Rahul

God, these people are exhausting. I usually enjoy my Shahs but I'm ready for them to wrap up this season and disappear into the long night, never to be seen again. I now find myself getting angry whenever Reza and Adam appear on screen. I'm having physiological reactions like increased blood pressure and teeth clenching.

I would like more of the Aunty Army and less of the annoying millenials (Vishal in particular), please. Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so. Indian Aunties Are The Best Thing About "Family Karma" Bali is giving me life. No wonder she wasn't introduced in the first episode--she needed loads more time for her grand reveal. Anyone know the name of her first husband? I want to look him up. She didn't mention much about her second marriage, though. I wonder why not. It looks like they are leading up to Richa and Vishal's roka or formal engagement, probably in the season finale. I hope homegirl realizes she can be his hag without marrying him. Vishal did his bestie Anisha dirty by icing her out after the Diwali gala. She's smart, funny and ostensibly talented, so why exactly does she want the likes of him as a friend? Monica's dad is a sweetheart. I wish he had the courage to come out on this show. He isn't wrong about the Indian community being unforgiving about divorce, though. I noticed little beads of sweat on various people, even in the talking heads. That Miami heat must be brutal. Also, who did Monica's contouring for one of her talking head looks? They should retire and seek alternate employment immediately! Monica winces or recoils whenever Brian has gotten physically close to her over the course of the past two episodes. I wonder if she has issues with personal space or is just very uncomfortable around men since she's inexperienced (a virgin, according to Anisha). Brian's pursuit of Monica feels very inauthentic and producer driven--that boy is clearly a player who prefers white girls, or at least girls who put out. I'm not sure I believe he's ready to settle down with a nice Indian girl just yet.

The cast is now too bloated and insipid. Bravo should have cut Rinna, Dorit, and Teddi. They add nothing of value.

*** On a separate note, I can't believe Mike was MVP (most valuable Persian) of this episode when he quickly came to MJ's defense and rebuked Adam for speaking to a woman in such a fashion. If only Mike could treat his significant others with the same level of respect!

First, with the superficial snark: Is it just me, or does Reza’s body have an odd shape? It seems like he lost some initial weight naturally through diet and exercise and then had liposuction or some other procedure like CoolSculpting. Everything about Destiney is extra and pointless, including her eyelashes. She looks like the witch from The Emperor’s New Groove. I’ve made it no secret I can’t stand Destiney this season, but Sara should not have inserted herself in the situation and tell Destiney to back down from seeing her brother. If Destiney meant nothing to him and was just a one night tryst, then why is Sara panicked? Isn’t this a conversation she should be having with her brother of 20+ years instead of some girl she just met whom she cannot stand? Also, I don’t know why Destiney was excessively rude to Sara upon their first meeting (“I don’t know you! I don’t know your references!”) other than hamming it up for camera time and possibly jealousy of a new potential cast member kicking her irrelevant ass to the curb. The Shahs always had very toxic friendships—meddling with each others lives and exposing one another’s secrets. I will never forget how Reza’s lose lips was quick to expose MJ’s real age, her criminal record and a history of substance abuse. Reza is a friend to no one. Now that MJ has had some distance from him, she can see him for who he truly is. He is not her ride-or-die bestie but rather just another Good time Charlie. She is rightly hurt that even after her hellish hospitalization recovering in the ICU following a cesarian section and emergency hysterectomy, Reza did not visit her once but instead accuses her of plotting to “come for his marriage.” Reza is a fool if he thinks the world revolves around him and his sham of a marriage. Neither him nor Adam seem all that interested in the other, and the whole world knows about the cheating and lack of monogamy thanks to this show and the printed out texts from Ali. We saw a flash of Adam’s true colors at the pool party when he lashed out at MJ with such anger apparent on his face and uttered “fuck you.” The fact that he didn’t confront her about making up stories or lying was very telling, as was his reaction to the naked Jenga accusation. We see you, Adam. MJ is no saint. She’s followed Reza’s lead and assisted him take down one cast member every season. It was wrong of her to “expose” the problematic dynamic of her close friend’s marriage, but what Reza did was far, far worse. He’s constantly knocked MJ down, pitted her against Asa for his time and attention and now has the gaul to expose very private health information. I suppose it was inevitable MJ and Reza would eventually fall out, but this scorched earth decimation does not make for the kind of juicy, messy reality TV viewing I sometimes shamefully relish. It’s heartbreaking to see a friendship spanning three decades fall apart but I hope MJ comes out the victor without vile and toxic Reza in her life. Unlike Reza, MJ is capable of true love; she cared for her ailing father in his last days and has been kind to Vida despite all the abuse she’s endured over the years. MJ deserves love and happiness. I also wish Reza never sets eyes on baby Shams and is forced into a life of obscurity and isolation after this show is ineluctably canceled.

I don't think this show can go on any longer. No wonder Bravo dumped it for Family Karma on Sundays. I may come back with some more thoughts but right now, I'm at a loss for words.

So, my first impression was correct. The millenial cast pale in comparison to the drama and excitement the older generation brings. This show should do an about face and make it all about the older generation, with the children as supporting characters. Many of their interactions seemed far too stilted or performative for my liking. I felt like Anisha’s family, particularly her mother and grandfather were particularly hamming it up and being hyperbolic with all the wedding/dried uterus talk but I'll cut them some slack seeing as this is their first time in front of the camera. Hopefully things will be a lot more natural and real going forward. I suspect some of the men on this show like Vishal and Monica’s father are either gay and in denial or closeted. If you're going to be on reality TV, then you should be willing to live your truth. Hopefully this will be addressed at some point during the season. Monica’s father is sweet and supportive but I’m disappointed that Vishal seems to be the axis of this universe, as everything from his face to his voice and laugh bug me. That man is queerer than a three dollar bill (not that there’s anything wrong with that) and is fooling no one with this three-year engagement to Richa. Why can't he just come out of the closet already like his bestie Amrit? Perhaps Vishal and his fiancé are just bearding for one another. Richa has a very masculine energy while Vishal is decidedly effeminate. Vishal’s FML (I’m certain a producer came up with that punny acronym—it’s far too witty for that buffon to have devised) Lopa Auntie definitely has his number. She was constantly making insinuations about his sexuality and why he was a bad fit for her daughter over the course of the hour (he’s “so emotional,” Richa “wears the pants,” "ghar jamai".) Lope Auntie my favorite by far because she until she began blatantly badmouthing her daughter's fiancé at the Diwali gala to Mike’s father, whom she does not know. There is a time and a place, woman! Nevertheless, I'm thankful for Lopa’s inclusion in the cast because she is a shit stirrer who doesn't pull any punches and brings the drama in a way the rest of them cannot. I'm a little surprised Brian was included in the cast as his parents seem to be of Guyanese or Trinidadian origin. Typically, the NRI (Non-Resident Indian) and West Indian communities seldom ever mix, due to prejudices and differences in socioeconomic background and culture that developed over time. I’m eagerly awaiting the introduction of the other two cast members—especially Bali. I have a feeling she will be my favorite amongst the principle cast.

Paulina ordered the walnut salad without the walnuts, haha.

Why do you say that, Ms Lark? I think the target demo goes beyond Asian Americans and the typical 18-49 age group to anyone who finds this show amusing. I've certainly been enjoying it. This was a great little stand alone episode. Grandma is such a great character, and young Shu Shu was a hoot! I'm really pleased this show already got greenlit for another season.

Once again, Destiney managed to annoy the crap out of me tonight. Is anything about her authentic? Even the way she sneezes seems to be manufactured to emulate a cutesy anime schoolgirl. I also find her constant utterance of "voy voy voy voy" and now "ba ba ba ba ba" really grating. I don't think I would mind half as much if it came from anyone else. (Perhaps someone familiar can elucidate how commonplace these expressions are, and what exactly they translate to.) GG read my mind when she questioned who this new 2019 Destiney is. Destiney may have always been histrionic and hungry for camera time, but this new boy-crazy incarnation seems to be just another way to shamelessly shoehorn herself into as many of her castmates' storylines as she can. I wish she was a one-and-done like Asifa. Anyone remember her? Nema may not be able to dance well (which leads me to believe he's terrible in the sack as the dance instructor jested), but at least he has his head on his shoulders unlike Mike. Who does Mike think he is to question the way Nema was raised? Ostensibly, Nema is a successful, self-made businessman whose marriage failed due to his philandering wife. As we saw in this episode, Nema can easily admit when he is wrong and apologize. Meanwhile, Mike is a failure for all intents and purposes who still lives off the benefaction of his parents. He has bounced from one ill-conceived business venture to another without profit and cheated on every significant other we have seen him with. Nevertheless, Mike has the audacity to be a rude, condescending asshat who attempts to mansplain what it means to be a man? Mike, have a seat. In fact, have all the seats. That cooking class/culinary competition looked like a hoot; that's exactly the kind of event I would love to participate in with my friends. It's unfortunate Mike and Nema had to put such a damper on the night bringing their toxic masculinity into the mix. Mike's fragile ego and masculinity were bruised when he learned his girlfriend surreptitiously met with Nema, so he lashed out. However, fool that he is, Mike didn't realize this made him look even less competent and in control of his relationship with Paulina. I'm not at all surprised about his unscrupulous business practices, vis-a-vis attempting to cut both his prospective business partners out of the deal. However, utilizing that tactic on both of them? Did he not consider the fact the two of them could talk to one another and easily do the same to him, the weakest link? Mike is such a dunce it boggles the mind. Speaking of emasculation, Reza got his weekly dose of humiliating his husband in front of others this week when he told Sara who knows what may have happened if her brother was gay and Adam wasn't in the picture. I practically heard the "womp womp" sound effect on my screen when the editors cut to Adam, resting his head in his hands and casting his eyes down on the floor. I have to admit, I chortled at that moment. It seems Adam is doomed to always be the butt of the joke in his marriage. Anita was gorgeous and graceful, as always. She's like the Iranian Jennifer Esposito. Yeah, I have a crush on her, but can you blame me?

Watching some of the exclusive preview clips of BravoTV.com, I suspect the straight-shooting, snarky parents will be the real stars of this series.

I'll agree, the trailer for Family Karma isn't cut well or the most riveting, but I've seen a few clips at BravoTV and its piqued my interest enough to watch. One of my favorite aspects of the Shahs of Sunset is having a peak into their unique Persian culture, and I am certain this new series will do the same. I hope they represent Indians well, but knowing full well this is Bravo, I am prepared to (hate) watch if need be and snark. I'm disappointed I didn't catch Mexican Dynasties when it was airing. That show sounds like it might have been my cup of tea.

Are the people who are now writing this series familiar with the concept of entertainment? Methinks not.

Wearing your vibrator around your neck? Girl, you nasty.

Good catch. TiVo has been terrible with guide data ever since they were acquired by Rovi several years ago and stopped using Gracenote for the listings info.

I really like Leslie so I was disappointed but not entirely surprised by her elimination this past episode. Anne has always had an issue with her not following directions to a T, so the writing was on the wall. Leo better not win this season or I don't think I'll be able to watch another season. I quit midway through the last cycle (there have been far too many seasons of this show in recent years), but I'm back for some unexplainable reason.

I was taking aback by how young and slim MJ looked in the Vegas flashback of 2012. She appeared quite vivacious and pretty in the shot of her running down a hotel corridor, with her perfectly coiffed hair (or more likely wig) bouncing around. Time hasn't been very kind to her.

Azura Skye was good in her guest starring role. This show is dull as dishwater but it's good for helping me fall asleep. Why were the original showrunners replaced? This reboot may have never been phenomenal in its first season, but at least it was beginning to find its footing in the back half of the season and individual episodes were actually entertaining.

It was nice to see MJ at home with little Shams, being all domestic and motherly as she's wished for the past several years. It seems Tommy is her hype man, getting her all riled up by the major slight at the hands of her alleged bestie Reza who couldn't be bothered to show up at the hospital amidst his own drama and instead opted for a text message. Destiney's encounter with Sara's brother read showmance to me. Did she really just mime licking her fingers and tweaking her nipples? I can't with this one--everything about her personality is so manufactured and artificial in attempt for more screen time. I didn't watch The People's Couch but I suspect she was a different person entirely on that show. Adam being called "the hillbilly whore of WeHo" made me chuckle. Given everything we've seen and heard about him, I definitely think there's some truth there. GG's mom Fati is always a pleasure to watch. She genuinely cares for that crazy kid of hers. I kind of miss Asa's nutty mom too, if I'm being honest. Nema's blind date was a great lesson on everything you should never do on a first date. Woo, chile. I don't think he will ever be hearing from poor Amy again.

I noticed the Friday shift on my DVR but wondered if it was a mistake in the listings guide. I suspect Bravo originally wanted to pair Shahs of Sunset with the new Indian-American reality series Family Karma, which premieres next Sunday. It would have been interesting to contrast the two back-to-back. Anyway, I plan on seeing Shahs to the end, which will likely be soon given the state of affairs and I'll be tuning in to Family Karma out of morbid curiosity as a second generation Indian-American myself. I hope some of you will join me there in the new Family Karma forum.

This show has an issue with "telling" too much and not "showing" nearly enough. I have no idea if or whether Yen and Geralt continued to see one another over the years or if their encounter in Rinde was their last. I have no idea how Fringilla ended up as a bloodthirsty religious zealot or what this White Flame is, but it all feels very Red Lady/Lord of Light Game of Thrones-y to me. I gather Ciri will be central to the upcoming plot, but I'm over the snooze fest of her current storyline. I'll take Geralt and his beast-of-the-week or Yennifer and her saucy sorceress dealings any day of the week over a little girl with a magical shriek.

I came here to inquire why Pavetta and Sonic the Hedgehog were levitating and swirling in that magical vortex for a good few minutes. The point of that was entirely lost on me to the extent that I paused the show, turned to my partner and asked what the hell was going on. The only plausible explanation I can think of is that the princess cast some sort of protection spell that created a temporary barrier shield for herself and her beloved. I find this show does not provide satisfying explanations for things much of the time, like how Pavetta came to know Elder speak. Also, if I am not mistaken, the story of how exactly Duny came to be cursed as a hedgehog was never touched upon. Also, I've come to the conclusion that the visual effects department is incapable of rendering any kind of aging makeup, which certainly does not help considering the story is unfolding in three different timelines.

Ho'd up--aren't volleyball mom and scary looking skinny woman one and the same??

That's exactly why I love Leslie. You can tell she really enjoys learning how to cook and appears to want to be there much more than her other cast mates. I'm hoping she wins it all.

My initial reaction upon seeing the trailer in January was, "What fresh hell is this?" but I'm now eagerly awaiting it with morbidly curious anticipation. Is this supposed to be the Desi answer to Shahs of Sunset?