Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[FrenchBug82]

 

I am surprised that she is surprised.

The minute I heard Gina and Janet would not be coming back after all, I really groaned. That both removes two of the most memorable characters AND leaves the one remaining memorable character without her two main foils.
Of course the dynamic is going to shift and if the new Housewives don't have huge personalities to fill the blank...
To be fair though, Janet's comment could be a hint that the season will be lacking OR suggesting a lot of upcoming conflict with the newbies which could provide entertainment so I will keep an open mind.

[Liberty City]

 

We will have to wait and see what happens.

[Cat]

 

This cannot be said enough! The 'Poor me' bungalow is to show the courts 'No money to see here.' Same as this week's gas station jaunt in sweats and no makeup. Look at how I suffer!

 

Moreover, the BH scenes and her recent Twitter pronouncements are designed to keep the focus on Erika's divorce and NOT on the massive fraud.

 

Interesting that 24 hours after Erika's lawyers publicly dumped her, they took up her case again. That says to me that she finally paid one of their invoices. So she's getting money from somewhere. Lawyers are not cheap.

 

 

I haven't watched the episode yet but your review is great! This is an interesting point because yesterday's WWHL had Kathy and Crystal (and Kyle in the audience). Kyle has seriously never looked more relaxed, happy or confident. She is on top of the world right now. She has banished LVP and Ragamuffin from the show; meanwhile, Erika and Rinna, are on the outs with the audience. Kathy's presence has burnished Kyle's standing and she knows it.

 

Kyle and the others were incredibly diplomatic about Erika (and Rinna's support of Erika) on WWHL. What happened to "OWN IT!" "Just tell the truth!" ? WWHL still trying to paint LVP as a villain last night, and all I could think was: Really? Lucy Lucy Apple Juicy and Denise allegedly sleeping with Brandi are worse than the Girardis stealing from burn victims to pay for Erika's overpriced glam? 

Edited June 24, 2021 by Cat

[Cat]

 

Maybe I'm overthinking the unexpected break we had this week, but I worry Bravo is giving RHONY the Dallas treatment. Dallas was a MESS and RHONY is really not in the same category of near-system fail. It is a transition season but with loads of potential, and the show is still a jewel in Bravo's crown as far as the quality of its cast and what they serve us. 

 

Following Below Deck would not be a bad idea. Also, I think Bershan will bring a breath of fresh to the show. It will leave Eboni less islanded, and I am interested to see what she's like.

Edited June 24, 2021 by Cat

[Taoboi]

Well, to be fair @Chris B and @Cat, when you mentioned NY's ratings, I had to go look to see if I was seeing things.

 

Nope.

 

Unless I am wrong, NY's ratings are holding steady if anything. Is it down from last season? Well...yes...like most of the HW shows. But it is not unusual for NY's ratings to start slow and grow up to the reunion.

 

So it's a wait and see.

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I do think it's funny that Bravo did not at all mention they were not showing NY for the Below Deck Sailing Yacht reunion (which as @DaytimeFan mentioned had a great season after that toxic first and I need to play catchup on it lol). Bravo is NOT the CW and knows how to advertise when a show is on break since not everyone reads releases to know that. Usually Bravo would say (in a Ramona voice over) IN TWO WEEKS ON NY. So it does seem a bit suspect since Bravo normally does not do that. 

 

Other than Below Deck Med (which I will not be watching after that toxic last season), Below Deck has become the flagship as I've mentioned before. But no need to sabotage the good HW shows for it. Especially when  NJ held its own and I expect POTOMAC to do the same. JS. 

 

[Cat]

 

This scene?

 

Remember how that dinner party scene was edited to make Kathryn look absolutely awful and LVP not great either? And yet Tom snapping at Geishabot to pipe down was not worthy of inclusion back in S6.

 

After that episode originally aired, we rarely if ever saw Tom interacting with Erika and the women again, and Erika made it sound like he was too busy and 'above' mere reality TV. Now we know why.

 

 

[Cat]

 

Having watched Below Deck Med S3, I can definitely see the attraction of these shows. Downton Abbey on the High Seas! I also am watching Summer House which is a fun ride, too.

 

But Bravo is struggling with its ratings this year. The stability of RHONY's recent ratings is to be commended, but this time last year, RHONY was apparently pulling in 1.26mn for an episode. BH ratings have recovered just above the 1mn mark after a poor start (because Bravo put 90% of the episode online in snippets) but that's down from last year, too.

 

I hope this is more a case of viewers watching via streaming services (as I seem to be doing these days). Covid also severely impacted these shows' formats and breadth. Bravo held off from major firings until recently. Also, in RHONY's case, I think Bravo was a little too hasty in seeing off an Alpha like Dorinda. 

Edited June 24, 2021 by Cat

[Taoboi]

BH

 

Last week felt like an old school version of BH with the return of glamour (not glam) and the showing off of wealth as the ladies were off living their lives. This week also felt old school in a different vein as we saw the day to day of the ladies (Garcelle's was easily my favorite, I've been having to navigate dating in this post CoVid world so I feel that). The problem for me...though I will give credit where credit is due since Production did a good job of setup scenes...is the fact that the women are too unlikeable to make even their 'normal' scenes likeable enough like Adrienne, Kim, Taylor, and Camille (and later Yolanda and Kathryn...even Joyce) would back in the day. So there was a lot of side-eye.

 

And no more so than with Ms. Erika. Girl...stop. You and your mouthpiece Ex Soap Opera Star can ZIP...IT. It is so clear what was going on and all it really did was make me see RED.

 

Other than the attempt to plan a narrative by the Stripper and the Ex Soap Opera Star, the only thing going on this episode was the continued feud between Sutton and Crystal. And I have to say...GET HER, SUTTON!!! It was like I said before. Sutton went overboard, but worked on making amends and moving forward. But Crystal wanted to keep the drama going. I was willing to give the benefit of the doubt to Crystal because she made some points, but Yep, she's a mean girl. And Sutton sees it. So uh oh.

 

 

KYLE. It's interesting how in the background she is BUT STILL puppeteering. Did she really tell Sutton about Crystal talking behind her back to be a good friend or because it was good drama that could deflect from Erika's crimes? Discuss!!!  And I see she backed down from Dorit. Perhaps them Production warned her again that was a bad move.

 

DORIT. Hahahahaa at Sutton letting her know 'this ain't your moment, boo. Stand down.' That is worrying though. Other than fashion and comic relief, she has not done much. I have not mind it, but it seems like she was looking to stir the pot a little as well just like Kyle in this Sutton/Crystal feud. Guess trying to get relevant. 

 

GARCELLE. Like Kenya Moore, green and yellow are her colors because I was loving that jumpsuit at Crystal's. She stayed relatable this round and was giving some great Greek chorus on Erika. And while I know she was Team Sutton, it was great to hear her say it outloud in her TH. I hope she stays side-eyeing Crystal. 

 

SUTTON. THAT'S RIGHT, GUUUUURL!!!! PUT THE MEAN GIRL ON NOTICE!!!!!!!!!!!  I loved that Sutton was 

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All the work she did last season to get that diamond, she was damned if she was going to let these tricks take it away from her. No, ma'am!!!! LOL!!!!  When even Kyle is on your side, you run with it. Cuz it's funny that all of a sudden Production had the rollback on all those Crystal's scenes. Hmmmm.  And Sutton also saw Crystal's game...telling her one thing while telling the Coven another. Great that she confronted her IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY. And like a true mean girl...Crystal threw some weak shots...that Sutton caught and threw back. And then...Crystal backed down. For now. So now...this is going to be a juicy feud looking at next week. I hope Sutton drags her.

 

CRYSTAL. And regardless of what I said above...well...at least Crystal is going us drama. As for mean girls...I worshipped at the altar of Cordelia Chase so I'm...good with that. She is the very definition of what we discussed here...a HW you probably don't like, but you can admire is driving drama and NOT being boring. So right now...very important since either nothing is going on or Production is controlling the narrative. And that brings me to...

 

ERIKA.

You all were saying Oscar worthy performance. The actress over on GH that plays Willow could give a better performance.  This? As Marlo said at the RHOA Season 10 reunion...a C character. At best. 

 

Lord...I feel like the woman in the movie CLUE who was seeing red and flames. Cuz I was watching Erika and LOOOORDDDD...would it be too much for her to ask sympathetic? That was all Erika had to do. All of what she did was basically line reading with no subtext, emotions, or even naunce to it. In other words FAKE. And the fact that it was clear Production is in her corner, giving her the victim edit, and making it soooo easy for her to get a pass and she STILL can't sell it???? Some Kween. There was not a bit of film last night of her that was not FAKE or PHONEY!!! This goes back to what I said at the start about Production having all these setup scenes to sell this narrative.

 

Guess what, Bitch? Not working.

 

Speaking of which...

 

EX SOAP OPERA STAR. Uh...last I check...Miss Pretty Mess knew how to deflect and defend herself so she does not need a mouthpiece. SHUT...THE...FRAK...UP. Or better yet...

 

KATHY. Not in it enough. Sadly. She continues to be a hoot and a bright spot this season.

 

 

 

[Faulkner]

Yes, the NY women deliver, but personally I feel like they spent too many episodes in the Hamptons. It got repetitive after a while, with Leah’s “grief-stricken” antics and the incessant dialogue about microaggressions.

[Taoboi]

No, no, no!!!! Don't get me wrong!!! I am and still am an uberBELOW DECK fan. (sidenote: Summer House is a fun ride...hits its stride in Season 3.

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 And the reunion this year was all kinds of awesome from the clips I've seen  I will be watching this past season eventually. And don't forget FAMILY KARMA.) I liked the show for the reasons you mentioned and just seeing the guests (even DALLAS Kary was on an episode pre-DALLAS). But even that franchise had its toxic season (for BD it was Season 7, MED Season 5--though I had an Alex crush, and SY was the first one). BD recovered thankfully because they righted the ship with returns and back to basics post covid. So has SY with an enjoyable cast that most of them could return next season...and I have a Colin crush. lol. 

 

Oh for sure Bravo has been struggling in ratings (outside of NJ). And NY is definitely down from last year, but I still think NY will be a grower on its ratings. It's not the first time that's happened to NY so I will be shocked if that does not happen this year. 

 

I agree on streaming services. That is mostly all I do now. And if I no longer have the channel on my new tv system, all I have to do is wait for it to be loaded for streaming since I might not have the channel for a tv show, but the tv show is on my list of shows to watch through streaming. Like I don't have CW anymore, but I had downloaded the CW app before the system changed so it's installed on my tv system and I can still watch shows on the channel. 

More reason for them to have not had a break so viewers can see that quick transition out of the Hampton. This isn't a show with mini arcs a la the last season of VERONICA MARS. It's HOUSEWIVES!!! LOL. 

[Cat]

BH

 

I agree with @DaytimeFan that Erika's performance this episode was better than I even expected (although @Taoboi saying he'd seen better acting from the chick who plays Willow on GH made me cackle out loud!). Props to production for giving her an entire episode to carefully establish Her Side. She wants the narrative to focus strictly on her divorce, so I think that's what we'll get. I honestly think Dorit's "widows and orphans" comment is taken out of context and will actually be a statement of support for Poor Erika. 

 

Sutton calling Crystal out on being a mean girl was exactly what we were all thinking. She sees you now, Crystal. 

 

Kathy side-eying Rinna's OTT cackling was EVERYTHING. She knows. Rinna is as fake as a 2 dollar bill. I don't see friendship between Rinna and Erika, I see strategic alliance. And when Erika was talking, Rinna was scrutinising the other women, almost like she is enforcer of the status quo. Her loud laughs are meant to prompt the others to do the same. Dance for your master, monkeys!

 

Also I think this Rinna Beauté project is a fallback in case QVC dump her.

[Taoboi]

But that is what makes this Erika storyline so curious @Cat. It really and truly seems like Erika wants it to ONLY be about the divorce and her being a 'woe is me' victim. So...when is the narrative going to change? Because at some point...it does. And that change is including how much did she know? Early reports say Sutton started that ball rolling. But right now, she's busy feuding with Crystal and being BFFs with Garcelle.

 

That reminds me of something that I forgot to mention earlier. Last night, it was an off-hand comment that someone made...I want to say either Kyle or Ex Soap Opera Star...that Garcelle had made a shady comment about Dorit. And the camera panned to Dorit for a minute, but it was not touched on then. IRL Dorit and Garcelle both have mentioned that they had a disagreement of sorts. Could this be the beginning of that?

 

Dorit is showing that she is about to start some pot stirring (and I still LOVE Sutton getting her together) so could it be that the 'widows and orphans' comment is not out of context, but she threw it out there as a trap for someone else to bring it to the table...say Sutton or even Garcelle...and one or both of them take the bait since they believe in not being fake and that starts the second leg of the Erika storyline (21 episodes this season) rolling and the audience start to get into how much did Erika know? Hmmmm

 

PS. And yes I thought you would get a good chuckle out of the Willow comment. I just find her waaaaay too obvious. And I agree with the rest of you that perhaps she's been staging all of these looks/gas appearances to only look poor. Trash yes. Poor...I don't think so. 

HAHAHAHA!!!! THE SHADE OF IT ALL!!!

Edited June 24, 2021 by Taoboi

[Chris B]

Well get ready because they have one episode in New York, then they’re back on the road for another trip lol. 

[Soaplovers]

Crystal is a snob and quite frankly..a bitch.  Not a fun bitch like Camille..or a hot mess bitch like Brandi or Taylor.

 

And Crystal saying people keep asking her so she has to talk about it....so very Kyle like.  I'm like 'please..just say no comment...and that would make everyone talk'.

 

And now I see why Garcelle said Crystal holds grudges pre season premiere.

[NothinButAttitude]

Did y'all hear about the interview Gizelle and Robyn apparently had on Jasmine Brand earlier today? Supposedly, Gizzy is subtly starting to turn her fangs on Candaice just like we all said. 

 

Candaice must feel like an idiot. Yet another pawn in Gizelle's chess game. 

 

Called it that Gizzard is getting ready to run Candaice and Wendy off the show.