{"id":379666,"date":"2026-04-03T08:28:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T08:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/379666\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T08:28:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T08:28:16","slug":"real-housewives-of-rhode-island-premiere-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/379666\/","title":{"rendered":"Real Housewives of Rhode Island Premiere Recap"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Real Housewives of Rhode Island<\/a> series premiere is finally here! It\u2019s so exciting to watch the first new Real Housewives series on Bravo since Real Housewives of Salt Lake City! In the lead up to the series premiere, we got hints about the RHORI ladies, especially some of the Housewives\u2019 unconventional love lives <\/a>and partners. <\/p>\n

In the first episode, we get to know the ladies better. And, amazingly, by the end of the episode, I was able to tell all these similar looking brunettes apart. The power of strong personalities! So, what happened on the Real Housewives of Rhode Island series premiere? <\/p>\n

What happened on Real Housewives of Rhode Island Season 1 Episode 1? <\/p>\n

\"RHORIPhoto Credit: Bravo Media<\/p>\n

On Real Housewives of Rhode Island Season 1 Episode 1, \u201cWelcome to Rhode Island,\u201d we meet most of our newest Real Housewives cast. Rulla doesn\u2019t appear in the series premiere. But judging by the previews<\/a>, she\u2019s going to be a major force of drama this season. As we get to know the Rhode Island ladies, a familiar face to Real Housewives fans pops in. Dolores Catania<\/a> of Real Housewives of New Jersey<\/a>, appears in the RHORI season premiere as a friend of. What else happened in the inaugural episode? <\/p>\n

Alicia is the Real Housewives of Rhode Island flip-flopper<\/p>\n

\"ThePhoto Credit: Bronson Farr\/Bravo<\/p>\n

The first Real Housewife of Rhode Island we meet is Alicia, a self-described flip flopper. We see her go from cursing a castmate out to hugging them in a flash. Alicia is a lifelong Rhode Island resident, and all her aunts live 15 minutes away (which to them is an eternity). Alicia is engaged to Bill, who proposed when she was pregnant. Their now nine-year-old daughter is Alicia\u2019s mini-me. But despite the very long engagement, she\u2019s in no rush to wed Bill. <\/p>\n

Alicia has known her fellow Real Housewife Liz<\/a> since she was born. Aside from Ashley and Rosie, everyone in this cast has deep roots with each other.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Liz is the Queen of Weed <\/p>\n

\"ThePhoto Credit: Bronson Farr\/Bravo<\/p>\n

Alicia says Liz lives in a castle, and she\u2019s not wrong. Committing to the aesthetic, Liz drinks from goblets in her confessionals. <\/p>\n

She considers her husband Gerry the King of Cannabis, so she\u2019s the Queen of Weed. Gerry and Liz own one of the East Coast\u2019s first cannabis dispensaries.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people say I\u2019m scary\u2026.boo,\u201d Liz says to introduce herself. I\u2019m not sure if quotes can do her kooky confessionals justice! Later in the episode, she says Dolores knows where the \u201cberries are bodied\u201d (meaning the bodies are buried). <\/p>\n

Speaking of, Liz looks so much like Dolores, it\u2019s uncanny. Though she admits that\u2019s partially because they go to the same surgeon and dentist. But it\u2019s hard to believe they\u2019re not related. <\/p>\n

Liz is related, however, to her husband<\/a>. They were already married six months before an ancestry\u00a0DNA test showed this. It seems like they\u2019re distant relatives, at least? Their marriage also made Liz a stepmom to three girls.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I can already see Liz becoming a fan favorite. Her intro package starts with her walking her cat on a leash, and ends with her looking like a badass taking a dinghy to meet Kelsey at a restaurant. She\u2019s already excellent Housewives material. <\/p>\n

Don\u2019t call Kelsey a sugar baby <\/p>\n

\"ThePhoto Credit: Scott Eisen\/Bravo<\/p>\n

Liz grew up with Kelsey\u2019s much-older boyfriend, who is from one of the state\u2019s most prominent families. This man is never named, and his face is ripped out of the pictures they show. For the first half of the year, Kelsey\u2019s boyfriend is in Miami \u2026 with his other partner. <\/p>\n

Kelsey describes herself as a \u201clady of leisure,\u201d but not a sugar baby (because she\u2019s actually attracted to her boyfriend). The former Miss Rhode Island <\/a>is having an existential crisis about her lifestyle now that she\u2019s 31. She wants a committed relationship with one person.\u00a0But since she met her boyfriend so young, this life is all she\u2019s ever known. <\/p>\n

Is Jo-Ellen RHORI\u2019s villain? <\/p>\n

\"ThePhoto Credit: Bronson Farr\/Bravo<\/p>\n

Jo-Ellen is the frontrunner for RHORI Season 1\u2019s villain<\/a>. From the start, Jo-Ellen admits she has a big mouth. She\u2019s best friends with Kelsey and Liz. She\u2019s married to Gary, who she crushed on in high school\u2026when he dated her sister Jen. Gary and Jen were both friends with Alicia in school.<\/p>\n

Currently, she\u2019s feeling stressed with three young kids. She has unresolved tension with her own mother, who babysits. It looks like their strained relationship will be a major part of Jo-Ellen\u2019s freshman season storyline. <\/p>\n

Kelsey met Jo-Ellen when she was in high school. At the time, Jo-Ellen was hooking up with the owner of a tanning salon \u2026 and his wife. Jo-Ellen also dated Kelsey\u2019s boyfriend\u2019s brother.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rosie stirs the pot <\/p>\n

\"ThePhoto Credit: Seacia Pavao\/Bravo<\/p>\n

Jo-Ellen\u2019s biggest rival is definitely Rosie, a former news anchor. The host is messy, and she admits it, calling herself \u201cNosey Rosie.\u201d Rosie announces her big personality<\/a> as soon as she pulls up onscreen in a hot pink Jeep. She was brought into the group thanks to Alicia, who met Rosie through the girl who does her Botox. Rosie is married to Rich, a Frank Sinatra singer (NOT impersonator). <\/p>\n

Recently, Rosie offended Jo-Ellen by bringing her a cheap bottle of wine. She then heard Jo-Ellen say awful things behind her back. Rosie also reveals that Jo-Ellen is rumored to be a swinger!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jo-Ellen and Rosie are RHORI\u2019s biggest rivals <\/p>\n

\"ThePhoto Credit: Scott Eisen\/Bravo<\/p>\n

Rosie moved from reporting to hosting a lifestyle show, though Jo-Ellen pokes fun at how low her view counts are. But Rosie\u2019s show gives us the first event of the series, where the ladies gather for a picnic. Joining the crowd is Rosie\u2019s friend Ashley of Bachelor Nation<\/a>. Unlike the other Housewives, Ashley isn\u2019t from Rhode Island. She moved there with her husband Jared, a RI native who she met on Bachelor in Paradise<\/a>. <\/p>\n

As they play a game of Never Have I Ever<\/a>, Kelsey\u2019s unconventional relationship comes up. Jo-Ellen doesn\u2019t want to give away her BFF\u2019s business, but she hints that Kelsey\u2019s going through it. <\/p>\n

Rosie pries into rumors Kelsey has another boyfriend. Jo-Ellen calls her out, and Rosie fires back that she heard Jo-Ellen say she was evil and that \u201ceven children wouldn\u2019t like me.\u201d Jo-Ellen doesn\u2019t remember saying that, but she does feel that way. She also tells her to \u201cshut the f*ck up.\u201d They both accuse each other of playing the victim. Rosie starts to cry that Jo-Ellen continues to be mean even after she invited her as an olive branch. Eventually, as an attempt to start fresh, Jo-Ellen invites Rosie to her 4th of July party.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ashley sheds light on life after Bachelor in Paradise <\/p>\n

\"ThePhoto Credit: Scott Eisen\/Bravo<\/p>\n

Ashley and Jared own Audrey\u2019s, which she boasts is the second highest rated celebrity owned restaurant (Jon Bon Jovi has the first). But it\u2019s not as financially successful as she and Jared would like. She\u2019s also concerned that Jared spends too much time and energy on the cafe (though he\u2019s stopped working 100 hours per week). <\/p>\n

As she tries to tell him about the drama with the girls<\/a>, she keeps getting interrupted\u00a0by him calling out names of people\u2019s coffee orders. As she says in a confessional, Bachelor fans gush that their love is so inspiring. But now, she\u2019s showing how things change when the honeymoon phase ends and real life happens.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rosie brings the literal and figurative fireworks to Jo-Ellen\u2019s Fourth of July party\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"ThePhoto Credit: Scott Eisen\/Bravo<\/p>\n

The RHORI premiere ends with Jo-Ellen\u2019s 4th of July party. Dolores makes her first RHORI appearance as Liz\u2019s guest. They met at a cannabis convention. I\u2019m already obsessed with this duo. Dolores\u2019 boyfriend Paulie reveals they\u2019re staying in Rhode Island all summer, so hopefully we\u2019ll see plenty of her on RHORI<\/a>!\u00a0<\/p>\n

As a peace offering, Rosie brings a bottle of (not cheap) champagne and a bouqet of fireworks. Jo-Ellen is a little confused by the fireworks bouquet gift.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Jo-Ellen tells Kelsey that Rosie asked questions about her relationship. Kelsey disses Rosie as \u201cnot a girl\u2019s girl.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

When Kelsey confronts Rosie, the reporter claims she was just asking questions after Jo-Ellen brought her relationship up. Jo-Ellen didn\u2019t mention she brought it up. Kelsey doesn\u2019t know who to trust. \u201cRumors in Rhode Island\u2026it\u2019s just part of the culture of our state,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As the episode ends, Alicia and Ashley both hint at huge secrets- and cheating scandals<\/a>\u2013 that will come out about the group. Liz warns that the truth always comes out. Jo-Ellen insists she\u2019s an open book- if someone asks her questions about what she\u2019s done, she\u2019ll ask if they want details. \u201cIf you\u2019re going to say rumors about me, I\u2019m going to share rumors about you,\u201d Rosie warns, \u201cAnd I\u2019ve held my tongue all summer long.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Real Housewives of Rhode Island <\/a>will air 9 PM\/ET Sundays on Bravo. Episodes can be streamed on Peacock.<\/p>\n

TELL US \u2013 WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF RHODE ISLAND SERIES PREMIERE? WHICH REAL HOUSEWIVES OF RHODE ISLAND ARE YOUR FAVORITES SO FAR? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Real Housewives of Rhode Island series premiere is finally here! It\u2019s so exciting to watch the first…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":379667,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[82678,82301,81734,169633,93,61,60,82680,82679,22403,169634,82389,169635,169636,282],"class_list":{"0":"post-379666","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tv","8":"tag-alicia-carmody","9":"tag-ashley-iaconetti","10":"tag-dolores-catania","11":"tag-elizabeth-mcgraw","12":"tag-entertainment","13":"tag-ie","14":"tag-ireland","15":"tag-jo-ellen-tiberi","16":"tag-kelsey-swanson","17":"tag-real-housewives","18":"tag-real-housewives-of-rhode-island","19":"tag-rhori","20":"tag-rosie-dimare","21":"tag-rulla-pontarelli","22":"tag-tv"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379666","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=379666"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379666\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/379667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=379666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=379666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=379666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}