Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[Antoyne]

It does feel very Housewives esque and I just don’t think I can watch that much Bethenny.

[Taoboi]

NJ

 

Awwww Teresa. 

 

Even with Marge vs Jennifer, I found this episode to be very low key. After 9/10 episodes of well paced drama, comedy, and family dynamic, I felt this episode slowed down the pace, allowing to get to know all the ladies surprisingly. 

 

And then that ending...same, Teresa. I still get triggered whenever I see a close relationship in public between a father and little son. So I can imagine how being in a room with daughters and moms could get to you. And those flashback...le sigh...

 

THINGS I LOVED.

 

FRANKIE. Need I say more? Yum. lol.

 

GETTING TO KNOW YOU. It surprised me how much this episode let the ladies unwind. And moreso, it allowed for human moments with the ladies I did not like. Jackie talking about her past. Marge's talk with Marge Sr. And I hollered at Melissa embarrassing her daughter on NATIONAL TV!!! That was soooooooo not a talk to have on air!!! lol. There was another moment I loved where Jennifer and her dad were poking fun at her mother. Given last week, seeing those three together and laughing was such an awww moment. And of course there was Dolores and Frankie (ymmmm). Teresa, Joe, and their daughters. There was just so many nuances in these little scenes that I loved all of them. Even with ladies I don't like. Speaking of...

 

JENNIFER, MARGE, AND THE YACHT. First of all, they all looked good...and Jackie surprisingly was tied with Teresa as best dressed. Second of all, WOW. that party was a great example of how the sneak peeks give you one idea...and then SURPRISE!!! It went in a different direction. In fact, a BETTER direction. Marge and Jennifer's meeting of the minds was much needed since Marge had been coming for her all season so far. And I LOVED Jennifer gathering her together, too. Thank you, Production, for replaying the scene in question. I had the same opinion as Jennifer. And I loved that Jennifer flipped the script and revealed after listening to Marge read from her book, she owe Marge an apology. And she owned her error and apologized. Marge accepting and trying to move on was a great move. More nauances throughout the scene. 

 

MINI-JENNIFER. HAHAHAHAHAHA at Jennifer's daughter coming to the mother party with that mini-housewife vibe. Hilarious.

 

PEACHES. LOL. Well played, production. After last week with the ladies teasing Teresa about a new man, it turned out THEY WERE RIGHT!! What seem like a joke was a well timed subplot that paid off. And ha at Melissa already knowing and saying NOTHING. Which led to a cute Jackie/Melissa scene to boot. 

 

MOTHERS PARTY. Other than the ending...it was very well done. And it gave so much insight into the ladies even more...not to mention Jennifer's childhood. She was a well dressed hostess. And I loved how she did it. And gave so much respect. And hehee at everyone joking with her mother.

 

FRANKIE. MMMM. LOL. 

 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

 

THAT ENDING. Le sigh. *hugs Teresa*

 

ETA: I forgot to say so yesterday, but I think (for me) it was the first time the NJ ladies cooperative on their reunion looks. I loved them all overall, but Jennifer is totally my favorite. Then Melissa's. Then Teresa. 

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by Taoboi

[FrenchBug82]

It looks very beautifully produced for what it's worth

But it looks a lot more Apprentice-y to me than Housewives-y and while I don't expect it because it seems she'd prefer it be memory-holed, I would like to see her reference the fact she was once on the other side of this kind of "competition" (and while she did well, she was a mess!)

[DaytimeFan]

 

Thank you for posting - it feels VERY Bethenny Ever After & RHONY in its production values in that the show seems to be more about Bethenny than the competition to work for her, so for me it only has a hint of the Apprentice...which let's not forget, Bethenny was on when Martha Stewart hosted it. 

[Faulkner]

Flashback:

 

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[Cat]

@Antoyne @FrenchBug82 @DaytimeFan @Faulkner  It does feel very Martha Stewart Apprentice circa early 2000s. And for that reason it also feels very NBC Universal -- ironic that Bethenny had to leave the NBC U 'fambly' to replicate its reality show template. Never let it be said that Bethenny doesn't know when to spot somebody else's good idea and try and appropriate it for herself.

 

As I recall from The Apprentice, the contestants were the focus for much of each episode, but this trailer is very Bethenny-centric and, like @Antoyne I'm not sure I can watch this much BethennyBethennyBethenny [(c) Luann]. That would be exhausting!

 

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RHOD:

 

"I said to him one tiiime -- that's THE FATHER -- I said to him: 'Ooohh! I can't believe you married someone that unattractive' -- well, that's really gonna cause a problem! He said 'This time, I didn't marry for beauty. I did that the first time.' And I said: 'Then get her nose fiiiiixed.' "

 

Not Ibsen. Not Tennessee Williams. It's Mama Dee.

 

The amount of social media hate around RHOD this season is IMO undeserved. Yes, there have been some lame episodes -- not helped by the editing they had to do around Jen. This week's episode they kept it to D'Andra, Tiffany and Kary, and it was all the better for it. Stephanie and Brandi are slowly being eased out of the show.

 

 

RHONJ:

 

@Taoboi I've only seen half the episode so far but I knew it was going to be a good one when both Gia + Milania appeared! 

 

IMO RHONJ is the best RH show this year so far. Some thought it was a slower episode? I didn't look at my watch once. I am gripped by the individual scenes with family and friends, and by their group scenes too. It is really a perfectly-judged mix. I was even OK with Jackie and Marge. 

 

Best was Queen Jennifuh, recognising that Marge went through something awful, apologising for a genuine misinterpretation of the facts -- instead of doubling down and trying to make the feud her SL. It shows that she has other things to offer the show and that HWs don't have to follow the usual tired template.

 

Marge has been intent on keeping their feud alive, but she had no choice but to accept Jennifer's apology, which she did graciously. It struck me that this season we have seen A LOT of Marge's VTs where she goes after Jennifer. We barely see Jennifer doing the same (and we know she can get spicy). As she put it in her VT, 'Marge has been picking at me a little bit, but I respect her and hope we can move forward.' 

 

Dolores telling Frankie about the biopsy, and Frankie saying "That isn't a girl thing, it's a health thing." 

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 Frankie is Frank's mini-me.

 

Teresa has been light and happy all season and it makes for a better show.

 

Bravo, I don't need to see Marge's assistant who wears Marge's hand-me-downs anymore, thanks.

Edited April 23, 2021 by Cat

[Cat]

RHONY sneak peek 

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[Faulkner]

These ladies look amazing.

[Taoboi]

@Cat I knew you were liked that the moment I heard Mama Dee say that. I even rewinded a few times.

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RE: NJ. It was a very slight shift. Very subtle. Still well paced. It just had a vibe to it compared to the other episodes of letting the characters breathe so to speak. Like I said...even people like Marge, Jackie, and Melissa who I generally don't like got to do more and viewers got a little bit into their heads in a way well they didn't feel like housewives archetype...they felt 3 dimensional in a way they have not mostly been this season. Does that make sense? I think it was all down to the nuances going on within all the sense. Perhaps it was editing as well. It was very well done for sure and highly enjoyable. Just...different. 

[Cat]

 

It does make sense. Some of the best daytime soaps in the world, once upon a time, were able to balance exactly what you describe, alongside ramping up the drama. The 'breathable' stuff is basically hitting every beat of a SL and allowing it to go its own pace without rushing it. This is what I liked about this episode. 

 

For example, I would never have known Frankie cared as much about his mother as he showed in that scene. He didn't make a fuss but his intent and feelings were clear.

 

Similarly, you could see sensitive Gabriella's tension ease when Jennifer explained her Nana's depression and put it into context.

 

I appreciated both scenes because I learned a little more about Frankie and Gabriella than I normally would have.

[Cat]

MORE RHONY SNEAK PEEKS. They are literally giving ep. 1 away LOL so don't watch if you would rather go into the first episode unspoiled.

 

 

 

[Faulkner]

I can’t get over how great Luann looks.

 

Eboni seems funny and fantastic. I wonder how enmeshed she’ll become in the RHONY drama, as that’s a VERY incestuous cast with a lot of history. Leah seemed to jump in head first.

[Antoyne]

I already watched two sneak peaks. I’m gonna try to be good and not watch anymore lol. I really missed these ladies minus Leah.

[Cat]

 

Lu looks epically stunning. She has not aged a minute since her Pirate Bootycall days!

 

I like Eboni too. She is smart and realises that flattery gets you everywhere with the Ramona-Sonja-Luann triumvirate, but caution is also necessary, because newbies get burned with those three.

 

 

You're so good! LOL. Each clip is under 2 mins so it really is only a few short segments being given away. (Nevertheless, I do want RHONY to get its rightful share of viewers on the night). 

 

I really missed them too, and you know what, Leah did not annoy me in these clips.

[FrenchBug82]

 

That's one thing that I always thought made NY strong. The fact there was a core group of ladies with a lot of history with each other, including and especially pre-show and outside of the show.
It is also the case with Gizelle and Karen: the best frenemies relationship are built out of knowing each other from before the show, even socially. They have each other's numbers
Women who just met each other will fall out over the smallest dumbest stuff because they don't know each other. When the relationship is complicated BUT organic, it makes for a lot more compelling TV. 
Look at the interaction between Sonja and Ramona here. That kind of very biting shade/mockery but with some degree of affection and indulgence is not something you can replicate with an artificially constructed cast.