Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[Cat]

Agreed. This was by some distance the best episode of the season, and  it was because (altercation aside) a lot of the women opened their hearts up to each other.

I am unfairly biased towards Sonja. I adore her, through the highs and lowest lows, so feel free to call me out on my bias. Nevertheless, I am mad that production chopped the altercation into smithereens and aired it as flashback to frickin LEAH narrating the story?? Potomac did the viewers the honour of showing the Candiace-Monique fight in full, so that there would be no question of favoritism and speculation. With this fight, I'm not even sure what the inflection point was! And what made Sonja smash the fire extinguisher cabinet?

Bershan being on the outs with the group made my heart hurt for her. Her emotional apology at the lunch was moving because it showed another side to her, and it broke down Sonja's walls, too. Personally, I am happy these two reconciled warmly, but perhaps this will play differently to some black viewers than it did to a white viewer like me. 

The séance was very good indeed, especially regarding Eboni, Sonja and Ramona. I thought I knew everything there was to know about Sonja and Ramona, but the revelations were a real surprise. I think the reason this episode worked was because it was grounded in these real events and shed new light on their vulnerabilities.

Sonja remains in denial about her drinking, but maybe if she can work through her issues with a therapist, there will be some light at the end of the tunnel. I think it was @carolineg who speculated that Sonja drinks to cover anxiety, and that is very likely. Sonja also feels she is a seasonal drinker, i.e. she only drinks heavily during filming, and dries out during the off season, and therefore she is 'in control' of her drinking.

[DaytimeFan]

Sonja was interviewed by her close friend, MDLA's Josh Flagg a month or two ago and it's really good. She even comments on the fight with Bershan: "I smashed the fire extinguisher glass with my Todd's bag. Well, it does say 'Smash In Case Of Emergency!'"

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[Antoyne]

I do not believe a single word out of Erika’s mouth at this point. 

[NothinButAttitude]

Erika is guilty as sin.

 

That story made no sense and the fact that these women aren't questioning it is boggling. They clearly fear her. 

[Cat]

Erika: “If he stole the money, I’d like to know where it is.”

Me: B!tch, you're wearing it.

Me: Check your October 2020 bank statement. 

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Haven't caught up on the epi yet but WHAT in the name of Hart to Hart is this about Tom getting thrown out of a car going over a cliff?? Sounds like some mob s***. She was better off keeping quiet and keeping it simple. 

[Liberty City]

Here's my thing: Luann was never an alcoholic, and I truly believe if she hadn't have needed to be sober for her probation, she would not have been. Like Bethenny said, she dined out on her "sobriety," and she can deny doing so all she wants, but that is EXACTLY what she did.
I don't want to downplay Luann's relationship with alcohol, because we truly are not her, but judging from what we've seen and how easily she drank last season, I don't believe she is an alcoholic. We've seen her function plenty of times on booze... Leah and Sonja we have not.
Leah I DO applaud for keeping herself available and present around the women when they drink, and I do believe it is because she had several years of sobriety prior to last season (15 years... I believe?).

Bethenny was the true definition of the H.B.I.C., but I genuinely don't believe she wants to come back, especially with the current cast, and I do believe part of that is both Luann and Ramona.
I'd like to see both Eboni and Leah stay, regardless of Bethenny returning, especially since Bethenny was supposed to be how Leah was introduced into the group (and later redirected to Tinsley).
So, it would be, for me: Bethenny, Dorinda, Eboni, Leah, Sonja and two-more housewives. This franchise thrives with a six-plus group of women. Having five this season is part of its issue.
As for Jill Zarin, she's gone on record she would not return full-time, nor do I believe Andy Cohen would return her full-time, especially after what happened... I'm surprised she's even appeared in a friend capacity.

Meh. This did little-to-nothing for me... I'm over Beverly Hills. This franchise needs a year or two break, IMHO. Truth be told, most of the franchises should've stopped filming in 2020, and just picked up filming this year, or even next.

[Forever8]

 

[Cat]

 

omg this is my jam and I am all over it! The 90s were awesome.

[Liberty City]

Dang, Lisa. Dang.

[carolineg]

Things Luann have said and done lead my to believe she at the very least has a very troubled relationship with alcohol.  I think she is someone who can control it in most situations, but it seems like when she goes she goes really hard.  To me that's just another definition of an alcoholic just not the "drunk all day" type.  But I don't know her and it's not my business.  

I do agree I don't think Luann will stay sober.  I feel like she is bowing to public perception of her having a drinking problem and being sober as a storyline.  I am of half the mind she switching out her fake rose for real rose but then she'd be more fun.  She just looks anxious and annoyed anytime anyone drinks and it just throws off the usual dynamic.   I like Luann though I would keep her before Ramona.

I just think Eboni is a bad fit with these women.  She might work better on a different show, but not this current one.  Perhaps she would work better with Bethenny and Dorinda. 

I can take or leave Leah.  She doesn't bother me as much as most, but she's annoying. 

Lol about Jill, but I always wanted to Jill/Bethenny to make up.  You know Andy, if it gets ratings he doesn't care.  He seems over it.

[Cat]

 

OK so I listened to this podcast + interview, and it was great! A fun walk down memory lane when Daytime soaps were part of wider pop culture, and Melrose Place/90210 ruled the ratings. Both interviewers were good, and one was a true-blue Days fan, so it was nice hearing someone celebrate soaps without sneering "omg are they still on?"

Also Lisa Rinna sleeping with Patrick Muldoon (while he was dating Denise Richards!) and then dating Harry Hamlin after Nicollette Sheridan left him for Michael Bolton was gold-star gossip. Lisa was keen to stress that her sleeping with PM was not while she was dating HH but, given that she started dating HH three weeks after she landed the Days role, I have to imagine there was a smidgen of overlap.

Lisa Rinna came across very well here. 

Edited July 22, 2021 by Cat

[Gray Bunny]

+1.... and Hence, the reason why RHONY is currently tanking. 

I mean hell, even Ramona and one-season-wonder Cindy Barshop had a real-life connection before Cindy joined.  

[Cat]

@DaytimeFan Can't wait to watch the Sonja interview. On a superficial note, I love Josh's houndstooth armchairs.

 

Just leaving this here 

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[Liberty City]

And that's exactly it: the problem is not Eboni. It is the women around her. Out of Luann, Ramona and Sonja, the only one that has actually heard her is Sonja. Hell, even I think Heather heard her... even though I think Heather just couldn't keep her mouth shut about some things. I do believe Bethenny and Dorinda would vibe more with her... until Bethenny would want to be woken up when it was over, lol.

I just think both Bethenny and Jill have moved on; their last scenes together felt like some kind of awkward closing chapter of the Jillethenny journey.

[FrenchBug82]

Personally, I'll never understand the need for anyone to kiss and tell regardless of how long has passed.
But more to the point, LR has always had the fundamentals of being likeable; it is when she tries so hard for the show that she becomes a monster. When she is natural, she is fine.
It is often the case with housewives btw: those who start to perform for the cameras end up being very tedious (cough, Nene, cough)