Teresa Giudice’s prison sentence is nearly over on Real Housewives Of New Jersey: Teresa Checks In , but that doesn’t mean it’s getting any easier on Teresa's family for her to be away. In fact, it’s probably harder because time is ticking down so slowly. On the third installment of the show, both the Giudice and Gorga families headed to upstate New York to a family cabin, where the emotional toll of her absence became clearer than ever.
It was supposed to be a nice, relaxing break for the families to get together, but it turned out to be more emotional than expected. Joe Giudice is still reeling from the loss of his father, who built the cabin and its chapel. In fact, they all look at it as “Nonno Franco’s” place. Joe Gorga is sad that his sister is in prison, and Melissa is the one who is trying to hold all of the kids together. This cabin was a place where the whole family — including Teresa — used to gather together, and her absence is so obvious in this episode. Everyone is missing her, and since this is Joe Giudice’s happy place, he seems to be taking it the hardest.
As someone who has watched pretty much every franchise in the Real Housewives universe, it’s been really hard to watch these Teresa Checks In episodes. This is a really intense family matter, to have both parents headed to prison, and it hurts to see them all in such pain. Watching the Giudice and Gorga families try and take a normal vacation in such an abnormal situation shows that when the cameras aren’t rolling, they’re just normal families dealing with trauma and pain. I, for one, can’t wait to see Teresa home with her husband and family — they all miss her like crazy.
