S2.E13: Best Friends For Never, Season Finale

[ZettaK]

Sara considers whether to end things with Akin; Ayan and Caroline Stanbury host a good-bye Dubai party before the ladies jet off for the summer; Lesa and Ayan have an unexpected argument that changes the courses of their friendship.

First aired on 9/3/2024.

Edited September 4 by ZettaK

[bosawks]

I can’t hate an episode that has multiple people turn away from the camera, sobbing with no tears.

[SemiCharmedLife]

I would prefer Sara work things out with Akin, so he can continue to be on my tv screen.  Or, maybe he can date Saba.  She seems to have a good head on her shoulders.

I take it from the ending notes that Brooks and Taleen are on the outs again.  Several of these ladies just love to argue and fight:  Brooks, Lesa, Taleen.  Classy Nina left this mess last year.  

[dancingdreamer]

I hadn't  realized  just how much Lesa controlled  Ayan. I don't  like Lesa at all, even her husband  acts like she controls him, but I like him. A farm in the cotswolds  would be wonderful. Not enough  glam for Lesa.

I think they need to recast, and perhaps  drop a few of these ladies,  if they want a season  3,

[swankie]

Lesa is a messy jealous "friend".  I put friend in italics because I don't believe any of these ladies are true friends.  And Lesa is a controlling trouble maker just like Caroline Brooks.  I can't stand either of them.  They're just messy for the sake of being messy. 

[Palimelon]

Quote

Lesa and Ayan have an unexpected argument that changes the courses of their friendship.

Again?

[Chatty Cake]

This season was awful. Viewers never got to see friendships develop so why would we care if they have these ridiculous fights? I think Ayan fake cried every single episode. She’s extremely annoying. If Lesa was jealous of Ayan’s friendship with Stanbury, it had to be about camera time. 
The only bright spot was Stanbury and Sergio. Again, they had on matching pajamas, this time green.  Also, I heard her say she was going to Paris to buy a bag. 

[Baltimore Betty]

Ayan and her fake tears and now we have fake nose blowing on a couture gown...classy.  Why did she have to change out of that gown at the party, was it not ridiculous enough?

Brooks kept referring to her business as a multi million dollar business but here is the thing, that is probably how much it cost to build it is not how much she has made, she gets those figures confused.

If everyone's summer plans were real those all sound like amazing summers. 

Sara keeps telling us that her son has been traumatized by the maid stuff but that kid does not seem like he is really bothered by anything other than learning another language.  I truly hope he is not affected but maybe Sara should stop talking about the thing that did or didn't happen.  I am traumatized by Akin and the phoney baloney relationship.

 

 

[Mindthinkr]

Argue, make up then rinse and repeat. That’s all they seem to do besides trying to one up each other. 
 

I was surprised at the end to hear Stansbury say something about getting a surrogate. She probably is envisioning a surrogate, then nurse, then nanny, then boarding schools so the actual time put into mothering would be very little. I see fights ahead as Sergio would probably love to keep his son close by and actually do things with him. More hands on. She’d probably say she was raising two sons. Even the children (only her daughter’s opinion was voiced) would probably not be interested in bonding with a new sibling. 

[dmeets]

Is Ayan trying to imitate Lucille Ball with her crying? Why am I supposed to care about an argument caused by a conversation we didn’t see about another conversation we didn’t see?

Why of all things is it off limits to talk about the others’ perception that Ayan acts one way around Lesa and another way when she’s not around? And why is Lesa expecting to control what Ayan is allowed to talk about?

Oh there’s Brooks again, diabolically happy when others are miserable. I wonder why Brooks decided to revive her feud with Taleen after the show wrapped.

Stanbury seems to be as confused as I am that friendships around her are imploding just because some women refuse to hate her. 

[bosawks]

4 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

Argue, make up then rinse and repeat. That’s all they seem to do besides trying to one up each other. 
 

I was surprised at the end to hear Stansbury say something about getting a surrogate. She probably is envisioning a surrogate, then nurse, then nanny, then boarding schools so the actual time put into mothering would be very little. I see fights ahead as Sergio would probably love to keep his son close by and actually do things with him. More hands on. She’d probably say she was raising two sons. Even the children (only her daughter’s opinion was voiced) would probably not be interested in bonding with a new sibling. 

To be fair Sergio would make a much better maternal figure than Stanbury.

[princelina]

1 hour ago, dmeets said:

Is Ayan trying to imitate Lucille Ball with her crying?

Hahahahaha I think she is! 😂😂😂

[KristenR]

I am normally loath to cry "fake" when it comes to reality TV but nothing about this episode -- and honestly maybe the whole season -- felt real to me. I've previously (mostly) liked Ayan but now it just feels like she's always doing a bit. 

On a positive note, my usual complaint about the other Housewives shows is that they keep having the same stupid argument all season. On this show, they invented new stupid arguments to have each episode. So there was some variety, I guess?

Additional note: This "house" they used for the party. Why are we displaying our cars inside the house? What happens if you want to drive one? Does the staff have to move all the furniture and perhaps a wall or window to get it out? This feels like an inefficient use of living space but...Dubai.

Edited September 4 by KristenR

[Baltimore Betty]

59 minutes ago, KristenR said:

Additional note: This "house" they used for the party. Why are we displaying our cars inside the house? What happens if you want to drive one? Does the staff have to move all the furniture and perhaps a wall or window to get it out? This feels like an inefficient use of living space but...Dubai.

The are on platforms, how would they drive off without messing up the car, do the staff lift and carry it outside, lol.  Something tells me those cars are rarely driven.

 

[Thumper]

18 hours ago, Palimelon said:

Again?

😂😂.  And I still don’t know what Lesa and Ayan are fighting about!   There is entirely too much yelling.

 

 

[Drumpf1737]

I don't think Leesa is controlling I think she sees the others for who they are. Someone said on Twitter and I agree that Leesa and Stanbury are their true selves while the others are fake flip-floppers. When Leesa or Stanbury call people out in frustration it makes them look controlling or crazy. Also, you can't be my friend and hang out with someone who says I used to be a stripper or a prostitute.

When you go to a Brand Launch idiots, there's branding-- fucking idiots! 

I don't think Sara is on the same show as the rest of them. 

Ugh Brooks is so awful.

Edited September 5 by Drumpf1737

[Palimelon]

Quote

 And I still don’t know what Lesa and Ayan are fighting about!   There is entirely too much yelling

I do agree with what someone said above, it seems like half the fights this season were based on someone getting pissed that their "BFF" (or anyone) was becoming friends with and/or getting along with Caroline S.

And funny enough, she and Sergio are kind of cute together when he isn't begging for her attention or they aren't talking about having a baby. Granted, that feels a minority of what we saw from them this year, but oh well.

Edited September 5 by Palimelon

[Pi237]

Best thing about this episode was

“a monkey doesn’t see its own asshole.” 

Do grown women really get this jealous when their friends become friends with other people?  Or do only rich women have that kind of time?  
 

ooh I’ll go to the Cotswolds with Lesa’s husband 😉

I believe Lesa was bragging and we weren’t shown it because in her talking head, she was sure to say (about Caroline’s parents’ house) ‘we’re looking for 10 acres. So, yeah… it won’t work….but it’s nice’

sara’s not canceling any speaking engagements because her son is traumatized lmao.

Akin is a hottie, but hanging up on someone? Are you 12? 

I couldn’t care less about Sergio and Caroline’s maybe baby. He wants one, you don’t, you’re getting older, he’s young and can’t wait…we get it already! It’s as annoying as, “I have a business! Don’t come for my business!’ 
 

Lesa could’ve came into that party upbeat and positive, saying Wow you guys! This is great! And had fun, but she wouldn’t be on this show if she were a rational grownup. 

poor table scape girl. “Let’s spin her!” The look on her face was great, like she was going to slug her but had to act polite. 

[retired watcher]

Are we going to have Bros of Dubai? I love the husbands trying to stay out of the line of fire. Leesa really can't hide her jealousy. I didn't like Caroline S but now I kind of love her.

[heatherchandler]

On 9/3/2024 at 8:12 PM, ZettaK said:

Sara considers whether to end things with Akin

Hahahahaha!  Ok

 

23 hours ago, KristenR said:

I am normally loath to cry "fake" when it comes to reality TV but nothing about this episode -- and honestly maybe the whole season -- felt real to me. I've previously (mostly) liked Ayan but now it just feels like she's always doing a bit. 

 

All of the housewives shows are fake, they are faker than ever.. but this show takes the fake cake.  Fake crying is ridiculous.  Lesa is obviously caught trying to fake a narrative.  Sara’s relationship is fake, her nanny kidnapping story DID NOT HAPPEN.  
 

The thing is we all know it is BS, but these idiots think they have us fooled.  I think that is what bugs me the most.  

[albarino]

I think Leesa did herself no favors these past few episodes.  I don't hang onto every word spoken but I still can't quite figure out why she is still so angry.  Let it go!

Ayan is a drama queen--she doesn't even have to say anything.  Her costumes speak volumes.  I think she would be tiring to be around after a while.

Brooks?  Meh.  She was on WWHL and said she would be vindicated or something along those lines, and I guess she has been.  Leesa came off worse.

Taleen and Stanbury?  I would like to hang out with both of them.

The woman I can barely remember?  I don't care about her son, her relationship, her spirituality or her story.

I do like seeing Dubai and I wouldn't mind seeing more of it.  I've quit watching so many of the RH franchises and I do watch this one so I hope it returns.

[Wicked]

I haven't watched yet and kind of don't want to.  Really don't want to watch a friendship fall apart

[b2H]

23 hours ago, Thumper said:

😂😂.  And I still don’t know what Lesa and Ayan are fighting about!   There is entirely too much yelling.

 

 

All of the HW franchises are constant yelling and screaming.  Calm, rational discussion is not click-worthy.  I avoid most of the franchises for this reason.

Imagine being in these beautiful locales they film and having the cacophony of ridiculous screaming ruining the experience.  And find out later it was over nothing.

[princelina]

3 hours ago, Wicked said:

I haven't watched yet and kind of don't want to.  Really don't want to watch a friendship fall apart

Don't worry - they'll get back together next season!  And hate someone else 😄

[KristenR]

12 hours ago, retired watcher said:

Are we going to have Bros of Dubai? I love the husbands trying to stay out of the line of fire.

This will probably sound dumb but I feel like the husbands are the canary in the housewives coal mine. When they start disappearing off the show, the toxicity becomes out of control.

On 9/4/2024 at 12:35 PM, Baltimore Betty said:

The are on platforms, how would they drive off without messing up the car, do the staff lift and carry it outside, lol.  Something tells me those cars are rarely driven.

 

Oh I forgot about the platforms. Maybe they actually lower like an elevator. That sounds ridiculous but...Dubai.

 

[ZettaK]

I like seeing Dubai, as well.

I'm not even sure who "lied". It's obvious from the confessionals that Lesa was bragging. "We were looking to buy Caroline Stanbury's father's farm, it was nice, but we wanted something larger". Caroline's father is wealthy and her mother is from a prominent family.

Ayan was fake crying- again. 

[amarante]

On 9/4/2024 at 5:43 AM, Mindthinkr said:

Argue, make up then rinse and repeat. That’s all they seem to do besides trying to one up each other. 
 

I was surprised at the end to hear Stansbury say something about getting a surrogate. She probably is envisioning a surrogate, then nurse, then nanny, then boarding schools so the actual time put into mothering would be very little. I see fights ahead as Sergio would probably love to keep his son close by and actually do things with him. More hands on. She’d probably say she was raising two sons. Even the children (only her daughter’s opinion was voiced) would probably not be interested in bonding with a new sibling. 

Stanbury is never going to have an additional child - surrogate or not.

She agreed to the embryo freezing in order to assuage Sergio and just kick it down the road.

At some point they will have a fairly amiable divorce. Sergio will want to have a *normal* family.

I don't get any sense that Stanbury is madly in love and would fight to save the marriage. She married him because he was willing to be essentially passive in whatever she wanted - he is good looking and  they have good sex on her terms.

[princelina]

2 hours ago, amarante said:

I don't get any sense that Stanbury is madly in love and would fight to save the marriage. She married him because he was willing to be essentially passive in whatever she wanted - he is good looking and  they have good sex on her terms.

I still think she's teaching some kind of lesson to her ex!

[Stats Queen]

18 hours ago, KristenR said:

This will probably sound dumb but I feel like the husbands are the canary in the housewives coal mine. When they start disappearing off the show, the toxicity becomes out of control.

What a brilliant observation.

[Vandy10]

I know 99% of the stuff on these shows is fake, but I do think some real stuff was seeping through with Lesa and Ayan. When Lesa said, "I thought we weren't talking about this", it was heavily implied that she meant in front of cameras. Which was further supported when she yelled, "No show is worth this!" at the party. 

I hate when stuff happens behind the scenes that nobody wants to talk about in front of cameras, so then the anger and arguments you do see on camera don't make sense because they're lacking context.

I stopped watching RHONJ over this same crap way back when.

[TV Diva Queen]

re the cars in the house on platforms - when they want to move the car, they bring in little ramp and just drive it off the platform.

[Baltimore Betty]

Did anyone else think that kid Max that came in with Brooks was Max Vanderpump? I did.