Kim tries another get-skinny-quick trick as Kandi suffers through a boot camp workout to shed pounds before her trip to Africa. Phaedra fills Apollo in on socialite Marlo’s criminal history and decides to keep her distance from now on. Meanwhile, NeNe hatches a secret plan to bring Marlo along on the ladies’ 10-day journey to South Africa. While the other women prepare for their vacation, Kim is forced to prepare for life without Kroy when the NFL lockout comes to a sudden end.

Shaping Up and Shipping Out

NeNe Leakes

Kandi Burruss

Shereé Whitfield

Cynthia Bailey

Kim Zolciak

Phaedra Parks

South Africa: Just Like Home

We Come in Peace (and Packing Heat)

The ladies of Atlanta are back and handling their business. Kandi branches out from her music career to start an adult toy line, while Phaedra begins her own strange undertakings. Cynthia gets the buzz going for her modeling school with a little help from celebrity runway coach Miss J. A very pregnant Kim prepares to move in to a luxury home with boyfriend, baby-daddy, and young NFL star Kroy Biermann. NeNe's stock has risen since hanging with Donald Trump on Celebrity Apprentice, but Sheree confronts her on a business deal gone bad.

Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

Fresh off her verbal smack down with Sheree, NeNe decides to take a break from Atlanta by rounding up Cynthia and Kandi for a girl’s getaway weekend of fun, sun and Lesbian Pride in Miami. Phaedra's fascination with the dead goes a step further as she explores opening her own family funeral business, but Apollo's creeped out by Phaedra's new passion. Sheree and Kim have some of their own girl time to discuss Kim and Kroy's future plans. Meanwhile, Kroy and Sweetie conspire to throw an intimate surprise bash for a very pregnant Kim's 33rd birthday, complete with expensive jewels.

Surprisingly Rich

A case of mistaken identity plagues Phaedra and Apollo; Sheree surveys the construction of a new house; NeNe's youngest son must adapt to living in two homes; and Kim oversees a lavish baby shower.

Shower the Baby, Muzzle the Boy

Phaedra does the proper Southern thing and apologizes to Kim for her husband's behavior at Kim's baby shower. Shereé takes Phaedra along to see her Chateau Shereé construction site, only to find no progress has been made. Kandi plans her 35th birthday bash despite a case of the biological clock blues. The party heats up when Phaedra presents a “Ridickulous” surprise that neither Kandi – nor her mom – will ever forget. Meanwhile, Cynthia’s attempt at making peace between her husband and sister backfires, leaving her torn between her new family and her old one. Kim tries to figure out how she will handle the birth of her new son.

Jewels Be Dangled

Peter’s Bar One sneak preview party is just days away when his investor bounces a $40,000 check. Cynthia may have to bail her husband out, even though she promised not to invest in the bar. Shereé has her own financial concerns and confronts her ex-husband about four years of missed child support payments. Meanwhile, Kim has a heart-to-heart with her daughter Brielle over fears that the new baby will break up the family. Kandi has her own mother-daughter chat, apologizing to Mama Joyce for the incident at her birthday party. Cynthia hosts a fashion show, where Phaedra introduces the girls to “It” couple Marlo Hampton and Charles Grant.

Whine Bar

Kim doesn’t make it to her due date and gives birth to her first baby boy. Meanwhile, Cynthia and NeNe take a business trip to New York City, where Cynthia gets advice on her new modeling school from old flame, Russell Simmons, and reveals to her best friend Kithe that she’s not altogether happy with her life in Atlanta. NeNe meets with her business partner, Famous Famiglia Pizza's co-owner, John Kolaj, who seems interested in having much more than a business relationship with her. Shereé’s mother makes a revelation which gives Shereé the resolve to take Bob to court for child support. Kandi gets Mama Joyce dolled up for an online dating profile photo shoot. Phaedra demonstrates her talents as a lawyer by getting her client out of hot water for drug charges.

Three Wigs and a Baby

When Shereé is served with legal papers, she turns to Phaedra for representation. The two Housewives confidently face Sheree’s ex in court, but to their dismay, he has a trick up his sleeve. Kim and Kroy bring baby KJ home and chaos erupts in the house when everyone, including the dog, realizes how big of an adjustment this will be. On an all-new episode of "Kandi Koated Nights," Kandi chats with guests Marlo Hampton and baller boyfriend Charles Grant. One of Kandi's co-hosts asks Charles what it was like to date NeNe and it doesn’t take long for the gossip to spread.

Law By Shereé

With her townhouse bursting at the seams, Kim and her newly expanded family move into a mansion of their dreams. Shereé and Phaedra's relationship gets rocky as they deal with the aftermath of their court battle against Sheree's ex-husband. Meanwhile, Kandi decides to steer her music career in a surprising new direction. Cynthia throws a grand-opening bash at her modeling school, the Bailey Agency, where Kim and NeNe rub elbows for the first time since Cynthia's wedding.

New Tricks

Phaedra’s ready to make her family funeral business a reality, but it’s going to take some convincing of Apollo that working with the dead isn’t as creepy as it sounds. Driven to write a hit song in every music genre, Kandi goes country and travels to Nashville to work with country music star Jo Dee Messina. Kim struggles with her oldest daughter Brielle, who begins acting up as she adjusts to life after Kim’s new baby. Seeking to put rumors to rest about her alleged tryst with a fellow Atlanta socialite’s boyfriend, NeNe meets with Marlo Hampton, and learns a lot more about her than she had expected.

Unlikely Duos

Cynthia and Peter join Phaedra and Apollo on a surprising double date, where they officially bury the hatchet from Kim's baby shower. Phaedra is planning a trip to South Africa and convinces Cynthia it might be the perfect setting for all the women to get in touch with their heritage and to bring some perspective to all the recent drama.

Kroy brings an apprehensive Kim to the gun range to buy her first firearm, and later they visit Kim's long-time psychic, Rose, who foresees a startling prediction for their future.

Meanwhile, NeNe's adoring and wealthy business partner flies to Atlanta to collaborate with her on their lounge project and shower her with a bit of retail love.

Phaedra surprises Sheree with fact that NeNe and Cynthia have been invited to South Africa and her agenda to make peace in the Motherland. Later, Kandi throws an intimate dinner for all of the ladies, where Momma Joyce is determined to salvage NeNe and Kim's friendship.

The ladies arrive in Cape Town, South Africa for a 10-day adventure where it’s officially the “Smalls” (Phaedra, Shereé and Kandi) versus the “Talls” (NeNe, Cynthia and Marlo). However, Africa works its magic on them - even NeNe and Shereé put aside their differences for the first time in months. On a yacht ride in the harbor, they open up to each other about their differences and attempt to start anew. But the love-fest is only a few hours old when NeNe's new bestie, Marlo, confronts Shereé about not inviting her to a dinner party. A huge fight erupts, with NeNe playing the unlikely role of peacemaker. Back in Atlanta, with Kroy away at football camp, Kim’s feeling the pressure of being a single mother of three.

The ladies' South African vacation continues with the "Talls" and "Smalls" moving beyond Sheree and Marlo's intense showdown. After blowing off some steam at a Cape Town nightclub, the women travel to the luxurious Shamwari game reserve. On safari, NeNe finds herself caught between the competing attention of Marlo and Cynthia, while Sheree, Phaedra, and Kandi learn about the pharmaceutical benefits of elephant dung. Later, the entire group has an opportunity to visit a South African orphanage, where they are touched by the children and leave with the sense that this trip has been a life-changing experience.

Make It Rain Down in Africa

Fresh off of their emotional trip to the orphanage, the ladies find themselves in a place of peace and harmony with one another. They get a taste of authentic African culture, visiting a local museum and a not-so-traditional herbalist. Later, they bond over sex talk at NeNe and Marlo's cozy pajama party. But the good vibes are short-lived. Cynthia and Kandi make comments about Kim that bother Sheree so much that she decides to report back to Kim about this "betrayal."

No Bones About It

The ladies head home to find more drama; NeNe's son is arrested; Kim confronts Kandi about what was said about her in Africa.

From Motherland to Haterville

NeNe tries to help her son by reaching out to an unlikely source; simmering friction surfaces among Cynthia, Peter and Mal; Phaedra enlists in an embalming class; and dramas flare up between Kim and her assistant.

Peaches and Screams

Kandi heads to Nashville to boost her country-music career; Sheree mulls over a marriage proposal for her daughter as NeNe reassesses her divorce from Gregg; Mal sets out to apologize to Cynthia; Phaedra throws a water-park party for her son; Kim and Kandi try to mend their fractured friendship.

The Error Apparents

Kroy returns home after a monthlong stay at football camp. Kim welcomes him with a home-cooked meal—prepared by a private chef, of course. Meanwhile, NeNe has an important conversation with her youngest son; Phaedra hosts an extravagant church ceremony for her son, but drama surfaces between Kim and Cynthia.

Fresh Princes

With her apprenticeship at Willie Watkins' funeral home almost complete, Phaedra helps a "real" family through the grieving process. NeNe travels to LA to meet with the creators of the hit TV show Glee and entertains the idea of moving to the west coast permanently. Kandi continues to juggle her businesses by working on designs for a new Bedroom Kandi sex toy line, while Kroy visits Kim's father to have a very important man-to-man talk. Later, all the women come out to support Phaedra at a big event at City Hall where she makes an unexpected announcement.

All Pomp but No Circumstance

Cynthia hosts a model call at the Bailey Agency hoping to find Atlanta's next "it" girl. NeNe makes a major decision about her marriage, and later meets with her "business partner" John, who surprises her with another gift. Kim is also in the giving spirit and surprises her new fiance with an extravagant birthday present. Meanwhile, Kandi launches her sex-toy line in a big way, but realizes it'll take more than masseurs and vibrators to bring "happiness and joy" to the ladies.

Happiness and Joy

Hosted by Bravo's Andy Cohen, the ladies of Hotlanta, Cynthia Bailey, Kandi Burruss, NeNe Leakes, Phaedra Parks, Sheree Whitfield, Kim Zolciak get together to set the record straight on some of the most talked-about antics of the season and answer some of America's most burning questions.

Reunion (1)

The Atlanta ladies gather and recall Season 4's dramas in a reunion hosted by Andy Cohen.

Reunion (2)

Atlanta's Southern belles reunite to sum up the good, the bad and the ugly of Season 4.

Reunion (3)

Bravo's cameras turn to the Southern states as the network presents this inside look at the Real Housewives of Atlanta. These women handle the personal dramas that affect their affluent lifestyles with a signature Southern brand of “style” and “grace.”

Shaping Up and Shipping Out

Seasons17

Season 4 Episodes23

Cast6

Discussion

Episode Summary