The Real Housewives of Atlanta: Season 16, Episode 2: Messy Moves & Girl Code Violations – Essence
This week on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, we’re back at Shamea’s birthday party, where the main event isn’t the celebration—it’s the swirling speculation about Drew and Dennis. Are they dating? Did they just happen to coordinate outfits? Cynthia, ever the confessional queen, jokes that she better not catch anyone out in a matching fit with her ex, Peter Thomas. (No worries, Cynthia. Maybe Leon, but Peter is safe.)
Drew—who has yet to master the art of a convincing lie—claims she and Porsha discussed the situation, but it wasn’t much of a conversation. And while I might be letting some OG bias peek through, I do believe Porsha was genuinely trying to be a friend here. But this whole storyline involving her baby daddy? It’s not landing. Porsha, you’re insisting you don’t care, but girl, you clearly care.
She even breaks the fourth wall, calling Drew a “low down dirty individual” for going behind her back to ask Dennis to film with her. It’s giving girl code violation. It’s also giving a completely transparent play for a storyline. At the very least, Drew should have been straight-up about it instead of resorting to her usual vague, smoke-and-mirrors routine. Even Cynthia clocks Drew’s pattern of getting caught in lies—and feigning confusion when confronted. The Yandy of it all.
Over at Angela’s home, we’re peeling back more layers of her life and family. Last week, I said the jury was still out, and while I’m slowly warming up to her, I still can’t quite place her role in this group. Also—her marriage to Charles Oakley? Interesting.
Meanwhile, Kenya and Porsha link up for lunch, both pulling up in their Rolls-Royces. Atlanta has always delivered luxury, but after Shamea’s over-the-top birthday gift of a Cullinan last week, it’s clear the ladies are stepping up their game. And honestly? I’ve always loved Kenya and Porsha when they’re on good terms—stronger together than apart. As Porsha spills all the messy details about her impending divorce, Kenya is shook. And really, who wouldn’t be?
Kelli is checking in on her new restaurant, meeting with her publicist and project manager as she tries to get her Atlanta location up and running. While it’s clear they’re behind schedule, Kelli is focused on a bigger goal—building generational wealth for her children. But in the midst of her tumultuous divorce, she also drops a major revelation: her ex-husband doesn’t pay child support.
And listen, in the year of our Lord, 2025, we all love a good buzzword. While generational wealth sounds great, what Kelli is really doing is setting her kids up for success—which, let’s be real, isn’t quite the same thing.
Meanwhile, Brit is at home with her husband, Mike, and we finally get more details on how they met—she was his insurance agent. And she insures jewelry? Interesting. The two are deep in conversation about family planning and making big moves, but something about it feels… off. When Brit brings up wanting a baby, Mike responds with a casual “allegedly.” Weird? Very.
Shamea visits her surrogate, and honestly, it’s one of the most emotional and vulnerable moments we’ve seen this season. You can feel her gratitude, and if nothing else, it’s clear—Shamea is a genuinely good person. Meanwhile, Brit and Kelli catch up, covering everything from Shamea’s birthday party to Kelli’s messy divorce. And by messy, we mean very messy—turns out her ex was stealing money from her company.
Over in the fitness studio, Angela and Drew link up for a workout and some post-party damage control. And I have to say—Angela is growing on me, at least when it comes to accountability. Drew, however, is still dodging responsibility, making excuses about why she never had a real conversation with Porsha about Dennis. Then, cue the tears—Drew gets emotional about being separated from Ralph, but honestly… why add more stress by getting tangled up in this Dennis situation? Make it make sense.
Later, Shamea and Angela get into a little tiff while rehashing the party drama. Angela presses Shamea about whether she was questioning Drew about Dennis on Porsha’s behalf, but honestly—if that’s the case, isn’t Angela now doing the same thing for Drew? And let’s not forget: Drew called Dennis her “angel on earth” (even Angela said that didn’t sound right). The newbies are bringing the heat.
At the end of the day, whether or not Drew was moving funny on Porsha’s behalf, one thing is clear: when things are messy, they look messy. You never have to overexplain the truth—right now, Drew is giving a spirit of confusion. Speaking of confusion, Porsha and Dennis sit down to discuss their co-parenting situation, which, of course, leads back to Drew. Dennis insists it’s just business, but Porsha says Drew is telling a completely different story. And when Porsha frames it as a loyalty issue, she’s not wrong—it does look like betrayal.
Next week, the ladies hit the shops, Kenya checks Drew about her behavior, and the tension only gets thicker. Buckle up.
Watch The Real Housewives of Atlanta on Sundays on Bravo, and catch up with our reviews each week here.
