Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[Chris B]

This was interesting! Luann tried to get Jill for the second half of the season since Tinsley had left. Jill was leaving for the winter so she could only film the Halloween party and Birkshires, but Dorinda put a stop to that! I wonder if Dorinda worried that Jill would end up filming the rest of the season and maybe she felt threatened for her spot next year. It’s a shame it didn’t work out though. It would’ve been nice to see Jill for 2-3 episodes straight. 

[chrisml]

I'm no fan of Jill's, but I would take her over Dorinda and Sonja. Dorinda is just the most hateful person. Jill self-sabotaged during the third season, but Dorinda is so much worse. IT would have been nice to have Jill back and I'd like to see Alex as well. I think getting rid of Alex was a huge mistake now that I've gone back and watched seasons 3-4. You need a liaison between the nutters and the relatively sane ones.

[Cheap21]

Im with Jill. I liked Dorinda her first season, but not now

[Soaplovers]

Dorinda in her debut season wasnt all that nice..remember the scene where she mistook a patron as a staff member..and than laughed about a time she gave money to a disheveled guy cause she thought he was homeless?  And she was vile to Kristen as well when it was John she should have yelled at.

 

@chrisml my mom quit watching NY when Alex got the boot.  Only came back to see Bethenny and tuned out when Bethennyy boo hoo'd about being 'homeless ' .

[Chris B]

New York is full of bizarre decisions. Looking back at season 4, that would be considered a blockbuster season in terms of modern housewives, but we deemed Too dark. Jill and Countess Luann would’ve gotten HUGE raises for the same behavior now. Dorinda has always been very dark and hateful but somehow gets a pass. This is the first season she truly is being taken to task by fans and the other wives. 

[chrisml]

Wasn't the restaurant scene where she misidentified a black man for a staff member? I thought it was extremely offensive at the time if I'm remembering correctly.

 

Alex was not treated well by Bravo. She was the right brand of kooky without the viciousness that Sonja has for instance. She was not a middle ground, and in watching season three, I really liked her friendship with Bethenny.

@Chris B is right. Dorinda was horrible in her first season. She went after Heather for no reason. It was really bizarre how hateful Dorinda became over nothing. 

[j swift]

I think the Zoom confessionals are an interesting choice and they add some intimacy to the interactions (especially when Avery zoom bombed her mother talking about Elyse).  But, much like every Zoom call that I am on IRL, I wish they would wear earbuds to reduce the ambient sound.  

[Cat]

I concur with @DaytimeFan about the confessionals. My office has a ring light and microphone for work Zoom meetings and it makes a HUGE difference. No echo or ambient sound. And the ring light! Makes skin look dewy and flawless. It is so amazing and better than any phone filter.

 

RHONY is au natural and a bit messy, and I like it like that -- like when Avery walked into Ramona's Zoom confessional. But the lack of microphone is a distraction and needs to be fixed ASAP. Also, Ramona's makeup was way harsh. I could see where she had scrawled in her eyebrows, for God's sake.

 

Wasn't sure if I would enjoy this episode. But was pleasantly surprised at how structured it was, with direction and story. Even without seeing the Elyse-Jill Zarin interview that @Chris B posted, both women were solid additions to the episode. After watching their talk? Both women need to be on RHONY, S T A T! Jill has deep history running back years with 4 out of the 5 HWs. The fact that Dorinda didn't want Jill at the Berkshires? If I was EP, I would have driven Jill Zarin to the Berks myself, come hell or high water. Instant rivalry! Instant drama!

 

As for Elyse, Ramona does not give a sh*t about her and is ready to drop her as a friend. I like that the Little Ghoul is standing up for herself at having been cast aside. Also Ramona brought Messy Missy  to Luann's party and that was low.

 

Dorinda is not getting the good edit, but she took up for Lu and for that I like her. This season could well be a journey to self-realisation for Dorinda, and I am good with that.

 

Other things: Luann's sparkly disco cap was straight out of the Village People (the leather dude). Also, I love Sonja and Leah's lowkey adoration of each other.

[Faulkner]

I just started watching expecting the confessionals to be bad, and while they aren’t up to the usual standard, they don’t bother me. Leah’s sound is actually great.

 

Dorinda’s daughter Hannah reminds me of sooo many of my friends in NYC.

In the past, I always felt like she had more moments of humor and kindness. And I didn’t mind Sonja and Luann getting taken down a peg with their delusions of grandeur. But her bullying of Tinsley felt particularly egregious because it was so over-the-top and stupid. Tinsley didn’t kill her unborn child or something. The level of RAGE and degradation focused at Tinsley, someone who typically doesn’t start sh!t, was SO disproportionate.

 

I’m in a minority, but Dorinda this season is the only place where Bethenny’s absence is felt. Bethenny really knew how to deal with her. Or at least she provided a check to her and wasn’t intimidated by her. (The only person who’ll stand up to Dorinda is Ramona, and that’s not a great situation for obvious reasons.)

 

Avery walking in is HYSTERICAL!

 

”Don’t fück with my seafood tower!”

 

I missed these ladies.

Edited July 4, 2020 by Faulkner

[Taoboi]

NY

 

This past week's episode was my first one to like from start to finish (and will be re-watching) @Cat. It could be the Halloween theme. But it definitely did feel like a shift. There was purpose and direction and things ARE coming. I should have known when Jill Zarin posted a picture at the start of the week that it would be good. And it was. 

 

I definitely don't like the tea on Dorinda being jealous of Jill. I would have loved to have her for a mini-arc.

 

And Elyse is finally showing herself and the bits and pieces we have gotten of her so far has been organically developed enough that this is quite interesting.

 

PS. Next week preview.  LuAnn as they get into it = LOVE.

 

 

[DaytimeFan]

 

Lu is having a great season. She's relaxed and centred and hilarious.

[Taoboi]

And she told no lies. lol.

 

[Soaplovers]

I haven't watched NY as much this season...but does the show still show the women on their own..or is it always group scenes?  All they seem to do is drink and fight.  And I thought Leah was almost 50..not still in her 30s..eek!

[Taoboi]

Wow. They have come a loooong way.

 

 

[Cat]

 

"Don't chime in. This is the audience. You can't buy tickets to this kind of sh*t." 

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Re: the G. Maxwell news and RHs connections:

This story keeps on growing, and is horrifying and lesson in 'be careful who your friends are.' GM and that predator JE had so many social, financial and pimping connections to the wealthy and powerful. He made money for lots of people, and had serious leverage on lots of people. So does she.

 

The GM connection with Carole Radziwill is unexpected, but I can see it. First of all, Carole's last name/Kennedy connection is a card she has been playing in Manhattan for years. Carole has wealth but seems to be judicious about spending it, which is why she relied on pals like Bethenny for free vacations to nice places. It could well be that she gravitated towards Maxwell, and Maxwell to her, because both of them were constantly trying to level up socially.

 

The GM connection with Yolanda Foster Hadid, however? Ooo la la. There are unsubstantiated rumors that Yolanda helped procure 'young models' for Mohamed's yacht parties, and that she hid GM at her farm for a while. Those rumors IMO are acutely more serious.

Edited July 6, 2020 by Cat