Real Housewives of Atlanta, Season 16, Episode 4: Drama Deposited

This week on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, the ladies are back—and so are their taglines. Love them? Hate them? Either way, they’re here to stay.  

We open with newbies Angela and Brit taking a leisurely stroll through the park, catching up on life, family, and the ever-shifting dynamics within the group. With Brit’s history of complicated sibling relationships and Angela still finding her footing in the friend circle, the two seem to have more in common than they realize. And despite last week’s Mommy and Me mess, Angela is feeling generous—she’s planning a get-together for all the women, Shamea included. Growth? Maybe. A recipe for even more drama? Definitely.  

Meanwhile, Shamea links up with her sister for a little poolside therapy session, where the topic of the hour isn’t just family—it’s music. Now, plenty of Housewives have dabbled (and flopped) in the music game, but let’s be real: Shamea’s new song is actually good. Good enough that it might just earn her a seat at the “real R&B is back” table. Not to mention that she gave us a real rundown of her music career having worked with Keri Hilson and former RHOA housewife, Shamari Fears-Devoe. And while she’s serving vocals, she’s also serving accountability—owning up to last week’s drama with Angela and, for now, choosing peace. Will it stick? That’s anyone’s guess.

Porsha is in her boss era, and she’s making sure everyone knows it. During a business meeting with her team, she lays out her master plan: turning her brands into billion-dollar empires. But because this is RHOA, no conversation can stay drama-free for long. The stench of Drew’s growing proximity to Dennis is starting to linger, and the question on everyone’s mind is whether it’ll cost her the bag—specifically, her spot as a brand ambassador for Go Naked Hair. The odds? Not looking great.  

Meanwhile, over at Drew’s house, things are giving unresolved tension. She and Ralph’s dynamic has always been… complicated, but with the divorce looming and their kids caught in the middle, the awkwardness is hitting new heights. And for the first time, we get a confessional from Ralph—filmed from what looks like the basement—where he airs out his frustrations about the divorce proceedings, calling them ridiculous. Watching the two of them on screen together, still cohabiting despite the impending split, is peak secondhand discomfort.

For the first time this season, we get a full scene centered on Kenya—and while the circumstances are tough, it’s refreshing to see her still woven into the mix. She and Kelli link up at Kenya’s hair salon, where the conversation takes a deeper turn. Both women open up about past relationships and the ways abuse has shaped them, making for one of the more genuine moments of the episode. Meanwhile, Brit sits down with her sister for the first time in a while to unpack their issues. It’s raw, it’s tense, and it’s the kind of sibling confrontation that happens when life—marriage, kids, distance—starts shifting the dynamic. Say what you want about RHOA, but when the women get real, it hits differently.

And then there’s Drew, back in the studio with Dennis, forcing a chemistry that simply does not exist. The whole interaction feels like a storyline on life support, and at this point, I’m ready to pull the plug.

All the ladies are gearing up for Angela’s bank dinner, dressed in all black—except Kenya, who breezes in wearing a turquoise Versace dress. (The invite did say all black, but honestly, would you expect anything else from Miss Moore?) The tension between Brit and Kenya resurfaces, and while I’m no Kenya apologist, Brit seems determined to make a moment happen. Kenya even gives her a hug, and somehow, that’s still not good enough.