Season 17 of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” is set to premiere on April 5, featuring newbie Pinky Cole, who gained fame as the founder of the fast-food empire Slutty Vegan. Now, ahead of the season, “RHOA” legend Phaedra Parks is reacting to the newbie’s recent bankruptcy filing and teasing the show, saying its reminiscent of classic “Housewives.”

Phaedra Parks Shades ‘RHOA’ Newbie Pinky Cole

Parks appeared on Page Six Radio on March 24 to discuss season 17 of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” During the discussion, the topic of Cole came up after the hosts noted that Parks and Cole had known each other for several years.

However, after being asked whether she had previously believed the Slutty Vegan founder would make “an amazing housewife,” Parks said, “Um, no,” noting that they only knew one another professionally, since Cole had worked in television production.

After that, the host asked if it was fun getting to know Cole on a personal level, to which the RHOA legend said, “Well, it was interesting. I mean, Pinky, she’s very chatty.” Then her recent bankruptcy filing was mentioned, along with how she has defended it publicly, essentially saying it’s not a big deal.

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This led Parks to deliver one of her iconic facial expressions before asking the hosts, “Are you filing for bankruptcy? I don’t know if that’s a right of passage. I’ve been in business for over 20 years, I’ve never filed for bankruptcy and never even thought about it.”

Parks Also Praised The New ‘RHOA’ Season

Elsewhere in the Page Six interview, Parks detailed what viewers can expect from “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” season 17. Notably, this comes after she left the show after season 9, then returned for the last few episodes of season 16.

When asked if she was excited for the new season, Parks responded, “This is going to be such an iconic, awesome season. It reminds me so much of classic ‘Housewives’ from back in the day. It’s gonna be really good.”

From there, she briefly discussed the cast, saying, “We’ve got two great new peaches.” For context, in additon to Cole, singer K. Michelle is joining the show as a full-time housewife. She described Michelle as “a sweetheart” and called her “very vulnerable and loving.”

Later, the former “Traitors” star gave an update on her friendship with Angela Oakley, who was at odds with her in the previous season. She said of what fans will see this season, “It is going to be good. We turned a corner, so we’re in a totally different place.”

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Fans Are Reacting To ‘RHOA’ Season 17

Overall, Bravo fans are excited about season 17 of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” However, some are skeptical of Parks’ comparison to “classic Housewives.” One person said on X, “They said the same thing with season 16, and it didn’t live up to the hype. Still watching, though.”

Another fan wrote, “The nail in the coffin was bringing Phaedra back after what she did to Kandi.” However, in support, another “RHOA” fan said, “I’m sorry, but I’m so distracted about how good Phae Phae looks. Brown hair looks good on her.”

Someone discussed Michelle joining the show, saying, “K. Michelle is toxic af every show she goes on it’s nothing but mess. Why didn’t she have this energy for Paris when she drenched her with that drink?” Notably, their comment is referring to her stint on “Love & Hip Hop.”

Lastly, another fan said, “The season hasn’t even started yet, and I’m telling you THIS IS GOING TO BE SO F-CKING GOOD.”

Phaedra Parks Recently Gave Advice To Wendy Osefo

“Real Housewives of Potomac” star Wendy Osefo and her husband, Eddie Osefo, are currently awaiting trial on several counts of insurance fraud following their October 2025 arrest and release the following day.

Recently, TMZ interviewed Parks, who is also an attorney, and asked the “RHOA” star how she would advise Osefo in her insurance fraud case. She responded, “The win for her would obviously be to be exonerated, but the evidence speaks for itself.”

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Parks went on, “So, when the evidence speaks for itself, you need to do what’s in the best interest of your family and children and I’m not associated with that case so I can’t speak to what her attorneys are advising her of, but at the end of the day, she’s a mom and so I want the best for her and her kids.”

The interviewer then asked Parks what advice she would give Osefo to take a plea deal, to which she said, “You have to be offered a plea deal to obviously accept it.” Additionally, she spoke about the Osefos opting for separate hearings, saying that, as an attorney, she would have done the same in a case like this.

‘RHOA’ Season 17 Returns In April

Bravo unveiled the trailer for “RHOA” season 17 in February 2026, announcing the show’s return on April 5. In additon to Parks, Michelle, Cole, and Oakley, the series stars Porsha Williams, Drew Sidora, Shamea Morton, Kelli Ferrell, and Cynthia Bailey, who appears as a friend of the show.

This will mark the second season for stars Oakley, Morton, and Ferrell. As for Williams, she returned to the show for season 16 after having exited in 2021. Sidora joined the series in 2020 and was the only cast member to survive the soft reboot. As for Bailey, this will be her second year as an official friend of the show.

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“Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum Phaedra Parks has broken her silence on “Real Housewives of Potomac” star Wendy Osefo and her ongoing fraud case.

While Parks, an attorney to the stars, said that she couldn’t say much about the case and Wendy Osefo’s charges, she did imply that wrapping things up as soon as possible would be in her best interest.

Phaedra Parks Breaks Silence On Wendy Osefo’s Ongoing Legal Woes, Implies The Mother Of Three Should Take A Plea Deal

Speaking with TMZ, Parks, a practicing lawyer and veteran reality star, said that Wendy’s primary concern at this moment should be her minor children, Karter, Kruz, and Kamrynn.

Parks went on to say that she couldn’t offer much legal advice to Wendy and her husband, Eddie Osefo, because she hadn’t seen the indictment.

She added, however, “Here is the thing. The win for her would be to obviously be exonerated, but the evidence speaks for itself.”

When asked whether Wendy, a former political commentator and university professor, should take a plea deal, Parks didn’t mince her words.

“I think the smartest thing to do is the least amount of time,” she said. “At the end of the day, they’re both parents. And so, you know, as a parent, your number one interest has to be the care of your children.”

Wendy Osefo Opens Up About Her Ongoing Fraud Case At BravoCon 2025

For those who may be unfamiliar, Wendy and her husband, Eddie, were arrested in the late hours of October 9, 2025.

According to The Blast, the pair were hit with various fraud charges stemming from a reported burglary in April 2024 that prosecutors claim never happened.

In the legal documents, authorities alleged Wendy and Eddie staged a burglary, reported it to police, and later filed insurance claims for pricey items that were never actually stolen.

And the madness doesn’t end there. Investigators also claimed that Wendy and Eddie filed claims on items that had already been returned to stores years prior.

If convicted, both Wendy and Eddie could spend up to 15 years behind bars.

At BravoCon 2025, Wendy got candid about the case, admitting that while she can’t respond to the fans, she noticed their support.

“You know, it’s an unfortunate situation, and right now I can’t say too much, but I will say when the time is right, I will share my story with everyone, and for now they’re just allegations, so we will continue to push forward,” she said.

Wendy Osefo Gets Legal Advice From Karen Huger During The ‘Real Housewives Of Potomac’ Reunion

Wendy shared a few more details about her arrest and ongoing legal case with Andy Cohen at the “Real Housewives of Potomac” reunion, according to The Blast.

One of the show’s OGs, Karen Huger, wasn’t pleased with Wendy sharing the intimate details and offered her co-star a bit of legal advice.

“I just told you to shut the f-ck up,” Huger said. “I took it out of context because I didn’t want you to do what you just did. I wouldn’t have answered anything on this stage today.”

Huger was released from federal prison in September 2025 after being convicted of driving under the influence a year prior.

“You’re talking too much, Wendy. I’m begging you to stop talking. I do not want you to go to jail,” Huger added. “Take it from the Karen you used to like, how about that? Because when you talk, they watch, OK? They hear you. And so, I would have said, ‘Respectfully, Andy, I can’t answer those questions right now.’”

Update In Wendy And Eddie’s Case

Wendy and Eddie’s case is still moving through the court system, but it was reported in early March 2026 that the pair would be tried separately after months of back-and-forth.

“Smart decision,” a fan wrote on social media about the decision. “At least the kids will have one of their parents while the other serve time.”

“She’s doing time either way, but I think they’re going to let him take the brunt of it so she gets a little less time,” another user wrote.

Wendy Admits To Thinking About ‘Consequences’ Later

Amid her arrest, Wendy and her husband starred in an episode of Bravo’s “Wife Swap” spin-off. While promoting the series, Wendy revealed what led her to sign up for the show in the first place and shared a shocking proclamation that left some viewers stunned.

“I’m one of those people where I jump into things headfirst, then think about the consequences later,” she said. “I was like, ‘This will be great!’ I can look back on this when I’m 90 years old and say, ‘Look what I did!’ But my husband [Eddie Osefo] had more questions. He was like, ‘Wait, what is this? What are we doing? How long is this?’ It was a mixed bag. But we talked through it. Then it all made sense and we decided, ‘Hey, why not?’”

In the rapidly expanding world of AI, sci-fi has felt less like fiction and more like reality. Ethics surrounding the use of artificial intelligence are more concerning than ever before, but this theme has historically cropped up in fiction more than once. Blade Runner, Battlestar Galactica, and even the recent horror-comedy Companion have explored the pressing ramifications of AI. Stories revolving around synthetic humans leave a door open for conversations about what it means to be human, and AMC’s series, Humans, did it with some of the best storytelling.

Lasting for three seasons, Humans shows the realities of what would happen if society accepted synthetic humans into their households. Gemma Chan stars as Mia, a synth programmed to achieve human consciousness. Considered freaks, she and her robot siblings are captured and struggle to find each other again. An incredibly intelligent meditation on the cost of technology and where human consciousness comes from, Humans flew under the radar for far too long.

‘Humans’ Was Ahead of Its Time

Before Westworld, there was Humans. The British series that aired on AMC did not hold back when it came to the complicated politics of artificial life. Humans takes place in a world where synths are so common that they take labor-intensive jobs from humans, and careers in science seem to be obsolete. This idea is just the start of the relevant themes the series explores.

Similar to Companion and Ex Machina, many households employ synths, though not solely for sexual practices. Mia enters her new household because Joe (Tom Goodman-Hill) wants to take the workload off his wife, Laura (Katherine Parkinson), with whom he fears he is growing apart. This dynamic naturally puts even more of a strain on the marriage when Laura feels as though Mia is replacing her.

This is just one of the many stories that consider what life would be like, especially for the synthetics. Mia has human consciousness, but society has trapped her so that her specific use is monitored and controlled. Her robot sister Niska (Emily Berrington) also has human consciousness, but has to hide what she is in a brothel for synthetics. Consistently abused, Niska forms resentment against humans, which is hard to argue with. Her story hammers home the question of bodily autonomy, which is tragically still a battle being fought in society.

One of the most heart-wrenching stories is about Dr. George Millican (William Hurt), the creator of the modern synthetic, who has formed a fatherly attachment to one of his creations. His synth, Odi (Will Tudor), has broken down, but he cannot part with him. Humans demands that audiences empathize with these characters in a way that the humans of the series cannot.

True to the title of the show, the synths are the most human of all, adding to the sentiments made famous by Blade Runner. Humans poses many interesting philosophical questions, such as what constitutes a soul. The series was an amazing breakout for Gemma Chan before Crazy Rich Asians and a genuinely engaging thriller as the synths strive to live on their own terms. Westworld would echo these themes later with a higher budget, but Humans was far more intimate and full of soul.

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Release Date

2015 – 2018-00-00

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Network

Channel 4

Directors

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Lewis Arnold, Daniel Nettheim, Francesca Gregorini, Jill Robertson, Mark Brozel, Al Mackay, China Moo-Young, Sam Donovan, Ben A. Williams, Carl Tibbetts, Richard Senior

Writers

Joe Barton, Emily Ballou, Daisy Coulam, Charlie Covell, Iain Weatherby, Debbie O’Malley, Jonathan Harbottle

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  Emily Berrington

  Dr. Aveling

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