The Season 8 premiere of Real Housewives of Potomac took us right back into the middle of the Robyn Dixon and Juan Dixon nonsense. Those two have made it abundantly clear that they don’t care what anyone thinks about their unusual arrangement. If they don’t care, we don’t care.
What we do care about is all of the juicy non-Dixon storylines that started to unfold in the second episode of Season 8. Some of the ladies are trying to make new career moves — others are just trying to stay afloat. Then, the arrival of a new Real Housewife adds a much-needed new dynamic to the group. Let’s get into it. Here’s everything that went down in The Real Housewives of Potomac Season 8, Episode 2.
Nneka Ihim is on the scene
A new Housewife has landed in Potomac! Meet Nneka Ihim. She’s a Nigerian-American lawyer introduced to Ashley Darby through a high school friend. She and her husband, Dr. Ikenna “Iyke” Ihim, just moved to Potomac, and she made it clear that she’s not in Great Falls. She’s not in Baltimore. She’s really in Potomac and has the zip code to prove it.
Her husband is a doctor and nightclub owner. She’s a lawyer, working in fintech. So, we have a new RHOP power couple on our hands. They don’t have kids yet, but they’re actively working on it. Nneka said she starts every day with a fistful of prenatal vitamins and then chases it down with a glass of champagne. So, she’ll fit in with this group just fine.
Outside of her champagne cravings, Nneka is also shady AF. During a luncheon with Ashley, she threw some major shade at Dr. Wendy Osefo for using the “doctor” in her name. She asked Ashley, “Is she a medical doctor?”
Ashley and Nneka also chatted about a rumor that was floating around about Wendy, where a blog alleged that she and her family were Osu. Although it’s messy, this turned out to be an interesting little cultural lesson about Nigeria. We learned about the Osu, a cursed and shunned people. They’re at the bottom of the barrel in the Igbo caste system, so it was inflammatory to accuse Wendy’s family of belonging to this group.
Since Ashley is nosey and messy, she wanted to get another Nigerian person’s take on the rumor. But in the process, she set Nneka up for a messy introduction to the group.
Mia and Karen are handshakes only
Karen Huger and Mia Thornton had some unresolved tension from Season 7 when Mia shared a rumor about Karen getting handsy with some random guy in the bathroom of a bar. Karen felt betrayed by Mia, and Mia wanted to make things right. So, they met up for “fresh air and fresh conversation.” When they greeted each other, Karen’s guard was all the way up with Mia. She met her friend with just a handshake. No hugs, just handshakes.
After chatting through their issues, they agreed to squash their beef, but Karen made it very clear that she wanted to keep some distance between her and Mia. She’s in the same bucket as Gizelle Bryant. They can be friendly, but there’s a major lack of trust. Mia will be in the handshake-only zone with Karen for the foreseeable future. That’s what happens when you come for the institution of Karen and Ray Huger.
Candiace is ready for a major label
This season, Candiace Dillard Bassett is fully focused on her music career. In the premiere episode, she revealed that she spent six figures out of pocket (or out of her mom’s pocket) financing the tour. She’s ready to turn a profit in her music career and land a record deal with a major label.
Candiace and her manager’s primary focus in this episode was solidifying their plans for Candiace’s Deep Space Tour. They needed to fill in the dates with opening acts. When talking about her tour date in Chicago, her manager floated the idea of having Drew Sidora as the opening act. It’s her hometown, and they performed together in Atlanta, which we saw on Season 15 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
As soon as Drew’s name came up, Candiace made a not-so-nice face. It was awkward silence followed by a nasty side-eye. What did Drew do to get all of this shade? Hasn’t she suffered enough?
Candiace then explained, “I don’t feel like I need to do anything more musically with her. I don’t need Drew or anyone of note to bring butts to seats.”
With Candiace’s attitude, you would think that she was planning an arena tour with 50+ tour dates. In actuality, it was just a handful of shows at a few City Wintery locations. Either way, the unprompted shade prompted a reaction from Drew on social media. We can assume that bridge was just permanently burned.
Wendy wants a talk show
For the third year in a row, Dr. Wendy’s storyline is a harebrained business idea. First, it was the candles. Then, she wanted to open a Nigerian restaurant and lounge. Now, her latest business idea is that she wants to host a talk show.
Apparently, with Wendy Williams off the air, Dr. Wendy is ready to become the next big Wendy of talk. She explained that she wants the show to be part politics and part ratchet. Her goal is to get the show picked up by a major network. It’s far-fetched idea, but we do appreciate a touch of delusion in our Real Housewives.
Although Wendy hasn’t even come up with a title for the show, she went out and sought out studio spaces for the show. it’s just like how last year, she was plotting out real estate space for a restaurant but had no concrete plans for what the restaurant would be. What made-up business venture will she come up with next? In Season 9, she’ll probably be talking about her upcoming line of low-calorie margaritas.
Ashley has a housewarming
Ashely has a lot to celebrate this season. Not only is she the proud owner of a new house, but she’s also the proud owner of two new boobs: Demi and Diamond. To celebrate the new beginnings and the new CCs, Ashley invited everyone over (except for Candiace) for an elaborate housewarming party.
Gizelle showed up to the party with two six-packs of Coronas, Ashley’s signature drink. Then, Karen and Charrisse Jackson-Jordan hilariously arrived in almost identical outfits. This wasn’t the first time these two have been accidental twinsies, yet Karen still refuses to acknowledge Charrisse’s existence.
Deborah Williams also showed up at the party, which immediately prompted a negative reaction from Wendy since Deborah originated the “happy Eddie” story from last year. Wendy shouldn’t worry too much about Deborah since no one can see her on the screen without immediately thinking of how Candiace called her a Sesame Steet character. That’s a read she will never live down, and Wendy can sleep easy knowing that.
Not only was Ashley’s housewarming party an opportunity to show off the new house and the new boobs, but it was also an opportunity for the rest of the cast to meet Nneka. Ashley eagerly introduced her to Wendy, noting that they were both Igbo. On paper, it seems like these two should be fast friends, but thanks to messy ol’ Ashley, that’s not going to happen.
At the end of the episode, Ashley took Wendy to the side for a private conversation and revealed all of the shady things that Nneka said about her. Obviously, Wendy was caught off guard because she was expecting to hit it off with a fellow Nigerian Housewife!
Wendy explained that her family is not Osu, and she referenced the Nigerian party she had in Season 5. She said that if her family had truly been shunned, then there wouldn’t have been such a fabulous turnout. Either way, Wendy is offended that they’re, once again, talking about unsubstantiated rumors.
While Nneka had no business coming for Wendy the way she did, let’s not forget Ashley’s involvement here. She introduced Nneka to the group and acted like she and Wendy would be besties, only to turn it around and start a problem between them. We see you, girl. She might have a new house, new boobs, and a whole new life without her ex, but Ashley is still the same messy Housewife she’s always been.
The Real Housewives of Potomac continues on Sunday nights at 8/7c on Bravo.
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOUR INITIAL THOUGHTS ABOUT NNEKA? WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT CANDIACE WAS SHADY TOWARDS DREW? WAS ASHLEY MESSY FOR TELLING WENDY WHAT NNEKA SAID ABOUT HER?
