Mob Wives Recap: Karen Makes Natalie Run [Episode 1]

I think the “Mob Wives” are the loudest, gaudiest women on television, and I have MISSED THEM so much! Welcome back ladies! We open to Drita working her husband’s (Mr. Lee’s Sports Memorabilia) shop.  Each has a busy store, and both are doing well. They’re just stressed by their success, and balancing that with making sure they meet their children’s needs. Sports Memorabilia…You have questions? Yeah, me too! We’ll let that one go, for now. Big Ang stops in to talk about how busy her life is, and that she’s been hearing from Natalie – who wants all of them to get together. Both Big Ang and Drita are finding Natalie to be their girl and are down on Renee. Believe it or not, I did not see this one coming. Both have heard that Renee has been talking about them, and about their families. Didn’t we have the big “sit down” dinner, last season, where the women agreed to talk with each other, directly, instead of buying into rumors? Both Ang and Drita have decided, it seems, that the word on the street beats talking to an old friend.

No surprise, we transition to Renee who is fed up with Ang and Drita. She is most upset with Natalie, the woman she brought into the group.  There are a lot of things I like aboutRenee, but I don’t know if I can forgive her for turning Natalie loose on us.  That woman sounds, to me, like she’s always talking with a bag of marbles in her mouth, and I wouldn’t care if it weren’t for the fact that she talks ALL the DAMN TIME!  (Hey, if you thought that the reference was going to be about her being as dumb as a bag of marbles, or that she had loose marbles for brains… sorry, that’s not what I was saying – but I get your point.  I ain’t mad at ya’).  Renee feels that she has been frozen out and betrayed by her old friends and she is OUT! DONE!  GONE! So is there where Karen enters? Drat! Nope, it’s just a transition to hearing Natalie’s garbling about how she’s taking funeral homes to the next level and she’s getting ready to join Drita at an Albanian festival.  She asks her boyfriend if her band-aid and bondage dress makes her look Albanian.  I hope she asks that question at the festival!

Ang, Drita, and Natalie are at an Albanian party. It looks like fun, and I wish the focus had remained on the party and great time everyone seemed to be having. Instead, Natalie asks about Renee and the Graziano Gang-Up begins. Natalie is not surprised that people are fed up with Renee. She casually drops the line that Drita has been called a “rat” and that Renee trashed her husband, too. I can’t tell if they are more upset by the “rat” comment or the comments about Lee. Natalie claims that she’s now comfortable telling them because back then she would have been the new girl coming in to start trouble. I see her point. She was so innocent, then. #sarcasm. Lines have been drawn. They go all in! I loved Drita and Carla’s friendship the first several seasons. I’m not digging what’s going on right now. In case you care, Alicia is not around because she wants to spend time with her children before sentencing.

NOW we get to Karen’s return. Renee has flown off to the desert to visit Karen. They understand each other because of the lifestyle they grew up in, together. Karen has lost a lot of weight and looks so different (not prettier, she was always pretty, just different). She has been biding her time until her father is out in another two years. Apparently, Marbles has been attacking Karen on social media and Karen’s father, calling him a “rat” and telling everyone that as a result, Karen has put a hit out on her. Karen wants Marbles to say everything to her face, or her father’s face.

When Marbles tells her boyfriend, London, about the “slipped” comments, he tells her that she should sit things out and avoid taking things out of context – as she sometimes does. Marbles is rattling mad. She thinks he should be taking her side, always. I think he knows who they are all dealing with and is not happy to be dragged into a senseless fight.

Big Ang is back, talking with AJ, and he looks good.  Ang is hoping the baby will keep him on track. I hope he is as healthy as he looks and that things stay that way.  We learn that he wants more for his child than he has expected of himself – as any parent would.  He is still waiting for his court date to come up.  Ang tells him to focus on the fact that “Angelina” (awwww) is on her way, not to worry about what will happen with the courts.  I hope all works out for him and his growing family.  At the same time we have Drita’sstore being featured and it’s busy. They are double booked in some cases and out of products. The kids are calling and Lee is cranky over the phone because there is no food in the house. Apparently Drita has driven the only family car that knows its way to the grocery store. Hate when that happens.  Renee and Karen follow up Renee’s visit with a phone call, as well. Surprisingly (wink wink) there is a summer party and Renee is planning to go, alone. Renee doesn’t think anyone should worry about her. She’ll push a bitch off the edge before she falls over. Ruh roh!

The party arrives and it is surely everything you expected: eyeballing and blustering. Natalie is going to “make it right” by going over to tell Renee that she needs to talk with everyone. London tries to stop her. Renee gives her the cold shoulder and walks away to another part of the party. Natalie Marbles, of course, feels that Renee is behaving badly. I see growth. No yelling and screaming, well – none from Renee. Drita is going off when she learns Renee walked away. Marbles is cutting Renee down for not taking her version of an olive branch. Like a b-movie version cavalry, In.Walks.Karen!  YES BITCHES!  I love that moment!  Like a BOSS, Karen walks over to #TeamMessy and asks how is it that they had a rooftop party and no one invited her. BOOM!  Dead.SILENCE! 

I don’t like HOW these women came into notoriety, but I love who they are. Marbles literally begins blowing smoke, from her cigarette, but no blowing it up Karen’s skirt. Karen vows, in a talking head, that there will be no more three-on-one fights. She’s back now, M’Fers. Marbles runs off, she JETS! I guess it is ok to walk away. She claims Alicia, whose father-in-law was killed by Sammy The Bull, is on her mind, now. Off she goes, much to Renee’s delight. I am stunned, but never into silence.

I’ll see you next week, when #TeamBadAss kicks it in high gear

 

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