Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[Cat]

 

The producers cut Eileen having lunch with Rinna and Erika... but they kept in Dorit lecturing Teddi about the stem on her glassware?? Well then, the producers are damn fools! I'd rather watch Eileen breathing through her nose patronisingly than the two newest HWs trying to create another Pantygate.

 

 

Having finally seen this week's episode, I have to say... it wasn't as dull as last week's episode. The horse-riding and the yacht party saved it -- although in the UK, Bond-themed parties are a dime a dozen as every British male between 15 and 65 fancies himself a bit of a 007. 

 

I think the reason the producers went with Teddi is because she is seemingly authentic -- even if she does appear, uh, clenched with the other women and playing up the 'I'm just a no-frills tomboy' persona too much.

 

And the reason they went with so-called authentic is that BH's biggest asset -- its glamorous, wealthy Hollywood location -- is also a problem. These women are either in the industry or surrounded by it, and so every HW is very practised at playing many roles. They understand the business and technicalities of manufacturing illusions. Perhaps more than any other franchise. I remember reading that after S1, Camille hired a PR firm to completely overhaul her image. And they did a pretty good job in coaching her to control what she was revealing on camera. All the BH HWs MUST now employ similar PR teams to micromanage their image (and buy them an extra 50,000 Twitter followers). As a result, anything spontaneous is shut down because it cannot be completely controlled or directed. A Taylor meltdown is just not allowed to happen.

 

We know that the RH franchises have had script advisers from the get-go, and that they outline story arcs for the seasons. The thing with BH is that certain key events (Kim's alcoholism, Taylor's abused background, Russell's suicide, Adrienne's surrogacy reveal) came out of left field and were not planned. When we first watched those early seasons, what we saw was incredible, voyeuristic. It would be almost impossible to recapture that now. Both existing HWs and any potential future HWs understand the medium. They have game and know how they are going to play it. That's why Brandi was so valuable to the franchise for so long. She was unpredictable, uncontrollable, and dropped big bombs on people. Since she left, BH has struggled to manufacture high-stakes conflict and rivalry where peoples' reputations and livelihoods are literally put on the line.

Edited January 31, 2018 by Cat

[Soaplovers]

RHOBH is going through an identity crisis, but at the same time, the thing that made season 1 so wonderful was that it was all natural... LVP was so much more relaxed and not as overly done up as she is now.  Plus, her and Kyle were genuine friends in season 1 before their estrangement as friends.

 

This will make me unpopular, but I got a kick out of Delores getting under Danielle's skin at the NJ reunion.. Danielle is a skank and pure trash.  And I loved the lost scenes episode that aired tonight... I wish some of these scenes were shown during the season rather then Soggy having numerous meltdowns, or Danielle talking about sex in public places.

[NothinButAttitude]

@Cat I feel like Teddi is more suited for OC instead of BH.

[Taoboi]

I agree @Cat. I think what made RHoBH pop (same as NY) has been that the ladies were friends. And one would be hard pressed to find a friendship now. 

 

That said...I did like last night's episode. 

[Cat]

 

There is something no-nonsense about Dolores that I like too. And she is smart enough to recognise that nobody should put their trust in Danielle Staub, who is a loose cannon and will turn on you in an instant. Also, Danielle's attempt to get a spot next season (mic-ed up sex in a public bathroom) really backfired.

 

But what lets Dolores down is her boring private life, and being such a ride-or-die for Siggy. Siggy is so far gone, but Dolores is essentially enabling her by telling her that her feeeeeeelings and need to attack Margaret are valid. Soggy and her twitter bots are STILL attacking Marge on social media, apparently.

 

I liked the episode too. As usual, anything involving the kids is the best. The last three season of NJ have been, um, trying at best, but the Teresa Checks In mini-series was excellent, thanks to the Giudice girls and Joe Giudice (don't hate me for enjoying him on my screen). I'd rather watch Milania cooking up a mess in the kitchen than Soggy doing... whatever she does.

 

Damn. You could be right! Plus her cottage is in Dana Point -- OC territory.

 

I wonder how she would handle that shark Tamra.

[Gray Bunny]

 

Well stated and very true. 

[Antoyne]

Dolores lost any fanfare she had by being ride or die for Siggy. While I enjoyed Danielle this season, there are still plenty who don’t and if Dolores hadn’t been too far gone up Siggy’s ass she’d have quite a few people behind her. She had a complete inability to see anything Siggy did as wrong and as such, she cane out looking almost as bad as Siggy.

[Soaplovers]

 

That's why I want to see Delores next season without Soggy.  There were a few (key word few) instances 8n talking heads when Delores didn't quite get where soggy was coming from.

 

And yes..rhonj and rhoc are the family shows of the franchise...and Oc veered from that since cancergate in season 10.  OC needs to get back to the family angle and less of the toxic petty fights.  Shannon and Kelly are divorcing (they have kids with fully realized personalities).

 

Teddi in the OC....my question is more how would she handle Vicki moreao then Tamra lol  but man she wpuld havve her work cut out for her as accountability coach eith Kelly, Vicki , Shannon and t amra on the show lol

[Antoyne]

Teddi would get eaten alive by the OC girls. They don’t care about their images the way the BH cast does.

[Cat]

 

Teddi is very clenched and ordered, while the OC ladies let their messiness fly. Plus I'm not sure she'd be able to deal with WooHoo Time at Andalays, or the nasty face-offs. I still have a migraine from the Iceland trip I forced myself to watch last season.

Edited February 2, 2018 by Cat

[Soaplovers]

 

At the same time, variety is the spice of life.  The women in the OC used to be able to woohoo it up...and the women in BH never could (cept kyle and vanderpump).

 

Also, I think Delores' family life is 'boring' but boring is good...balances out the trainwrecks of the other housewife families.  What fascinates me is that Delores encouraged her daughter to educate herself and use her mind vs her looks....yet her son is all about his looks and she encourages that.  It fascinates me because it's usually the son is encouraged to educate himself and the daughter is pushed to model.

[Cat]

Anybody watch BH last night? I thought it was by far the best episode of the season thus far. Perhaps even of the past two seasons.

 

Much of this was due to LVP. LVP could well be this season''s MVP! This is a Lisa we have not seen since S4 or even, possibly, since S2. Needy, perhaps, obsessed with being the centre of attention, maybe, but also vulnerable, sincere and warm.

 

Even if the scene at dinner with Dorit and Kyle came off as slightly scripted, I understood why LVP stormed out. She felt the dropping of the lawsuit was vindication, vindication of Ken especially, and she wanted it to be noted and acknowledged by her closest friends on camera, especially after Rinna discussed it with everybody behind LVP's back.

 

I am usually Team LVP when it comes to Kyle. Kyle, who never lets a VT go by without throwing bitchy shots at Lisa which she would never do to her face. I understand Kyle bemoaning that her relationship with Lisa is unbalanced, that she confides in Lisa but never LVP with her. However, having seen the scene where Lisa tries to talk to her while Kyle fields phone calls ("It's my agent again!" *SMIRK* ), I can see why LVP has given up on that line of discussion.

 

It was eye-opening to learn from Dorit that Lisa's parents never paid attention to her or showered her with affection, and puts her love of her kids/dogs and her coolness with the other women into a context we never really understood before.

 

I also enjoyed her friendliness with Erika on the ride to Teddi's beachhouse. These two could be really fabulous friends -- if they ever lower their defenses. Overall, the vibe at the beachhouse was very chill, open and non-toxic in a way; I liked that about this slightly unusual episode. Even Dorit was less insufferable than usual.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Cat

[NothinButAttitude]

@Cat, I watched and I am still not impressed with this season. Yes, it was the most entertaining, but it isn't that great. 

 

It is so sad how I've grown to dislike Dorit this season. She is just too much. I see her getting the Brandi treatment in about one more season. She runs her mouth too much and is messy b/c she feels like it. Everyone is gonna pile up on her goofy a** come reunion time. She is gonna learn like the other fallen idiots--don't bet against the Queen of Diamonds (LVP). She's playing a losing game. 

 

Rinna and her bland, smutty daughters bore me to tears. There's nothing about them that screams model. They are basic at best. I didn't find it cute either when the eldest child said she was going to get a non-surgical facelift. Idiot. 

 

Erika ... meh. She's eating up all this chaos between Kyle/LVP/DUMB-it b/c she wants to emerge as the queen. 

 

Teddi is simple. I like her, but she does not bring much to the show. It's sad that she landed a diamond over Camille, who is bringing it this year.

 

Speaking of Queen Camille, Camille's shade toward Dorit is hilarious. I just wish she'd get in the gutter and revert back to season 1 Camille. She rears her head every now and then, but I want her to come out and play full-time. Dorit wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell. 

 

Kyle is grating as usual. I'm so over her using the "LVP is jealous and manipulative" cards. It's tiring. It is also why Lisa doesn't not trust you fully and won't bring her walls down. LVP has seen what Kyle is capable of doing as she's done it to Kim--her own sister! I wouldn't tell Kyle sh-t about my background. 

 

I understood LVP getting up and walking out. The night was about HER. Of course, Kyle and Doritos has to make it about them. I would've left too. Doesn't make the situation better that Dorit was late (again) and inconsiderate. Also, Kyle trying to allude that LVP was plotting to attack her that night was it for her. As aforementioned, Lisa has peeped what Kyle is capable of. Kyle is trying to play that "Bobby Fischer" bulls--t again. 

 

Next week is gonna unnerve me even more b/c Dorit is gonna stir the pot even more. However, I am glad that Camille and Teddi are at that table b/c they are going to go spill all to LVP the first second they get. 

 

Dorit can go after this year. 

[Antoyne]

It’s the year of the colossal failures of second seasons. First Siggy, now Dorit.

[DaytimeFan]

 

 

+1 to you both about LVP and Kyle. LVP has seen the real Kyle all the way back in Season 1 when she exposed Kim's alcoholism in the back of that limousine. Once LVP made the comment about Mauricio getting the listing on her Beverly Park home I knew that her friendship with Kyle would never be the same. The drawbridges went wisely up for LVP when it comes to Kyle.

 

MELBOURNE

 

Another fun episode!

 

Venus is a drama queen and her obsession with her looks is pretty damn obvious. Gamble putting her foot in her mouth is jaw dropping and amusing.

 

Janet vs. Gina is epic because Gina cannot talk over Janet, who stared Gina down and didn't blink once. Janet is the prototypical Australian sheila - she is not going to be intimidated by Gina. This hasn't been a great season for Gina or Lydia, who have openly admitted to speculating about why Janet and her boyfriend temporarily broke up - not the actions of good friends. 

 

Jackie and Sally didn't have as much to do this episode but both add value to the franchise. This franchise is still so fresh and fun.