Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[Soaplovers]

 

Heather and Bethenny had an interesting dynamic.  Once Heather realized Bethenny didn't like her, she moved on..then Bethenny whined that Heather w asnt trying to be down to her.

 

They were alike yet different.  Bethenny was funnier then Heather...but Heather was warmer then Bethenny

[Cat]

 

The Heather-Bethenny dynamic was interesting. Part of it was hidden jealousy on Bethenny's part as here was another woman heading up a viable, growing business. These two women were just too different to be friends. Bethenny is fast with the wise-cracks and cynical; Heather gives most people the benefit of the doubt until proved otherwise (Sonja, Aviva), but can also preach lessons a bit.

 

I miss Heather's warmth. Even with Dorinda there, who I consider a 'warm' person, Heather was good at rallying the group together and getting to the point of things.

Edited February 21, 2018 by Cat

[Antoyne]

Heather left to protect her brand right? 

[Gray Bunny]

Meh, I liked Heather but I don't miss her. One, she represents the shaky period of the show (Seasons 5 and 6) and two, she comes off as too sanctimonious and loved to have the last word, even in simple celebratory occasions ("A toast to Avonlea!" someone says, to which Heather blurts, "Yeah mama, a toast indeed!") as if her word is final and sums up what the other minions are saying. I don't even get that feeling from Bethenny when she's spouting off her know-it-all stuff at rapid speed. 

 

I will say though that if she returned nowadays, the Heather-Carole-Bethenny BFF dynamics would be quite a sight to see. Carole worships the toilet paper Bethenny craps on, whereas Carole and Heather were equals. Heather and Bethenny fought as alpha dogs, but Bethenny was an OG of NYC. You could always sense Heather felt threatened and would become exasperated trying to keep up with Bethenny's words. 

 

(P.S. Kudos to anyone who got my random-ass Anne of Green Gables nod)

[Cat]

Yep, and her marriage which was going through a difficult patch.

 

 

Of course I got your Anne of Avonlea reference! I treasured those books and loved the Tv mini series too. Gilbert Blythe !  Swoon.

 

P.s.: totally agree on your assessment of the Heather/Carole/Bethenny friendships. Heather and Carole were equals and I really dug their friendship. It is still ongoing! With Bethenny, I get the impression Bethenny needs an outlet to vent constantly. Whenever we see them together, the topic of conversation remains resolutely Bethenny. B rarely asked Carole what was going on with her, unless it related to Man-Bun (Adam). 

 

ETA: I don't consider seasons 5 and 6 shaky... I enjoyed them and felt they were necessary evolutions. The seasons I thought were lacking were 8 and 9 to a certain extent -- I know I'm alone in that opinion lol!

Edited February 21, 2018 by Cat

[Soaplovers]

 

I agree.. I think if Carole or Bethenny stopped being on the RHONY show.. the friendship would go away... while Heather/Carole seem to still be friends.  Plus, Heather/Carole seemed less mean girls while Carole/Bethenny answer where Regina George would look and act like once she hit over 40.

 

To me... if I hung out with Bethenny.. I'd be exhausted after an hour ( I kind of feel for her ex husband even though he wasn't a saint because she's so draining to be around).  Heather.. I could see having fun with and not be exhausting.

 

But if it's a choice between Tinsley and Heather... no contest.. Heather!  Tinsley has this vacant look in her face like the light is on upstairs but no one is home.

[Gray Bunny]

 

Ha! Yep, Mean Girls gone menopausal. 

 

+1 on Heather vs. Tinsley. 

 

What if we all had the choice of Tinsley, Jules, or Kristen Taekman returning...?  Oh hell, let's throw in Cindy Barshop too. 

 

Edited February 21, 2018 by Gray Bunny
Cindy's tired ass

[Cat]

 

I'd take Kristen. Unpopular choice I know.

Well, I did end up watching. I felt like Rinna in the episode, utterly bored, looking for cocktails and then a cab to whisk her to that drab, grey hotel!

 

The whole thing felt like people talking in circles in order to avoid dealing with the issues at hand.

 

Watching Dorit 'explain' things was like Kelly Conway discussing #alternativefacts. Dorit is a horror show.

 

Kyle is so needy and so... comfortable playing the victim that it is exhausting, even though she was justified in confronting Dorit. LVP tried in her British way to make amends and show her love but it wasn't enough. And it will never be enough for Kyle who wants Californian proclamations of devotion.

 

Teddi was the only clear head in the group. Erika, Teddi, LVP and Kyle chatting as they were about to leave the bar was the only moment I thought everybody's energy and chemistry clicked. I liked that foursome.

 

I can't make out if this SL is as wearying as pantygate last year. It is certainly close.

[Antoyne]

Kristen was inoffensive to me and she did actually stand up for herself most of the time. She fit better than Jules, who was...I dunno just not the best fit. I don't mind Tinsley, she can be annoying but she  developed a real relationship with Carole that I enjoyed. I doubt we'll see much of her and Sonja filming alone this upcoming season. I hated Cindy. She was awful, and that was easily the worst season of NY.

 

Heather and Carole def. had a great real relationship and as you said they were equals. Carole and Beth are just two old mean girls, with Carole being Beth's lapdog. It's amazing how much more likeable Carole is in scenes with the other wives when Beth isn't around.

Edited February 21, 2018 by Antoyne

[rlj]

Oh please, LVP can be attacked, her being a Queen and all!  I see Kyle's point, tho as usual she was too dramatic!  LVP may have forgiven Kyle but she in no way has forgotten, can't say I blame her!

[Soaplovers]

I was surprised that Kristen/Brandi were such long time friends because the two were as different as night and day until I realized that Kristen married and lived on the East coast with her husband... plus her young daughter had medical issues.. and I think all of that has to change someone.  Plus, it was the one time that I thought Brandi was likable because she was with someone that loved and accepted her for her long before either one of them got into the Bravo cameras.

 

Jules kind of fascinated me because she marched to the beat of a different drummer, but I think given what was going on with her in her personal life.. it was best she didn't come back for another season.  Still, Carole and Bethenny's bewildered expressions were priceless (I had read an article about how Eileen would give the same bewildered looks whenever she and Kim Richards filmed together during Eileen's debut season on RHOBH.. shame none of that filmed material ever was shown.)

 

Cindy... no comment.

 

In regards to RHOBH, Rinna the last few episodes is the Rinna I remember in her own reality show she had years ago.. and reminded me of the Rinna we saw in the first half of season 5 before Kim's limo meltdown.

 

Kyle and LVP will never truly be close friends like they were back in season 1 and 2.  While LVP is no angel, I still say Kyle isn't all that innocent and in some respects I think she is more lethal then LVP.  Anytime I've seen Kyle pose for photos.. she gives off this superior look and has this evil smirk whenever the cameras pan to her when the other women are speaking.  She's a wolf disguised in sheep's clothing... and given her circle of friends, it says who she is as a person (LVP also has a sketchy crowd of close friends as well.).

[Taoboi]

I DID. LOVED them as a kid. And still have to make it through the tv series, the last Megan Follows movies AND the two new series.

 

#preach One of my first crushes.

 

I meant given what she said in her talking head next week.

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 She'll be eating this drama up. 

 

As for Kyle/LVP, is that not what makes their dynamic so interesting...if somewhat tiring? The different ways of thinking. 

[WTGH]

Two days late, but this cracked me up: 

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[DaytimeFan]

BH

 

What was that? Kyle is acting like a dejected 15 year old whose jock boyfriend just dumped her for her nerdier friend. Whining and moaning and shrieking and crying? Big Kathy screwed her up something good. She's just so needy and vampire like. And she turns on LVP on a dime. 

 

LVP was probably the most 'emotional' we've seen her in this show aside from when she was talking about Max's adoption. She actually lost it a tiny bit with Teddy and showed her vulnerable side. She tried to make Kyle feel safe and secure and OK but Kyle was not having any of it because then she would have to give up the narrative that LVP is the villain. 

 

Dorit is, of course, an awful person. I am going to luxuriate in LVP's statement that she only really likes Dorit because of her great affection for PK. Those Brits stick together and I love it, even if PK is a rogue. 

I enjoyed drunk Rinna and Camille seeing Marc Bower. That was brilliant. 

 

 

[Cat]

 

 

I like Brandi with Kristen, too, especially explaining Kristen's Elvis fetish in Vegas!

 

Kristen stood up to Ramona who was especially badly behaved in S6, and she got a plastic wine glass in the face for her trouble. She wasn't a wimp, had authentic friendships with Heather and Carole, and had a douchebag husband her criticized her parenting and home-making skills all the while spending his 'busy' work time trawling the Ashley Madison website! For that alone, Kristen should have been back in S8, but Bethenny basically blanked her in S7 and she was replaced by Jules. Too bad! I enjoyed her.

 

 

Absolutely. As an American who went to British school for a while as a kid, it bothered me how teachers there would ignore bullies picking on other kids. If the kid complained to the teacher about the bullies, the teacher would get annoyed. Like, why are you whining? Toughen up and keep your head down. If you didn't make yourself such a victim, they wouldn't target you! Things have improved since those Dark Ages, but LVP has definitely been moulded by this keep-it-moving attitude.

 

By contrast, Kyle -- ignored by Big Kathy (who she inexplicably idolizes) in favour of the other two money-making daughters -- desperately needs constant positive reinforcement and validation of her pain. This is a very California-guru approach to mental health. She and LVP probably had very similar childhoods in the sense that they felt ignored and searched for love & security outside the family. However, their way of dealing with their emotional scars is very different. LVP doesn't want to pick the Kyle-LVP scab; in yesterday's episode, she literally tried to hug it away with Kyle, to the point of almost smothering her. Kyle wants to pick pick pick because only by confronting the pain can you come out the other side healed, etc, etc!

 

I tend to lean towards the American way instead of sweeping it under the carpet. However, in the case of yesterday's episode, I understand LVP. Kyle directed her ire at LVP. She 100% played the victim, which I can only imagine must have got her attention when she was a small child. LVP tried to say the words Kyle wants to hear but she speaks a different language. And LVP is also over this nothingburger of an 'issue' --- as we all are! She knows the fight was just an excuse for these women to scratch. They need a reason to emote at Reunion! 

 

IMO this 'looking for a contrived fight' has been a big problem, not just for BH, but for the RH franchise as a whole the last two years. I think it is killing the franchise tbh. It is not organic. 

Edited February 22, 2018 by Cat