Quad, Heavenly on 'Married to Medicine' season 5: 'It's a heavy season'

This season, several cast members find themselves struggling with their marriages. The big one that gets addressed in the first episode airing Sunday at 10 p.m.: Dr. Jackie Walters' husband Curtis Berry is caught cheating. (Its second episode will air at 8 p.m. Fridays, the show's regular time slot.)

Of all the cast members, Dr. Jackie has been the most guarded about her private life to date. Her ability or need to be vulnerable in front of the TV cameras over this painful situation will be sorely tested.

"I didn't intend to share it," Walters told People magazine exclusively ahead of the season 5 premiere Sunday. "However, it was addressed. It's one of those things that you do better than healing in private than you do allowing the public to share it. So yeah, tough is… tough is probably an understatement."

So far, she and Dr. Curtis are reportedly trying to work it out and have not divorced.

To Dr. Heavenly Kimes, who spoke with me Friday, "this is a heavy season. My friends were going through some serious stuff. It was hard. I tried to keep things life. You'd rather laugh than cry. It's so easy to cry."

Fellow cast member Quad Webb-Lunceford, in an interview this past week, said she isn't so sure she'd stick with her husband if he stepped out on their marriage.

"I have a very stern viewpoint on discipline, religion and marriage," Quad said. "I'm not here to judge Jackie. Jackie has my full support any way she wants to go... It's really fascinating. She can keep her coats clean and crispy white. Who knew it would be her husband who would then expose her to something like infidelity."

Dr. Heavenly, who allows her husband Damon to "lead" her family, said she can't imagine him cheating on her. "But what happened to Dr. Jackie could happen to any of us," she said. "You never know."

Quad said there is a sense of unity with the women - at least at the start of the season. Heavenly has had a tendency over the years to butt into other's business and offer unsolicited (and often unwelcome) advice. She can't help herself.

"Her words are not well received by many," Quad said. "I've tried to work on her approach. She has to be mindful in how she says things."

Heavenly, who said her dental business is doing well, agreed and said she will always apologize if she felt she did something wrong. "It's a definite plus to be able to see yourself outside of yourself by seeing yourself on TV," she said. "I can see things I can work on. I'm on my journey."

Quad is happy Toya Bush-Harris has been able to get out from under her IRS debt after cutting costs. Dr. Simone Whitmore? "I always see her as very sisterly. That's how I take her. We do a lot of things together. I got to her kids' basketball games. We travel together. We share a lot of intimate moments."

As for Lisa Nicole Cloud's departure from the show? Neither Quad nor Heavenly will miss her. "I didn't really find much entertainment value there," Quad said. Heavenly: "We were good friends. Now we're not. It's sad."

And the newbie Contessa Metcalfe? "I think Contessa shows a lot of promise," Quad said. "She had some early riffs on. I think she just had to be made clear different people's personalities. I think she'll be a great addition to 'Married to Medicine.' "

RELATED: Who is Contessa Metcalfe? 

Quad added: "She sometimes wanted to pack up and run. But we don't wear Nikes. We stand tall in our stilettos! You gotta stick around."

Heavenly admits she doesn't watch every episode of her own show. Her life is too busy. And she invests time sleeping. "I'm in bed by 9 p.m. and I get up at 6," she said. "I can't function without sleep. I like to meditate. I write positive affirmations on my mirror. Positive self help. I believe it." And folks who run into her assume she's not only up on her own show but up on "Real Housewives." She said she better keeps up via Instagram.

TV PREVIEW

"Married to Medicine," 10 p.m. Sunday, debuting November 5, 2017 on Bravo (The show will move to Fridays at 8 p.m. starting at Nov. 10.)