Happy wife, happy life.
That was Joe Giudice‘s mantra when we first met him and his made-for-reality-TV wife Teresa during the first season of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey back in 2009, one that translated to, in essence, buy her whatever the hell she wants whenever the hell she wants it, consequences be damned. (Who will ever forget Tre walking into that store during season one and just unloading a fat stack of cash as she made her extravagant purchases? Not us.)
But 10 years, nine seasons, and a stint each in federal prison later—damn those consequences—and the question on everyone’s mind is: Is it finally curtains for Tre and Juicy Joe?
While season 10 of RHONJ, debuting on Wednesday, Nov. 6, will chronicle the Giudice family tension as Joe’s 41-month sentence, the result of his and Tre’s guilty plea to 41 counts of fraud back in 2014, gave way to a transfer to an ICE detention facility where the non-U.S. citizen awaited his eventual deportation to Italy, the more pressing drama is playing out off screen, as Tre and her four daughters are making their way to Joe’s native land to see him, in person, for the first time in over three and a half years.
The trip, which will be captured by Bravo cameras, naturally, could very well prove to be a make-or-break one for the beleaguered couple. After all, during RHONJ‘s season nine reunion, Tre did tell host Andy Cohen that, should Joe be forced to keep residence outside the States, the one-time ride-or-die wife would likely change her tune.
“I hope that’s not a decision I have to make, but to pick up my children and just move to another country, I don’t think that would be good for more children. So, I mean, no, I probably wouldn’t,” she said, adding, “It’s like starting a whole new life. “And they’ve been through so much already. So, I mean, I’m not doing a long-distance relationship. I’m just not doing it. You know, I want somebody with me every day. And I know exactly what happens. Like, you know, I’m sure he’ll be with other women. You know, it happens. So, if we do the long-distance thing it’s not going to work. I’ll be like, ‘Bye bye.'”
In late October, the couple sat down with Andy (Joe, via satellite from Italy) to discuss their future for the first time since Joe’s release. And, well, the tension was thick. Not only did both parties admit they didn’t believe the other had been faithful while they were serving their respective time behind bars, but they both revealed their relationship status was far from certain.
“If we stay together, we stay together,” Joe told Andy point-blank when asked about her comments during the season nine reunion. “If we don’t, we don’t. You know, it’s a conversation that… you know, we’ll see.”
Teresa, who admitted she was nervous to see Joe, said that she was waiting for the trip to Italy to make any decisions. “We won’t know until we see each other,” she explained.
While the presence of Teresa’s father in Italy and on Joe’s social media ahead of her arrival is certainly a good sign, there’s no telling whether her newfound independence after three years on her own and the fact that there’s now an ocean between them—a physical manifestation of the emotional gulf that’s come to separate them over these last few years—will prove to be obstacles too big for this bruised marriage to overcome.
We’ll just have to watch what happens.
While we wait to see if the Giudices will be the latest couple to fall victim to the reality TV curse, check out the gallery above to see all the couples who’ve come before them, splitting once the cameras entered their lives.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey returns for season 10 on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. only on Bravo.
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)