Editor’s note: This article contains mentions of substance abuse disorders, drug addiction, opiates, or other related topics that may be triggering to some readers. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction or drug abuse disorder, please visit SAMHSA.gov.
Season 5 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City has been one of the best seasons in the series thus far. Many felt the season would lack drama after the exit from Season 4's Monica Garcia and Season 3's Jennifer Shah, but the series hasn't skipped a beat. Many fans even said they forgot all about their previous worries about the new season because of how good it was. In fact, a moment between Mary Cosby and her son, Robert JRr., is one of The Real Housewives franchise's most raw and emotional moments.
Mary started the series in Season 1 before taking a break in Season 3. She came back as a friend in Season 4 and is back and better than ever as a main Housewife in Season 5.
In the Season 5 episode "Troop Salt Lake City," the drama between Mary and Meredith Marks is forgotten when Mary's heart-to-heart with her only son about his addiction issues takes center stage. What occurred was one of the most profound moments on reality TV and a reminder of what is considered peak Housewives.
Mary Cosby's Talk With Her Son About His Addiction Was Groundbreaking Reality TV
At the start of the episode, Mary Cosby explained how distant she felt from her only son, Robert Cosby Jr. Robert is often seen slurring his speech, lying in bed, and sleeping all day when the cameras are at Mary's house.
As viewers, we all know that Robert Jr. was suffering from a drug addiction. Headlines about his chaotic drug use shown on social media were splashed on every tabloid (as shown on Reddit). There have also been issues of driving while impaired and ongoing court appearances.
I feel like I’ve been choosing to just ignore [Robert Jr.] and hope that it would go away.
Robert's issues with the law have never been discussed in The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. It's almost like a massive part of Mary's life has been glossed over, which is not what reality TV fans are looking for.
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What made The Real Housewives so successful in the early 2000s was because of how raw the reality of these women was. While wealthy and lavish, the skeletons in their closets were unparalleled to anything viewers saw before. This is what fans wanted to see from Mary before the Season 5, Episode 11 episode aired.
The cameras eventually follow Mary home where she's about to have a heavy heart-to-heart with her son. Upon knocking on his door, it's evident he's not in a great space mentally. Mary told the cameras, “Robert was the perfect child. He was our pride. Very smart, very advanced… That’s the Robert I’m trying to reach.”
Robert explained to his mom that he recently took Xanax because he didn't sleep at night. “I didn’t sleep last night, [so] I just took a half to chill me out. Then I’ll take an Adderall to balance me out.”
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Just like us watching, Mary looked concerned. She begged her son to tell her what was going on with him and that's when the floodgates opened.
- Robert told his mom that he started doing drugs at the young age of 16 after someone offered him a Xanax at a party.
- He soon started mixing the common anxiety disorder medication with other dangerous drugs.
Then I started doing Xanax with acid... and then Molly with Xanax. I really like Xanax, so I mix it with everything.
For most of us watching, it was hard not to cry when tears started rolling down Mary's face. The realization that her son had a far more serious problem than she ever imagined made everyone want to hug her.
While Mary's beginnings in the series were controversial, this was an empathetic moment fans had for her, a pivotal moment for her TV career.
One of the hardest parts of the conversation was when Robert said, “I wanted to die … like this world wasn’t for me," and that Mary was the "only reason" why he didn't kill himself.
You don't have to have children to relate to what Mary was feeling. The gut-wrenching realization that someone close to her had a serious, life-threatening problem was enough for us to realize she and her family needed kindness, not judgment.
Collider reiterated that Mary was supported by fans and cast members after the episode aired.
As of this article's publishing, Mary told Bravo that her son is in a much better space and is "working on himself." The Housewife shared, "He's steady, which for me is healthy, and he's doing good."
Mary Cosby's Conversation With Her Son Was Peak Real Housewives
Mary Cosby's raw conversation with her son about addiction was a huge moment for us fans. It was a reminder of why we longtime fans fell in love with The Real Housewives.
The first series in the franchise to show audiences what raw, unfiltered reality television was The Real Housewives of Orange County. Premiering in 2006, it seemed like nothing was off the table. Divorces, issues with kids, and financial hardships were talked about openly — alongside many tears.
Those moments separated the franchise from other forms of reality TV at the time. Fights among women weren't vapid or pretentious, they were intense and undisguised.
Judy Eddy/Cover Images, Sophie Fritz/startraksphoto.com via INSTARimages
The early years of The Real Housewives seem far away now that most arguments deal with social media lies and careless podcasts. Some of the best peak moments centered around topics that were hard to discuss and rarely seen on TV.
Peak Housewives Moments
| The Housewife | Franchise | Peak Real Housewives Moment |
| Vicki Gunvalson | RHOC | An unforgettable moment on The Real Housewives of Orange County that was as unfiltered as it gets was the moment Housewife Vicki Gunvalson found out her mother passed away while filming. In a Season 10 episode, Vicki was at Shannon Beador's home for game night when she received an urgent call from her daughter at Shannon's home. Over the landline, Vicki's daughter informs Vicki that her mother had quietly passed away. Vicki was in hysterics and fell to the floor. One of the most heartbreaking lines was when she muttered through tears, "I want to be with my mom. I need her every day. I need her so bad. Who’s going to worry about me? I don’t have parents now. I need my parents. I need my mom." |
| Lauri Peterson | RHOC | Lauri Peterson didn't last long as a Housewife in Orange County, but her openness to share the depths of her son Josh's addiction issues was incredible. Lauri was refreshingly honest about the hardships of single-parenting her troubled son Josh. Things took a quick turn when her son was imprisoned and she became the guardian of his daughter, Kennady. Lauri eventually became Kennady's legal guardian and her son tragically passed away in 2024 because of substance abuse, as reported by People. |
| Teresa Giudice | RHONJ | Teresa Giudice's issues with her family members on The Real Housewives of New Jersey have carried the series for 14 seasons. The troubled family dynamic between siblings and spouses was peak Housewives — you couldn't make up the feuds and allegations Teresa, her brother Joe Gorga, and sister-in-law-Melissa Gorga were throwing at each other. The early seasons (starting in Season 3) were peak moments with gritty, unparalleled family issues that could never fictionalized. |
| Kyle and Kim Richards | RHOBH | Another family feud that has been following particular Housewives since its inception was between Kyle and Kim Richards. In Season 1 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the sisters showcased their bumpy relationship, but things took a turn when Kyle accused Kim of being an alcoholic. The realization that Kim was under the influence and had a real problem quickly flashed before our eyes, and what unfolded, was years of troubles and emotions between the Richards family. Their sisterly arguments and open-book mentality towards their family could rarely be duplicated. |
| Phaedra Parks | RHOA | Season 5 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta is arguably one of the best seasons of all time. It was Kenya Moore and Porsha Williams' first season, NeNe Leakes shockingly reconciled with her ex-husband, and Phaedra Parks went head-to-head with Kenya over competing workout DVDs. More importantly, it was the start of Phaedra Parks and her husband, Apollo's, downfall. Between Kenya and Apollo flirting, and countless rifts, Season 5 had enough juicy storylines to last for years. |
Current episodes of The Real Housewives have the ability to join the ranks of peak Real Housewives moments, but most feel fake or inconsequential. A large part that's missing from modern-day episodes is the transparency from early seasons. The ability to show and say it all is missing and Mary Cosby's powerful conversation with her son is a grave reminder of that.
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Ultimately, if Bravo wants to keep The Real Housewives ahead of other reality TV franchises, they need to find and showcase moments that are hard to find anywhere else. Moments of growth, loss, and redemption are all things under the peak Housewives umbrella. The fan base cares for its Housewives and respects those who show it all without contingencies.
You can stream all The Real Housewives episodes on Peacock
