The new season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey has kicked off, but old tensions continue to plague the cast.
In the premiere of season 14, the cast members, along with their husbands, grapple with how to handle Teresa Giudice after the tumultuous reunion the previous year. Since Teresa severed ties with her sister-in-law Melissa and brother Joe Gorga, the family has been estranged, and it appears that things will remain that way.
“I really don’t want to deal with Teresa this year,” Melissa admits in her confessional at the start of the episode.
However, Melissa quickly breaks her own rule. As the Gorgas prepare to send their daughter Antonia off to college, Melissa recalls how Joe helped Teresa’s daughter Gia move into her dorm in 2019.
“You helped your niece move into college, I forgot,” Melissa tells her husband, who remains silent. “This will be your second time doing it.”
Meanwhile, Teresa and her husband Luis Ruelas share a family dinner with their kids as their daughter Gabriella prepares to leave for college. Teresa affectionately refers to Luis as her “soulmate,” reflecting on the challenges she faced before finding him.
“I was angry with God at one point because I didn’t understand why I had to go to jail, then I lost my mother, then I lost my father,” she confesses. “But now I understand. I went through all of that to meet my soulmate, Luis.”
However, not everyone approves of Luis. Margaret Josephs, during a coffee meeting with Jennifer Fessler, expresses her disdain for Teresa after learning that Luis allegedly threatened Margaret’s son at work.
“As far as I’m concerned, she’s dead to me — her and her husband,” Margaret declares.
When Jennifer suggests that Margaret confront Teresa about the situation, Margaret firmly rejects the idea.
“I don’t want my name brought up to her and him,” Margaret asserts. “I don’t want them even mentioning my name.”
Later, Teresa and Luis meet Dolores Catania and her boyfriend Paul for dinner. Meanwhile, Rachel Fuda plans a surprise party for Jennifer Fessler, and John Fuda hopes to confront Luis about their altercation at the reunion. However, Luis declines to meet, prompting tension between the two men.
Amidst the party, Teresa accuses Rachel of trying to tarnish her husband’s reputation. Teresa claims that Luis tried to reconcile with John beforehand, but John refused.
As tensions escalate, Dolores intervenes, urging everyone to calm down and suggesting it’s time to leave.
However, the drama doesn’t end there. On the way out, Teresa confronts Rachel about rumors she heard online regarding John Fuda’s alleged involvement in drug dealing. The confrontation escalates as Teresa accuses John and Rachel of spreading false information, leading to a heated exchange before Teresa ultimately exits the party.
The episode concludes with tensions running high and unresolved conflicts lingering among the cast members.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET, with episodes available for streaming on Peacock the following day.
