Breaking Down the Denise Richards Drama on 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,' Week-by-Week

(Bravo)

There's a Beverly chill in the air as the 90210 tides turn on Denise Richards -- and season 10 of RHOBH promises to reveal what led the sophomore diamond-holder to briefly quit the show.

Here's what we know to be true: Denise stopped shooting with the other women in December. Prior to that, on a group trip to Rome in November, she was reportedly confronted by a castmate about rumors of a monthslong extramarital affair with, of all people, Brandi Glanville. Denise's rep adamantly denies it. ET has confirmed that the accusations will play out in season 10.

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"It was a challenging season for me, to say the least," Denise told ET's Brice Sander. "I was very much caught off guard, and the subject matter that seems to be in all the tabloids of late is -- I think it's kind of disgusting that they even talk about it."

But is it all over Brandi? "There are always two sides to every story -- and both women will have the chance to tell their complete story -- but I think it's safe to say Brandi is coming with the receipts," Erika Jayne told ET, while Teddi Mellencamp countered, "This is not the story… A lot of things were going down with Denise before Brandi -- allegedly -- and that's really the issue."

So, what is Denise's supposed secret she doesn't want out? The alleged affair? Or might it have something to do with ex-husband Charlie Sheen? We'll have to tune in, as the 'Wives are wont to say, but below, ET will be keeping detailed notes, week by week, as Denise-gate unfolds.


Denise Richards, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Bravo

EPISODE 2: "To Live and Text in Beverly Hills"

Much of Denise's plot in 10 x 02 revolves around a femoral hernia surgery, but she does debrief husband Aaron on Charlie calling her a coward and explains, in testimonial, "I'm not going after child support... He's the one that filed saying he didn't want to pay me at all, even though he hasn't paid me for quite some time now."

We're told a hearing has been set for November. "But I do not want to go through all that, I just don't," Denise admits, saying she is worried about what depositions might dig up about Charlie. "That's something the girls are going to be able to hear."

"There's a lot that the kids don't know about their dad, and I want to keep it that way," she tells us. "I want him to be part of their lives, because I met a lot of the women that Charlie entertained. A lot of them had father–daughter issues, and I do not want that to be our girls."


Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Denise Richards
Bravo

EPISODE 1: "The Crown Isn't So Heavy"

The premiere is notable, as far as Denise goes, for two reasons: First, Teddi brings up the fact that Charlie responded publicly to her legal filing. "D and her legal posse traffic only in fiction," the statement reads. "She's behaving like a coward and the truth will prevail."

"He called me a coward?" Denise replies. "I've been called worse by him, actually. That's tame." Moments later, however, she admits to being "fired up" about it, claiming that Charlie hadn't paid child support in a year, but she didn't want to take him to court because "It is such a toxic road." And when Erika offers her husband's legal services, Denise brushes her off: "I appreciate the f**king advice. But if anyone knows Charlie, it's me, and I know how to handle it... I'm not even going to show up to that court date."

And then the final minutes, which begin with Kyle saying, "It's actually hard to even imagine how terrible things would soon become." We're told Denise quit filming in December and are shown clips of her attempting to shut down conversations ("Bravo, Bravo! F**king Bravo!") and ultimately walking off.

But the very last shot shows a smirking Denise, sitting back down to film a confessional as a producer asks, "So Denise, you ready to talk about this?"


The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on Bravo.

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