Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[Cat]

Nu-RHONY Reunion seating chart!

I'd say this is fair. Would have possibly swapped Erin for Jenna. Erin tries to make the drama, but Jenna kind of *is* the drama.

Jessel is where she should be. Brynn and Sai must be seething.

 

Not just thirsty. She's one of those people who thinks she is inherently fascinating and 'in the know.' I can't bear the podcast where she's all "Here's the thing, guys" and bragging about her WhatsApp group with The Coven.

[Soaplovers]

I think Jessel has first seat because she's actually provided a lot of content in her individual vignettes (hubby, kids, mom, had fashion magazine big wigs at her event, and tends to insert foot in mouth)...she's a Ramona/Alex combo.

Erin has taken everything so personally that everyone jokes about her starving her guests, being offended by everything and caused some issues with some of the ladies.

According to Sai..she and Brynn fall out and it's due to Ubah.

And Jenna should be 1 and done...people are clutching their Pearl's over her going through typical housewife tropes.  She's an adult and she knew what she was getting into.

[Liberty City]

Clearly, Erin & Jessel are next to Andy because of their on-going spat.... but I would've preferred Jenna next to Andy and, maybe Brynn, too. It'll be interesting to see what's going to come of this reunion. This season has been fun.

NOOOO. I adore Jenna too much, and hope she's given another go.

[Taoboi]

I have NO doubt. 

 

WHO???

[Cat]

Drew singing a breakup song *at* Ralph to end the show was truly one of the most insane and cringe things I have ever seen. Drew as a RH is almost proudly cringeworthy: the mix of tall tales/lies, her mana's religiousity, her trying to keep up with the cool kids in the cast but still singing a song with the word 'poop' in it.... I can't. In some ways, Drew doesn't quite belong on this cast, and I'm.not sure the audience fully embraces someone they know is lying on some things. On the other hand, this was the only crazy drama this season had and it culminated perfectly into a surprisingly compelling reunion. 

Courtney is awful, and from Tampa apparently, and I can totally see her being Ralph's sidechick. She tried to get on the show; I hope she didn't succeed.

Ralph is a soulless individual out for himself. Drew and Kenya are 100% right: instead of supporting his wife, he sides with all her enemies and attempts to sell her down the river for a spot on the reunion couch. Just trash.

Kandi actually did a lot of work this,season to bring Drew's marriage and affair to the fore. The fact that Drew didn't really seem bothered by that makes me wonder how much she wanted to embrace this leading-damsal role and what exactly was seld-scripted and what wasn't.

Next season needs a partial retool but not a full reboot. I'd like to see the left couch return KKD) but maybe not the right couch (SMS).

[Cat]

IA Jessel has featured family and is enough of an odd bunny to be watchable. The insert-foot aspect is real, and her competing with Sai, Brynn and Jenna in the Victim Olympics (and failing) was actually pretty funny. She is not the person I would have picked to have been the most entertaining of the pack when this show first started, but im glad an unlikely audience fave has nabbed that spot. (I tend to chafe against the official Bravo picks like Jen Shah and Gizelle).

Erin is probably the strongest personality in this whole group who always thinks she is right and won't try to sidestep a confrontation. I can see why she's seated where she is.

Disagree on Jenna! Her special privileges and Bravo favoritism rile the other women up, and that's a good thing.

Same re: Jenna. There's something endearing about her, but she also uses that endearment to curry favor and get her way. As a viewer, I can appreciate watching both contradictions in this woman.

The show has been an entertaining watch, and I pretty much like all the cast. I haven't warmed to Sai and have this knee-jerk bias against all things influencer. I just don't think clothes should be a filler for personality (see Erika Jayne). However, this last episode, Sai was winning me over with her talking about her mom, and her generally confidently running this trip like it's her show.

I like Ubah too and hope we get more of her before the season wraps up. She is gorgeous and brings energy to a table which often leans into petty complaints and competitive personal stories.

Brynn is a classic teller of tales and over-exaggerater, and is bound to come up against Erin who parses every detail you say and uses them to come back at you.

[Soaplovers]

Jessel isn't a good storyteller... but from reading history books and also the fact that my mom's college friend went through something similiar, I understand what she was trying to say.

Up till the 60s or 70s, a lot of Indians lived in Africa and had a high degree of wealth.  However, due to coups, the new government kicked out all of the Indians living there and basically they all left with none of the money/possession they had while living in Africa.

And I think when she was talking about her relatives, she was talking about how a few relatives had left Africa with some of the money in order to start lives in new countries.. and I think when Jessel's family was kicked out of Africa, they were able to resettle in those places.  

[Cat]

There was (and still is in South Africa and parts of Kenya) a significant Indian population in Africa, courtesy of the expansive British Empire, and they were often in trade or commerce. Living in London, I've met many offspring of East African Asians. In fact, the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, his parents were born and raised in Tanzania and Kenya. I have a close acquaintance who was born in Uganda but had to leave with only the clothes on his back when Idi Amin came to.power. Amin came to power on promises of restoring Uganda to its native populations, and since the Indian communities in Africa had been rather successful financially, that had bred some resentment between groups. It must have been wrenching to leave and start anew with nothing. I can understand some of what Jessel was trying and failing to say. Sometimes it's hard to relate a more nuanced history to others who are used to brief, broad strokes. And maybe they are not as familiar with the painful intertwining of experiences under Empire and post-colonial breakup, when different groups were pitted against each other in the tumult that followed.

[Liberty City]

Well, it would not be the first and/or last time a housewives using their endearment to curry into their favour. I also think she's a woman of a certain age, who is guarded and hanging around younger women who are more open with their feelings/background, so culturally it is a shock and change of environment for her.

Sai did not hit with me until the third or fourth episode and since then, I like her. The one I cannot connect with is Jessel. I see nothing redeeming about her. Not even her cute kids.

Ubah is so refreshing; she's fun and carefree, but as we saw some episodes ago, has a genuine heart and I loved seeing that about her.

Brynn, to me, is hot and cold. When she's not gunning for your significant other, I can like her... but, at times, it feels like the water works are a way to gage sympathy for her. I hate saying it, but it's how I feel.

Erin is the equivalent to Heather Thompson, without the "HOLLA!" in everything she says.

[Cat]

Yikes -- Shannon booked for a DUI.

(And Archie was apparently in the car with her).

 

[DaytimeFan]

I have two distinct opinions on this:

1. How sad. She has been a mess for years and clearly has a problem with alcohol and has been in denial. She needs to go to long term inpatient rehab; and

2. Perhaps now Shannon can stop being so sanctimonious about Gina given she's topped her with a hit and run on top of the DUI. I hope she's held onto her lawyer's card.

[Soaplovers]

Uber and Lyft are around for a reason.

[DynamiteKiddo]

Shannon is such a hot mess, and I think she has no (meaningful) idea.  She has revealed herself to be a truly horrible person SO many times, but I have to give it to her--she puts it all out there and, as a result, you can see what a truly full "character" she is and despite being frighteningly out of touch, she is SO relatable.  She can financially afford this, but we'll see if this breaks her or makes her finally take a real inventory of her life and get some desperately needed self-awareness.

[Taoboi]

RHOA

 

Well, it looks like I finally get some down time from my jobs. So I finally started to play catch up on this (and RHOM hehe). 

 

First of all, I did not realize how close I was to the finale when I had to stop watching. That said...still back in Portugal. And...the RHOP ladies the RHOA gals are NOT.

 

I found the Portgual trip to be pretty basic. Perhaps it's the clear divide between the ladies...and it's not in a cute or funny Talls vs Smalls way, either. The fact that Team Coven Dos (aka Marlo, Sanya Teddi West, ShebySheBroke, Courtney) could not carry the show without Kenya or Kandi being around to bounce off of...at least Team Small could work outside of Team Tall. Same for Team Pretty vs Team Beast (Season 7). So their scenes were just...boring. And no attempt by Courtney The Wannabe to come for Kenya would do. 

 

Thank God for Drew and her drama. Whether it was with Kandi...who we all know HATES to be called a liar...or with Marlo, it was the only interesting part of the trip for me. Because the trouble with Ralph grew organic (or not with Marlo and Sheree potstirring) and we knew what was coming. And I loved every minute of Drew holding her own against Marlo and The Coven West Coast. Now Kandi vs Drew...hmmmm...well...it was NOT boring. And it led to an appearance by Latoya...who I was one of the few fans of her from Season 13. And Latoya hit that ground RUNNING. And had Marlo running, too. I miss her and her and Drew's quirky dynamic. 

 

And God, I missed Cynthia so seeing her in non-edited-out scenes, was awesome. 

 

Looking forward to watching more later. For now...

 

KANDI. Darn it if they ain't making Kandi work for her peach this year. First Courtney. Then Marlo. Now Drew? That said...what was Drew thinking? Granted this is not the first time Drew and Kandi have had issues *cough*Season13*cough*, but it is just funny how deluded Drew was that anyone would believe her over Kandi when Kandi has a history of truthtelling while Drew...doesn't. And lest we forget...Kandi is WORLDWIDE. AKA She knows EVERYONE. So of course, Kandi went directly to Latoya. Of course, Kenya saw. Of course, even Marlo would agree. Wrong road, Drew. And WOW...10 years of Bedroom Kandi...yes, I remember when. I cannot believe how far that has come from the days when Kandi did Kandi Koated Nights. Just...wow. It's kinda inspirational. 

 

KENYA. In a way, it was cool to see Kenya activated. I don't like that it was Courtney The Wannabe who did it, but it was done. And while she put up a good fight, Kenya won that one in the end. She should have set there and ate her food. Meanwhile, Kenya was letting Drew know that was not at all her friend. Foreshadowing indeed from what I know now. On the OTHER hand, it should be one of the main girls activating Kenya. This season just proves how disengaged Kenya has become from it all. And I find that sad. Now sad for me though...seeing her and Cynthia make up. I was looking forward to it since they fell out in first season of ALL STAR and it was worth the wait for me.

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SHEBYSHEBROKE. Honestly? In the two episodes I watched, I continue to see so much potential in her. When Bone Collector Sheree popped up, she was on FIRE. In how she manipulated everything into a Drew vs the table catfight. Even more than Marlo was. And Kenya and Drew were gathering Courtney Wannabe, Sanya Teddi West, and Marlo easily before Sheree ran interference. So loyal...just to the WRONG team.

 

MARLO. Well, I can't say she didn't do anything. That said...her fighting with Drew and throwing Ralph in was something. And then Ralph wanted to get messy by texting her? Just le sigh. That was REAL Marlo. Cuz this other one they keep showing...talking about marriage to the Chef...I was like Guuuuurl, we know you won't marry anyone poor. And then she ran from Latoya? Weak sauce now. 

 

SANYA. TEDDI WEST. As a Gemini, I loved every minute of her sister dragging her. Forget the flip flopping and being the calm one of Coven West. The REAL storyline is the continued drama in her family. It's a shame we do not see more of it.

 

DREW. MVP of these episodes. Moreso than Kandi actually. Why? Because watching her unravel has been real and moreso fascinating to watch. So much now that she's getting her friends to have drama with her. Looking forward to seeing this shake out.

 

On another note...there were so many times...while I enjoyed the episodes overall...it just felt like RHOP and I had to smh my head because what works for RHOP DOES NOT at all work with RHOA. Just le sigh.

 

More later...

[Soaplovers]

RHONY:

 

I'll give it to Jessel.. she at least stands up for herself and was right on the money calling Erin 'Queen of Assumptions' and not backing down... unlike Jenna who acts like a victim and doesn't stand up for herself.