Jail Didn’t Stop Luann or Teresa — Can Karen Huger Stage the Next Housewives Comeback?

As filming for Season 10 is already underway, we know that the season will be short two main castmembers, Mia Thornton and Karen Huger. Mia, of her own volition. Karen, due to her prison sentence. As The Real Housewives of Potomac charters a new frontier without the Grande Dame, the energy will change as the stories begin to evolve around other main characters. With Karen’s DUI being a central storyline of Season 9, it opens up The Real Housewives of Potomac to close that chapter of its history.

While there is certainly a precedent of big-name stars who have bounced back after major arrests or time in jail, it was very much a different time, as the circumstances were wildly different. Luann De Lesseps returned to The Real Housewives of New York City, until its reboot, and has since continued a flourishing career with the new series Bravo’s Love Hotel. Teresa Giudice has not only remained a major part of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, the network chronicled the family’s aftermath prior to her prison sentence through a spin off. As far as star power, Karen Huger easily lives in the same tier as both women, so will Bravo show her the same grace? Is it even going to be worth it to return to the series? We hope Karen Huger can bounce back, but it will depend on how she plays her cards.

Karen Huger Has a Lot To Answer For

The past year has been a whirlwind for Karen Huger. After she was arrested for her DUI, she spent months in a limbo awaiting trial while trying to maintain her image. As viewers saw on Season 9, Karen took some accountability but also maintained her hope of being found innocent. She knew what she did was wrong, but she prevented major conversation about the incident due to the legality of the situation. Therefore, the other women became the mouthpiece of the conversation, with opinions ranging from knocking Karen around to fervently defending her.

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Is there a path back for the Grande Dame?

In the end, the tides turned on Karen, especially when she was found guilty and ultimately sentenced. Her no-show at the Season 9 reunion marked the end of an era. While we understood part of the reason was due to her voluntary intake to a rehabilitation center, it wasn’t until after her sentencing that her absence might have been slightly fabricated. With so much doubt surrounding Karen and her statements, the authenticity of Karen Huger has seemingly flown out the window. For Karen Huger to ever return to The Real Housewives of Potomac, she must take full accountability and sit down with Andy Cohen and explain everything. It’s going to be hard. It’s not going to be pleasant, but Karen needs to explain everything so she can return to the viewer’s good graces.

Would Karen Huger Want To Return to ‘RHOP?’

Of course, the above scenario is based on if she wants to come back to the show that made her a reality star. But here’s the other question. Would Karen Huger even want to return to the environment that The Real Housewives of Potomac fosters? While Mia Thornton and her cronies were leading the charge with their pitchforks, rightly against Karen, her other allies seemed to show slight support still. For Karen to want to return to the show, wouldn’t it have to be a safe and open environment? The chaos that we know and love from these shows may not be best for her personal journey. Why put yourself in a place where things can go sideways at the drop of a hat?

With so much of her past history coming to light because of the trial, should Karen expose herself to television again, it means she would have to answer to all the facts that came out. As someone with immense pride, there is a world in which she may want to keep it covered up and never address it again. There’s no way that her past wouldn’t come out on television, so in order for self-preservation, perhaps Karen Huger returning to The Real Housewives of Potomac is not actually a possibility. No matter what, it’s going to be in her hands. Bravo will want to exploit anything they can. It’s just a matter of how much Karen is willing to share. The Real Housewives of Potomac is available to stream on Peacock.