RHOM
Well, I finally got done rewatching (all) of the finale before the reunion tonight. And...???
Ever since the ladies came back from their multiple vacas, I had felt the energy was off. Or worse that it was subsiding. Usually, RHOM took me on a roller coaster ride that kept right on going. Very much like SLC tend to. And it wasn't that anything was going on. I loved they did a breather episode, touching on Kiki and her father, Lisa and Cody and where they stand, and the ever-present simmering tension between Alexia and Marysol. Not to mention the breakdown of the friendship between Julia and Adriana.
Which brings me to Adriana. Adriana, Adriana, Adriana. Love or hate her, she will entertain. For most of this season, she has been wild, but relatable, dealing with her BFF siding with the 'cool' kids. Meanwhile, her BFF has been doing everything under the sun to be relevant. So Julia using Adriana's legit absence (with pot-stirring help from Alexia and Kiki) was just foul. So was Julia trying to get Adriana's goat at not only Stephanie's event, but Adriana's Art Basel event. With friends like her...
And then WOW at Kiki being the one behind the birthday cake shade. And the revelation was when I was reminded that Adriana can be her own worst enemy. Kiki explained, but Adriana turned it into a whole thing. And right when she and Kiki came to terms with it and Wretched vs Ratchet, Adriana had to deal with an unexpected ambush...something made easy by how she acts. And the sad thing was that by manipulating an ambush into happening, Marysol just continued to prove what has been said about her all the way back to when Ana was on the show in Season 2...producing behind the scenes to get yet another cast member out. Even if Adriana chose to use the word. It didn't take away from the fact that Marysol's slip was showing.
My only disappointment was that in setting it up since last reunion...they only focused on the tension between Marysol and Alexia in the literal credits. Oooo I was so annoyed. ANNOYED. I was looking forward to those two butting heads...something I expected given Alexia was using Stephanie on Marysol, giving us a good Marysol vs Stephanie scene where Marysol actually got gathered. I can't help, but wonder if Production perhaps just buried the storyline.
ALEXIA. I literally gasped when the linear notes revealed that she and Todd divorced. I mean...really? I knew they had announced it in real time. I knew they were flirting all over social media in spite of it. And then I hadn't heard a thing. So that's the kind of surprise I liked. Also surprising was seeing Peter be right for a change. Todd was basically dog-walking Alexia by not being on camera. And then how he left her and traumatized Frankie was bad form. It was also clear she was relishing the Adriana ambush.
LARSA. And Alexia was not the only one. I enjoyed her in the penultimate episode pot-stirring with the birthday cake. Her being like a dog with a bone was hilarious. That said...she did not do much for me in the finale. And then to FINALLY introduce her man in the linear notes was things to make you go hmmm.
GUERDY. Surprisingly mute for me. Except for when she was at Adriana's event. Honestly, Adriana really and truly should say less. She might not be racist, but Adriana was coming across completely ignorant which is bad, too.
JULIA. Oh...so her kids DID fall out with her over the adoption. So much so that they are not talking to her? Intriguing. But we can't have that so here was Julia trying to play victim to Adriana. Saying Adriana was not fun anymore. WHAT, BITCA? How would you know when you have spent no time around her? And then wanted to whine about her not going to your event when you didn't even specify that you were singing. When you knew she was working on her act, too? GIRL, BYE. And then she kept poking the bear, knowing Adriana has a temper. And it's low class that she was even trying to poke said bear at events she knew they were trying not to have scenes at. And then that narrative about Adriana she was trying to paint on screen....GUUUUURL. Adriana has shown the good, the bad, and the ugly on this show. And she's been very candid about the slow dissolution of her friendship with Julia. Moreso than Julia. So Julia can STFU and have ALL...THE...SEATS. Or as I said when I watched...COME BETTER, BABE. Such a waste of space.
LISA. Stayed looking good throughout. Meanwhile, I liked that scene between her and Jody when they laid their cards out on the table. I liked she had Adriana's back in little ways. And ooo at her linear note with her and Jody starting a business.
STEPHANIE. I felt she had a decent first season. That said...she has to stop talking about that plane her money. I respect she asked Adriana to sing at her event. And I loved her gathering Marysol in the penultimate episode.
FOH
KIKI. I was happy she mended fences with her father since she really wanted that. I admit that I was side-eying how she was bringing him around. And I so gasped at the reveal she was behind the birthday cake. I liked she tried to resolve it with Adriana, and it sounded like a misunderstanding. But Adriana made that into a big hill so Kiki diva-walked away. I giggled at her and 'Gifts.' Still...I don't understand her mending fences with Adriana again in the finale only to leave her out to dry during the ambush.
MARYSOL. First of all...JILL ZARIN!!!! That said...she saw she messed with the wrong one in the one on one with Stephanie, so I liked how she pivoted with an apology. So it was sad that she did exactly what was expected of her by the Adriana ambush. And it's sad because she's tight with Alexia and her, that it seem to go over Kiki's head that Marysol kinda set her up. And to think that I thought it was going to be a Marysol takedown a few episodes back. So slippery. smh.
ADRIANA. Again...say less. She was in such a strong position, but that finale? Planning with Marysol and getting exposed. Her being a diva before her performance. She said she wanted to practice for Steph's event. I was looking forward to it. And it was THAT. Mind you, I love we got to hear the theme song since Bravo didn't use taglines in the finale hehe, but that last song...I expected more. Adriana does make it hard to like her. Because you have moments like in the finale and the episode before where you see her intelligence and how much she is involved and love the art world, but then she loses that temper and then BOOOOM!!! Even if she does have the right...I wish she would have played it so much better. The audience was on her side.
I felt it all ended in a whimper really, but still so much more enjoyable (Xmas in Miami...there's an idea I don't think they've done).
Off to the reunion...