DynamiteKiddo

I thought Jake was a breath of fresh air and really, really different from any character we’ve had in years… and I love BB.  And I think he had chemistry to spare with Gabi, Gwen, Kate, Abby, and Ava.  (I actually think a real Jake/Abby pairing was the way to go, but anyway…) But his time on the show has overall felt aimless.  I wonder if this was TPTB or BB’s decision??

ETA: I REALLY hope we get a Sonny/Evan scene(s)!

I figured Jake would die the same way Abby did while Sarah was in police custody, proving she didn’t do it.

7 hours ago, SAPOUNOPERA said:

ALL STARS 2 

I loved this season!

Dorinda is such a mess. This is what early 70s Kay Chancellor must have been like. Such a mean, classless drunk. Men with money married that thing? Wow. She really belongs in the gutter (next to Marlo).

I can't believe I am saying this, but I liked Brandi. After years of hating her for the way she acted with LVP. 

If I didn't know Phaedra from RHOA I would have liked her newly invented persona a lot. Production made sure everyone who watched All Stars knew who she really was in the last episode. 

I didn’t watch Ultimate Girls Trip 1 because I was completely uninterested, but this was appointment tv for me!

Dorinda was probably the season’s biggest epic fail… she is so cruel and completely shattered this “hostess” image she’s been trying to cultivate.  The fact that she made Brandi and Tamra cry says a lot, because they’re two of the toughest housewives.  It’s a shame because she has a lot of heart, but she also has a lot of venom in her heart.

Jill was a terrible disappointment—she got overwhelmed by all the other “big personalities.”  In all her press for UGT2, she’s the messy Jill we all remember and love, love to hate, or just hate… but she shrunk in the group.  I think she was scared to REALLY go there with Dorinda because she knew D would maybe try to ruin her and she, like many of the ex-‘wives, wanted to shed her toxic image.

Eva was a nice surprise—a real delight.  I have nothing negative to say.

Taylor made a compelling case for a comeback (to OC maybe??)… she HAS evolved and can be kind and relatable, but she holds a nasty grudge, is a messy drunk, and has very little self-awareness or willingness to acknowledge others’ reasonable perceptions of her.

I think Vicky is one of the worst people I’ve ever seen across all media platforms.  I’ll add nothing else except I have zero empathy for her during her personal problems.

I think someone else said this a few pages back—in episode 1, Brandi had the makings of a natural heroine.  Which is crazy because she’s one of HW’s most infamous villains!  But at times, she was never more likable!  But then she had to go full Brandi and pull the lowest, dirtiest punches with Taylor and not recognize the horror of her words.  It doesn’t matter if she was provoked or not, she is a nasty person at her core… but this highlighted all the other things she can be at her core, too.  She came out of this multi-faceted and, dare I say, “rootable?”  She cleaned up her image after humiliating herself in s10 with absolutely NOTHING to show for it.  Does everyone remember when this trainwreck put her teen son on WWHL Zoom to appeal to Andy to rehire her after she got booted from the reunion?!?  And they say Jill is thirsty!!

And ya about Phaedra.  She was a hoot and a half, but it was all artifice.  Apart from seeing her boys in e1 (which was lovely), we got NOTHING of substance from her.  And I kept on waiting for Kandi to be brought up!  It’s bs she dodged that (all the ‘wives got to skirt their firings probably because they all thought this was an audition to return and they didn’t want to burn bridges anymore than they have… Brandi was the only one who kept it real).  I mean, I think Phaedra left Housewives in more disgrace than anyone, even Vicky, Jill, Kim Z., Danielle, etc.  Production was messy af with the flashbacks!  If you didn’t watch ATL, you really would have no idea how vicious she was.

So I guess Tamra is the winner here!  All season, I was wondering who this level-headed person was and it turns out she was just as fake a Phaedra but got herself her orange back.  So Tamra is another person who is easily just as evil as Vicky, Phaedra, and Brandi… for years, Tamra was legit trying to RUIN other Housewives’ lives and when she got bored with that, she just started indiscriminately pot stirring like an old, tired witch.  This person on Girls Trip was not Tamra.  If she has actually changed, good for her, but I’m extremely doubtful.  Also, did anyone else catch on WWHL how much obvious contempt Andy has for her and Vicky??

10 hours ago, Cat said:

 

Prediction: Rinna is going to save her spot on this show, just from this second-half villainy. And so will Kyle, because she is bringing the sister drama and that's the foundation of BH.

As for Sutton's 'Ah rilly LACK you' to Erika, sigh... I'm giving her some grace. Sutton's worked hard to stand up to the Coven this season, so by this point she's tired and wants to make some amends. IMO, she should stand tough all the way through to reunion and not care one jot what these women think of her. The Coven will never take her seriously and will continue to target her if she sends these mixed signals about wanting to be pals. Also, I don't want her abandoning Garcelle for the nasty Faux Force Five.

Nevertheless, when it comes to Kyle and Erika, I understand why Sutton is reaching across the aisle. First of all, she and Kyle are very alike -- needy, insecure, very social, wanting to be the life of the party. They just manifest it in different ways. Sutton is a lot more open with her anxieties. Kyle has cleaved to her because she feels Sutton IS her and she can control that (I'm not sure Kyle can, actually).

With Erika, I think they have this Georgia 'understanding', although I don't think either truly care about the other. This 'like you' is just for the show.

 

RHOBH episode:

Jamie Lee Curtis is a lovely person and the true Queen of this episode. Can we have her on all the time?? I just adore her and loved her banter with Sutton and Sheree. In case anybody thinks JLC was in any way mad at Sutton, this was the photo they all took at the lunch. Dorit working overtime to get in there with JLC!

 

Kyle is very controlling of JLC and Sutton. We are really seeing Producer Kyle this season.

BudgetGhislaine's house is a cold, lifeless concrete block -- bought to impress people and decorated by somebody else cuz she couldn't be bothered. I felt a bit bad for her talking about the miscarriage, though. That's all I've got.

Regarding Erika. In the words of Kelly Bensimon: "I don’t think you’re charming. I don’t think you’re funny. We're not friends." She thinks she's a YASSS KWEEN and 'giving life to the fans' with this BS attitude. No, you're not. Mikey needs to stop gassing her up about this. I don't even buy that she is drunk. I think this is just for SL and a distraction from the legal stuff nailing Tom and her to the wall.

ICAM with all of this!

But I’m thinking Rinna will have to pull something major to be spared.  She hasn’t had a storyline since Kim stopped regularly appearing (and that was never her story) and the audience has completely turned on her and Erika.  And I bet she gets paid very well because Rinna IS a hustler.  People mock her for that and suggest she’s actually unwanted when she declines lowball offers, but I think she’s a legit businesswoman… but the way she has achieved that on Bravo has cost her her soul, and as a Billie Reed fan, it’s super sad.

It is disappointing to see Sutton parlaying with Erika, but this woman has got to be TIRED from carrying BH on her back for 2 seasons and being held accountable for everything she’s ever said or done (so ironic on this show).  But for me, Sutton cannot do anything to jeopardize her relationship with Garcelle because it’s what makes her likable for me.  Because without that, I think she’s kinda just a desperate Karen with a laughable victim complex.  But Garcelle/Sutton is the wacky opposites attract duo I never knew I needed so much!

Ya, Diana’s house is as big a fail as she is!  But keeping it 100, I don’t think any of the ‘wives really decorate their own homes except for Yolanda, who is a professional interior designer (decorator?).  Of the current cast, I think Sutton and Kyle have the best interiors (but there’s something about Kyle’s new and old house that doesn’t quite come together, despite Faye’s help); as much as it pains me to admit, Garcelle may actually have the worst.  Rinna’s is interesting because she has some seriously dated, impersonal interiors but probably has the best location—when she was FaceTiming I think Crystal this week on her patio, I was DYING over her view at sunset!

Anyway, Diana continued to be a void.  Her home scenes are as vacuous as her group scenes.  For someone with SUCH an interesting backstory, there is nothing compelling about this woman (I felt similarly about NY’s Tinsley, but at least she had Dale, Carole “betraying” her, and Sonja & eventually Dorinda psychotically hating her).

I love that KKB quote!  I think I’m one of the only people that think she’s a boss in that scene—to me, she owned Bethenny from start to finish and left her speechless.  It always gets edited differently in reels and people point to it as the first example of her insanity, but she destroyed B, which is so satisfying.  But, ya, she is obviously insane lolol.  And Erika is the worst.  I actually hope she gets leveled legally—she is irredeemable.

And I hate to say it, because I do like her, but Crystal is drowning this season.  I am not in the business of critiquing housewives’ traumas, but I wasn’t connecting with her re.: her eating disorder.  On NJ, I really connect with Jackie on this and I think she’s f-ing horrible.  Like you said, I even connected with Diana once she finally normally explained her continuing health problems from her recent miscarriage.  But Crystal is just not delivering—I predict a major cast purge for next season.

I think it’s really sad that it’s BEN WESTON’S portrayer that’s getting the show to invest in the Kiriakis family.  This is also right after “Days” finally got JKJ back after 10 years and wasted him (granted, I’ll admit he really changed or he was making some really ill-advised choices).

I’m totally here for Chad & Sonny hooking up for all the reasons already mentioned, but IF they ever did go there, it’d always be tainted by undertones of thirsty fanfiction.

And re.: Xander & Sarah… ya, they blundered this.  They were one of the last decade’s great surprises (even though Xander did get lightweight Ben whitewashed) and now they’re completely intolerable.  And imo, she only ever worked with him (and God knows RC tried and tried and tried to make her the show’s premiere heroine after Abby left in 2018).

32 minutes ago, AbcNbc247 said:

Another person who could be sent packing

He is beyond tired and repetitive, but I will say I thought for a second in early 2020, I thought he, Evan, and Zoey (esp. played by GH’s Britt) had real potential to be a great black sheep “other” family.  But we all know how that went… lol.

Anyway, the prison breaks are standard fare at this point but I’ll give it to “Days”—they’ve been pulling punches all summer with Abby’s murder, the TR climax with Lani & Eli’s exits, Lumi’s wedding, and now this.  Some of it has worked (Sami’s arc), some of it hasn’t (most of Abby’s death and aftermath)… we’ll see how this goes.  And this all happened right after the possession finale.  I do feel like they are trying, it’s just that everything falls a little flat because of budget and scheduling.  But with all the event storytelling, we’re missing so many beats because of episode guarantees and block taping.  Like we’re getting a lot of good scenes recently about Abby’s loved ones grieving a whole MONTH+ after the murder!

So I hate to hate on this, because I love the concept of the Peacock specials and this was a lovely idea, but this was disappointing to me on multiple levels.

First, they did not invest in this like BS1.  I understand they have no $$, but even the stock establishment footage was not assembled with same effect that it was in BS1 (or even, quite frankly, Chad & Abby in Paris or The Last Blast Reunion).  Like, this wasn’t any more of an ambitious adventure than The Alamanian Peacock, but that was presented so much more believably.  They did not sell this as a splashy action adventure—like at all.  The movement from locale to locale was so insane and I don’t think one, not one, set worked.  Conversely, I did not feel the need to nitpick any of this in BS1 because it was done so earnestly.  Production felt like a major afterthought here.  I mean I thought the two best looking scenes were the editing of Harris MorganMichaels speeding away with John and Steve in the van and Thomas Banks’ sniper situation in the hotel above that Canadian park.  That is not good lol.

And the biggest issue was defaulting to the older super couple cast.  While I’m not a B&H fan, I initially thought them headling this was super solid and I totally understood including S&K, given how close they are.  But this almost entirely subverted zero expectations, which I think is the beauty of this platform—you can do stuff outside the box and even if BS1 didn’t push boundaries, it at least played with them.  Nothing about this was “different” except for Paul & Andrew (they should have been way more front and center) and that actually sexy sex scene with Li & Gabi.  One of the big problems with “Days” has been its inability to move on and reinvent itself and this cheeseball stuff with B&H, S&K, and J&M was SO indicative of that.  And they didn’t even include Hope in Hong Kong where all the stories converged!  WTF?!?

I know some people thought ED was unneeded in this, but she is smart casting because of her broad visibility between Y&R, Real Housewives, and, of course, her iconic “Days” roles.  This is shady to SH, but anytime they can get ED, they should.  Like having LR’s Billie headline the first chapter was absolutely the right move.  Chapter 1 felt so fresh and this felt the opposite.  And even though I really, really don’t care for him, from a marketing perspective, Steve Burton was probably a smart move.  I think it’s just really misadvised to force everyone to work with him after GH.

Anyway, on a positive note, I thought Megan worked shockingly well, Paul & Andrew were everything, Wendy showed a lot of potential, and after not understanding including Gabi & Li… I totally got it, even if RH continues to prove he is so awkward.  And Hope’s reunion with Bo and Zach was obviously lovely, as was LD, even though most of the Heaven stuff was cringe af.  And I loved the song for the opening!  Also, this reminded me how much I actually like Lucas Adams as Tripp and, honestly, they didn’t need to recast Joey considering this is who we got… jmo!

Sooo, I think Kyle is literally the worst.  And worst of all, she doesn’t shine in any situation—almost everyone else’s home scenes are better and none of her “friendships” with the other housewives feel genuine (bc she is a snake!).  However, like others have already noted, the drama between the three sisters and whatever that mother obviously put them through is THE story of the show.

But I don’t get the Kim love.  Kyle weaponized her sister’s alcoholism on national tv, which is obviously shameful.  And Rinna won’t “OWN IT” that she capitalized on a moment of weakness (the ride to game night) and made a years long story out of doubting Kim’s sobriety.  Which is also shameful.  But Kim IS an addict who is incapable of taking any accountability for like anything in her life.  As someone with a complicated relationship with alcohol, I want to identify and empathize with her… but I have never seen a shred of humility in her and she uses her recovery as a shield to not answer for any of her very real transgressions, drunk or sober.  I hate to say it, but I think she’s a pile.  And apart from being quirky in the early years (that feels gone now), I find her even less charming than Kyle.  Just my opinion

56 minutes ago, Cat said:

@DynamiteKiddo it wasn't long winded like Dorit, it was very interesting! I personally feel the same way as you about Sutton, in that i am on the fence and she cannot have it both ways. She got herself in this mess. Nevertheless, I do think Diana goaded her like a spider, she is targeting her and wants a reaction from her -- a reaction she knows will land Sutton in trouble. The irony was that Kyle was ready to help drag Sutton in that direction but completely effed up. She laid hands on Sutton and dismissed her own claims of having miscarried. And now the focus is on what Kyle did (as well it should  because that scene was pretty awful).

Totally agree with everything you wrote about Crystal. I love her family scenes and Rob seems like a fun, lighthearted RH husband, with legit Hollywood pedigree. But she messed up with her insinuation about Sutton. It was a clear embellishment. Leaning into her feelings is one thing, but when the facts are laid out coldly, Sutton is not a predator. I think Crystal thought Twitter would back her up, and that did not transpire. 

BTW has anyone noticed? Amid the slew of non-apology apologies, zero from Erika apologising for her language towards Jax.

Ty!  I’m down for anything that finally exposes Kyle for the treacherous snake she is!  Lol.  And I think Erika likely thinks she’s in too deep to apologize?  She’ll obviously try to turn it on Garcelle (like she did with Denise and her daughters at the pizza party), but when it doesn’t work this time she’ll either have to apologize or lash out and I have a feeling which way it’ll go………. lol.

On 7/1/2022 at 2:03 PM, dio said:

gotta be one of the DUMBEST most out of touch character(s) exists I've ever seen on a soap... 2 black characters exit with 1 of them going to prison for shooting someone that had killed a drug dealer, shot her husband in the head leaving him in a months long coma, brained her dad leaving him in a pool of his own blood, and was about to beat her mom... while the 2nd character just disappears. A MESS. Like, why couldn't the charges have been dropped and they just leave town in a boring way? Gross.

Ya this was so f’n tone deaf.  Between RC’s Blue Lives Matter story with JJ/Theo and his treatment of Lani shooting Stefan and TR/Ray, it should really make you wonder…

However, I did think their last 2 episodes were a sweet, pretty complete send-off, ignoring the circumstances obviously.  This couple had a lot of starts and stops with story, but I actually think they’ve been one of the better, more consistent couples of RC’s “Days.”  From the initial paternity quad with JJ & Gabi all the way to this TR stuff, I think they’ve been really solid fixtures of the show.  I can see why some feel they were slighted throughout, but I honestly disagree.  And I will miss them!

If twitter is coming for Portia (and Jagger & Phoenix), Kyle will parlay that into the only role she knows how to play—victim.  And it can work.  Hopefully Garcelle won’t take any heat off of Erika, Kyle, Dorit, Mo, and PK by offering any sympathy or accepting any responsibility for this.  She is not accountable.  And Rinna will probably try to run her trash mouth that this validates what she said.  Meanwhile, as uncomfortable as it was—Rinna’s “statement” can be a conversation, but she picked the wrong time to bring it up because Diana saying she donates $$ to Africa in an open letter to Garcelle IS hella racist (as was Dorit telling her to calm down and Kyle accusing her of not paying).

As far as Sutton is concerned… idk man.  She brings it, for sure.  And personally, I love her friendship with Garcelle and think she has the best interior style since Yolanda lol.  But she is a Karen and Crystal and that hag Diana are right about her being completely awkward and unable to express herself in any kind of normal, understandable way.  Lol.  Kyle was awful, but so was Sutton—she literally just blew off Diana’s miscarriage.  Sutton wants it both ways and I think we’re giving her a pass because we approve of who she’s battling, not because she’s right.  Anyway, despite being problematic, Sutton has been a strong addition to the show.  I don’t know what we’d do without her or Garcelle.

And this is going back a few weeks, but I just wanted to comment on Crystal/Sutton. What a mess!  Btw, in the group, Crystal sucks… but I love her home scenes and her husband brings the Hollywood cred’ this show needs.  And she did prove herself formidable last year going against Sutton.  But whatever this was… was a total flop.  First, in her backwards way of defending Sutton, she brings up the “violation”… so she is as self-centered as everyone else, Lolol.  I finally understand her, though.  Clearly, she has been through therapy and has misguidedly been taught to never allow anyone to invalidate your feelings.  Because your feelings are yours and, therefore, can’t be wrong.  She tried to extend that premise to her “dark” comment.  But what Crystal sadly doesn’t and won’t understand is that her very inappropriate word choice (because that’s how she “feels”) implicates Sutton as a predator and a racist.  Lol.  I don’t know what she thinks she’s doing, but if she thinks this is her pulling her weight……….. Lolol.

Sorry for being so long winded like Dorit!!

Just now, Soapsuds said:

Ben? Really? Who the [!@#$%^&*] cares what he feels or thinks...

And Casey Moss is returning.

I hate Ben as much as anyone else, but if we’re stuck with him, he should always be dealing with the Chabby fallout.  Obviously, RC kept them separated because it was impossible to proceed with his vision for Ben while acknowledging what happened with Abby.

2 hours ago, Antoyne said:

I haven’t seen yet but when I heard it was Cady instead of Missy I was disappointed. I know they’re just playing characters, but she was the actress that played bringing this character into the world and we got her back for really superfluous stuff instead of this. At least we got to see her have a little anger about Gwen gloating about killing her mother.

Abby should’ve been recast, period.

So I actually am a huge Missy fan notwithstanding lol, but she really is needed for this, esp. since the writing sucks so far and EVEN NOW it looks like episode guarantees/the budget is getting in the way.  In the last two days, we should have had everyone from Maggie to Ben reacting to this ON SCREEN.  Since we’re not getting that, Cady is going to have to carry a much heavier load.

But even if Missy is checked out, she always nails scenes with/about Jenn’s children.  And can you imagine the looks she’d exchange with SSH, SR, and MBE… or just seeing her sitting alone in the Horton living room?!?  I like Cady fine and I want her as Jenn if it means we’ll have the character full time, but she can never compete with growing up and growing old on the show.

I do hope MA gets good content with SN—that’s one of the show’s more intense relationships, though you wouldn’t know it these days.  I also hope Justin is around for this.  But it looks like Will won’t be and I’m crossing my fingers for a surprise Casey Moss visit…

But this all just sucks and shouldn’t be happening.

11 hours ago, Antoyne said:

So instead of recasting, the only possible thing to do is kill her and bring on a RECAST of her cousin to essentially take her place.

THIS!

When Marci left the first time and Kate returned for 3 months to wrap [!@#$%^&*] up, Ron tried to replace her with Sarah as the show’s premiere heroine and it. did. not. work.  However, like @Michael said, Abby hasn’t had the presence TPTB has wanted to give her as the female lead because of Kate and Marci’s pretty limited availability.  Kate was obviously block taping during her six month 2019/20 return and Abby was so islanded and felt pretty superfulous.  Then when Marci shockingly came back, all momentum was lost with her maternity leave… but all year, Abby/Marci has been front and center and SHINING.  It makes it even more tragic to lose her now.  And how much notice did they have?  Because Abby should’ve had scenes with at least D&J, Gabi, WilSon, Ben, and Tony & Jake (harking back to Andre & Stefan) to make this hurt more.  And how are you gonna do an Abby whodunnit without Gabi as a viable suspect?!?  Lol.

I am leveled.  I know she’ll inevitably be back, but this is so unnecessary.  Not only is she a legacy character born on-screen, she’s the show’s only enduring young heroine since Belle.  And especially with Kate (though I personally prefer Marci—it’s a long, complicated story lol), Abby is truly a FORCE on this show with so much reach. I don’t know what the real motivation is because RC has clearly been so invested in her, but I guess this is his fickle dumbf*ckery coming through.

I know many have been citing Victoria Konafel/CIN as a comparison, but I don’t think this is a situation where TPTB were unwilling to work with Marci/Kate, I just think accommodating their availability came to its natural end… this honestly started in 2015 when Kate extended her run to co-headline the 50th with Chad/Ben and B&H and then she appeared sporadically until summer 2016.  They just didn’t have to kill her—if they thought recasting was that risky, ship her off.  Billy Flynn is lucky TPTB value him enough to not sunset Chabby like in Feb. 2019 (should they have just stayed off canvas since??—that was one of the show’s lovelier sendoffs.)

I also wonder if Missy was unavailable or if she boycotted??  It’s a real shame and mistake to phase out J&J’s family—for years, Jennifer/Abby/JJ were the heart of the show (TomSell’s most successful creative decision) and kept Tom & Alice’s legacy alive and thriving in that house.

I’m crushed, and I’m even more disappointed because my interest in the show had been so revived by Zach Tinker as Sonny.

Also, how much does TPTB hate Lucas?!?  Omg lolol.

They showed him putting them on.  Craig was in the front of the frame bc we obviously couldn’t see an actually naked Chad get out of bed and pull his undies up. Lol

45 minutes ago, ranger1rg said:

If it’s campy and the writers weren’t in on it? Bad camp. That can be enjoyable to watch but will never make the movie or show quality.

Jim Reilly!  lol.  I know he has his fans (seems a fair amount of posters recall his first run fondly here) but I'll never not think of almost his entire body of work as the most simplistic drivel.  '93-'95 had some effective gothic mood going on with Maison Blanche, The Possession, and Aremid, but the overly repetitive scenarios and dialogue really detracted from the overall atmosphere.  And his earlier complex stuff with J&M's affair and Curtis Reed's murder mystery I largely attribute to riding off Sheri Anderson's coattails.  And I'm not saying that he wasn't in on the joke--clearly Laura, Vivian, Sami, Celeste, Susan, etc. were supposed to be wacky . . . but for all the stuff that was supposed to be funny, there was just as much (if not more) "serious" stuff that could be hilariously bad.  But come, like, '96, I think he got lazy and was parodying himself, but I bet he was living his best life with the Underground Paris City, 100 ED characters, etc.  I sometimes also wonder if he had some kind of contempt for the genre.  And then 2003-2006 was a special kind of hell.

RC, otoh, misses the mark often and leans way too hard into "camp," but I never get the sense that he's intentionally sabotaging the show (at least on "Days," there were moments on OLTL and GH that made me wonder lol).

15 minutes ago, Darn said:

Nicole on Days. I thought of her as a failed one time character in her initial run but somehow she came back years later to be one of the top leads of the 00s and 10s.

Really good example!  I’d say she’s by far and large Dena Higley’s greatest success story.  That brief renaissance “Days” enjoyed in 2009/10 basically was because of her (and CC/Carly………. lol).  Speaking of, Carly, Lawerence, and Vivian Alamain were characters I thought we’d never, ever see again on “Days.”

J&J are my favorite couple on “Days” and while I really, really loved the content AHB and RA & AS gave them, it was problematic and likely would not fly today.  I’d NEVER compare them to Cin, but at a certain point, Jenn was crusading all over town forcing Jack on everyone, despite his past.  But RA & AS made Jack his own harshest critic and he was very self-destructive and deprecating.  Jack not forgiving himself really balanced the writing.  But, I’ll call a spade a spade—most of their initial love story was about Jack’s redemption and pain, including Jenn’s own rape by Lawerence.  Which is beyond cringe.

7 hours ago, AbcNbc247 said:

Speaking of Anne Howard Bailey, she did also seem to be a fan of Nick the pimp as well

 

Was she the one that started their involvement together or was it Leah Laiman?

I believe it was AHB who had Jenn intern at The Spectator and she wrote the Baby Hannah and Jack/Jenn/Emilio stories… then I think RA & AS started in earlyish 1990 and had Jack kidnap Jenn on the fire truck from her wedding to Emilio and they had the A storyline until Gene Palumbo started in summer 1991.

Ya, Nick was a big deal during AHB, but she (maybe it was RA & AS?) moved him away from Eve (it seems like they were pretty popular, though very toxic) in favor of April. Totally bizarre.  It feels like AHB really wanted to make the Ramirez family happen much like Dena Higley was obsessed with the Hernandez’s.  I love the idea of having a front burner Latino family on “Days,” but both attempts have been pretty unsuccessful.  I don’t remember if Carrie & Julio (or Adrienne & Emilio) were under LL or AHB… perhaps both were super invested in carving out a space for the Ramirez’s?

Ya, I think AHB is mostly panned for everything except Jack & Jennifer . . . then RA & AS really catapulted them into the center of the show.  As a J&J fan, I'm not complaining lol.

9 hours ago, AbcNbc247 said:

So it really is the same set and not a replica?

So it looks like the Kiriakis “sitting room” to me redressed.  I think Tom Early (the set designer) has done a mostly good job the last few years, even if sets are just being redressed… but this feels so disjointed with the existing foyer/living room set.  I am THRILLED we’re getting a dining room set, esp. for the Horton home, but this misses the mark big time for me.  I guess I should reserve harsh criticism until I see more than 2 seconds of it lol.

This Bethenny/Tom/Lu scoop is hardly revelatory.  It was sooo clear that Bethenny/Bravo had spies and that B, armed with the cameraphone photo, humiliated Lu on-camera and hijacked her big storyline, giving her what would become one of RHoNY's most iconic moments (even though this was LuAnn's storyline and life) and yet another opportunity to hock her $hit.  It was so gross and obvious, but it was what it was then and it's hardly news now.  However, I do think that some part of B was concerned for Lu, though, after her horrible experience with Jason (couldn't have happened to a more deserving person! lol) . . . but this was completely contrived for the show and it was very cruel.  The only genuine thing I think B did for Lu was the intervention because it happened off-camera and probably had a lot to do with her own family's alcoholism and that she'd been [!@#$%^&*]!ng with her for 10 years.  But Lu sure burned that bridge!

Re. Carole/B . . . I'm glad Cat refreshed our memories about Cassandra Grey, thank you!  B felt ignored all summer, even though Carole was helping her grieving friend in LA and then B obviously started passively turning on Carole once filming resumed and it was solidified when B "exposed" Adam's "greed" and implied he was just another Housewives grifter a la Jason & Tom.  Carole was protective of Adam and I bet she also felt it was an attack on her intelligence and judgement . . . and she had to fight to legitimize this relationship considering the age difference (which was sexist bullsh!t) and Lu/Nicole.  Carole's RHoNY image was largely centered around how chill she was, but she was just as, if not more, sensitive to any criticism directed toward her.

Then B started getting ageist with Carole and came for Carole's achilles heel--her career (or that she didn't have one).  All the while, Carole "got it" that B was using her (and I do believe they were very real friends) to create a false narrative for a s10 storyline.  Carole was always fine playing the game, but she lost her damn mind when she realized that game was being played against her after five seasons of being protected by Bravo.  And as much as production liked Carole, they liked Bethenny better.  I really felt for Carole . . . she was "show friends" first with Aviva and then with Kristen and Tinsley . . . but I think her friendships with Lu, Dorinda, B, and obviously Heather were super genuine.  And I think it was so shocking to her that B threw their friendship under the bus for story and then came for her integrity, which she valued above all else.

But then Carole just blew it.  Bethenny was wrong through the whole thing, but Carole's overreaction to the whole thing was SO much worse than what B was doing.  She gave B the perfect opportunity to legitimately play victim and she obviously took it, with Bravo and Andy backing her 110%.  Carole felt completely duped and I think that's where her anger and resentment came from, and she's obviously not over it, which is a bad look for someone who's above Bravo culture.

I still love Carole, though.  So I can only super speak to NY, NJ, OC, BH, and Atlanta, but of all those, I think Carole is, by far, the most enigmatic hw.  There's never been anyone remotely like her, and I doubt there ever will.  BH has some very real showbizz legitimacy with 'wives like Yolanda and now Crystal, Kyle always had the Hiltons and Faye, omg that Maloof $$, etc.  But on NY, the only super connected 'wife was Kelly Bensimon.  But Carole Radziwill had Kennedy ties--Carolyn Bessette was her best friend and she was literally solving the plane crash that night with the coast guard.  (Her book is a must-read if you're interested in any of this kind of stuff.) And, completely in her own right, she was an Emmy award winning journalist and NY Times best selling author before HWs.  And she was cool af and had better style than any of them (her apartment is still my fav. HWs property . . . Lu's Sag Harbor and Yolanda's Malibu homes are its only rivals, imo).  Lol I will always be in awe of Carole.  I just wish she didn't come off as sour grapes now.

I thought the reunion was off to a good start.  I loved how front and center Garcelle was this installment!  Dorit tried, but failed.  I think her job is in jeopardy.

I thought the Rinna/Garcelle stuff had a lot of meat and they honestly could've delved a lot deeper.  Don't come for me, but I finally saw Rinna's p.o.v. in this feud.  I loved that Garcelle stayed holding Rinna accountable for Denise last year, but I understood how she thought she couldn't ever catch a break with her.  Because she couldn't.  Garcelle dropped a bomb with the race allegation, and while I take no issue with her bringing that up . . . that was something worth getting clarification about, before the reunion.  She weaponized it to seriously defame Rinna and if she had proof that she said it, she wouldn't and shouldn't have given an inch.  What Garcelle should have added to her straight-up saying she doesn't trust Rinna (no one but maybe Erika and Eileen should at this point) is that it's because she threw out her 20-year relationship with Denise to be in the center of some reality tv drama and that she sold her damn soul for this show.  (Can they break the fourth wall to that degree??)  Rinna knows Garcelle knows this and while Rinna gives zero f*cks, I don't think she's comfortable with other people knowing this.  She had to scramble, hence the making up.  Was it genuine?  Idk . . . but I think they both actually genuinely connected on not recognizing each other anymore and wishing they could go back to how things were pre-HW.

I liked the Sutton segment.  She's a tragically out of touch and ridiculously privileged Karen, but I really like her and she carried SO much of the weight this season, from start to finish.

I'm actually really interested in seeing what, if anything, Crystal will bring.  This is make it or break it for her, but her very real Hollywood connections may save her regardless.

I could care less about Kyle, unless she's actually, and finally, held accountable for being a two-faced loser.  I'm not even stoked about her and Kathy talking about making up because that family keeps everything locked up tight (Kyle would tell all, but can't because she'd permanently lose Kathy and Kim . . . and she'd be selling her soul a la Rinna) . . . this is where the best BH drama has always been, though.

Can't wait for Erika.  She handled herself well in the opening segment.  But I'm hoping she crashes and burns, which the previews indicate she will!

I think the photos are really lovely--I mentioned how amazing the sets look.  I haven't read the article yet.  I only said the recreated TIME photo was "sacrelig'" because, in my opinion, Cin are literally the worst and their constant and very unwarranted propping (wether its comparing them to B&H, having Marlena be their quasi Fairy Godmother, or staging a photo nodding to one of the show's biggest pop culture moments) is nauseating to me.  I'm super glad "Days" and the genre are getting press and a splashy photoshoot that's way more elevated than anything we get as "Days" fans.  Perhaps I should have looked at this more macro and focused on the positives than my disdain for this ridiculous couple.  And noted that D&J were completely ridiculous considering the Addie/Hope angle . . . but that all happed 10+ years before I was born so I can't comment on wether or not their journey was similar to the 50th anniversary serial killer being exalted as a hero with little to no viable redemption arc while Ciara refuses to acknowledge the pain he inflicted across canvas, including her cousin (the show's then premiere heroine), who he intended to burn to death while absconding with her hours-old newborn.