🌿 The Rooted Lens Review
Baddies USA – Episode 1 (Recap + Commentary)
🌱 Quick Summary
Baddies USA returns with a vengeance — mixing OG energy from BGC vets, familiar faces from past Baddies seasons, and new tensions that have been brewing long before cameras started rolling. From unresolved fights to long-standing feuds, Episode 1 wastes zero time waking the audience up. If you wanted chaos, nostalgia, and confrontation? This premiere gives all three.
📌 Rooted Lens Rating
- Storyline: 8
- Character Depth: 8
- Emotional Impact: 8.5
- Visuals: 9
- Pacing: 9
- Rewatch Value: 10
Overall Score: 8.8/10
🌿 Full Spoiler Recap
1. A look back — and then straight into mess
The episode starts with clips from last season, immediately setting the tone.
We also get a fast refresher on the pre-season drama: mainly the viral Baddies clips of Big Lex & Summer fighting, and the fall out between The Big 3.
Already, the tension between Lex and Summer feels less like a misunderstanding and more like something deeply personal.
2. The first official scene: OG chaos
The Original Baddies from BGC arrive together — Natalie, Seven, Camilla, Jela, Bri, Cat, Judy, Persuasion, Lo, Janelle, Sarah, and Camilla.
This immediately feels like nostalgia activated.
Once the girls walk in Nat is already rubbing some of them the wrong way about her delivery when they walk in. Standing drama between Bri and Natalie start brewing when Natalie is told that Bri wants to fight her.
3. The first fight: Lo London vs. Bri
Things turn left fast.
Issues between Natalie
Lo tries convincing Natalie to return and talk once she sees Tanisha walking in. Full nostalgia moment when the GodMother of BGC walks in. Immediately after Lo returns with Jela, Seven, and Camilla from trying to get Natalie, Bri instantly tries to fight her. After their during their fight Cat intervenes and snatches Bri by the hair.
When I tell you to me it felt like Cat’s intervence was more like a girl let me help you take a seat because we came to talk not fight. So you think you’re going to fight my good sis I think tf not. lol
We’re only 15 minutes in and it’s already giving drammmmmmmmmmma.
4. Biggie, Mariah Lynn & Tink Bella link up
They discuss:
- the awkwardness between Biggie & Ahna Mac
- the fallout from the Caribbean reunion
- how things feel walking into a cast where half the girls have previous beef
This set the emotional tone: everyone is carrying baggage.
5. Ahna Mac arrives — and the makeup begins
Ahna & Biggie talk about how Biggie didn’t have her back previously.
They squash it… but it feels shaky and unresolved.
Then Biggie reveals she has a problem with Smiley — claiming Smiley mirrors her and copies her phone.
That’s our first hint that this season isn’t about new drama… it’s about old wounds reopening.
6. Tensions rise: Tesehki + the allegations
Dollie, Lex, Summer, and Suki discuss comments made about Tesehki’s allegations from her sister Chrisean.
Summer stands firm — she won’t apologize.
Suki believes and stated that Summer was wrong and that she hopes she’s ready for any backlash from her comments.
This scene highlights why Summer stays a polarizing cast member — she’s standing on business whether it looks messy or not.
7. Scotty & Rollie arrive looking fab
Then Sapphire, Chrisean, Tommie and DJ Sky walk in.
Rumors have been swirling about Scotty being pregnant and she confirms this to these group of woman.
They discuss Chrisean and Tesehki being on the same season again since their last season on Baddies South where Tesehki was jumped by Chrisean’s friends.
Tommie talks about issues with Tinka.
I cried when Scotty announced her pregnancy. Full out tears.
8. The dinner scene: pure Baddies history
Dinner NEVER goes right in this franchise — and tonight is no exception.
Walk-ins include:
- Tavia Baby
- Fania
- Kold Killa
- Gretchen
- Nunu
- Smiley
All returning from previous seasons with unfinished business.
Then Tinka Bella walks in with Mariah Lynn— sparking the second official fight of the season between Tinka and Kold Killa.
Ongoing beef + sneak disses + origins of a song= explosion.
9. The Tinka vs. Kold Killa situation
Kold Killa claims:
- Tinka & Diamond stole her song
- Diamond and Tinka never gave her credit
- She is the originator of the song
Tinka says the song was a sample.
Either way?
They’re fighting over something petty, but the emotions are real.
Honestly I can understand them fighting for their respect but it was a drag.
Chrisean and DJ Sky walk in to the full out drama between Kold Killa and Tinka.
10. The Big Fight: Mariah Lynn vs Summer and Ahna Mac vs. Gretchen
Baby… when I say this fight was WILD?
Mariah Lynn SNATCHED Summer as soon as she walked through the door.
Then admitted she had been waiting on that moment because Sommer had been snuck her at the auditions and she was fighting her for Summer’s comments on Tesehki.
The highlight?
Anna jumping Gretchen and stomping her out afterwards.
Chaos.
Actual chaos.
11. Ending preview & upcoming fights
The episode ends with Biggie calling Smiley out.
Preview for Episode 2 teases:
- Biggie vs Smiley
- Kold Killa vs Tinka
- Tavi vs Big Lex? (Maybe)
- Summer vs Tesehki
- Mariah vs Summer
- Tesehki vs Chrisean
- Tinka vs Dolly
This season is about to be packed.
🌸 What Worked Well
- The episode started with energy — no slow burn, no filler.
- Immediately addressed old drama instead of dragging it out.
- Seeing OGs like Jela, Seven, & Camilla again was pure nostalgia.
- The first Lex vs. Sommer fight clip instantly hooked me.
- Anna jumping Gretchen? That’s a Baddies Hall-of-Fame moment.
This premiere set the pace for the entire season in a way that felt intentional.
🍂 What Fell Short
- Smiley & Gretchen felt undercasted; they didn’t add much yet.
- The Tinka vs. Kold Killa fight felt unnecessary — the song issue didn’t feel deep enough for all that energy.
- I was disappointed Tinka didn’t stand on business as much as expected.
Some moments felt like “forced drama,” but overall it still landed.
🌑 Standout Moment
- Tanisha walking in — BADDIES ROYALTY.
- Mariah Lynn sneaking Summer at the door.
- Anna surprising everyone with the Gretchen back jump.
One thing about this cast: when it erupts, it erupts.
🌻 Rooted Lens Takeaway
This episode revealed something subtle about Natalie:
There’s a thread of jealousy and insecurity behind some of her reactions.
The way she tensed up when Tanisha walked in — then dipped out — shows there’s still an unresolved emotional dynamic there.
Not everything in Baddies is fists and yelling.
Some of it is ego, identity, and who gets the spotlight.
⭐ Final Thoughts
Overall, this was a fantastic premiere.
This is how you launch a highly anticipated season — full throttle, no wasted scenes.
It has me genuinely excited to see Episode 2.
I’ve been waiting for it since last night.
The Rooted Lens 
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