she meant. Lauren talks about how Porsha went through all kinds of treatments to get pregnant and then her marriage fell apart. Porsha says things are going well, that she’s not mad and she’s happy for Lauren. Still, she would give all the other good stuff up for a family. I’ll bet not.

Phaedra goes to Todd’s office and they look at the workout video. Phaedra was pregnant in the video, and a lot has happened since then. She says the video doesn’t look like she wants it to, even though the assistant explained that it’s not at full resolution, and she’s not going to release it, but since this is Todd’s only job and he must need the money, she’ll pay him. This woman acts like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, but she’s the nastiest one of the bunch. I highly doubt God is impressed. In his individual interview, Todd says Mama Joyce must have made this happen and he’ll probably owe her a percentage. Phaedra and Todd talk babies.

The family reunion is happening. Even though her mother isn’t there, Kenya says she feels blessed. She says if you can survive someone trying to destroy you in the first years of your life, you can survive anything. She says this is her family in the present and future. Some of her mother’s relatives are there, but there are four generations of her father’s side of the family attending. It’s time to eat, and they stand holding hands to bless the food. Kenya’s father says the blessing and thanks the Lord for his family. Kenya thanks everyone for coming, but notices her Aunt Lori has left. She can’t understand why she would travel so far to just stay 10 minutes. Hmm… I wonder if she went to her sister’s house.

It turns out Aunt Lori left because she’s a huge bummer who couldn’t handle Kenya trying to see her mother. What a jerk. The only pleasure I get in this, is knowing she spent money on the plane ticket. Kenya’s father says it’s all good though and they have all the family they need.

Next week, the ladies go to Congress, Todd wants to open a restaurant, Aunt Lori and Kenya get into it, and Nene drags her sorry tail back to Atlanta.