Avaleigh

I would have liked a deeper explanation regarding why Kyle's less interested in being her husband's plus one when it comes to work events. I have questions. Was she always bored when it came to work events for The Agency, but didn't realize it until she stopped drinking? Does she feel she doesn't share any interests with the people that attend these events and consequently finds it hard to make conversation? Before the separation did she still want Mauricio to be her plus one at her work events or was it just about events connected to The Agency? Is she an alcoholic and feels like she'd feel pressured to drink at these sorts of events? (Are there really no sober people that she can socialize with during these activities? LA has a lot of sober people.) Does she worry she could end up slipping and having a drink? I was under the impression that she doesn't feel she's an alcoholic. I thought her journey was more about health and wellness and feeling like she wanted to push herself to being healthier in all aspects of life. I wasn't under the impression that alcoholism was the reason for her choice to no longer drink. Has she said anything about being an alcoholic? Also, I thought that's why there might have been some confusion with the ladies about when she might decide to join them in drinking again one day. Perhaps Kyle initially indicated that the no drinking thing would be temporary? Maybe they thought this was going to be a long term cleanse for lack of a better way to put it. I didn't think they were trying to be assholes (although it definitely came across that way) when they asked her how long she'd be on this sobriety kick. I got the impression that Kyle never told them that this is a permanent choice she wants to make. Perhaps she'll change her mind at some point down the road, but for now, she feels better and healthier without alcohol in her life. I think if the ladies really are her friends then they should support her in her choice. It's not like Kyle is trying to get them to be like her or is judging them for drinking. She's just trying be in a place that feels healthy for her. I don't think Kyle is necessarily a nicer person now that she's not drinking, but I do applaud her for sticking to her guns with her healthy lifestyle. She's not going to let these ladies peer pressure her into drinking like high school girls. Which is weird because Kyle is kind of like a high school girl in so many other aspects of her life. She's showing a surprising amount of maturity here. I can absolutely relate to her being in a place where she doesn't feel like drinking. I haven't had a drink in years and I like it. I feel like it's helped me learn about myself in ways that I might not have if I'd continued to drink socially. Where I could especially relate to Kyle is that bummer feeling when people feel like you aren't as fun if you aren't drinking. I have one friend where we can't even go to lunch as a duo anymore because she doesn't like the idea of being the only one day drinking wine, so she always wants to invite somebody along who will drink with her. I think with Kyle, drinking is such a part of the RH culture that she's still not sure how to balance her sobriety with having a job where the women are frequently in situations where heavy drinking is involved. I do wonder if this will have any impact on her long-term future on the show especially when I consider how much Andy likes his cast members who drink more than the average person.

I thought Rinka was great. She was actually my favorite of the ladies. I like the distance she gets with her jumps. Bummed about Loena. I love that program. Hopefully she makes it happen for the final. Maddie's dress for the long was gorgeous. Adam is definitely keeping it exciting this season. Proud of how far he's come since the Olympics. He deserved the win. Shoma was a little off but he's still my overall favorite for the men this season. I haven't seen any of the pairs yet but wow, how amazing for Deanna Stellato. I remember when she was in singles. How awesome to come back for all that time and start winning grand prix events in a different discipline. My hat is off. Sidenote: I've been watching a a little of sectionals and I was very impressed with Sherry Zhang. She was great. The combinations aren't there yet, but her skating skills were superior to all of the juniors I've seen. Definitely a skater to keep an eye on.

I figured they did and that's why Erika told them to wear pants. OTOH they brought Kyle up there and she was wearing a dress...🤷🏽‍♀️

Positive stuff first: I admire Kyle's dedication to hitting the gym even when she's on a pleasure trip to Vegas. She looks great. I liked Erika's latex outfit. She's a pathetic human being but I thought it was one of her better looks. Look at Crystal enjoying herself! She seemed like she was genuinely having fun out there so that was nice to see. She's definitely getting out of her comfort zone this season. Garcelle's "intervention" to help Sutton get a second date was a good scene. I think Sutton needs to try being a little more easy going. Hopefully she finds someone because I think once she gets over her nerves and awkwardness she'd be a great person to get to know. ***** Negative stuff: Dorit STFU with your hurt feelings after Garcelle tells you the truth about you acting like an asshole when you guys were talking about her kid being poorly treated by your BFF. Garcelle's allowed to feel hesitant around the group when it comes to her kids. I would not be surprised if Erika didn't want Sutton to be on the stage. No idea if she had control over it or not, but the thought occurred to me. Sutton...she knows she was mad that Garcelle got a lapdance and the guys just passed her up. She was super pumped for the show and was all ready to enjoy it. Pants, panties, a stack of $--her vibe changed before Erika and Crystal had heads in their respective crotches. IMO she felt embarrassed and decided to lash out. I'm sympathetic to a degree, but she doesn't need to make it seem like it's because she's on the board of some snooty ballet group. Does that group also appreciate it when she gets drunk and stupid on camera? Deep down she knows it wasn't about that. Kyle was being a bitch. She was smirking over the fact that Sutton was embarrassed and instead of just being a friend to her in that moment, she chose to add to the embarrassment by trying to force Sutton to "own" the reality of the situation. It's not enough that Sutton knows that maybe her feelings were a little hurt; it's not enough that viewers are going to figure it out for themselves without Kyle guiding them through it. She just had to make Sutton feel worse about the situation. Why? Because Kyle can be a bitch sometimes. Of course Sutton was going to be defensive in that moment.

I still need to read the article, but I was under the impression that they were doing a deep dive where they interviewed women from most of the American franchises. So it’s basically only cast members from RHONY plus Brandi? Disappointing. When I first read that VF was doing an article on the Housewives I remember reading that Bravo and Andy were nervous about what might be revealed, but it doesn't sound like there's much the average fan isn't aware of. The women drink to excess, some of them have toxic work relationships, cast members get pissed when they're fired, and they're disgruntled when their reputations take hits after they're caught on camera or through text or wherever else saying dumb shit.

I initially thought that Eboni was pressured to tackle certain issues. I gave her the benefit of the doubt and thought that she was being forced to bring up certain topics because it felt like they weren't coming up organically, so for more than half the season I was convinced that there must be some other explanation for why her scenes felt so inauthentic. I was positive that production and other influences were the reason why she used every episode to "educate" the other ladies (and viewers), but then she did an interview where she insisted that she wasn't pressured and it wasn't about production or anybody else making her not be her "authentic" self. Her one and done season was her just being herself. It was disappointing that she couldn't relax and make more of the opportunity because I think if she hadn't insisted on shoehorning these moments into every episode she could have eventually touched on some of these subjects in a way that felt natural and warranted. I still remember cringing when she brought up the emancipation proclamation because the ladies were a little annoyed that she was late for their activity. As if one thing had to do with the other. Yeah, I'm not getting how Bravo is to blame for Leah's choices here.

So if they're calling it a divorce in the media now, does that officially put an end to the speculation that they've been faking this separation? I'm of the opinion that the separation is the real deal. Kyle was always kind of smug about how great her marriage was so I feel like she wouldn't want to give that up for a temporary boost in ratings.

Even with her back problems (which I was unaware of) it still doesn't explain the inexplicable choice to end her program with her weakest element. Also, her spins in 2019 still were not good especially her layback. It's not about her no longer doing the Biellmann (I only think people should do it if it's well done) it's her overall positioning, the traveling, etc.

Nina was so good! She's definitely a new favorite. She's definitely a full package skater. Isabeau was lovely. Her jump technique might not be a 100% and her lack of speed is still an issue, but overall I really enjoy her skating and artistry. Well deserved win. Adam Siao was great. His programs are exciting and that lutz was on point. Before they skated I was predicting a win from Ilia. Ilia was good and I love that footwork sequence. Too bad about that weird fall though. Quick question: I understand that Russian athletes will be able to compete at the Olympics under neutral athlete or whatever they'recalling it, but will they be allowed to compete in the team event? I'm hoping the answer is no. The reason I'm curious about this is it seems like Italy is a legit contender these days for the team event. They aren't strong in the ladies but the other disciplines they're pretty solid. It would be nice to see them on the podium. (It would also be nice if a damn decision was made regarding the 2022 team medals. Give the Americans the gold already!) I didn't know that Carolina was coaching until I saw her here. Glad to know she's still involved with the sport. Last comment--I have to say that my faith in the sport was somewhat restored when I saw that Gubanova got a level 1 on her layback. If I'd only seen her do that spin and nothing else, I honestly would not believe that she is an elite level skater. Her coaches have much to answer for if they think that's acceptable.

Gubanova's jumps and presentation are very strong. That being said, her spins are not good. I'm surprised there's not more commentary on how much she needs to improve in this area. I'm honestly amazed that her team feels comfortable having that layback be the last thing the judges see. I think this is the first time I've seen Nina Pinzarrone. I thought she was good. The jumps seemed a little tight but overall she seems like she has a lot of potential. I'm curious to see how she'll look two years from now. Kimmy seems a lot taller this year. Maybe it's been challenging for her to adjust to her growth spurt. I remember her being very consistent last year. I really like Haein Lee. Underrotations aside, I loved the program and the step sequence was on point. It's nice to see a program that doesn't end with a layback. Isabeau's short program is really growing on me! She looked like she was having fun out there and I don't think I quite realized how gorgeous her dress is until I saw a closer view of it.

Yes. Kim was wildly out of control when Rinna made that comment. It was much worse than what was shown on the show. (And what we saw on the show was bad enough.) I remember her getting arrested at the Beverly Hills Hotel because she didn't get the booth she wanted at the Polo Lounge. Kim was a hot mess during every season she was a full time cast member and her issues continued even when she was no longer on the show. Rinna has most definitely lied in the past. I especially appreciate you mentioning the Munchhausen stuff because hell yes her ass lied about multiple aspects of that whole storyline. Not only is Rinna a liar but she's the type of person who doesn't tell the full story, just the parts she wants a person to hear. She was the worst shit stirrer to date on the show and I never want Andy to take his finger off of the pause button when it comes to her. All that being said--she was not wrong about Kim. Rinna being Rinna, she didn't handle it well of course, and it's fair to say that she wasn't coming from a good place when she made the "close to death" comment...but at the end of the day she wasn't wrong about Kim. I don't remember if that comment was made before or after the car ride with Kim, but Rinna saw with her own eyes that Kim was in a bad place regarding her substance abuse issues. Kim hasn't been on the show for awhile so it's easy to forget how awful and out of control she was. She was *never* sober on the show. Even when she was "sober" she was highly and inappropriately medicated. "Accidentally" taking pills that she wasn't supposed to be taking, stuff like that. I remember Yolanda trying to be her sober buddy one season and Kim couldn't have been less interested in the sobriety she was claiming to care about. She always had an excuse for why she was out of her mind. Her kids made it clear what a mess she is in terms of drugs and alcohol, and the reason I doubt she's completely changed is because she never fully admitted the extent of her problem, and you can't recover until you can admit that there is indeed a problem. I'm glad that she's enjoying being a grandmother and seems to be in a healthier place than she was years ago, but I'll always have my doubts when it comes to her sobriety unless her attitude about it has radically changed off camera. Regarding this episode, my heart hurt for Garcelle. Teens can be tough, yikes. I liked seeing the friendship between Sutton and Jennifer Tilly. I like lighthearted stuff like this. I'm feeling Dorit's darker hair. Not buying Erika excuses for her heartless BS. Each franchise has their worst person and Erika is an all time villain. She's right up there with Brandi. They don't care about anyone but themseves.

Not only this, but it seems like some skaters want the dreary ballads to do the artistic work for them. I was all in favor of allowing vocals because I thought it would lead to people having more fun with their programs, which would in turn lead to more enjoyment from the audience and maybe even have the sport gain some new casual fans. Instead there have been a lot of forgettable programs over the past few years. Just to be clear I don't feel this way with dance or pairs.

I don't totally agree with this. In the earlier days, it's true that this was a throwaway element for many women. Skaters like Tonya Harding come to mind. As time went on though, a lot of skaters made the most out of their spiral sequences and not just Michelle Kwan. Skaters who immediately come to mind include: Sasha Cohen, Alissa Czisny, Shizuka Arakawa, Sarah Hughes, Joannie Rochette, Mirai Nagasu, Nancy Kerrigan, Lu Chen, Angela Nikodinov, Nicole Bobek, Alissa Czisny, Mao Asada, Yuna Kim--all of these women made spirals fun to watch. (And this isn't even getting into men like Paul Wylie or Jason Brown who also appreciate the choreographic power of a well placed and executed spiral.) The spiral sequences only enhanced their programs, they certainly didn't detract from them. If spirals were still a required element, I feel like people would do their best to make sure that their extension and flexibility are on point. IMO great extension and flexibility make for a better skater. Think how many beautiful program highpoints involved a spiral at the perfect moment in the music--to me the only other elements that are comparable to the power of the spiral are a well done spread eagle or ina bauer. I maintain it's a shame that the spiral sequence was eliminated.

Was it Torvill and Dean who popularized dying on the ice after Bolero? With Bourne and Kraatz--was it the hydroblading? (Sp?)

Glad to know it's not a requirement, but it's still too bad that everyone feels the need to do the same thing even when it isn't well executed. It's kind of like everyone turning their layback into a Biellmann even when it doesn't look good.

I figured it must be because literally everyone did it in the short program. It's such a break in the foortwork sequence unless the skater has top notch skating skills and even then it doesn't necessarily work with the music. Eta: The way that I feel about this is the way I feel about wolf turns in gymnastics. They're rarely done well so why do we have to see so many of them? Signed, someone who would rather see a gorgeous spiral sequence than people sliding around on their knees on the ice for no conceivable reason.

Oooh, Starr's dress for the short is fierce. Love the program, wish she had more difficulty though. Rino Matsuike was great even though she was skating to Moulin Rouge. Her spins are gorgeous. She was easily the best in the first group. Lindsay had some issues with underrotations, but I actually think her skating has improved. She looks less stiff and humorless than I rememberher being. I didn't love the program but I she’s definitely made some progress. Too bad about Maddie. Yikes. I like the program though. Hopefully she's better at her next GP event. Kaori's really in a different league than the others. (I felt the same way with Loena at Skate America.) Her speed is awesome and the distance she gets with her jumps. She's really a gift to the sport right now. Sidenote: It's kind of annyoing that it's apparently a requirement for skaters to have a moment where they're sliding around on their knees even when it doesn't jive with the choreography. It makes the programs feel so forced and robotic. Kaori is one of the few in this group who makes it work.

Nothing about Vivien's decisions made sense. First she doesn't tell the doctor about her medical history. Then she doesn't ask him how they can take the tapeworm out just in case she doesn't want it anymore. She doesn't even go to see him once she starts eating and feeling like she can't stop. She had plenty of lucid moments where she was upset and should have gone to him sooner. Then after she finally gets the tapeworm out, she just sits there and waits for it to attack her. At least they should have shown her struggle to get away from it instead of passively sitting there while it gets ready to attack her. Agreed that Rinna's lips are incredibly distracting.

I enjoyed this. It felt a little Black Mirror-ish with the technology angle and I like the twist at the end. I'm still unsure about what happened. Did Daphne set him up for the murder of the girlfriend by unserting his likeness into the cctv footage? The only thing that supports it all having been in the guy's head is the cops telling him that the agent who was killed in the car crash sent thise Daphne devices to multiple people as a prank. Whatever happened I thought it was a solid episode. I'm looking forward to watching the other 3.

Agreed. I think all of the actors are doing a great job here, but Bruce Greenwood is absolutely my favorite thing about this series. The genuine grief at losing his children, his descent into madness, that lemon speech--just a terrific performance all around.

I have Peacock and I was able to watch most of the events on demand. Some I also dvr'd to hear the commentary. I think they leave pretty quickly though. Maybe within the week? Also, when you watch on Peacock there is no commentary. Sometimes I love this and other times I wouldn't mind hearing what the trio think about a performance, particularly when the performance is amazing. Also like to hear their thoughts on up and coming skaters.

It was so good, such a shame she couldn't deliver with the rest of the program. I just saw NBCsports running an article saying that Amber was the 6th US woman to land the triple axel, but I'm pretty sure she's the fifth. Tonya, Kimmie, Mirai and Alysa are the others. I'm obsessed with Loena's long program. Loved it. She looked like she was having a blast. She really is the full package.

Amber looked great! Love the music choice for her short. Usually she skates to music that's dreary and boring, but this program had life.

I don't know if it was my screen but her face is so orange. She needs to chill on the bronzer or whatever that is. Also, ugh, Eteri. I loved that! When I saw that the music choice was Malagueña I wasn't sure if it would be a good fit for him, but I was pleasantly surprised. I find his skating exciting and I definitely think he's improved in terms of artistry. Looking forward to see what music he'll be using for the long. Kevin is looking good! Fingers crossed he has a clean long. Disappointing skate for Deniss. His energy level seemed down.

I don't think Kim is a good actress. She can't really emote or use her face. That being said, she's not what's wrong with this season of AHS. I find her scenes the most memorable and I agree with you it's because she stands out more than the others do. At the end of the day, the writing is not good. Maybe a better group of actors could have elevated the material, but even then there'd only be so much they can do with this paper thin story. I'm positive KK is this season's Big Bad. She's the one giving Anna those vials of blood to drink. She's the one who made Anna sign that voodoo Anna barbie doll. She's the one who likely got rid if the starlet that was making Anna paranoid. Also, didn't she hook Anna up with her doctor and the house manager? She also hired Ashleigh and Ashley and they stand around her like she's the HBIC. I just don't know what their end goal is. If they want Anna to give birth to the antichrist, doesn't that go against the lore previous seasons of AHS where we already know who the antichrist is?