Soaplovers

I think the first year or two of the show had potential, but it seemed like all the storylines were in perpetual hamster wheel (i.e no plot movement). For instance, during an evil Charity event.. Miguel admitted to Kay that if he hadn't seen charity then he was going to ask her out then they start making out. After Charity returns to normal, Miguel and Charity go back to being a lovey dovey couple without any fall out from Miguel making out with Kay... it was like nothing ever changed.

JER seemed to have big events, but the stories remained in constant rinse and repeat. At least the first three years or so that I watched the soap.

Now that Gretchen and Alexis are gone, what do yall want for RHOC Season 9? I don't want a huge shakeup, because the previous season was so good. Right now they have 4 strong wives (Vicki, Heather, Tamra, Lydia) which is a good base to start with. I'd beg Lauri to become a regular (she can take Gretchen's place as Vicki's new rival), bring on one newbie and try to get Jeana back full-time at all costs. That would be perfection IMO, but it's not what will happen I'm sure.

If you can't get Lauri nor Jeana back full-time then at least both can come on as recurring housewives. Then we can get Jeana's side of the story since Vicki basically blamed Jeana when Lauri came after her.

Plus, I agree that at least one new housewife will be needed to keep things from getting stale.

I think Gretchen/Alexis leaving would open up the OC, because I was starting to get a Jersey vibe when watching this season. It hasn't fully become a Jersey clone (i.e. stagnant stories, rehashing,e tc).. but its getting close. One of the main reasons the OC lasted for 8 seasons is because of the constant cast turnover. If the original 5 housewives stayed on, then I doubt very much the show would be possibly renewed for a 9th season..imho.

Luann and Jacques have split:

http://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/tv/tvguide/article/Real-Housewives-Star-LuAnn-de-Lesseps-Splits-From-4831397.php

I sense a break up scene when/or if RHONY ever finishes filming LOL

Variety May 30th 1979

Fred Silverman,then programming chief at NBC announced plans to have soaps running 11.30 am till 4 pm each day, with gameshows from 10.00 till 11.30 am.

As a part of that plan The Doctors would expand to 60 mins and move to the 11.30 timeslot.

Do you think that might have been why the show had all those new characters coming in from that other hospital, in the event that the show would expand to 60 minutes?

So if I'm reading the previous posts correctly, this 14 month show had three headwriters?!?! No wonder it didn't last, with the constance change over at the top.

Didn't that Anne Bailey head-write DAYS for several months in 1989/1990? I seem to recall a lot of strange stories took place during that time (i.e. Steve/Kayla being threatened by his never mentioned return from the dead wife, Shane presumed dead while Kimberly sleeps with some psycho cop.. and didn't Genie Francis' character all of a sudden don a wig and disappear?).

It's nice to know that head-writer recycling wasn't just a 90s/2000s thing, it went all the way back to the 60s/70s.

It seems like RH of Miami is more like an old school Real housewives show right now (i.e. the housewives being seen with their families, by themselves more.. then all together). I'm sure that will change, but I kind of like that we've seen more into Lisa's life, Lea's life, and even into Alexia's life.

I'm sure all of them will be in the same room where a blow up happens, but since the show opted to downgrade Ana/Marysol.. I think they should have added a new housewife.. an outsider to the drama. It kind of worked on the OC with Lydia this past season

The reason Miami is working is because there is history between most of the housewives that pre-date the show. I wish that the housewife shows would make more effort to cast new housewives with long-term ties to the current cast.

So Gretchen cheating on Jeff was bought up again!?!?! This is one of the reasons why I think Gretchen needs to go since the show has focused on this past conflict to the point of annoyance. Cutting her and Alexis, and adding one new housewife plus adding Jeana back would totally give the show some new blood. Adding Lydia was a good start, but the show needs to do a little more then surface changes to jump start the show going into season 9.

I can't find the OC clip(s) anywhere on hulu.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/518678#i1,p0,d1

http://www.hulu.com/watch/518677#i1,p0,d1

Hulu has sneak peeks for part 1 of the OC reunion, Lauri/Vicki with Gretchen throwing in her two cents.. and Lydia/heather seem to have some tension with Lydia snidely calling Heather 'princess'.

I'm hoping if OC comes back in season 9 that Alexis gets downgraded to friend of status plus Gretchen/Slade can go bye bye. Add back Lauri/Jeana (if either are willing to come back).. and add in one new housewife. I like that the OC always adds and subtracts housewives every season. I was afraid that the OC would be same ole same ole when Alexis came back last minute, but with Lydia's addition as both peacemaker/ [!@#$%^&*] stirrer.. my fears were unfounded.

Can't wait for season 3 of Miami.. though I was hoping that they had added one new housewife. Though I guess Alexia becoming full-time kind of counts. It's ironic that Ana was cut out of being a main housewife due to not filming as much and being busy with her other career pursuits. In the old days, that would have guaranteed Ana a spot... oh well.

I could see Alexis being down-graded to friend of status, and I think she should have been downgraded this season.. and had her and lauri as friend of since the majority of the time, Alexis wasn't filming with anyone other then Lydia and Vicki to a lesser extent.

With that said, I was sitting down last night ready to see what funny arguments would come out at the finale party. I wasn't expecting the Ryan PTSD episode to come out. No way was this scripted whatsoever! In fact, there was more reality in that episode then there has been all season. When you even have Gretchen point out to Ryan that it was Vicki's house, then you know that the guy has several screws loose!

Watching this episode made me long for Cake-gate, Tamra's ceast and decease rant/fight with Jeana, and even some old-timers to come back. Season 3 & 4 had previous cast members come back, and season 6 had Quinn/Tammy witnessing the Jeana/Tamra fight, and season 7 had Jeana/Tamra making up after Jeana's daughter lays into Tamra. Did season 5 have any of the previous housewives come back in the finale?

I watched the first half of season 5 and I love it! I do think Megan had a good introduction with a bit of edge... when did Megan get watered down? By the end of season 5?

Not following up on the aftermath of the rape was a pacing no-no. Since the episode was jammed pack with other stories, you could have accomplished this follow up in one simple scene. The best place to insert that scene was after Kathryn and Hanna's heart to heart about their children after Kathryn hints that her son Wyatt was abused. I would have had Hanna leave the room while Kathryn has the impulse to call her daughter Amanda but Amanda doesn't answer her cell. We can see Amanda still in a state of shock on her bed as the cell phone rings on the nightstand.

It would have been a small scene, but be very powerful at the same time.. plus showing that Kathryn has a mothers instinct to call her daughter after sensing something is wrong.. would have been good development for the character. Sometimes the little moments develop a character better then seven minutes of mind-less chatter.

Not following up with the Amanda story, even just one small scene of someone trying to reach her.. but she is so shattered she doesn't answer the phone.. is why I think Tyler Perry needs a breakdown writer and/or script editor. The ideas are there, and some of the scenes just work (i.e. Candace/Hanna scenes.. plus I like Kathryn's scenes especially when she is browbeating her wimpy hubby)... but there needs to be someone to edit and tighten up the scenes.. and also advise TP what to follow up on and what to leave for another episode.

If they can get Lauri back full-time then we don't really need Gretchen.. since Lauri would fill the role Gretchen has right now except that Lauri/Vicki go back a long way.. and both know where each other's 'bones' are buried.. Plus, it seems like Tamra/Vicki are in a decent place plus Tamra/Lauri seem in a good place (if they were taped side by side on the 100th episode special).. so Tamra could be caught in the middle between Lauri/Vicki.. and it would seem more organic since Lauri/Tamra didn't have any deep seated issues between them like Tamra/Gretchen have.

I know that Lauri/Vicki/Jeana knew each other pre season 1.. and that Tammy K knew Jeana/Vicki.. just wondering who tamra knew pre-joining the show? Didn't Gretchen sort of know Jeana while Lynne came on the show because she knew Gretchen?

Who did Alexis know before she joined the show? I know Peggy knew Alexis.. and that Lydia knows Heather/Alexis.

The show has a lot of potential, but I think Tyler Perry needs an experienced soap writer to help clean up some of the filler and shorten/tighten up the scenes a bit.

I'm not sure I remember correctly, but wasn't the show set to be off the air after Season 6 but the last eps were held off for a bit and run in the summer? And then with less summer competition back then (it was rare for a "summer series"/new programming to be run) the ratings did better than expected so the show threw together a 7th Season but those ratings never held up once the competition was tougher.

I don't think I have that all right and I do believe that the cost was one of the major reasons but the summer ratings had them try just a bit longer.

Does anyone recall the details?

From what I recall ratings were bad in season 6, and they ended the season earlier then expected.. I think they aired/tweeked the last episodes of season 6 during the summer which is considered season 7 technically. I think they were given one last chance.. even though the quality improved in season 7, the ratings didn't and since it was so expensive to produce they were canceled.

I do remember TPTB had the last episode of season 7outlined for either a series finale or season finale depending on what FOX decided.

So after reading that article about the NY going ons.. why did the show insist on bringing back Luann?!?! She didn't fit in really in season 5 so why bring her back when apparently they had one or two women in the wings if reports are true.

Sonja vs Ramona and Carole vs Aviva sound interesting and why is Heather being chastised for promoting her line when that is the MO for a housewife nowadays? Though I can't wait to see Ramona's reactions to Aviva's attempts to befriend and hug her.. will be entertaining just for Romona's reactions alone.

Ramona took over quite nicely once Bethanny and Jill left so if she wants to believe she's the Joan Collins of the show then who cares.. it isn't hurting anyone.

The only parts I like in RHONJ are the scenes of Tre with her daughters, even her husband had a cute scene with Gia recently. What girl or boy wouldn't be embarrassed at 11 or 12 of their parents? It's relatable and what the original RH franchise was built on. I read that was one of the reasons Dina wanted to quit because she was sold on the premise of family and figured they would show the families together having fun, etc. In fact, a lot of the season 1 bonus material featured a lot of Dina with her daughter, sister, and Teresa as well as by herself.

It seems like 5 housewives are going to be in Miami for season 3, but is it possible there might be a new one that they haven't advertised as of yet?

This season of RHONJ is why you need to switch up the casts.. that is the one thing that RHOC has done very well. Though I think on RHOC that it is time for Gretchen and Slade to exit stage left.

I think the brief showing of Jennifer D. on RHONJ was cool since she was friends with Teresa and basically told Joe Gorga/Melissa that they aren't going to sell their house with the price as is. She seemed interesting.. shame she is just a friend of housewives.

Even though some fans have been annoyed with the Alexis and Jim scenes, watching season 1 through 3... this is how the housewife shows used to be structured. More scenes with the housewives with their families/lives.. very few scenes with all the housewives together.

Nowadays, it seems like all the women come together in every episode.. and you can tell how fake it will be. It was refreshing seeing some of the gatherings in the first 3 seasons of the housewives with very little cattiness. A perfect example was the season 2 barbeque where Slade brings a date just after he and Jo break up. All the women are telling her to not make a scene and make nice... and Jo politely says hello and is cordial then leaves the party. Nowadays, Jo/Slade/Slades date would be having a knock down fight with words and fists.

Watching season 2 today, but love this season and season 1 so much better!

Even though Jo was/is a ditz, she is still 100 % more likable and real then Gretchen will ever be on her worst day. Also, I liked seeing scenes with all the housewives together with little to no fighting.

I loved the season 1 reunion with all the women reflecting on the season individually and then briefly meeting up together at the end to discuss the season and just look like they are having a good time and enjoying each other. Perhaps Andy Cohen should remove himself from the reunions and producing the shows.

Wow, it's a miracle Briana and Michael turned out as well as they did with Vicki as a mom. However, she is still the same person in season 1 and 2 that she is in season 8. I just came to the episode where she drops in on Michael at college! She provides priceless scenes!

Vicki is the OC.. I think even Nene said as much. Though I pause at the fact that Nene doesn't think Gretchen needs to be replaced though I think Gretchen would fit in perfect on the RHOA... she's kind of obnoxious and very shallow/ditzy.. but can be sweet at times as well.

Heather so belongs on the RHOBH.. could you imagine Heather/Lisa mixing it up.. or Heather shutting down Kyle (or even getting along with her and Kim so all three were actors at one point). Though I'm not sure how Heather would react to Brandi or Yolanda though.

I agree that I thought we only saw the first half of filming that ended with the White House scandal. Especially given that lots of stuff happened in the 2nd half like Mary's charity antics, Erika/Cat.. I could have seen including Erika as a housewife in season 2.

I think Bravo was too one track minded, and edited the show all wrong. The White House scandal could have gotten buzz going to get people to tune in.. then show-cased the other women and their lives to keep them in.

Cat was an outspoken witch (funny, but witchy), Lynda had great one-liners, Mary was ditzy, and Stacie was the normal one of the bunch... so I could see why all four banded together. Shame that Bravo couldn't see beyond the White house scandal. A show that ended before its time.

I mean, they could have written off Miami after their sucky first season.. but Bravo didn't.. and look how awesome season 2 was! Adriana/Joanna feud was made of gold.. and there was no staging to be had with that feud! I even liked Lisa.. she was sweet but when pushed she could stand up for herself! I'm intrigued to see if Ana will be bitchy like she was at the reunion.. or be more laid back like she was through-out the season. Did Marysol really get down-graded to 'friend of' status? Wouldn't the show have to film completely before making that decision?