Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[Cheap21]

I dont count  DC as that was 14 years ago and wasnt the start of a cascade of shows dropping. Dallas and NY were both within the last 3 years so I do consider them modern and relevant to whats happening now. Racial accusations and cast toxicity which we are seeing with the other shows was and is prevalent

[Cat]

I love that you are watching Dubai as close to real time as you can -- this must mean you really like it! (As I do).

RHODubai is batting 4 for 4. This episode was a great mix of individual scenes and group. And what individual scenes they were. Taleen has a Boot Camp business, and I need to join it. Sara is dating Akin and he's super hot! Brooks is struggling with mom guilt as her son acts out. And perhaps the rawest scene of all, Caroline and Sergio having an ugly, lowdown fight.

Got to give it to Stanbury, she really does not hide the bad or the humiliating. Whether it's her business (in LoL) going into foreclosure, her kids telling her she was a cold mother, or this fight. What a terrible look for Sergio. He obviously feels insecure and emasculated but, wow, going after Michael the host? Does Michael even talk to them anymore? He's probably praying for their divorce so he can get his BFF Caroline back. Also, Sergio whining to the other guys about Caroline's kids not showing him respect... not the time or place. Stepkids are always going to troll, and you have to reaffirm boundaries and show that you don't care.

What it boils down to is his need that Caroline choose him over everyone else in her life -- over her kids, over Michael. And she won't. Caroline values a circle of people in her life and not just him. I'm starting to think this marriage may not last.

You know who else is tense? Brooks. Throughout the episode, her face was rigid with tension. I wonder if it's because Zoran is back in her life, at least financially,. It's very hard to regain trust and banish fear after an abusive relationship. She was also hardcore grimacing throughout that dinner. She is really bothered that Caroline is unbothered. And by Taleen trying to buddy up with Stanbury. But I also think she's devastated by where the Caroline friendship has ended up.

Sara and Saba had a cute scene, and if there is ever a S3 (pleaseDubaidgetgreatstreamingnumbers), I want Sabotage to join full-time. 

[Cheap21]

Bravo is on some BS. We heard that Jen and Danielle were suspended after their fight...um when? If they were suspended, then why were they on the next episode after it? They even filmed solo scenes at home with their families. Its not like there was another event or trip after that they were cut from. Instead Danielle gets to host an event to promote her product line, which IMO is rewarding her. If she was truly suspended, that would have never been filmed and instead would have been cut. I think they only said they were suspended to save face

[NothinButAttitude]

@Cheap21 They were suspended for a week or two I think. Not much possibly occurred during their downtime as the show is so fragmented, you can't tell. 

Honestly, I am over Bravo trying to now enforce a "Code of Conduct." Like stop. You've promoted and encouraged bad behavior for eons. You've made millions off of people doing bizarre acts. Enough, already. 

All this moving the goalpost is going to result in someone suing the sh*t out of Bravo and winning big. 

[Cheap21]

what does that even mean? Were they not paid for that week? Because unless pay was cut, that type of suspension is meaningless

[NothinButAttitude]

I have no clue b/c I assume they are paid by episode count. But maybe they weren't paid during that time they didn't shoot. 

[Gray Bunny]

Jenn Fessler, yet another one to suffer the second season curse. She looked like a total clown (she's got the ears for it) defending Jenn Aydin. 

I will say, though, I did kinda enjoy seeing the newer women and friends-of interacting with one another at Danielle's event...  They really could do a Loving becomes The City and take all the newer women and build next season around them and let the old guard go.  

[DaytimeFan]

RHONJ is complete cringe and complete crap.

It's gotten to the point that the show is like a game show that these women want to be on because they're so desperate for fame and money, rather than following women who already had either or both of those things, as the shows were originally conceived. 

[Faulkner]

I hope Sonja’s story doesn’t end tragically, but there are lots of reports of her out-of-control drinking from fans who’ve attended her shows and appearances as well. 
https://pagesix.com/2024/07/03/entertainment/jeff-lewis-sonja-morgans-drunk-behavior-was-worse-than-what-aired-on-wwhl-15th-anniversary/

Edited July 4, 2024 by Faulkner

[Cat]

LOL 

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I hope this is the point where some people step in. Sonja IMO is a wonderful Real Housewife sober. Her early episodes of Crappie Lake were delightful. I wish she didn't lean on the alcohol to become her RH character because the moments that touch me the most are when she is sober and just herself.

[DaytimeFan]

 

Although there's no denying that Sonja can be a sloppy mess, I would take anything Jeff Lewis says with a major pinch of salt. In my opinion, when he dislikes someone, he goes after them relentlessly and is incredibly nasty. Sonja is just one of many people that he's openly disliked.

[Cat]

RHODubai:

So maybe Caroline does actually have big money. That giant bonsai tree! The house! The thing about old money is how cheap it can sometimes be, which might explain living with Michael for free in his guest room.

As usual Caroline shows us the messy with the good. That includes her daughter saying she was raised by nannies and her mom wasn't around much. Even Stanbury agreed she was more nurturing with dogs. The feeling I get is that Caroline mostly lives her life and the cameras come along for the ride. One reason she is Queen Bee on this show.

You know who isn't Queen Bee and terribly insecure about it? Brooks. Taleen exposed Brooks' machinations this episode while Brooks sat there dressed like Judy Jetson (with some much-commented-on edge work). Brooks is this season's insecure villain and everyone is calling her out on it. She even tried to do a drama queen exit, and Taleen broke character and giggled. I rather liked that. I do think Taleen is being somewhat Jenn Fessleresque. She's dumped her longtime friend and transferred her loyalties to Stanbury, the clear boss on this cast. But Brooks sounds like she is also a lot more controlling and emotionally manipulative than Stanbury.

Sara's beau is Hot with a capital H, and her little boy Maktoum is adorable. 

Ayan defending Lesa sweetly and not wanting to speak out of turn made me sad knowing what's coming. I also realised that Ayan has been somewhat in the background in all these early episodes.

Oh, Jeff Lewis is working overtime trying to get involved with Real Housewives drama. My guess is he's positioning himself as Andy's successor should AC ever stop doing the reunions or WWHL. But I worry that what he said had more than a nugget of truth. I love Sonja and don't want to see her spiral. I'd like to see her and the OGs back on Bravo one day.

[Soaplovers]

Fans and Bravo have enabled Sonja for years... about time she start acting like a grownup instead of the delusional person that we've been forced to witness

 

Dubai:

Stanbury seems to be acting more like her old self, though she really needs to ditch Sergio.

Lesa and Brooks are both delusional.. just are expressing it in different ways. 

 Lesa's business last season was only doing well because her husband understands money.. or else her business would just be a typical trophy wife venture.

  Something is up with Brooks... she's become like Luann on Twitter with attacking her former friends.  Is she stressed about her business, her ex, or other 

[Gray Bunny]

:::Crickets::: Uh oh, where is everyone?  I haven't caught up on the dark cloud that is New Jersey just yet, but I saw the preview of OC where Shannon continues to drink and lives in a state of delusion that she doesn't have a problem with alcohol. 

In other news, word on the street is they're trying to salvage Atlanta, with Cynthia Bailey filming more and rumors of a return from Phaedra.  So we'd be seeing her on both RHOA and Married to Medicine? (Perhaps she could just be phased out of M2M...) 

 

[Cheap21]

We already at the midseason trailer for Dubai. This looks good!