Georgia Entertainment Scene

Preview of 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' season 7 debut

The new cast of "Real Housewives of Atlanta" features Claudia Jordan, with Porsha Williams bumped down to "friend" status, which means she won't be in every episode. CREDIT: Bravo
The new cast of "Real Housewives of Atlanta" features Claudia Jordan, with Porsha Williams bumped down to "friend" status, which means she won't be in every episode. CREDIT: Bravo
Oct 29, 2014

Bravo was kind enough to provide me the first episode of season 7 of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," which returns Nov. 9.

I don't think anything in the episode will be terribly shocking to anybody who followed the women during the off season.

Here is a quick teaser, without giving away the store but including links to prior stories I've already written on the topics in the episode:

- The show opens in early July when Apollo Nida is sentenced for bank, ID and mail fraud that landed him in federal prison for eight years. (Details here.) We find out why Phaedra Parks chose not to be with him at the sentencing hearing and where she stayed that day. He isn't happy about her absence, understandably. And the D-word is brought up in anticipation of what actually happens.

- As previously reported, Porsha Williams has been reduced to a "recurring" cast member instead of a woman holding a peach with a full-time gig. She does appear in the first episode but only in relation to the fight she had with Kenya Moore during the reunion.  (She also shows off her new breast implants.)

- Kenya traveled for several months after the reunion fight and returned in time to tape the show. It's unclear what her storyline this season will be.

- NeNe Leakes is in Las Vegas prepping for her Zumanity show, although that actually happened in June so RHOA is playing with time just a bit.

- Cynthia Bailey is no longer friends with NeNe and is spending more time with her husband Peter Thomas. They are moving Bar One to a new location.

- Kandi Burruss got married in the spring and got herself a spin-off show that aired over the summer to solid ratings. She and Todd are in a good place and are even pondering a baby.

- The two newcomers - regular Claudia Jordan and recurring cast member Demetria McKinney - have not shown up yet except in teasers.

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About the Author

Rodney Ho writes about entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution including TV, radio, film, comedy and all things in between. A native New Yorker, he has covered education at The Virginian-Pilot, small business for The Wall Street Journal and a host of beats at the AJC over 20-plus years. He loves tennis, pop culture & seeing live events.

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