Season eight has been a struggle for the ladies of Real Housewives Of Potomac. The group has not been getting along for several seasons now, which has led to a dark cloud hanging over their events and vacations together. Candiace Dillard-Bassett refused to engage with Gizelle Bryant after her co-star accused her husband of inappropriate conduct. Candiace also refused to take any accountability for her behavior on social media, which has destroyed her friendship with Robyn Dixon.Dr. Wendy Osefo took an instant dislike to newcomer Nneka Ihim, and the pair did nothing but bicker in one another’s presence the entire season. Ashley Darby’s soon-to-be ex-husband’s legal battle with Candiace hung over the reality series, and with Ashley’s refusal to speak honestly about their divorce or his behavior, her storylines have fallen flat.

With such discord in the group, it is clear that a cast shake-up is around the corner. Candiace has already announced her exit from the group, ahead of the season eight reunion even airing. Speculation online questions whether Nneka will be another “one and done” housewife after her performance this season. Rumors are circulating that Robyn may also be out next year, which begs the question of whether her best friend Gizelle, and co-member of the Green Eyed Bandits, will also be looking to exit. There is certainly a path forward for the remaining ladies next season, with Mia Thornton stepping onto the center stage amid her tumultuous divorce announcement during the finale. And Candiace’s exit may open new doors for a returning cast member, if Bravo feels inclined to pursue her.

What Does ‘RHOP’ Look Like Without Candiace Dillard-Bassett?

Amid her announcement that she will be departing the show after season eight, what does the series look like without Candiace in the group? It certainly is an opportunity to bring the ladies together, as Candiace has often been the center of discord for several seasons now. While Candiace has proven herself to be a fan favorite over the years, she has also shown herself to be incapable of admitting fault in disagreements. Without some ownership and sincere reflection on her wrong steps, there is no possibility of authentically moving forward with several women in the group.

She and Ashley have kept things very surface-level this season. Any time Ashley attempts to hold Candiace accountable, Candiace’s temper comes forward, and she begins to sling insults until Ashley backs down. At least she acknowledges Ashley’s presence, however. Candiace has refused to speak to co-star Gizelle all season, choosing instead to snicker behind her back at every opportunity. And despite Robyn’s repeated efforts to make Candiace understand the hurt she caused her by attacking her online, the pair have not found a way forward in their friendship because Candiace will not acknowledge wrong-doing.

Without Candiace’s temper and high-handed attitude towards her cast mates, the ladies will now have an opportunity to reset. The explosive brawl that occurred at Ashley and Gizelle’s clothing line launch this season certainly was not started by Candiace, but it escalated due to her inflammatory insults. Ashley has been accused of being messy by bringing her friend Deborah Williams to the event, knowing that she and Candiace do not get along. However, does Ashley have a point when she claims that two adults who do not get along should be able to see one another at an event without it escalating into a violent confrontation?

In an interview with production, Ashley insists that Candiace needs to ask herself whether she goes “too far” insulting people to their faces, saying, “At some times, for some people, you hit too low.” For her part, Candiace again refuses to acknowledge her part, denying that she referred to Deborah as “the help,” even though the audio from the incident says otherwise. She also justified the fact that she picked up a champagne bottle while looking at Deborah, potentially escalating an already violent confrontation, because she “needed” to defend herself. A newcomer to the group, Keiarna Stewart, bore the brunt of the confrontation this time, when, in defense of Candiace she pushed Deborah’s arm away after she had thrown a drink at her friend. Deborah then threw the glass into Keiarna’s face, resulting in a cut that reportedly required twelve stitches. In an interview, Candiace jokes about how “somehow” this will all be her fault.

Of course, Candiace is not entirely to blame, as Deborah came with an agenda to start a confrontation with her. Deborah has been equally messy online, in a seeming bid to be brought onto the show as a cast member. One result from all of this should be Deborah no longer filming with the ladies or attending their events anymore. However, even with Deborah’s messy behavior and obvious desire for camera time, Candiace is still in the wrong because of her insults that go too far. And since she seems incapable of tempering her words when tempers flare, perhaps a break from filming is best for everyone.

As she tells People Magazine, “This is not a goodbye, but a ‘see you later.'” Without Candiace, Dr. Wendy will be forced to find another allegiance within the group, should she decide to stay. Her feud with newcomer Nneke grew stale very quickly this season, and as Andy Cohen has pointed out, finding common ground and “moving forward” is a hallmark of the Housewives franchise. Wendy will have to reconsider her position in the group now that Candiace is departing.

Gizelle may be able to coax Robyn into remaining with the series, now that Candiace is no longer around to insult her and her marriage. And even though she was involved in the unfortunate brawl in the finale, newcomer Keiarna had a strong performance when she joined the ladies on their cast trip, and her confessionals prove she has what it takes to join the cast, with or without her friend Candiace in the group. Hopefully, the upcoming reunion will shed light on where the remaining cast stand with one another.

Mia Thornton Can Carry the Next Season

Aside from the unfortunate brawl at Ashley and Gizelle’s event, the finale was mostly about Mia. The event to launch the ladies’ photo and video shoot with Monarch Magazine, which was organized by Mia, brought everyone together after the brawl. Mia was gracious, but also stepped into the conversation to make sure that Ashley was accountable for bringing Deborah to an event to cause trouble, especially after Deborah doubled down on her actions on social media. The Grand Dame Karen Huger initiated this conversation about cast safety, and even though she and Mia don’t always see eye-to-eye, this conversation proves that the ladies can come together in moments that count. Which is important in a group so fractured as the Potomac ladies seem to be.

Mia’s impending divorce was also a large point of focus for the season finale. Viewers learned a lot about the troubles that have been bubbling under the surface in her marriage with husband, Gordon Thornton. We knew from previous episodes that Mia and Gordon have had a somewhat hazily defined “open” situation. However, the finale provided some more context to Mia’s alleged affair and Gordon’s seeming knowledge of it. While Gordon seemed determined to prove Mia’s relationship with her mysterious radio-personality high-school sweetheart, a man who goes by the moniker Inc, was to blame for the downfall of their marriage, Mia continues to insist that is not the case.

She instead blames her and Gordon for consistently growing apart. Mia had repeatedly told Gordon that him suing his own family over business matters was not a decision she agreed with. She also claims to have been financially supporting him, despite people having the impression that she married him for his money. On her recent Watch What Happens Live appearance, she also mentioned that although she had an affair with Inc after she married Gordon, this was a result of her husband consistently wanting threesomes with other women involved. She claims to have come to the realization that she was no longer certain that was “the real definition of love.” Andy promises that viewers will learn more about the messy situation, including Inc’s claim to be the father of one of Mia’s children, by tuning in to the reunion next week.

Mia can carry next season just with the fascinating details of her personal life alone. However, Mia also can bring the ladies together, which is sorely needed now more than ever within this group. She has proven that she will ask hard questions but is willing to accept the ladies’ answers if they seem forthcoming. When she senses deceit or subterfuge, she is always poised to ask a leading question to tease out the truth. And she tries to be equally forthcoming when being questioned herself, which sometimes results in hilarious and jaw-dropping reveals. She is a master at throwing shady comments, without going below the belt. And she has the mindfulness to apologize if she sees that she has genuinely hurt one of her co-stars. Even though Candiace has played a pivotal role in the series, and will surely be missed, Mia has already demonstrated that season nine will be her time to step to center stage.

Could Monique Samuels Return With Candiace Leaving?

Monique Samuels exited the cast after season five, when rumors about her stepping out on her marriage caused significant fractures in the group. Original cast member Charisse Jackson Jordan allegedly started the rumor about Monique having an affair with her exercise trainer, a rumor that Gizelle happily spread in her confessionals. Although Monique and Candiace were meant to be repairing their friendship after a tumultuous season four, it was Candiace who invited Charisse to attend a group event, allegedly knowing that Monique would be there and also be unhappy about Charisse’s presence. This is an ironic situation, considering Ashley has now taken a lot of flack from the group for being messy by bringing Deborah around when Candiace is present.

When things escalated between Monique and Candiace at a group event in season five and Candiace became animated with her hand gestures, and Monique warned Candiace to keep her hands away from her face. To which Candiace repeatedly replied, “Do you want to drag me?” She baited an already angry Monique, and Monique’s response was to reach over and flip Candiace’s hair while asking, “Do you want me to?” Gizelle put a hand on Monique’s shoulder, pushing her back to de-escalate the situation, and this unfortunately had the opposite effect.

Monique and Candiace’s physical altercation that followed was a significantly dark moment in the series. But now, with years between the incident and Candiace’s repeated history of instigating physical altercations with her egregious insults and baiting language, it seems that time may have repaired the wounds enough to consider Monique returning to the cast. While this incident was upsetting and Monique was also in the wrong, Candiace has never been held accountable for her instigating attitude throughout the series.

For instance, in season four, when Candiace was questioning Ashley’s marriage and her desire to get pregnant, Candiace got into a fight with Ashley in her home. When Ashley commented that the home was technically Candiace’s mother’s home, a shady nod to the financial assistance Candiace received from her mother, Candiace waved her butter knife in Ashley’s face as the pair stood up and got confrontational. Chris Bassett had to step in to pull his wife away from the altercation, and Candiace then threw the knife in Ashley’s direction. Whereas Monique has had time to reflect and has acknowledged her part in their incident, apologizing and owning that she should never have behaved in this way, Candiace has not been held accountable in the same way. Her grabbing the champagne bottle this season in her altercation with Deborah proves that she does not understand how her behavior escalates situations, especially when people have been drinking. Perhaps a pause is more than necessary, which opens the door to allow the possibility of Monique returning.

In June 2023, Monique announced her divorce from husband, Chris Samuels, revealing that she has also continued with therapy since her altercation with Candiace. People Magazine broke the news of Monique’s divorce, quoting her Instagram Live where she discussed how therapy led her to the realization that she was unhappy. Monique told her viewers, “It wasn’t just all on him, it was also just with myself, dealing with my own issues and trauma, understanding myself and why I respond and react the way that I do.” Whether she returns to Potomac, or perhaps even just returns to the Housewives franchise through another means, such as a season of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls’ Trip, it is clear that Monique has been putting in the work to better herself and to better understand her actions. Where Deborah has doubled-down on her actions, and Candiace has yet to hold herself truly accountable for hers, Monique has had the time and space, and indeed put in the work, to earn some grace and a shot at redemption.

It is hard not to imagine how great a new season of Potomac could be that was centered around Mia’s sensational lifestyle changes, with the return of one-time fan-favorite Monique, and the other returning ladies building their friendships back up after a divisive season eight. Monique has come forward, however, and vowed she won’t be returning to the show.