Somehow Teresa Giudice Is The Sensible Jersey Housewife

Seeing how much of a mess this season is turning out to be for the Giudices and the Gorgas, it’s easy to see why Teresa was resistant to adding her sister-in-law Melissa to the cast. Reality TV cameras very rarely serve to diffuse tension, and in fact, tend to do the opposite. The fact that the drama is happening between families—and not some nutcase in Wayne—really raises the stakes and is probably way more painful to watch play out on television.

That being said, most of these people are ridiculous, and the craziest thing of all is that they make table-flipping Teresa seem like the sane one. This episode was the hangover to last week’s drunken christening brawl, at which Teresa’s brother called her “garbage” after she congratulated him on his son’s sacrament. Apparently she was supposed to apologize to Joe and Melissa for this? It didn’t make any sense. I know there have only been two episodes in this season so far, so we don’t have much to judge Joe and Melissa and this entire situation on, but there are a couple of really telling signs indicating who’s in the wrong. The first is that Teresa’s parents seem to be firmly on her side in this, and are fiercely protective of her, as evidenced by her mother’s outburst in the clip above. Why would parents choose sides between children unless her brother Joe really fucked up in some way (especially Italian moms, who think the sun rises and sets because of their kids)? Additionally, despite the drama that’s unfolded on TV, Teresa has been really careful in both of her Bravo blogs when it comes to speaking ill about anyone in her family, choosing to take the high road. Melissa, on the other hand seems to revel in it, bashing her in-laws, and delighting in her own ability to “make great TV.”

And then there’s Kathy, Teresa’s first cousin, who’s taken like a duck to water when it comes to the Housewife doctrine:
1.) Wear fur vests.
2.) Start shit.