Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[Cat]

And the faker contingent (Giz, Robert, Ash, Mia and Cha) took a selfie of themselves out for a preproduction dinner. So they obviously think they're going to get a mere slap on the wrist from Bravo. They were probably figuring out which husband to accuse of cheating next, to distract from Juan's lawsuits, Bungalow Bryant, Charrisse shtupping Katie Rost (!) and Ashley's pennilessness.

[DaytimeFan]

The Losers

Giz, Juan's Roommate, The Dumbest Golddigger, The Stripper for Lobster, and The Defensive Lineman should be very afraid. At least half of them should be fired immediately after that last episode of the reunion.

Giz: She is an arsehole. She should be ashamed of herself and the disregard with which she made totally baseless accusations against Chris. She really deserves some major karma for that kind of slander. 

Juan's Roommate: Despicable, dishonest, hypocrite. No comprehension for just how ridiculous she is. She should be fired. 

The Dumbest Golddigger: It will be interesting to see her living under Demon Darby's thumb next season. She is the only one who still has story left in her.

The Stripper for Lobster: I don't see how she can stay on this show when she lies like a rug and has no credibility whatsoever. She just says anything and everything for attention and none of it is based in fact. How can anyone take a word she says seriously? 

The Defensive Lineman: Epic flop. Bravo needs to stop trying to make her happen. She's never gonna happen. 

The Winners

One thing all three of these ladies have in common is that they have rock solid marriages where their spouses back them up. Funny enough, the Losers above cannot say the same. 

Wendy: She and Eddie are fun together and real partners. Their laughter dismissing the 'Smiling Eddie' crap was great. I like them. I need her to focus on something and really succeed at it. 

Candiace: Certainly, she finally lost her cool with Giz's bullsh*t, but she's not wrong. Women like Giz, who used an allegation of sexual harassment for storyline purposes, like it was some game, are why some people discount allegations made by legitimate victims. That said, she had a great season. This Demon Darby lawsuit is not going to hurt her. She should press ahead with Demon Darby - let's get this in open Court and subpoena everyone in production who dealt with Demon Darby's behaviour to tell the truth, under oath. Let's get document disclosure. Let's get Demon Darby's mobile phone, credit card, passports, and email records out in the open. He'll fold like a cheap tent. 

Karen: Each of Juan's Roommate, Giz, and The Defensive Lineman tried to have a moment with The Grand Dame, but she gave them nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. It was a good lesson in paying people dust. Karen hardly spoke at this reunion and for good reason: she is secure with Ray. They have nothing to answer for, so they have nothing to fear. Whipping out that nail file was a thing of beauty. Karen knows who she is and is grateful. 

Next season they're going to have to fire at least half of the Losers and give the show a refresh.

 

 

[Taoboi]

POTOMAC

 

For me...the highlight of Part 2...

 

The giggling. The reactions. The 'oh, s#$%'. Andy's head spinning like it was a tennis match. The double receipts. It was giving a western showdown and I hollered.

 

It was so good that I had to watch it twice. Part 2 for me was on the same level as Part 1. Part 1 was a good start. Part 2...was a free-for-all.

 

And I thought Monique shattering Gizelle was back at the Season 5 Reunion! Look at Candiace dragging Gizelle. And IMHO *Charisse*Rightfully so*charisse* And she started on her neck all the way through the first part. And no amount of Andy trying to give Gizelle the RHOA Last Reunion (that I still need to watch) Marlo edit got in her way. Her and Wendy tag-teaming Gizelle with Reactions was hilarious. Also hilarious was the gang-up on Gizelle that followed. Did Hades freeze over where half of the cast came for Gizelle at a reunion??? Unmask that trick and keep her unmasked.

 

And not to be left out...since we know she goes where Gizelle goes, following her like a puppet (c)La Dame Grande, Production continued to come for Robyn Juan's Roommate. Andy ALSO taking pot shots on her was the cherry on top for me. After YEARS of a cast member mentioning it only for Production and Andy to glaze over it, they all are FINALLY bringing up the umbrella incident, flashbacking every chance they could. They brought up her finger in Ashley's face at OZ. And they had a reciept for every moment Robyn That Heffa lied. And what made it awesome...was that they KEPT on that with her. Especially Andy, bringing up the umbrella every chance he got. They are honestly over her. 

 

I would say the only false note was the Colorism talk. I know a lot of the online commuity wanted this talk. And I definitely fell colorism exist. But does it with THIS cast? I feel like Candiace and NY's LuAnn about that. I would say not colorists, but classist if anything. Did we not start the show with lessons about etiquette? And that does come from a form of elite? That said...that doesn't mean that I liked that Gizelle and her shadow were being willing blind to what Candiace and Wendy were saying. She was VERY clear. And it shouldn't have taken La Dame speaking up for them to acknowledge a little bit of that. It reminded me of everyone attacking Kenya at the S8 Reunion just because they could and only Kandi vouched for her with the Miami trip incident. Distasteful.

 

And that cliffhanger ending? Yassssssss!!! I know we all know I am (was?) a Messy Mia fan. And I like Jacqueline as well. So watching their friendship go left has been fascinating to watch. That said...DOUBLE RECIEPTS!!! Lord, I fell out. lol. 

 

LA DAME. She didn't really do much in Part 2, either, but WHAT SHE DID DO...counted. And we got a bit of humor with Andy trying to throw shade at her, but she of course returned served. Nice try.

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  I liked her joining in on the gang up. That Girl Robyn tried to throw her into the middle of some drama and got dragged like SHE...ALWAYS...DOES. And of course, she was the only one to get people to see Candiace's point of view during the colorism talk. I do hope that Part 3 show what that reunion clip showed of her getting it from all sides. An absent Dame at a reunion is not a activated Dame.

 

GIZELLE. Where she can't say s#it because she ain't got s#it sums up her this part. Now that she was given a platform to defend herself, what does Gizelle do? Nothing with it. Candiace gave her a chance to defend herself. Andy tried for a good redemption edit and tried to humanize her. But what does Gizelle do? NOTHING. She deserved to be dragged. And it said something that people started to come for her. Heck, even Andy came for her. I will give him his credit because I hollered when he said 'no, we are talking about it now.' No time for Gizelle being obtuse. We are at the REUNION...drag or get dragged. She was really coming across horribly. But not as horribly as...

 

ROBYN. HER SHADOW. Oooh Guuurl...they are sooooo over you. The edits. The flashbacks. The pressing on the necks by all parties. I lived. And then she wanted to start some mess between Candiace and Wendy when Wendy was truly just expressing her feelings about what a friend really is. Only person being jealous is...well...you. In fact, GIRL, BYE.

 

ASHLEY. For what it's worth, she at least tried to understand what Candiace was saying during the colorism talk. Outside of that, she was pretty mute this part.

 

MIA. Mia, Mia, Mia...smh. If she is coming back next season with her broke A, she really will have to be a little more...real. Because she was a whole clown in Part 2. I hollered at Candiace giving her the angry parent SHUT UP. I was right there with Wendy on that. Sitting there trying to deflect Candiace from Gizelle's well-deserved dragging (shades of Monique, the binder, and her complete focus on dragging Giz to Hades and back). So I was surprised she pounced in on the gang-up on Gizelle later in the episode. Only to think not be able to hold her own against Wendy later on. And then the coup de grace...Jacqueline and the receipts!!! OMG...that moment was delicious. I was Candiace giggling and Andy's head dotting like watching a tennis match. I mean...Messy Mia DOES give content...and her tagline explains away all of this...but yeah, she can be exhausting. That said...BRING ON THE BATTLE ON THE TWO RECIEPTS!!!

 

WENDY. The Doctor and the Rat-A-Tat team-up continued to be everything. I don't know if they talked before the filming, but they were really moving like a set of twins...taking on all the fakes. I loved Wendy giving the educational read that YES...this IS a pattern with Gizelle coming for people's family. Yes, Wendy was real in her feelings about Candiace's friendship with Robyn That Heffa and how fake of a friend Robyn Gizelle's True Friend kinda is. And yes, she gathered Robyn easily because it was the very truth. and of course, laughing off Messy Mia trying to deflect with Peter...because at this point...who will believe Mia over a professor that is always on TV in debates? #winning 

 

CANDIACE. Not as much as Part 1, but still rocking the MVP for the Reunion. If this was her last season, she really has been taking it to the GEB and anyone trying to help them (looking at you, Mia and Ashley). And she waited long and hard to do so so you know what...Team Candiace because it was about time someone called Gizelle out for her fakery. Well call out again. I liked her explaining herself in the colorism talk even if it fell on deaf ears. And she stayed given us moments. Love to see it.

 

That said...let me get into Part 3. I do hope that since it's extended it does not get like Part 3 of the Season 5 reunion though. 

 

Bring on the Battle of the Reciepts!!!

 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Taoboi
Computer glitch

[Taoboi]

 POTOMAC

 

Imma gonna leave this here ahead of me talking about Part 3 and when I'm non-naughty sober...

 

 

[Cat]

Karen also cut right to the chase on WWHL with this gem:

 

[Taoboi]

She suuuure did. I hollered.

[Faulkner]

I haven’t watched last night’s RHOP reunion Part 3, but I saw the clips of Candiace going HARD on Gizelle. She really doesn’t hold back at all. I’m almost like, “Stop it! She’s already dead!”

Edited March 6, 2023 by Faulkner

[Taoboi]

Hahaha!!! She deserved every inch of it, too.

 

The fact that Robyn Juan's Roommate kept her mouth SHUT is a tell.

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[Faulkner]

I definitely don’t disagree. Gizelle richly deserved that ass-whooping, and it was a long time coming. But part of me wishes she didn’t go SO hard all the time. Would have made this much more effective. Candiace is one of HW’s rhetorical greats but she doesn’t always know how to moderate.

I saw those IG dancing clips of the GEBs, Ashley, Mia, and ChaCha. Karen, Candiace, and Wendy have become the Kathy, Garcelle, and Sutton/Crystal of Potomac with the other ladies as the Fox Force Five.

[Taoboi]

I will wait for you to see Part 3.

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 In hindsight, I felt she walked that edge and COULD have gone harder. But I'm coming from the spot that once the Chris rumor started, Candiace did a great job of giving it little air and did a Meredith Mark disengagement all season so she could have Gizelle RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER AND RAT-A-TAT-TAT so that's why she's going all the way in. So Gizelle can't just run for it. 

 

I saw that. Hate to see that. 

[Soaplovers]

The colorism talk was a good 1st step...but I spend agree I don't think the cast has that issue as much.

Classism is a big issue with Karen/Gizelle being big examples of that on this show.

And I do agree Ashley was understanding what Candiace was saying.  I think the only reason Ashley understood was because Ashley has gone through something similar (being bi racial).

[Cat]

In the past, I would have treated Gizelle as a 'necessary evil' on the show (a bit like Tamra on OC, only the difference is I grew to like Tamra). Not anymore. Frankly, Gizelle can GO.

Candiace said it: "You are a garbage individual. You have no soul and you are the reason women can’t come forward because you make fake reports and sit there with your colorist privilege."

I cannot speak on colorism, but IMO the rest of what Candiace said here is as close to a factual assessment as this season gets. Gizelle may be wonderful to her kids, her closest friends, the production team at Truly Original... but she gave a garbage performance Sunday night. How dare she be so high-handed and disdainful of Chris (who deserved answers as to why he was inexplicably dragged through the mud)?

The answer is that she had no choice after painting herself in a corner. To admit that she made this up would = TV death. So she had to remain publicly committed to this story by gaslighting/misconstruing/parsing her words/deliberately acting dumb. In the season finale, she waved that DM from Chris 'apologizing' like it was some kind of proof! Yes, she is garbage. She made up this SL "and everybody knows it." [/Kathy Hilton voice].

The problem is, now we cannot unsee it. Most of the cast are heavily implicated in operating this way -- Juan's Roommate, Golddigger Fail, Stripper for Lobster, even the Dream Team to an extent. Nothing is truly personal, because nothing is real. The 'wedding,' Ashley's 'house-buying,' Mia lying like she breathes. 

And I can understand that RHOP faces a LOT of pressure to deliver after amazing seasons. To the point where now we got regular pre-production meetings between Giz, Rob, Ash, Cha, à la RHOBH, to hash out increasingly threadbare plotlines. It is their livelihoods on the line.

Candiace gave a passionate riposte to Gizelle's mal-doing, but let's not forget that they went on RHUGT #3 together right after filming the season. And according to that trailer, they seem fine! So really, it seems, nothing is truly personal.

The only thing that seemed somewhat personal was Robyn and Charrisse seething with inexplicable hatred every time Karen opened her mouth (which was rare). Karen kept very quiet during reunion like she was DONE. It was quite a contrast with her WWHL performance Sunday night where she was relaxed, dazzling and shading up a storm, reminding Andy, and us, of what he'd missed. I've heard it said that Karen was mad about Charrisse coming on the reunion to 'bring her down' and that's why she acted like she was on partial strike. But this story of Karen possibly having affairs is by no means over.

What to do now? Well, RHOP needs a little rest for a few months to rethink the whole approach to being on a RH franchise. The Faker Contingent posting their dance-a-thon as a FU better not be a sign that Bravo is cool with Patreon-gate etc. At least 3, if not 4, of those women needs to not return IMO. The Faker Contingent, like the Coven on BH, are just too powerful. They are the mean-girl clique everyone wants to be part of. Witness Mia brown-nosing Gizelle, to the point where she threw her foster sister under the bus. And Wendy piping up to gently admonish Candiace about the colorism remark -- after Gizelle pointed at her twice and said "BUT I DON'T LIKE HER" ! Wendy is desperate to be accepted by that crowd and relive the glory days of her first season.

Sorry for the long post.

Edited March 7, 2023 by Cat

[Faulkner]

This show is really at a weird inflection point. It’s still more watchable than the other RW franchises on Bravo, yet we definitely saw those cracks this season, as you mentioned, where the phoniness was so blatant that it took viewers out of the show.

Karen Huger is amazing, but I fear she’s going down the Nene path where she’s over these ladies and has become more bitter, withdrawn, and insular when she’s around them. In addition to the cheating stuff, it appears she has some serious drinking/substance abuse issues that the show kinda glosses over.

It’s peaked, and there’s really nowhere to go without making some changes. Seven seasons is a really long run for any TV show to go without much reinvention. But does the Potomac area really have a pipeline of potential cast members that the bigger metro areas like ATL or NYC have (not that those two haven’t had their own casting troubles)? The friends they’ve brought in to mix things up have been flops (if that was Jacqueline’s audition at the reunion, she failed miserably IMO—not quite as bad as Askale, but close).

I think Ashley would be up there on my chopping block. This was her laziest season yet. I fear they’ll try to keep her due to the Michael Darby lawsuit against Candiace (and because she’s young and pretty—let’s be real), but her story has come to a conclusion IMO. We thought this was going to be a great season for her, and it just… wasn’t. She can skedaddle.

Edited March 7, 2023 by Faulkner

[Cat]

I feel like some of the women took the audience for fools TBH. 

Karen Huger is my fave across the RH franchises, and without her, I wouldn't enjoy RHOP nearly as much. Your words about Karen made me sad, especially the part about substance abuse issues, which I did not see coming! (I thought you were going to talk about her marriage to Ray-Ray). I have never gotten a Katie Rost-like vibe off Karen, but I also don't think you would mention it unless it was apparent to you.

What *is* apparent to both of us, clearly, is the way Karen has become islanded from the rest of the cast. It's not so much bitterness as indifference. She is over these shenanigans. She got burned once and while she wants/needs to stay on the show, she is less willing to participate directly. After S5, she no longer has strong off-screen friendships with the cast, and they seem ready to move on without her -- reminiscent of LVP's final seasons on BH. And that also makes me sad because, as I said, on WWHL she reminded me of just how great Karen Huger can be.

I'd be down for both Jacqueline and Askale to return, but probably as FOHs. They haven't wowed with their presence. What made Potomac special from the get was the fact that most of the original cast had friendships with each other prior to the show. This gave us a cohesive group where the chemistry was natural. That group tightness and history is almost impossible to penetrate as an outsider (see Wendy, and Candiace to an extent) and will be difficult to rebuild. And yet... rebuild it must. 

 

[Faulkner]

Yeah, it was the ChaCha claims about Karen being in rehab a while ago. No one in the cast seemed to dispute that when she said it, yet it seemed to fall off the radar and it’s the elephant in the room no one speaks about.