Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[Antoyne]

They must’ve dropped a lot because I personally wasn’t cheering for Heather at the reunion. It seemed like she had this huge hard on for Lisa, while nothing we saw all season warranted it. I legit do not recall Lisa ever being mean and dismissive of Heather especially with how obsessive Heather is about it.

[Cheap21]

Go Mary! She did NOT come to play at the reunion. She was sharp and fast and carried herself well. I laughed when on WWHL she said if she could change one thing about the season, it would be that they would have featured her more.

 

I did not expect to see Lisa dragged but I was here for that too

Edited February 11, 2021 by Cheap21

[Faulkner]

So... not in the near future.

[Gray Bunny]

I watched the SLC reunion and it was fabulous. You know, I have to laugh every time you see Jen smirking about something, like when Lisa was talking and making points about something and you'd see Jen with a side smirk, basically letting us know Lisa was full of shi†.  But anyhow, the venom towards Lisa was quite something, and like @Soaplovers said, you would easily replace Jen with Lisa as the show's villainess. And it really works. The Ice Princess, or Fabulous Ice (thank you @Taoboi), for as icy and cold as she is, her confidence and assurance makes her for a much better adversary than Jen could ever be. And, like Andy, I was waiting to see the ice melt at some point, and it finally did as she talked about her love for her sons.

 

Mary gave me the giggles. Ooh, she wants to come back for a second season and I loved her blunt statements. I was a little surprised (as was Heather, but it was glossed over) when Mary casually said she doesn't think Heather likes her either. My one gripe, as with all post-COVID quarantine reunions, is that because everyone is so far apart, there are many times when people are talking at the same time, so their words get lost in the kerfuffle. 

 

The thing about Mary is that a lot of what she said isn't always taken to heart or it doesn't pack as big a punch, because she is removed from the group. It's similar to NYC's Alex McCord throwing out all those truth bombs at the season 4 reunion, but getting dismissed by the brunettes & redheaded Jill on the other side. The "but I don't WANT to be your friend. Don't you get that?" was hilarious. 

 

Meredith looked gorgeous. Whitney's new titties were nice but a bit too large for her small frame. I'm looking forward to seeing the Meredith/Lisa/Jen drama play out in the next part, and well really, I'm looking forward to all of it. SLC has given us a fantastic freshman season! 

 

 

 

I've mentioned this in the past, but I do know Bravo was casting for Chicago ("Real Housewives of The Gold Coast" working title) back in 2010. My now-husband was dating (okay, he was the young gay secret side piece of a "straight" married man) a very rich man at the time whose wife had been cast, along with a handful of other wealthy women, even though they technically didn't even live in the gold coast neighborhood of Chicago; they lived in one of the western suburbs. Anyhow, it fizzled out because the women they chose weren't bringing a lot of drama and were keeping their secrets locked down tight. Good thing, cuz my husband could've very well been outed as the wife's husband's secret gay black lover down the line! 

 

[Soaplovers]

 

I grew up in Chicago..and there is conflict between those that live in the city..and those living in the burbs (wonder if the Western burb was Naperville...hmmm).

 

Chicago would be interesting, but they didn't cast it right in 2010.

[Gray Bunny]

Hello fellow Chicago area native! I actually grew up in Naperville :) oh the secrets and scandal of that town. So many Republican families in that town seemed to breed a lot of gay children!  
 

P.S. the western suburb was Hinsdale ;) the rich man worked in the Gold Coast though. And yes, you’d think the class conflict of city vs. suburb would be a great jumping off point to get tension going for a series.  

[Cat]

@Gray Bunny @Soaplovers Well, damn! This sounds juicy as hell! Can you two work for Bravo and scout potential cast and locations? Seriously! Would you include Tinsley, Dale and the Coupon King in a franchise like this? The talk of contrast between the suburban haves and central have nots gave me goosebumps. I assumed Chicago richies all lived on Lakeshore Drive!

 

SLC

Great 1st part reunion, largely thanks to Lisa Barlow and Jen swapping personalities for a bit. We needed Lisa to step it up and Jen to tone it down.

 

Jen (who was dressed as the evil princess in Flash Gordon) seems to have been humbled by backlash, especially online. She was careful to take a breath before laying out her thoughts. Like Meredith on Danny Pellegrino's recent podcast (well-timed), I'm not sure if Jen has entirely changed. Everytime Mary speaks, Jen's eyes flash and she looks like she wants to strike her. Other times, Jen does what Jill used to do with Alex @Gray Bunny -- catch the eye of someone else and laugh derisively like Mary just said somethimg weak or foolish. Total gaslighting. 

 

Mary triggers Jen so bad, and it is AMAZING. I love that the medicated culty kook is literally the voice of reason and logic here. Bad Bravo for editing her sleeping in the reunion trailer! That gave us all a false edit of what Mary was going to contribute. Did Jen ask them to do that? Mary was doing anything but sleep, she was holding Jen calmly, effectively, brutally to account. She was getting answers.

 

The editing of that trailer (with Jen at the heart, Mary on the periphery) coincides with discussion here about editing during the season. Why was so much relevant stuff left on the cutting room floor? So many gaps in the stories? Why is Mary relegated to playing a one-dimensional kook? She clearly has hidden layers. Why was context in the Lisa-Heather rivalry jettisoned for Jen's weekly meltdowns? I also noticed Andy doing with Jen what he used to do with Bethenny, where he asked her to comment on SL that had nothing to do with her. He was on the point of deferring to her opinion. Conclusion: he and Bravo have decided Jen is the central figure, and that's a shame because as Fabulous Ice and Mary are showing, this is an ensemble cast here and everyone is bringing something unique that deserves equal spotlight.

 

Lisa Barlow and her spray-tanned palms...! I'm so glad she came to retain her snowflake! She milked her sudden alliance with Jen and her disdain for Heather and Whitney for all they were worth! I cannot fault her hustle. Lisa is not the Queen Bee she desperately wants to be (her face when Andy brought up Rihanna loving Heather!). She is not as smart or strategic as she thinks she is. But God loves a tryer, and she was MVP this episode. Social media is talking only about her and Mary right now. 

 

Heather and Whitney were an effective tag team but weirdly overshadowed this episode. 

 

Meredith is a dis-engaging queen as far as I'm concerned. She looked gorgeous and her hair and makeup were flawless. The thing with Meredith is that she sometimes does not need to talk to express herself. As reserved as she is, a lot of her emotions flit across her face and the viewer gets a lot of her story from non- verbal cues. I find her fascinating in her non-aggressive queenly way.

 

As far as I'm concerned, the entire cast needs to stay as is, bring Mary deeper into the fold, maybe cast a FOH (not Brooks).

 

Edited February 13, 2021 by Cat

[Cat]

The opening 45 seconds of NJ's opening episode next Tuesday *screams with joy*

 

 

[DaytimeFan]

O.M.G.

[Soaplovers]

 

No Tinsley and co.  I want newbies..fresh blood.

 

I would deep six Jen because she's uncomfortable to watch..and I'm not talking about her filler in her face.

[Cat]

Hmmm... not sure about this segment she's creating. Love her and of course want to know what's in the binder. But its like she can't let RHOP go, and it seems like she deeply regrets her departure. If that is the case, she had a chance to stay and pull out those binder receipts during S6. Instead, its like she's shouting from the sidelines, making it easier for the Poven to dismiss her and dimimish her.

 

[Cat]

This episode slipped in the ratings, and I wonder if its because the trailer looked too much like previous episodes. Also viewers may be over Kary whining. I know I am.

 

For me, the episode was notable for two things. One, Tiffany's insane house/closet/outdoor kitchen/ wood-burning pizza oven. Two, it finally revealed the true face of Brandi who has hidden behind her 'victimhood' SL until now.

 

The first thing Brandi basically said this episode was how difficult it would be for her to criticise the things Tiffany has done, but..... Dot dot dot. Brandi is chomping at the bit to go after her. It's what she enjoys doing. I thought it was noteworthy that Tiffany said she was pulling a prank because Brandi enjoys pranks too. As we saw, Brandi enjoys pulling nasty pranks which target people. She DOES NOT enjoy being the target of a prank. In fact, she can't handle it.

 

The dramatics, the fake throwing up, Stephanie and Kary just HAVING to go into the bathroom to hold Brandi's hair out of her face. C'mon Brandi, like roasted cricket is the worst thing you've ever had in your mouth. Girl, please. The whole thing rang so false. Kary and Stephanie could barely contain their smiles. Tiffany has given them the ammo they need to attack her again and again. They are in heaven about this.

 

The crazy thing is how someone as mean, backstabbing, untrustworthy, and dull as Kary managed to forge these solid alliances with Brandi, Stephanie and Kameron? I am in shock. Are they just grateful she got LeeAnne off the show? I mean, Kameron of all people has Brandi and Kary's back against Tiffany? 

 

Should Tiffany have snuck the crickets into her pizza and made everyone try it? No. It was a dumb, messy prank. But I can't help but feel empathy for DTM. For all her degrees and career and success, she is still that girl who immigrated from China, nerdy, studying hard, trying to get top grades, trying to be accepted and embraced by others. And instead they are 'othering' her. Like, I felt bad when they gaily sailed out of there at 10.29pm and she begged them to stay a little longer. She set herself up by establishing a curfew time; i understand why she did, but she regretted it when she saw it was used as a stick to beat her with. Honestly, Tiffany was guilty of trying too hard. Her prank backfired and she tried to make amends and apologize. She really wants them to accept her, and with the exception of D'Andra, they're not. They know she wants their acceptance and so they are withholding it.

[Cat]

That's too bad -- only from the POV of getting to see Dale Mercer again lol! But I get that Chicago has its own vibe, mix and history which needs to be established independently. The location is as much a character on these shows as the RHs.

 

Watching SLC on my Amazon Prime account, and they have one of Jen's talking heads as the main pic on the page. Someone at Amazon must really hate her, because it is THE most unflattering screen shot ever. Jen literally has no neck in it.

 

As for deep sixing Jen, perhaps you are right. Perhaps letting go of Jen will allow the other women to bloom. I worry that Bravo has put alllll its chips on Jen Shah as 'queen bee and MVP' of the group. Which IMO has been a mistake, in that it has come at the expense of the rest of the cast, and the audience aren't feeling it either.

[Taoboi]

Well...NY and BH finished filming their latest seasons today and yesterday respectively.

 

 

 

 

[Cheap21]

 

Dang, she never became a housewife but she is a star on Netflix's Bling Empire and she is RICH! Its too bad Bravo didnt circle back to get her on bc she is reality tv gold. She talks about it here

 

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