I wasn’t holding my breath that the Off the Rails episode would be a solid replacement for a proper Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion. But I wasn’t expecting to be left with more questions than answers. Instead of being given a tell-all, I re-watched the finale with some added commentary from the Garden State women. I have had some time to digest what I watched. But I am going to need answers to the following questions about RHONJ.
Who will make the cut for the RHONJ Season 15 cast, if anybody?
At the end of the episode, Jennifer Fessler performed her original song, which ended with a line that showed that even the RHONJ cast were hoping for a Season 15. But with all the turmoil, I am not sure any of them should be allowed back.
If I were a Bravo producer, this is how I would go about it. It might be an unpopular opinion, but I’d let Teresa Giudice go. I can respect what she did for the franchise, but no longer can viewers or Bravo back up the mother of four and her toxic stage presence. Along with Tre, I’d have Jennifer Aydin right behind her.
After watching the two rooms react to the finale differently, it was obvious that there was a clear divide between good vibes, and nastiness. I would possibly take the risk and invite Margaret Josephs, Jenn, Rachel Fuda, and possibly Melissa Gorga back. The jury is still out on Missy G because she is pretty sedated without Teresa there to fight with. But it would be nice to see this group of women, who seem to actually care for one another, move forward in a positive light.
What did Dolores Catania mean when she suggested she backed Luis Ruelas despite chatter surrounding her own child?
Dolores Catania’s fight with Marge only solidified that the muscle of New Jersey knew about the pre-reunion meeting. It was obvious Dolo was still trying to protect the OG. But then something interesting happened. The women watched as Luis Ruelas said some pretty heinous things about Marge and her son, leaving Dolores with no other option but to tell Tre he was wrong. In the exchange, the former corrections officer noted that she had stood up for Luis multiple times but couldn’t back him up at that moment. In a slip of the tongue, she said, “I’ve defended him a million times over, even when it comes to my own son.”
The cameras flashed back to the Season 13 tell-all where Frank Catania was going head-to-head with Luis for essentially putting his son, Frankie Catania Jr, in a tough spot. Bravo flashed back to Andy, noting, “Last time we heard in Season 12, Frankie was working for Luis. What happened with that?”
Dolores took over the narrative, stating, “Luis gave my son a job. He was very happy working with him. And I’m very thankful for Luis. I don’t know what this rumor is, and I don’t want to talk about Frankie at all.” At this moment, some jumped to the conclusion that something had happened between Frankie and Luis, and at the time, Dolo had chosen to cover it up.
How is Joe Benigno doing after his cancer scare during Season 14 of RHONJ?
The husbands of RHONJ have become an extension of the franchise. Fans have grown to love the men just as much as the women. So when Marge revealed that her husband, Joe Benigno, was going for tests to determine if he had cancer, we were worried. The Bravo cameras filmed multiple calls from the doctor which left both visibly upset at the possible outcome. At the time, Marge revealed in her confessional, “As soon as you hear the word ‘cancer,’ it’s like, ‘Oh!’ Now I’m just like, alright, Joe’s gotta stay healthy. Nothing else matters.”
Even though we didn’t get a resolution on the show, Margaret shared with Bravo that Joe had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Marge updated fans, sharing that the doctors are doing “active surveillance and not treating it. He and I are both very strong, and he is a very strong man with it.”
Which of the RHONJ husbands are still talking to one another?
According to Instagram, all the men still follow one another. But there is one exception. It seems that Joe Gorga does not follow Bill Aydin. But the plastic surgeon does still follow Joe. If the season taught us anything, it is most likely that the core group would have stuck together.
Frank, Joe G, Joe B, John Fuda, and Nate Cabral are probably all one happy group. I hope Evan Goldschneider is still close with the guys, but his wife may have blown that for him. As for Bill, you can bet he is under his wife’s thumb, who demands that he stand by her side.
Does Danielle Cabral regret saying she wanted to “kill” Jennifer Aydin on RHONJ?
During the reunion, if we can even call it that, Danielle Cabral doubled down, stating she regretted “not killing” Jennifer. Most likely, it was just the Staten Island mob mentality talking, but the blonde had to deal with some backlash. While most fans understood her emotion and gave the star the benefit of the doubt, others wondered if she even regretted the thought.
Since the episode aired, Danielle hasn’t made a statement on her social media. Instead, she is promoting her upcoming charity event. So it’s safe to assume Danielle is sleeping just fine at night, despite a vocal backlash on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey is available to stream on Peacock.
TELL US — ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS THAT RHONJ DIDN’T ANSWER?
