Soaplovers

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.

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?

I read somewhere that Andy C has been trying to get Lauri to come back since season 6, but that she didn't want to come back due to the changing nature of the show. She did agree to come back for guest stints in season 8 to test the waters. I bet she agreed to come for visits after the whole Vicki thing occured off camera.. imho

I do think that TP should employ some soap writers and/or primetime soap writers to help give his ideas some structure and meat. In episode 3, there was a long scene between Jim & Katheryn that was interesting, due to the acting between the two. It reminded me of an Ingmar Bergman movie (Scenes from a Marriage.. which was the inspiration for Knots Landing).. but it could have been even better with decent lighting and slightly better lines. I see potential there, but TP might need to give up a little control so that the potential is realized.

In comparison to 1998 and thereafter... 1997 was more balanced but you are right that Annie was a big focus of 1997.. though other stories were kind of going on. I think the show should have learned their lesson when Cynthia W jumped ship at the start of 1998.. but the show focused even more on Josh/Reva after she left.

I think when Reva first came back in 1995, that she didn't hog the show.. that she was part of an ensemble.. but I think after the Josh/Annie/Reva story kicked into high gear in 1997, with the climax causing the ratings to shoot up for a few weeks (I think it went up to like #4 during the final week of the story).. the show tried other story climaxes for the rest of 1997 (i.e. Vanessa/Matt reuniting, Abby's attack then her shooting her attacker in court after he is found not guilty and he mouths a threat to her, etc).. and the ratings didn't shoot up. So I think the show felt that Josh/Reva were the reason for the ratings increase thus in 1998.. they started to dominate the show. What I don't think the show realized was that the story itself was so good that the ratings went up.. not because of Josh/Reva themselves. 1997 was a balanced year.. but 1998 became more Reva, which only got worse in 1999 and thereafter. I think the final year or so started to balance the show again.. but it was too late.

I agree that the girls should have made the best of it, but I think Heather was not the best person to help plan an event like that. #1) She didn't plan for her audience (i.e. going to a dive bar is up Vicki/Tamra/Gretchen's alley more then an elegant restaurant). #2) She didn't plan correctly (i.e. elegant restaurants like this work for date night, business meetings, etc.. not for a wild bachelorette weekend). I did like Lydia stating that she was worried that it would be too wild/crazy, but instead was so boring LOL I totally am seeing that Lydia never watched the show, hence her attempts at talking during dinner were met with resistance from all the girls. Adding Lydia was a step in the right direction, but perhaps Bravo should reboot RHOC for season 9. I don't recall the earlier seasons, but did all the women hang out together so much? I seem to recall they had their own lives focused on without constant chatter about the other women.

My favorite scene was the Jim/Katheryn scene. It was a long scene that detailed the tension and mutual disinterest between the two of them. A very clear portrait of their marriage... very Ingmar Bergman.. imho! Scenes from a Marriage type of material.

I remember they chemistry tested Josh/Jenna at some road-house that Tangie was working at. I seem to recall Jenna was getting trashed after Buzz/Nadine got back together and before she found out she was pregnant. Vanessa and Eve had a heart to heart, and of course, after all the players left the bar.. Alan entered and met Tangie. It seemed like 1994 was a transition year of sorts. It was as if the show was throwing things at a wall to see what stuck. I like to think that the writers were throwing darts and where ever the darts landed, that was what they went with. How else could you explain Tangie/Alan/Alan Michael, Nadine/Buzz/Jenna, even Nick/Mindy getting back together. Although I did like Eve/Ed getting together.. even though Eve was no Maureen, she seemed good natured once she got help. For me, the last good year of GL consistently was 1997. You had Josh/Reva/Annie going on, you had Blake/Ross, you had Holly/Fletcher acting like journalists at every event with Roger trying to get back with Holly as he was romancing Amanda to stick it to Alan. You also had the community feel during that time with building the dream house that Matt/Vanessa reunited in, Dinah/Hart were good.. and early Cassie was bitchy and snarky. It's hard to believe that 1998 was such a horrid year, and from the same writing/EP team. I always thought that B & E were great at turning around shows around, just not good at staying at said shows once they turned them around. They did wonders for Loving's last year and GL during their first year of writing.. but anything further always seemed to go downhill. It makes me think that some head-writers are great at turnarounds, others are good at keeping the ball rolling but not getting the ball rolling, some are just great writers all around, and others are just not good writers period.

I would have seen Nola going for a mysterious guy, or a successful reporter/professional.. not someone blue collar like Buzz.. imho Of course, I never understood why Jenna would go for Buzz either.

They changed RHONY filming, partly due to the cast strike.. and also cause they wanted to film during the summer in order to feature the Hamptons, etc.