Watch What Crappens #3024: RHOP S10E01, Part 1 “Breath of the Wild”

Overview

In this episode, Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam revel in the return of “The Real Housewives of Potomac” for its landmark Season 10 premiere. The guys celebrate that the “Bravo drought is over,” with four Housewives franchises on air at once, and dive headfirst into the delicious drama, character shifts, and signature Potomac shadiness of the S10 opener—particularly focusing on personnel changes, the infamous Karen Huger jail storyline, new cast members, and a preview of wild accusations to come.

Staying true to form, the hosts mix biting humor, affectionate mockery, and detailed analysis, ensuring even those not tuned in to Potomac can enjoy a hilarious and thorough breakdown.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Potomac is Back—and So Is Bravo’s A-Game

• [03:58] Ben: “Potomac is back... I think we can finally say that the Bravo drought is over. We have four housewives airing at the same time, so we're in no place to be complaining.”
• The hosts agree: each current franchise, even Orange County (“a varsity team”), is bringing value—even if fans argue otherwise.
• [05:45] Ronnie: “As you get older, you learn to appreciate stuff. I’ll never stop loving these shows. I’m just glad to be fed.”

2. Karen Huger’s Jail Saga—Potomac’s New Era Begins

• Episode opens with Karen’s arrest and her mysterious, offscreen exit from jail ([06:02], [18:33]).
• [10:38] Ronnie: “Karen’s Instagram, her last post is from 41 weeks ago… That’s not normal!” The hosts speculate whether she's plotting a big Bravo return, is self-conscious post-jail, or just getting a “tune-up.”
• [11:35] Ben: “She’s cocooning and gonna emerge beautifully... She wants to do this right.”
• Hosts mourn Karen’s absence, laughing about her future “grand return”—and the enduring power of the Karen–Giselle frenemy dynamic:
  • [20:54] Ben: “The fact that [Gizelle] is still dunking on Karen while she's in jail is so this show.”

3. Potomac’s Cast Shake-Up: Saying Goodbye to Mia, Welcoming Stacey and Angel

• Mia’s exit is a blessing:
  • [06:58] Ben: “I was surprised how much I felt the show was better without Mia… She became a cancerous element.”
  • [07:19] Ronnie: “You just went too far with the making bullshit up.”
• Stacey’s ascension as House Liar:
  • [08:22] Ben: “With Stacey—it feels like her lying is innately part of her. Oddly enough, her lying is authentic.”
  • [09:29] Ronnie: “Someone who’s not trying to get attention: Karen! Why haven’t we heard anything from her... that’s not normal.”
  • The hosts agree Stacey’s sanctimonious lying is “objectively more entertaining” than Mia’s self-conscious bid for relevance ([07:41], [08:22]).
• Angel, a Karen-adjacent new housewife, and the ongoing evolution of boring Kierna:
  • [13:03] Ben: “We have a new Kierna… played by Kierna herself.”
  • [13:48] Ronnie: “Kierna coming at Wendy with nothing but conviction—respect.”

4. Notable Early Episode Moments

• Burp-Gate:
  • [28:04] Ben: Stacey walks in to Giselle’s house, and a loud burp (possibly edited in!) signals that editors “may be ready to trash her this season.”
  • [29:29] Ronnie: “They really hate Stacey this season. The editors even do.”
• “Dragon Breath” — Potomac’s Newest Shade Weapon
  • [16:04] Ben: “I think the reason the ‘bad breath’ shade is sticking is because we can all kind of tell that she has stinky breath.”
  • [16:44] Ronnie: “That’s just so mean. I think it’s better to say your husband’s cheating than to get out there that you stink.”
  • [16:09] Ben: “You hear the saliva in her mouth... it’s that dry stink. It’s not even shaming, I hope she gets it treated.”
  • The hosts banter whether you really can perceive bad breath through TV ([16:28–17:22]).

5. The TJ Scandal: Did Stacey Pay Her Boyfriend to Be on RHOP?

• The group rehashes the S9 TJ drama and suit claims Stacey paid a man to be her on-screen love interest.

  • [26:15] Ben: “This guy’s just full of it. Are you more dominant or submissive in the bedroom? Just because I’m not sleeping with you…”

• [35:39] Ben: “For all the talk about the lawsuit… if TJ were suing Stacey, TMZ and Page Six would be all over it. Where are the receipts?”

• [36:14] Ronnie: “Even if he is suing her... it doesn't mean that she’s guilty. That's not how it works.”

• [39:07] Ben: “I loved [TJ] enough to step up with him when I wasn’t even legally divorced… Actually, 100%, you would do that.”

  [41:29] Ronnie (confessional): "Wow, I'm being called out by the most boring person to ever walk this earth."
  [41:56] Ben: “Tell me one woman here who hasn’t been hurt by an OR5 actor. One. Just one person.”
  [42:36] Ronnie: “Accountability is what this group is all about, and you need to think about that.”
  [43:03] Ben: “Commercials. Here comes one right now.” (Commercial break signal.)

6. Rumors, Receipts, and Conspiracy Theorizing

• [43:43–47:45]: Giselle and Ashley reveal they met an “actress” at an LA luncheon who allegedly had literal screenshots of the lawsuit and supposed “50% RHOP check” agreement between Stacey and TJ.
• [47:24] Ronnie: “A first season on Bravo, you make $5. So it might’ve been a tiny amount... they make you prove yourself for a couple years.”
• [48:14] Ben: “Something’s not adding up. I believe Giselle/Ashley met this woman. But… who is screenshotting this? Why wouldn’t she send them the doc?”
• [48:33] Ben: “This is like Lisa Barlow dismissed vs. denied... Legal Zoom, for all we know.”

7. Slice-of-Life: Cast Check-Ins

• Wendy & Eddie: Wendy wants a massive marble fireplace—[49:50] fireplace drama—kids shade her lack of “actual” doctorate ([64:57] “She is a doctor!”).

• Giselle: Titty-centric lunch with Cal ([50:19] “God gave me these titties, and God wants me to show them.”)

• Ashley: Cleans out her closet with friends, cracks about post-divorce life and $ ([50:53–69:35]), “officially divorced: Ashley Darby cashes in with Michael's $20mil net worth.”

• Stacey & Temo/Timo: Unspecified international cuisine date, awkwardly dancing around their rekindled relationship and (possibly) hiding it from daughter Arabella ([51:30–55:44]).

  [56:26] Ben: “Even though I burp in his face all day long... it feels good to be back together.”

• Kierna & Mom: Kierna’s “personality blooming,” therapist mom keeps it real:

  • [59:16] Ronnie: “One of her dark moments is when she wore polyester and his company T-shirt. That was one of my dark moments with Kierna.”

8. Ashley’s Bloom Ball: Potomac Invitation Tradition

• [67:48–74:39] “Second Bloom Ball” (divorce party): Proper invitation, flowers, Cinderella theme, men in costume—hosts mock Ashley’s invented traditions and question thematic logic.

  [74:09] Ronnie: “If there’s no clown, we’re just going to keep this real short... No mime, no thank you, Ashley.”

• [71:23] Disagreement: Is Stacey’s dress hideous or beautiful? Ben: awful pattern; Ronnie: “a very pretty dress.”

9. Classic Potomac Shade & Housewives Hypocrisy

• Critique of Giselle’s hypocrisy for calling out others’ lies ([17:38]):

  • [17:38] Ronnie: “What is Giselle getting mad at people lying for? You’ve had entire storylines where you’ve hired boyfriends… That was kind of her thing.”

• Karen/Giselle perennial frenemy dynamic is the secret sauce:

  • [20:54] Ben: “Few shows have a dynamic as special as the frenemy-ness of Karen and Giselle.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the “Bravo Drought” Ending

  [03:58] Ben: “Potomac is back. …the Bravo drought is over.”

• On Stacey’s Lying vs. Mia’s Lying

  [08:22] Ben: “With Stacey—it feels like her lying is innately part of her. Oddly enough, her lying is authentic.”

• On Burp-gate

  [28:04] Ben: “They could have just taken any burp and put it in there… they may be ready to trash her this season.”
  [29:29] Ronnie: “The editors even do. Let’s just get a shot of her knees while she burps really loudly.”

• On ‘Dragon Breath’ Insults

  [16:44] Ronnie: “I think it’s better to say your husband’s cheating than to get out there that you stink.”

• On Stacey–TJ Allegations

  [35:39] Ben: “For all the talk about the lawsuit… if TJ was suing Stacey, TMZ would be on top of that.” [36:14] Ronnie: “Even if he did it doesn’t mean she’s guilty.”

• On RHOP Pay

  [47:24] Ronnie: “A first season on Bravo, you make $5. …They make you prove yourself for a couple years.”

• On the Magic of Potomac

  [20:54] Ben: “There’s very few shows that have as special a dynamic as the frenemy ness of Karen and Giselle.”

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Event | |-----------|---------------| | 03:58 | The “Bravo drought” ends; excitement for RHOP + all on air | | 06:02 | Potomac’s Jail Era: Karen’s “shoulder” exit, speculation | | 08:22 | Stacey’s “authentic lying” vs. Mia’s performative lies | | 13:48 | Kierna “personality blooming” and new/returning archetypes | | 16:04–17:22 | “Dragon breath” shade; burp debate; can you perceive bad breath? | | 18:33 | Episode opens: Karen’s arrest, “Grande Dame got out of jail” | | 26:15–27:10 | Flashbacks: Stacey & TJ, group’s skepticism, car copying accusations | | 28:04–29:29 | Burp-gate: Editors/villain setup for Stacey | | 35:39–39:51 | Recap: TJ lawsuit, lack of receipts, “where are the court docs?” | | 43:43–48:33 | Luncheon “actress” brings “receipts,” confusion about the source, 50% pay rumor | | 49:50–66:43 | Housewives as entrepreneurs/moms: Wendy’s fireplace, Ashley’s divorce haul, Stacey’s secret rekindling, Kierna’s mom’s advice | | 67:48–74:39 | Ashley’s “second bloom ball” — Potomac invitation/party tradition/laughs | | 74:39–75:10 | Cinderella party confusion; Potomac’s embrace of vague/chaotic themes |

Tone and Banter Highlights

• Affectionate mockery: Ben and Ronnie are clearly superfans, simultaneously delighted by and exasperated with Potomac’s high-octane nonsense (“I’m just glad to be fed.”)
• Biting, gay Bestie humor: Potomac’s unique style, shade, and female beauty (esp. Kierna and her mom) get over-the-top reverence.
• Insider snark: Potomac’s traditions, Housewives’ casting, Bravo salaries, and waning interest in canonical Housewives all get roasted.
• Disagreement: The “Moroccan vs. Indian” restaurant debate, and whether you can sense “bad breath” from television, provide funny meta detours.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

• RHOP S10 kicks off with Karen Huger’s incarceration, new cast energy, and rumors galore.
• Mia’s gone (good riddance), Stacey steps into her “liar” shoes (to glorious, self-righteous effect), and “dragon breath” becomes the franchise’s new insult of choice.
• The episode is jam-packed: legal drama, emotional shade, family check-ins, wild parties, and a cast (and hosts) in midseason shade-throwing form.
• Potomac, as ever, is “firing on all cylinders”—and “Watch What Crappens” remains the ideal, comedy-tinged lens through which to view the chaos.

Closing Quote

[20:54] Ben: “There’s very few shows that have as special a dynamic as the frenemy-ness of Karen and Giselle.”
[18:33] “The Grande Dame got out of jail.”

For Part 2 of the recap, look for the episode titled “Part Two.”