‘Real Housewives Of New York’ Season 7 Spoilers: Carole Radziwill Promises ‘A Lot Of Crying’; Newcomer Dorinda Medley Reveals Her Role

“The Real Housewives of New York City” is headed back to Bravo TV on Tuesday and it looks like viewers are in for a dramatic seventh season. Veteran housewife Carole Radziwill has promised no shortage of drama, but she claims this will be much “more Shakespearean” with laughter throughout the highs and lows.

“Last year was toxic for a lot of us. It was just more obvious with me, but it wasn’t a great environment. It got very nasty and dark. Clearly the audience was not into that,” she told E! News. “This year it’s more Shakespearean. It’s highs and lows with a thread of comedy going through the whole thing.”

Previews for the upcoming season definitely support that claim. Clips show Bethenny Frankel, who is returning to the series after a hiatus, struggling to build a new life for herself and her daughter. Meanwhile, Ramona Singer will be coping with her failed marriage and – of course – the usual “Real Housewives” drama. Although she assured viewers there will be plenty of laughs to go around in Season 7, Carole also says to expect tears.

“There are a lot of women, first of all, and there’s a lot of emotion. A lot of crying – even I cried!” She joked. “Emotions ran really deep and it was real. But then there were really fun times, too.”

The lack of drama may be at least partially due to casting shake-ups. With the main source of drama, Aviva Drescher, no longer a part of the cast, the ladies of the Big Apple were free to enjoy themselves a little more. According to Carole, Aviva’s decision to leave the show played a large part in her return. She also says it will likely affect how many people tune in this season. “I think the audience is relieved,” she said.

“I think it’s probably best for her not to be on television. She doesn’t do herself any favors. I’m sure in her real life, off camera, she’s doing well,” she said.

Carole was just one of several “RHONY” ladies who had issues with Aviva during her time on the show. Heather Thomson, Kristen Taekman, LuAnn de Lesseps, Sonja Morgan and Ramona Singer all had words with their former cast mate at one time or another. As viewers may recall, nearly the entire cast turned on Aviva last season, questioning her constant health issues, as well as her character, on more than one occasion.

Aviva’s exit from the show made way for a fresh face. As was previously reported, Dorinda Medley, who got her start in the fashion industry before jumping into New York City real estate, was brought on for the upcoming season. Medley seems to have been a welcome addition, claiming that she “acted as a bit of a mediator." Although she did not expect to take on that role in her first season with the group, she was pleasantly surprised and said she enjoyed trying to “bring the girls together.”

Medley was friends with a majority of the cast prior to joining, but that doesn’t mean fitting in was an easy task. The newcomer claims she hit it off with most of the ladies, especially Sonja, whom she called “wacky,” but there were definitely issues along the way. The 50-year-old said she and Kristen, 37, didn’t hit it off right away due to their age gap and differing backgrounds, but eventually “sorted things out.” As for Bethenny, Dorinda said she was intimidated at first, but the two got along just fine in the end.

“I was very curious, and slightly frightened, to meet her,” she said, “but we get along well.”

“The Real Housewives of New York City” airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo.