Cat

Good post, and totally in agreement. Kyle thought the hard work was over after 9 long years of trying to get rid of LVP. What she hasn't realized is, the hard work is just beginning. The post does a good job in showing how Kyle no longer stands out amidst the other women. It's funny thinking back to S1-2, Kyle being a young ish, pretty mom with an interesting sister dynamic and mean-girl vibes. Back then, BH had glamour, REAL money, but it also had normality, with Kyle meeting up with Kim.and her kids in a Palm Desert bungalow and doing her own makeup. I miss that balance tbh. Now she is left imitating other HWs (and the same with Rinna too). Pushing the kiddos as Instagram 'stars' like Yolanda, glam squads like Erika, acting like LVP with 'business'....Kyle (and to a lesser extent Lisa R) no longer have the sparkle that made them stand out initially. Kyle has had work done, her wardrobe purged of kaftans, but she seems weirdly aged. That impetuous youthful aspect (which got her in trouble after ill-advised S1 and S2 reunion performances) has gone. And youth is everything in Hollywood. This 'fall of Kyle' has been a long time coming IMO. I have been waiting for it for years! My basic opinion of Kyle has, unusually, remained mostly unchanged from S1 Episode 1. The way, with Kim's own daughters, she mocked and belittled Kim to her face, as if they were in on some secret and Kim was excluded... I saw what Kyle was all about then and there. She is a pretty basic mean girl whose latent jealousy and neediness means she will always be threatened by someone more accomplished than her. She did a number on Kim, Camille, all the way to LVP. And now she is finding that others will no longer fall in line behind her when she targets someone new. Not least the target herself. She must be really panicked right now! Also want to say that I am REALLY liking Sutton. While Kyle, Dorit, Rinna, Erika have this glossy teflon exterior of contour makeup and hardness, picking on anybody who shows any human vulnerability whatsoever, Sutton is the exact opposite. As rich as she is, she looks like herself and not some Erika Jayne clone. Her emotions are very close to the surface, and when she releases tears in fear or anger, it is a much-needed relief. If she is nervous and emotional, it's because she senses that the four witches will turn on her in a heartbeat. And she's not about that life, and neither are Garcelle and Denise. G and D are much tougher and cooler customers, though. Sutton is still a bit messy and unsure and not as controlled, but I like that about her. She's a human being, not a glambot. And I sort of wish she had caused a scene at Rinna's daughters' dreary launch! I have never seen so much grey on my life. And Delilah looked completely unrecognisable with all her plastic surgery. The poor child is, what, 20?

I have a similar feeling with OC. But on BH it is egregious, and it damn near sunk the show the last 4 seasons at least. It's too Survivor, too GoT, with nothing real at stake, except these witches just want to be 'queen' of this franchise. It's why I like Sutton, because she is calling them out on these BS 'fights' and is so deeply uncomfortable with the whole setup.

"I am Denise [!@#$%^&*] Richards, Kyle." Oh i got CHILLS when Denise leaned forward and spat that out. Denise has Vyle pegged, and so does Garcelle. Not a fan of Dorit because what she did to Sutton was cruel. She was way too extra in trying to drive a wedge between Rinna and Sutton (and I'm sensing Rinna OKed that whole takedown). However, Dorit gives no shits if people hate her. She is more than happy to play the villain role. And playing a role she is. She is ridiculously rehearsed. Her intense dislike of that mewling twit Teddi is real, though. I noticed Cowardly Teddi kept oddly quiet when Denise went after Kyle, and Erika (who is not feeling Denise) did too. These witches are way too strategic. That idiot PK is going to badmouth LVP next week? He's an ass.

Sutton knows now that neither Dorit nor Rinna are to be trusted. Both are looking to play the blame game. I feel bad for Sutton. Both Dorit and LR were clearly tag-teaming her, and she knew it.

Awww that's a shame. I am really feeling NY this season. No more shrill, nasal voice screeching "me, me, me, look at all my money," trying to tear down the others. And I say this as someone who has really been loving Bethenny's Instagram Live stories, especially when she cooks. She is a different person on IG, at home with her daughter. TV Bethenny, OTOH? Totally burned out by her. The constant put-downs, the Skinnygirl products, the deeply-boring house-flipping, the screeching, Lord, nobody could get a word in. This year, without her, I feel NY is refreshed. Everyone has space to breathe, to tell their story. Ramona, Dorinda, Sonja, Luann should always be front-and-center, not a support act for Skinnygirl-sponsored events. It was so nice this episode to see them at Nello's kissing that gorgeous maitre d' -- and Dorinda turns to Sonja to genuinely congratulate her on her show. Like you, watching the show makes me miss NYC alot. I got hungry watching this episode because all the food looked SO delicious! Going to restaurants and eavesdropping on the glam ladies' table next to your's was such a NY thing to do pre-pandy times. The Upper East Side experience in particular was a feature of the early seasons, and we seem to be largely coming back to that. And I love Leah (who is definitely not an UES girl) getting to dip her toe in that different world. I feel like she is embracing the UES OGs, and they have come to embrace her too. She does judge them on their behavior sometimes, but she's not judgemental like that awful dead-eyed Elyse. (In the Bitch Sesh podcast interviewing Sonja, she said that the women decided not to bring Elyse on the cast trip because she would be a Debbie Downer sucking all the fun out of it. So it seems that the HWs themselves got turned off by her once she started showing her true colors). I get that you feel it is repetitive. It is. The OGs are wrestling with the same inner turmoil as in years past. Their lives are not the same since they divorced or lost their husbands. They are deeply nostalgic for that past and sometimes wish to recapture it. Even Ramona. And yet, they keep it moving to pastures new. Leah's issues with alcohol and her parents add an interesting counterpoint to all that. Sonja is incredible this season. I can't take my eyes off her. Even Dorinda getting the bad edit, I like her, and she is true to herself. I totally believe her issues are genuine, and not something she dreamed up in order to have a SL on the show. Anyhoo, just wanted to express my RHONY love, lol.

I did not need to see that i-phone footage of Michael Darby's undulating buttocks eagerly awaiting a cat-o-nine-tails. (but OMG the Potomac Zoomunion is going to be glorious! You know Ashley is going to stay with him and wait out that prenup, all the while throwing crap at other people's relationships). Woah wait wut

Kyle worked super hard to set up Dorit at Teddi's retreat (who are the Teddi fans paying for that nothingburger?). She basically dumped her BFF so she could stir Dorit up in the hotel room and then tattle on her at the dinner. And I don't even like vain, superficial Dorito chip! But what was most interesting was her seething jealousy of Denise. It's no accident that Kyle was harping on the lesbian remark -- a perfect segue into introducing the Brandi-Denise rumor, I think. Last week Kyle was also the one who asked Aaron what he does for a living and unleashed the cray. Kyle is so obviously trying to set up Denise for a fall, but she is so limited in what she believes will shock the BH audience. And Rinna was sitting back and lapping the whole mess up. Kyle is shaking the tree and Rinna is perched ready to pick up the fruit. I related to Sutton's discomfort and anxiety in these forced social situations. She knows most of the women are waiting to pounce on her. Speaking of anxiety, I felt for Amelia who seems to be really going through some difficult times. Her mother, however, seemed more preoccupied with attracting the attention of the paps. This is Porsha pivoting after she spent the latter part of the season cosying up to Nene. It's a stab at relevancy and staying on the show when Nene is so obviously on her way out.

Andy better share those texts with the audience! And I know everyone is ready for Nene to leave the show (I admit I am a little Nene-ed out after all the goose-honking this season), but her railroading Eva in that clip was ok by me. I do agree with @chrisml regarding Porsha. Those rape allegations she threw at Kandi (and got off scot-free after Phaedra took the fall) have always prevented me from embracing her completely. Even though I recognise she has improved her image leaps and bounds in recent years and is genuinely funny. If she is stepping back into old habits of accusing people of complete BS . By the same token, if Kenya did talk about Cynthia behind her back, I want to hear about it. ... j/k! I cannot wait to watch Kyle expose her own ass. The crown fedora hat is heavy, darlings.

Fraud and Hellishly finally being put in their places?.Thank goodness.

I enjoyed the Fashion Week-heavy episode of RHONY. Leah and Sonja's burgeoning frenemyship continues to crack me up. And if anybody here is a fan of Sonja, this podcast interviewed the Lady Morgan a few days ago, and it was a fun interview. Sonja was lucid, self-deprecating, funny and real. https://www.earwolf.com/episode/sonja-morgan/

I also could buy that we might have cancerous cells in our body even in times of good health. I *might* even buy the notion that some cancerous cells develop while trying to fight another infection ('might' being the operative word. This pandemic has me discovering new things about our immune system, and it's a whole new world for me!). The way he and Denise kept looking over their shoulders to see if they were being followed by that 'strange car again.' Woah. I did not expect BH to turn left onto X-Files Drive like that. I'm guessing it was just some tabloid paps looking for a lost Kardashian! Rinna's hair is going to look good all grown out, but emotionally I find her brittle as that hairspray helmet. She wanted Kim, Yolanda, LVP out so bsdly.. but it was at the cost of her human qualities. Now it's all show and flash, look what I am wearing, look at how rich and connected my friends are, look at me milk my daughter's problems. It feels... hard. I think back to S7 (Hong Kong season) and how much more open and vulnerable Rinna was then. IA that people with perceived weaknesses (illness, addiction, age) trigger her the most. She won't rest until they are subdued. Seems like she is projecting her own fears on them. Certainly her age-shaming of LVP falls into that category. The Kim hate was crazy, although at the time I agreed with Rinna that Kim was scarily manipulating her sister vs. Brandi to deflect from her dependence issues. Rinna's teflon hardness is already unnerving some of the women. First it was Teddi. Next week we see Vyle being confronted with the fact that she dropped her own sister in favour of Rinna, a feckless, fairweather acquaintance. Karma?

What is also amazing is how FABULOUS everybody looks. Thos is the best Nene has looked in a Reunion since her white pantsuit look that season she broke down about her mother. And Kandi looks so, so gorgeous! I was a little meh about a couple final episodes on ATL, but I am excited for this!

@CassieFan That Aaron speech was BONKERS. Gwyneth Paltrow will no doubt want him patched through to her next Goop meeting on Zoom. Was he auditioning for a new X Files movie? Stoned Mauricio was the only one nodding and being like "I get it." Speaking of Maurice, was he always this much of a pot head? I figured the Umanskys toked socially to impress their friends with how 'hip' they are. I know it's not heroin, but Production definitely wants us to think this is a Thing with him. Southern Ramona livened up the episode. I think she was intimidated to by this dinner party where everyone were clearly total strangers with each other and then thought 'Eff it.' Teddi pulling out the pregnancy card with her talk with Erika at the end. Girl, it's your third. You're not that special or different. Kyle's bangs are awful. At least Southern Ramona commits to her's. They make Kyle's facial features look even more pointy and machiavellian. She also pulled out the splits again. Lord. Catface Resnick! Rinna with her brittle hair and clown styling. Somebody is REALLY stealing from Erika's songbook. The casual way she talked about her daughter's suicidal thoughts -- yikes. It makes her look like she's using her daughter's issues to give herself a story.

I remember this scene like it was yesterday! The great nose-breather himself Drake Hogestyn in a 90s print doing some solid no-contact knuckle-work there. I remember thinking 'what is Ashley doing here?' And then my heart sinking because undoubtedly Days were going to try and make her happen like with Genie Francis/Diana Colville and all the other Marlena substitutes. I'm so glad Kristen was taken a different route from all that! I mean, in a way, she was the ultimate Marlena Substitute, and that's what she hated about herself the most.

Agree on all this. Re: the bolded, that's my worry. That she will see herself as the Nene-slayer (IF Nene is not asked back after this year. She might still be if people keep talking about her and Zoomunion) and becomes like Kelly on OC -- threatening other HWs to toe the line and not piss her off as her ego goes stratospheric. This clip shows another side to Sutton. Going by episodes 1-2, Sutton could be dismissed as bitchy and ditzy. However, here, what she was actually telling Teddi was that she was glad to have an opportunity to get to know her, because she didn't get a great first impression! Her opinion is valid. Teddi's passive-aggression is straight out of her mentor Kyle's textbook and really illustrates Teddi's insecurity relative to the others. (LOL, did you see Erika perking up and "Yes, SPEAK UP, Sutton! We want to hear your POV about TEDDI." )? Teddi was an idiot to think she could impose a passive-aggressive friendship-test on the women. She wanted an excuse to have an 'issue' with anyone who failed to show up. It backfired on her because she is so low on the totem pole and nobody curr. Also, Kyle (the world's worst BFF) did zero to defend Teddi and just let her throw herself under the bus. Even Teddi's husband, Eyebrows, sat there like a bump on a log.

First of all, I was thinking of Claudia Jordan just yesterday. How I wish she was on the show instead of Eva! Lol. Second, My Karen better not be a target, by production, Gizelle or anyone else! She is the only one who counters Gizelle's reign of terror (besides Monique). Her interaction with the women (Potomac is a perfect example of mixing the generations) is golden. I personally think Karen may be safe for now. The Potomac ladies are not on big salaries. Gizelle likely is the highest paid. However, Karen may want to get into the mix more because I don't need to see filler like her and Ray on a motorbike. How is Gizelle indirectly behind Nene's fall from grace?

Everything in this post is how I feel, too. Todd, Kenya, everything. I feel a bit for Nene because this has been a slow burn. Production have been paimfully prying her fingers off the show, one by one, for a year. Part of it is karma, of course, as she has been mean and unpleasant. It's no surprise that finding herself increasingly isolated, Nene was going to lash out. I wish she hadn't walked off reunion, though, as it will be taken as cowardice and an admission of guilt. Not a great way to end a 12 year run. I also agree about Nene's comments about Eva. I found her a bore, needless filler sucking on ice chips. Just cuz you're pregnant doesn't make you special. Re: Cynthia, apparently Lake Bailey is quietly on the market. I think this is Cynthia's last season also. Re: RHONY Bwah!

@DynamiteKiddo I can understand your feelings about watching the drunken shenanigans. It is uncomfortable to watch something that is half entertainment half alcoholics anonymous. And yet as @DaytimeFan said, they are providing (to me) a service during these pandemic times. Dorinda and Sonja masking in bed. The tiki torches. Leah wrecking the place and then acting like a daughter hiding from her parents the wild party she held at their place. I think Leah started drinking again because she knew she has to with this group. She wants to fit in. And despite the age difference, she is winning them over. Even winning over a grudging Dorinda. She was like another Avery with Ramona. Her connection with Donja is now cemented. I think she is a really good addition to the group. And without Bethenny, there is a lightness to the show. Tinsley has much more interaction and asides. The women show off their personalities unabashed. Luann was a star this episode, getting knocked back by the Italian tennis instructor and then moving swiftly on to the dog groomer. Luann has never looked more stunning, and we are seeing her forceful magnetism unleashed. I felt I was in vacation with these women. Sonja is another standout. Literally the gift that keeps on giving. These wonen are determined to grab joy by the balls and live excessively. I saw Sonjs on WWHL last week -- she got stuck in a yoga retreat in Florida during the pandemic, where she still resides with one yoga outfit and zero makeup -- and she was a joy, just shooting the [!@#$%^&*] and imitating Dorinda doing "CLIP! CLIP!" There is no malice with this woman, and she has no problem showing who she is, makeupless, stranded and making the absolute best of things.

@Cheap21 I think that is the longest BH post you have ever written, but it certainly was a good one! Like you and @Chris B I am surprised to find myself enjoying BH. It feels like a brand new show, but with HWs we were already familiar with. It doesn't connect in any way to, say, BH S2 (one of the best standalone seasons) with LVP, Taylor, Kim, Brandi etc. It feels more like a Kardashians-The Hills New Beginnings hybrid. There is some very obvious scripted scenes (Erika fake-crying on Tom's shoulder). But there is also a feeling of karma coming for some of these women, too. I love Garcelle bringing freshness and guts to the show. Contrast her with Teddi cowering passive-aggressively behind her dumb invite. Teddi is clearly petrified of Erika, Rinna and Sutton. Garcelle put her ex's affair on blast, and he was a bigshot CAA agent, so she has no effs to give about an accountability coach party. Kyle is such a non entity that it is shocking. The most exciting thing we have seen thus far is her calling Mauricio at some Agency pot-palooza (um, where was Portia?) and some woman calling his name offscreen as he ended his call with Kyle. Dorit and PK pretending this lawsuit is no big deal. Whatever. The lawsuit had to do with Beverly Beach and the Kemsleys pocketing the financing before any money was made! I did appreciate PK talking about his background in the UK. I actually like PK sometimes. Rinna talked about her daughter's mental health issues for one reason only: to absolve herself of blame for that same daughter's anorexia.

I echo the disappointment about Potomac but understand why. As @Cheap21 said, I can barely keep up with 3 shows as is. I am two episodes behind on ATL, and want to be able to enjoy these shows at my leisure and for as long as possible. Especially Potomac which is sure to be fire. With that in mind, making a note to check out M2M LA season 1 because I never got a chance to watch it the first time around. Thinking about when these shows could finally think about returning to filming makes me sad. 😌 Maybe when the test-and-trace effort becomes much more widespread (South Korea-style), then they can ascertain which HWs (and crew) are CV-free or have immunity and build a filming schedule from there.

Garcelle has definitely done her homework. She had a comfort level around the women that suggested she was already familiar with them. She made inroads with Erika right away (smart -- Erika is the Alpha dog). Blind Mary from Little House on the Prairie can see that Kyle is untrustworthy. Moreover, Brandi has been shouting from her podcast for +2 years that she and Kyle are 'friends again' (lol, when were they friends the first time??), so Garcelle may have connected the dots there. No catfight just yet (otherwise we would have seen it in the trailer). They desperately want to paint this picture of female friendship now that Mistress of All Evil LVP has left the series. Wonder if that holds until reunion! Lol I just remember 'And ah wear the crown with priiiiide' when Denise did her sly little smile at the end.

Wait, Kyle OPENLY said she called the other HWs to get an anti-Garcelle front going? Interestingly, on Garcelle's Twitter, neither Kyle nor her victim-tweets are brought up at all. GB is getting plenty of fan-love, though. I'm guessing Tacky Bang's strategy of playing victim and then declaring war may blow up in her face. I hope Garcelle calmly, cleanly annihilates her at reunion. As for the episode, Garcelle and Sutton were much-needed breaths of fresh air blowing through that dusty coven! Garcelle has a lot of energy and wit, and Sutton going through everyone's outfit at dinner was amazing. Finally somebody calling these people out on their clown costumes. I enjoyed Erika being upfront about her past at Shakers in Jersey City -- well-timed with the success of the Hustlers movie, I noticed. A nice change from Dorit's 'I'm rich' fakery. Although even Dorit didn't bother me that much last night (even if her VT outfit did). She exposed Kyle for the dumb diletante she is. Pulling jumpsuits from racks in performative panic? I'm so glad she got a dose of hard-nosed, rag-trade New York in the form of that amazing HBIC Tracie. Teddi - who? Yes, the LVP crown dub was tacky AF -- and so was the whiny Crown song at the end of the show! But I appreciated the crown theme running throughout because it makes explicit that (1) LVP still casts a shadow and (2) the women wanted that crown and are now fighting over it. Rinna (who is starting to look like LVP with her longer dark wigs and face work) definitely. Kyle thinks she got it by HW consensus, but she didn't. Basically I saw Garcelle and Denise snatch it. Denise smiling coyly at the end as Rinna remarked (wrongly) "Oh, she's done. This group of women will never see Denise Richards again." LOL. Watch your back, Rinna.

Devastating news. I heard the baby's organs are being donated so as to help other newborns in need. 😌 I will always remember that car ride to college Kara took with Jeana and a scared friend in the back who looked like he wanted to jump out of a moving vehicle when Jeana lost it with Kara's driving 5 hours in. In more recent seasons, Heather had a fancy party, and Kara was there, attempting to repair the divide between Jeana and Tamra after Jeana took Simon's side in the divorce.

When Garcelle was announced as a newbie last year, a few people on this thread called it that Kyle might not 'warm' to Garcelle. Because we know who Kyle is. Kyle may want to to reinvent herself as 'wealthy fashion maven' who moves house every season and buys Chanel. But at her core, she is still the same envious, victim-playing, passive-aggressive 'ultimate Becky' (quoting a friend here) from season 1. I'm sure Garcelle clocked that right away. I seriously have this visual of Kyle getting threatened by Garcelle's happy confidence and saying "OMG you are acting so intimidating towards me right now" (voice rises into tearful squeak). I've been looking forward to Garcelle since last summer and am excited to watch and comment on the episode later. I was bummed Bravo kept her hidden all these months, but it looks like they timed her interviews with the premiere this week and that was a wise choice. She is dominating a lot of BH talk on social media (in a good way). How did Andy seem with Garcelle? You can usually tell when he likes a HW.

Keeping your brother and you in my prayers Chit 🙏