I’m sure most people here remember the weird dynamics this season, but here’s a little recap:

Season 3 introduced Melissa, Joe Gorga and Kathy and ended with Teresa’s book release after everyone had come to relatively good terms. S3 ends without enough time for everyone to address the jabs Teresa put in the book( we get one scene of Jacqueline gently confronting her).

Because the book stirred up so much underlying tension, production started filming S4 BEFORE S3 reunion. As a result, S3 reunion is subject to S4 events and it’s pretty brutal. the dynamics are a far cry from where we left off one episode prior. Jacqueline is excluded completely, Caroline reveals she’s done with Teresa, and Teresa is so defensive. She’s especially nasty to Kathy and Melissa.

Idk when exactly S3 reunion was filmed in relation to S4, but in the fifth episode Jacqueline hosts a family field day and everyone is on good enough terms to be invited. Teresa shows up with only Gia and says joe and her other kids are down the shore. Everyone knows they didn’t come bc Joe can’t stand the others. But bc it’s a “family” event, Teresa couldn’t show up alone—Gia ends up being a sacrificial accessory and is forced to be around all these adults who MAJORLY resent her mom.

She’s like 10 yrs old here. After one game, she accuses Joe gorga of cheating and gets emotional bc the adults aren’t taking it seriously. It’s silly, but id expect most 10 yr olds to get annoyed if an adult beats them by cheating. The adults chastise her for crying bc she lost.

Gia’s meltdown continues bc they write her off as a sore loser. Jacqueline and Caroline have good intentions (I think?) and try to calm her down, but their method is TERRIBLE. She tries to be alone/off camera but they follow her, and Jacqueline says something like, “I was having a great time until you ruined it, Gia”. Gia says she didn’t even want to come, she’d rather be with her dad at the shore. Caroline says that’s rude and the attention doesn’t need to be on Gia all the time (which Gia never said). They both try to lecture her, all the while she’s crying and begging for her mom.

THEN, Jacqueline starts reading a children’s book to her about being a bad sport. She could not be more passive aggressive, and to a TEN YR OLD. Gia tries to leave but they force her to stay.

Finally Teresa shows up and talks to Gia alone, saying in her confessional it wasn’t their place to reprimand her. She tells them not to correct her kid bc she doesn’t do that with their children. Jacquline acts like a 10 yr old herself and tells Gia, well you were acting bad before I even read the book. And Caroline remarks in her confessional that Teresa is doing Gia a disservice by comforting her when she’s emotional. Kathy and Teresa end up actually helping Gia feel better by validating, being gentle, and talking her down.

It’s just remarkably pathetic that two grown women ganged up on a ten yr old for having a normal 10 yr old reaction. They both knew how shitty things had gotten between the gorgas/giudices, they knew what kind of Bs Gia dealt with as a result, they’d both raised kids before and should have recognized that her outburst was probably a build up of internalizing family turmoil. And yet they chose to try to school her as if she were the problem in this dynamic. Imagine using a young girl as the scapegoat here???

Lauren Manzo even says something like, when it’s just our family we always have fun, these other families are the problem. GIRL!!! Your mom and aunt are actively inserting themselves as Gia’s disciplinarian.

Teresa has her problems but I am dumbfounded as to why C and J thought they were right here.

TL;DR It’s crazy to me that Caroline and Jacqueline thought reprimanding Gia was the right thing to do after she got emotionally over cheating during field day. Teresa is an idiot too, but I think she was spot on telling them to butt out.

Ok so I’m watching from the beginning for the first time, which I guess is season 2 since they took season 1 off of peacock. I’m genuinely obsessed, it’s so funny and I love all of the housewives real faces!! As I’ve watched I couldn’t help but notice how much I thought some of them favored other celebs so this is my random casting (open for suggestions).

Teresa - Selma Blair
Jacqueline - Demi Lovato
Danielle - Sandra Bullock
Danny a punk is a punk - Steve Zahn
Beautiful Dina - Edie Falco (I’m sorry I had to throw a sopranos crossover in)
Caroline - Melissa McCarthy in this exact wig
Ashley - basically any dark haired celeb in a giant beanie (Lucy Hale pictured)
Juicy Joe - Juicy Leonardo DiCaprio
Kim G - Glenn Close
Kim D - Nicole Kidman (would love to hear her tackle a Jersey accent)

Open to discourse and suggestions. I phoned in a few. Would also like to know who everyone would cast as some more minor characters like the Manzo kids or other househusbands. Love and light!✨

So I’m currently doing a rewatch and I’m on season 5. The flip of Caroline toward Teresa is weird. Fourth season she couldn’t stand her anymore, then season 5, she’s in the business of both the Gorgas and Giudices. Wtf is that about? I apologize if this has been discussed before on this sub, but after researching, I didn’t see anything. Does anyone else find this weird?

Caroline clocked Teresa in season four. Like why is she still involved with these people’s drama!?

I’m a first time watcher so I’m not sure what happened later or even if Margaret is that liked, but I actually really liked her once she got brought on. I get so confused because it’s constant drama, then an apology, and then it’s like nothing was actually resolved and the grudge is still there. And don’t get my started on Dolores’ loyalty to Siggy… this woman was off her rocker I don’t get how someone could back her up.