Soaplovers

I'm glad Beth E didn't become a recast Liza.. she would have been wrong for the part. Early Liza came from an upper middle class family, was snobby and a mean girl.. plus had an underlying feminine quality.. at least when MW played the part. While JL totally didn't look like her.. she had the haughty, snooty sarcastic aspect of Liza down pat that I don't think Beth E could have nailed. I do think Harley from 1987 to 1993 and 1997 to about 2001ish was a great character.. but she was always unlucky in love and was spunky. I do have to agree that Beth E's behind the scenes life probably colored her performances as Harley. Off subject, I have a feeling that Drew and Michelle didn't kill Mick.. that he was killed after they left. It seemed to be hinted at and then dropped.

From watching the newest season of Jersey, it seems like a disjointed show in ways. It seems like Dina is doing one type of show (the more old school version of the franchise), The Bobsey Twins and Amber in another type of show (very over the top, like a spoof of a Jersey stereotypes), while Melissa and Theresa seem to be doing something that is a hybrid of the two (kinda over the top, with some elements of the old school version of the franchise mixed in). Sometimes I blame editing for it, but sometimes an editor can only do so much. Lastly, I think the drama between the twins and Amber happened much too soon.. before we really got to know them. One of the reasons Shannon's melt-down, where she broke the 4th wall, was talked about was because it happened several episodes into the season after we'd gotten to know her, her family, and saw the simmering tensions building between her and Heather.. plus how she came to distrust Tamra.

Rumour has it season 2 of Real Housewives of Melbourne is filming soon.. Guess who might not be back... http://www.2dayfm.com.au/scoopla/screen/tv/2014/8/who-is-not-returning-to-real-housewives/

Dina's strong point during season 1 of the show was that she had the fun stuff with her daughter, you gave her a side eye whenever she would decorate an establishment or event plan and it was over the top, and she and Theresa were comical together.. along with a little drama mixed in. In fact, a lot of the lost footage for season 1 was mostly Dina doing fun things with her daughter, friends, even with Caroline. So far, I'm seeing Dina is showing how at loose ends she is in her life.. I'm not sure what caused her and Caroline to fall out but Caroline was a supportive figure for her in the past. With that said, I loved her shoe closet and so far she has had some great scenes between her and her daughter. She seems to be reflecting the original spirit of the concept of the franchise. Besides, you need that to balance out the crazy that is Theresa and company.

I think they could drop Tamra, but I doubt very much they would ask Gretchen back.. she and Slade had as big of backlash as Tamra did. I think Heather could play the snooty bitch to perfection with Vicki coming back for one more season. I have a feeling Shannon is coming back.. you could tell Andy loves her and she seems to be 'real' thus far. She's like an old money version of Vicki Episode 17 of this season of OC is titled Eat, Pray, Run... which looks to be the Tamra running and crying episode. Lizzie seems ready to quit and Danielle opted to not be a housewife so I can see the show hiring two new housewives.. or even having Jeana come back for visits.

Apparently tamra revealed Lizzie's cell # on facebook, and Lizzie notified Bravo. Apparently, Tamra's facebook page is down and now Radar is reporting that Tamra has been fired. Doubt it's true, but kinda cool if it were. Lastly, Lizzie indicated in a facebook message that she is through with the housewives.. which would explain how blase she was on her WWHL appearance.

I had heard that the Danielle and Tamra stuff is being cut out.. along with stuff in Danielle's personal life.. like the paternity test she made her dad take.

I wouldn't be surprised if Lizzie is a one season wonder like Lydia was. I do hope that when season 10 rolls around, that they add a 6th housewife.. or toss one out and bring in a new one. RHOC has always had a slight cast turn-over so I hope that continues.

I guess in episode 15 of RHOC is where Heather and Tamra start planning for Bali, while Lizzie becomes a mean drunk at her birthday celebration while crying on Danielle's shoulders that this is the worst birthday of her life. I'm gonna guess that might have earned her an orange.

I agree Kristen's private life and personality are not a front, but for some reason she isn't as fascinating to me as Shannon on OC.. who is in the same boat in a way.

I heard from someone that the Danielle/Tamra confrontation in Bali might be cut due to stuff Tamra reveals about Danielle and family.. and danielle requested it not be aired.. hence why Danielle got downgraded. I won't believe it until we get to the Bali episodes and Danielle is shown as a non-entity.

I read that David Jacobs was inspired by Ingmar Bergman's movie/mini-series Scenes from a Marriage. I do think the first several seasons especially the first five or six really drove that point home. I think the Latham's changed the structure of the series.. in some ways for the better and in other ways for the worst (i.e. diluting the 3-d character structure for Abby, Karen, and especially Val... and writing off Laura who could never be pigeonholed).

Saw a scene for next weeks episode, and Shannon appears to be calm so curious to see what causes her to start melting down and breaking the 4th wall. She said we would all see the truth and so far, I think that both she and Heather are at fault. I'm also seeing that Tamra is fueling the flames between Shannon and Heather.. me thinks Tamra is trying to get revenge against Heather and is throwing Shannon under the bus in her quest to bury Heather. However.. unlike Gretchen and Alexis.. Heather is no dummy nor is Shannon.

To me, it seemed like the last six months of the show was tying up all the old fashion stories while ushering in the newer stuff. I wonder if the show had been given another year, if the changes would have fully worked. I was encouraged in the last scene when Arlene refuses to forgive Ray that she would become a stronger character.

RHOC: Again, Shannon is the MVP of this season. I wish I could get paid to have marriage counseling on the air.. usually one has to pay for it, but they are doing it on reality tv. Comign next week... Shannon breaking the 4th wall.. I hope the producers don't edit out the camera line.

I do think that Montana and Berkshires were too similar of places to go in one season. Last season.. they went to London, Miami, and St. Barts... this season, they went to the Berkshires, Saratoga, Hamptons, and Montana. I wish more of the action was in NY since there are so many interesting things to do there.

I found Danielle's official twitter page, and back earlier in the year were photos of her in a pink puffy skirt along with the other five housewives. I guess she was downsized last minute like Fernanda was in season 6. The reasoning for her demotion was because producers thought she was boring during housewife get togethers despite the fact that she had a lot of interesting things happen in her day to day life. Makes me think that had she been cast in the earlier seasons, she would have been a housewife with no problem. So my understanding is that Lizzie was more active in housewife gatherings even though her personal day to day life leaves a lot to be desired. Makes me miss the early seasons where interesting day to day stuff was preferred over made up stuff. I guess that is why Tamra is doing the made up baby story since she knows as long as she brings it during housewife gatherings, she'll be in like flint. Shannon seems to be the only one with interesting day to day stuff while bringing it during housewife events ( I'm wondering if they will show her melt down with her exclaiming the cameras will show the truth.. I'm guessing that might happen in episode 13 where Lizzie hosts a dinner party and Heather/Shannon come face to face).

I'm curious if Adrienne and Camille are back full-time or just as friends of housewives? I do think being a 'friend of' is a great place to be. Brandi, Luann, and Camille used that position quite well... in fact, Camille was featured more in season 3 as a friend then Kim and Adrienne combined. One of the things lacking about season 4 of BH was a lack of friends, or supporting players. Season 3 had Camille, Marissa, and Faye serving up excellent support while season 4 just had Taylor appear maybe once or twice.

I agree with that to a point. OC took too long to get rid of Gretchen/Slade and the show is all the more better with them gone and Shannon/David in their place... wonder if Tamra will be cut? ATL should cut Porsha but I doubt they will. On paper, Joyce and Carleton were great choices. Joyce being married to a producer, being an actress and her beauty queen connections. While Carleton was married to a well known investment guy while she was a designer. However, I do think having Brandi on the show and demanding all the attention hijacked any potential for the show to evolve. The fact that Andy Cohen and co. awards bullying/racist behavior like Brandi's makes me sad. TBH, I think when Taylor's husband Russell killed himself before season 2 premiered is what started the unraveling of the show.

I'm curious why RHOBH had trouble evolving while Atlanta and OC thrive whenever they change housewives. Is it because the producers are putting their eggs in the wrong basket with BH?

Hulu Plus is showing the first 8 seasons of the OC.. and you can view the first few episodes of season 1 on regular Hulu.

Could you have imagined how this season would have been had Lydia not quit right before filming started? I could have imagined Lydia's mother Judy sprinkling fairy dust all over Shannon, or perhaps trading past lives stories. Shannon is a great fit, and she seems to be the main focus this season. I'll excuse Lizzie for still being a non-factor since she was bought on so late in filming. Kind of reminds me of how Quinn was a non-factor in season 3, but the difference was that in season 3.. it wasn't important to be integrated as it is now with the other cast.

I'm thinking that Lizzie is projecting her guilt over wanting a career onto her husband. I'm sure her husband says he'd prefer she stay at home because what husband wouldn't want that fantasy, but he seems capable of handling his two boys on his own. I thought the oldest was approaching three not four so I'm curious about the diapers at such an older age. I think there is an interesting story with Lizzie and her homelife, but given that she was selected weeks into filming, there might have been less footage to piece together the story. I do think Lizzie is caught between her desires and what is expected of her as a woman and mother. An interesting sociological portrait especially given that she was in the beauty queen circuit and feels regret over things not working out for her acting/fame wise. I did like the scene between her and Heather because Heather did offer good advice to rethink the baby thing a few months down the road. I guess Vicki was the lucky winner of the collective brain in this episode since I thought she was very logical in regards to shannon and David's marriage. I do think Vicki likes Shannon, and you can tell the two of them seem close to one another. Although, when watching them, it makes me miss Vicki and Jeana when they used to be friends and I even miss Tamra and Tammy K, who also were real friends as well. That's why even though Shannon is a walking contradiction, she is also fascinating to watch. She is quirky, but very sheltered. She does come from old money, and I think whoever cast her as a housewife deserves a promotion.

Do you think Bravo would really do a major reboot and fire several housewives again? It didn't really work when it was done the first time, so why would they be stupid enough to try it again. I do think that how the OC introduced Shannon and Lizzie this season was perfect. Perhaps had NY did that in season 5, things would have been different.

I do like that next week Vicki tries to teach Shannon how to woo hoo I have a feeling Lizzie was supposed to have filled the gap Gretchen left. Especially with her being snipped at by Vicki, but the problem is that Lizzie is more intelligent then Vicki and especially Gretchen so the feud was basically over before it started. I do like that LIzzie is friends with Heather but did state that she could see why people would be bothered by Heather's tone of voice. Me thinks it would be fun to see Heather and Lizzie go at it. I think Lizzie could wipe the floor with Heather.