RHONJ 3.5: Say It Ain't So, Zio Joe!

"How can I respect my family if they don't respect my family?"
 — Joe Gorga, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, episode: "Stick It."

Despite that flash of clarity, Zio Joe puts his foot in his mouth one too many times this episode. The other Joe G. did a little of that last season (hitting a pole, having some drinks, etc.) so fair enough.

1. When referring to his wife's past dreams of becoming a singer, Joe Gorga says "I wanna be her father." While not the best word choice, it is a ... sweet ... sentiment, since he's talking about championing Melissa just like her father did.

2. He didn't have to say anything else to make that terribly awkward reunion at Gia's gymnastics meet even more awkward. While Teresa is given to being hyper-reactive, she was pretty much absolutely in the right this time when she said Gia was on edge and off her game specifically because her uncle wasn't there, or at least not on time. Joe really could've made a better effort. For his mother to say something — and in Italian, at that — even in the face of what she surely knows is a precarious situation, it had to be a significant foul on his part.

Still, for all of Joe's missteps, Melissa's words at the end of the episode outlined some very important keys to the family dynamic. Her point about sacrificing her own treatment for the sake of some kind of truce reveals that she really does believe she is treated unfairly by Joe's family. So would things actually be better for her the way they are, surrounded by her family and no other?  She doesn't seem to think so, wanting some kind of resolution.

Melissa does know, however, that more Teresa in her life will possibly change her marital relationship in some way. Maybe now we're gaining some ounce of understanding of why Joe Gorga doesn't want to make nice with his sister. It might seem as if the men are the heads of household, as Melissa would have it of "Italian men," but Joe seems to think he has to choose between his sister and his wife. Their kids just want to play! C'mon, Melissa can have a Bravo-fueled single and Teresa can have a bestselling cookbook and all can end well, right? It's not looking great.

Courtesy of a mention from Jenni Pulos of "Flipping Out" on "Watch What Happens Live," Melissa did offer up a little snafu by singing the words "saved a wench like me" instead of "saved a wretch like me." No commentary needed.

For a lot more levity, though, it's back to the sunny Manzos and cutesy Wakiles. Albert and Caroline's interactions are fun to watch even when they're talking about how they can't find some recreational activity they'd both enjoy. Caroline can't live without extra baskets of laundry? You know she's got the empty nest thing bad.

And she never looked like a golfer, But Caroline did have a point about her life experience serving to qualify her for the radio spot. Just walking into that 101.5 office she had an air about her that made her seem like a CEO. A CEO of life. And not in a snooty way, just a self-assured one.

By the way, is there anything to dislike about Jacqueline? She seems to constantly be there for everyone, whether it be Caroline, Teresa, or her husband, even when he disses her outright (again) with that Jeep purchase. Plus, according to the teaser for next week, she allows Melissa and Teresa to use her house as a space to attempt a reconciliation. She needs some kind of award, that one.

The Wakiles are all heartwarming with their little contracts. The camera seems to be grooming the kids to take up the former comic-relief role of the Manzo children. If Joseph Wakile isn't a Chris Manzo-alike, he's at least a mini Rich, if not more of a wisenheimer.

Parting thoughts: 1. Teresa looks pretty fresh-faced without all that makeup, despite her whole grand bathroom setup. She should try doing without it sometime. 2. Bad zio! Poor Gia. She's really feeling the brunt of this rift. Ripping Milania and Antonia apart was a bad look, too.