RHONJ is back with Season 13 tonight and if the first episode is any indication, stars Teresa Giudice and Jennifer Aydin are ready to flip the script and turn New Jersey on its head.
In the Season 13 premiere, viewers quickly catch up with Teresa and Jennifer, along with returning full-time Housewives Dolores Catania, Margaret Josephs, and Melissa Gorga, and the episode quickly introduces newbies Danielle Cabral, Rachel Fuda, as well as new Friend of Jennifer Fessler. (Jackie Goldschneider, who was demoted ahead of RHONJ Season 13, also appears, as does former Friend of Traci Johnson.)
While the premiere does a great job at setting the landscape and introducing the new Housewives, the conversation quickly turns to Season 12 topics: Melissa and Margaret are still mad at Teresa, and Dolores and Jennifer (the latter with a broken foot) want nothing to do with each other following their epic reunion show-down.
The Housewives have been planting seeds in the media during this week’s RHONJ press tour, suggesting that viewers will be shown the “real story” between Melissa and Teresa as Season 13 airs but the premiere sums it up for us neatly in the first ten minutes: these two never liked each other and probably never will. This time, it just has to do with Teresa’s impending wedding to Luis “Louie” Ruelas.
New Jersey gets a lot of things right in its first episode back, starting with the number of group scenes. Not only are we treated to Teresa’s 50th birthday party but Melissa hosts a rollerskating party and Dolores invites the entire cast to participate in a calendar photoshoot in the name of charity (more on that, later.) Housewives that can mix and mingle in the same room despite hating each other are exactly what Bravo viewers are looking for these days and these ladies do not disappoint.
The episode-ending charity photoshoot hosted by Dolores is really just a backdrop for the women to air their grievances against each other as the men (hi, Evan Goldschneider!) take sexy photos in and around Margaret’s now-renovated McMansion.
Hurricane Jennifer makes her first appearance of the season at this event and whether you love her or love to hate her, Jennifer switches things up for Season 13 and goes after Dolores in what looks like a season-long feud. She may want to be more concerned about one of the newbies, however, as one of the three just doesn’t take to her and it left me thinking about Erika Jayne’s infamous “sniper from the side” comment on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Teresa, realizing the show is now in Season 13 and that change is good for story, makes up with a long time foe as she heads towards wedded bliss and a big blowout with her brother. But with the cast feuding at BravoCon back in October and this season only just getting started, there is no telling when Table Flipping Teresa will show up but she is certainly on her way.
Grab a glass of red wine and ready your best Jersey impression because The Real Housewives of New Jersey is back! Season 13 premieres tonight at 9pm ET/PT on Bravo and Slice in Canada.
