Denise Richards Returned To Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills, And Fans Were Brutal On Social Media

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS -- "Ring Around the Rumor" and "Dazed and Accused" Episode 1306, Denise Richards
(Image credit: NBCUniversal)

The Real Housewives world has been busy. In the same week that former RHOBH star Taylor Armstrong announced her departure from The Real Housewives of Orange County, fellow California housewife Denise Richards made her grand return to the Bev Hills-based Bravo series on the November 30 episode. And, boy, does her comeback have viewers talking. 

Richards has had an on-and-off-again relationship with The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, appearing as a guest back in Season 5 before becoming a full-time cast member in its ninth and tenth seasons. During her tenure, the former Bond girl was embroiled in drama with many of her fellow Beverly Hills cast members, including former RHOBH star Lisa Rinna and ex-Housewife Brandi Glanville, with whom it was rumored Richards had an affair

Following a three-year hiatus from the program, the actress confirmed to Variety that she would be rejoining the Cali crew in a guest capacity for Season 13 of the show (which airs Wednesday nights on Bravo and can be streamed with a Peacock subscription). 

And while many Bravo diehards cheered the return of Richards on the franchise, her behavior during Wednesday's episode confused many. The Wild Things star was attending a cannabis-infused dinner party hosted by Kyle Richards, though she opted out of partaking in any of the THC edibles on offer. However, Richards was seemingly looking to spark up a fight, quickly laying into grievances against her castmate Erika Jayne at the dinner table:

I do have a question for you, why you treated me a certain way after I met you. I mean, I could say this about me and you, you and I, the first time I met you, you were so sweet and so lovely. And then a year later, was a different dynamic.

Jayne—who is no stranger to onscreen drama, though it's lately been more of the legal sort—was perplexed by the tirade and asked Richards to tell her exactly what she was upset about. Denise retorted that she'd been "very clear" before going off on several rambling tangents. Erika quipped in a confessional:

Well, I'm high, but I don't know what she is but she's on another level.

The rest of the women looked on in confusion, with several attendees—including Sutton Stracke—noting the star's apparent slurring during the conversation.

Denise is slurring her words a little bit. Maybe Denise had a drink before she came because she was nervous.

Along with that meandering dinnertime conversation, Richards' appearance on the November 30 episode saw the star breaking the fourth wall, winking directly into the camera and making odd facial expressions throughout the event. 

The behavior caught the attention of Bravo viewers, who took to social media to comment on Richards' return. One fan referenced the reality star's long feud with Lisa Rinna, posting on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the former RHOBH cast member must be "at home cackling over the shit show." 

Another said that they were experiencing "second-hand embarrassment" while watching Denise during the episode. 

Yet another posted several drawings inspired by Denise's expressions during the ep, along with an interesting caption.

However, other Beverly Hills watchers were "LIVING" for the housewife's dramatic return to the franchise. 

And another called her a "queen" for those cheeky camera winks.  

And based on that trailer for next week's episode, the Denise Richards drama is just getting started. Consider us sat!

Writer

Christina Izzo is a writer-editor covering culture, entertainment and lifestyle in New York City. She was previously the Deputy Editor at My Imperfect Life, the Features Editor at Rachael Ray In Season and Reveal, as well as the Food & Drink Editor and chief restaurant critic at Time Out New York. Regularly covers Bravo shows, Oscar contenders, the latest streaming news and anything happening with Harry Styles.