When I first decided to give The Real Housewives of New Jersey a chance, I went in totally blind but with an open mind. I was not aware of how deep-rooted some of the friendships and relationships were. I did not know the cast super well, and I did not see any plotlines. However, although I had no idea about any of the RHONJ lore, I did know one thing for sure: two women who were supposed to be family hated each other.
That is right, the feud between Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga was so relevant that even someone like me, who had never seen the show before, knew about the hatred between these sisters-in-law. However, despite everything that happened between them in the early seasons, I truly believe that at one point in time, Teresa and Melissa did love each other and got along.
The Early Seasons of 'RHONJ' Seemed Doomed for Teresa and Melissa
Once Melissa joined the cast in Season 3, Teresa and Melissa's relationship can be described in one word: hatred. They could not even be in the same room without yelling and screaming. Their arguments ranged from something as serious as Melissa's son's christening being ruined or Teresa accusing Melissa of marrying Joe Gorga for money to something as ridiculous as throwing away sprinkled cookies. Regardless of how ridiculous or non-ridiculous their fights were, even a toddler would be able to tell there was pure hatred between them.
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At One Time, 'RHONJ' Stars Teresa and Melissa Were Friends
After Season 6, we all know that Teresa was sentenced to 13 months in a federal prison. During that time, filming for RHONJ was put on pause and Teresa and Melissa were back to not speaking while Teresa was away. Once Teresa was released and Season 7 had aired, the relationship was even better. They had a talk during Christmas Eve dinner about rekindling their friendship. Season 7 is one of my favorites because I loved watching their friendship blossom and the family spend time together. They acted like best friends and treated each other like true sisters-in-law should. They backed each other up, were on the same side of the drama, and kept their word about putting family first. I remember watching Joe leave their New Jersey home to go to prison, and Melissa told her husband that Teresa texted her, "Love you." That one tiny moment may seem small, but after everything they had been through, it was huge.
Although we have all watched how their story ended recently, there is no doubt that, at one point, Teresa and Melissa truly did get along and love each other. Despite the petty drama that neither of them could move past in the early seasons, they finally pushed through and mended their relationship, and Seasons 6 and 7 are proof of that.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey is available to stream on Peacock in the U.S.
