The girls’ trip kicks off at Westgate River Ranch in Florida, and the city-slicker skepticism is already setting in. As the ladies settle in and gather for lunch, casual pleasantries quickly give way to playful shade—par for the course with this group. The conversation takes a sharp left turn when the topic shifts to their first times in the bedroom: Dr. Jackie doesn’t mince words, calling hers “anti-climactic,” Toya shares that she made a preemptive stop at Planned Parenthood, and Dr. Heavenly reveals that her husband was her “first” (wink wink).
Phaedra tries to set a positive tone by encouraging the group to share affirmations at the table, hoping to foster unity within the sister circle. Toya plays along but takes a detour, flipping the script on Phaedra and asking, “what makes her tick,” as a way to get to know her better. The question, however, lands awkwardly. Understandably, if someone’s trying to adjust to a new friend group, “what makes me tick” and “what pisses you off” probably wouldn’t top the list of things you’d want to be asked.
While Toya’s question didn’t quite hit the mark, her curiosity is understandable. Despite her history on Real Housewives of Atlanta, Phaedra has a reputation for keeping people at arm’s length. Unfortunately, as revealed in the confessionals, some of the other ladies seem to share Toya’s sentiment, suggesting that breaking through Phaedra’s polished exterior might be easier said than done.
The ladies set out to explore the resort, quickly realizing the campgrounds aren’t nearly as rustic as they feared. Staying in wagons for the trip, the accommodations spark mixed reactions—and, of course, some complaints, because what’s a Bravo girls’ trip without them?
Meanwhile, Dr. Heavenly and Dr. Jackie have a heart-to-heart about their hopes for the trip. Heavenly circles back to Toya’s earlier comments about Phaedra keeping things surface-level with the group. Unlike Real Housewives, Married to Medicine often goes deeper, and if Phaedra opened up, the group might actually be able to support her personal journey.
As the evening rolls in, the ladies don their best cowgirl looks for a saloon night. Things start off lighthearted, but Dr. Simone stirs the pot by addressing Toya’s earlier accusations at Quad’s birthday party, where she called some of the women fake. This season, Toya seems to be leaning into a “fixer” role, akin to Sheree Whitfield, nudging everyone to confront their issues with each other head-on.
Toya takes it further, saying she could understand calling Heavenly fake and Jackie boring. But Jackie doesn’t let it slide, snapping back with, “We could call you lack of substance,” leaving everyone speechless. Even Heavenly declares the comment a step too far. In that moment, we got to see the unfiltered Dr. Jackie—captured in full 4K glory.
Phaedra and Quad finally make their grand entrance to the party—fashionably late, of course, and fully decked out in their cowgirl best. Before their arrival, however, Jackie takes a moment to apologize to Toya, sparking a group discussion about the nuances of accountability and the art of a genuine apology. Sweet Tea weighs in, noting, “you have to say the wrongdoing that you committed and take responsibility for what you did.”
Toya, the mediator this season, encourages Sweet Tea to confront Heavenly about her hurt feelings. Surprisingly, Heavenly delivers a heartfelt apology — probably the best we’ve seen from her, though the situation between the two remains unresolved. Both women seem stuck in a cycle of mutual antagonism, leaving us to wonder how long the truce will last before someone gets triggered again.
The tension begins to lift when Quad and Phaedra arrive, bringing a much-needed shift in energy. But just as the mood lightens, Sweet Tea takes a jab, quipping, “I never thought I’d be happy to see Quad, at least she’s good for something.” And just like that, any sympathy I might’ve had for Sweet Tea goes straight out the window.
Back at the heart of the conversation, Sweet Tea remains unconvinced by Heavenly’s apology, leaving the two women at a standstill. In many ways, this displays the balance of a successful women-led reality show: the ability to acknowledge real emotions while trying to move forward. When cast members remain stuck in their feelings, it often halts progress within the group. Heavenly, true to form, doubles down after her initial apology, saying, “I’ve apologized. Accept it or not. Take all the time you need to heal.” And just like that, the conversation spirals back to square one, with insults flying once again.
Amid the tension, the ladies switch gears at the saloon, learning how to line dance. It quickly becomes clear who among the group has rhythm—and who does not. As Simone cheekily points out, a few of them might be rhythmically challenged. Despite the ongoing drama, Toya continues in her role as peacemaker, encouraging Heavenly to offer Sweet Tea a compliment. Surprisingly, Heavenly obliges, showing a rare moment of effort in bridging the divide.
Around the campfire, the ladies reflect on the day’s events, with Toya and Heavenly revisiting their earlier spat. As the host, Phaedra takes the opportunity to remind the group about tomorrow’s plans—a photo shoot with all the ladies, where Toya will serve as the creative director.
Quad tries to mend fences between Heavenly and Contessa, reminding them of their once-close friendship. But instead of engaging, Contessa deflects, pointing to her own unresolved issues with Simone. As a viewer, it’s frustrating to watch Contessa sidestep the issue at hand, leaving the impression that there’s a missing piece to the story behind their falling out.
When it comes to Heavenly’s tendency to discuss her castmates on her YouTube channel, it’s easy to see why it ruffles feathers—but let’s not forget, so much of what we’ve learned about Contessa’s past struggles, especially during her marital issues with Scott, came directly from Contessa herself in previous seasons. Heavenly’s commentary might be provocative, but it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It makes me wonder now about her relationship with Sweet Tea, and how it’s slowly looking like an alliance against Heavenly.
The next day, the ladies are getting glam for their photo shoot, and the ladies are in their respective wagons, catching up. Sweet Tea stops by Simone’s cabin, and asks if she’ll ever get anywhere with Heavenly, and I can really appreciate the honesty—sometimes you need to hear from your friends that you’re the one that’s not being receptive. Jackie has a similar conversation with Heavenly about her relationship with Contessa, saying that the two are “still in love but angry.” She reflects on her friendship breakdown with Simone once upon a time and shares what she missed when the two weren’t friends.
The ladies dive into ranch life with horseback riding, lassoing, double dutch, and a visit to the petting zoo. While the activities bring a few laughs, these city girls quickly tell Phaedra that their next getaway better involve a beach.
Looking ahead to next week, Toya steps into her role as creative director, giving her stamp of approval (or not) on the ladies’ outfits for the big photo shoot. Let’s hope Toya’s creative direction doesn’t cause a stir—because with her bossy streak, these city girls might be ready to trade in their boots for a rebellion.
Watch Married to Medicine on Sundays on Bravo, and catch up with our reviews each week here.
