The Early Seasons

[georgekush]

I've been rewatching the show via Hulu and decided to start with the 4th season, as that was when the show started to become less of a docudrama and was slowly transitioning into the docufiction that pollutes all of the other cities in the franchise. It was also the season that introduced Gretchen and Lynn, the latter of whom joined the cast when Lauri exited the show after her heroin addicted son Ryan was arrested and then beat up in jail. The show was good even back then and I've been noticing interesting little tidbits people might have forgotten; the fourth season came on all the way back at the end of 2008!

 

• For starters this season is such a fossil that Tamra's still married to Simon and Vicki's still married to Donn.
• Episode 5, 120 in the Shade, is a classic Real Housewives episode that I insist you all go back and rewatch. In it, Jeana, Vicki, and Tamra all head to Lake Havasu with their families. The ladies end up spending a day out on the town in 120 degree weather drinking and fighting. Jeana and Vicki get into a huge disagreement because Jeana brings one of Vicki's former tenants who owes Vicki back rent. Vicki makes a huge deal of it and won't even sit next to Jeana. It's interesting to note here that Jeana calls out Tamra for being a shit stirrer in her talking head interviews, because Tamra is the go between at the bar, running back and forth between Vicki and Jeana, doing nothing short of continuing to fan the flames. Hilarious that Tamra's still up to her shit stirring ways in season nine.
• Also this episode marks the beginning of Vicki and Tamra being best friends. After Ryan shows Tamra his inner lip tattoo Tamra ends up crying and punching Ryan repeatedly (she also punches Simon too for "siding with Ryan"). Vicki begins to cry as well. Side note: they are both pretty drunk at this point. They drunkenly switch from sad to happy as they realize they are "best friends for life." Very crazy stuff but at the same time interesting to have on film the exact moment these two nutjobs allied officially.
• Watching Lynn and her family just makes me shake my head. Her daughter Raquel is telling her mother her hangover cures..in her very second scene on the show. The idiot remembers she is on film mid-conversation and then tries to clean it up with, "I swear it works. I promise you- I- I- I saw it on Google." In another scene Raquel is filmed with her friends at a restaurant and tries to order alcohol underage...on camera. Later on in the episode Raquel throws a bitchfit when Alexa gets to do two rounds of spray tanning (or as Lynn and her daughters refer to it in the scene "double dipping") and she doesn't. Really? Might I add, this takes place two days before her 18th birthday and on the day that Lynn has just secretly bought her a brand new 2008 Audi as a gift.
• Also hilarious to see Tamra's son Ryan thinking about joining the Highway Patrol..in then in the same episode drop the idea.

Any other thoughts on arguably one of the best RHOC seasons? I'm only halfway through rewatching the season so I'm sure there's tons that I'm missing. Let's discuss.

[JAYJAY1979]

To me season 4 was the perfect hybrid of the earlier style mixed with the current style.  I think one episode has Gretchen going back to Texas to have a mini college reunion with her college pals, and I didn't see one other housewife come with her.

[Mu Shu]

Oh, goodness, that was the one where Vicki got hit in the head with a football!  Good stuff. 

[FozzyBear]

To me season 4 was the perfect hybrid of the earlier style mixed with the current style. I think one episode has Gretchen going back to Texas to have a mini college reunion with her college pals, and I didn't see one other housewife come with her.

I think finding out Gretchen went to college was one of the most shocking moments in RH history. I did not see that coming.

[archer1267]

I'm midway through Season 4 and had totally forgotten how awful Lynn's daughters were. She complained that they were spoiled, yet let them walk all over her and Frank. RHOC is (IMO) the worst franchise when it comes to spoiled kids who don't know the value of a dollar and don't want to work for it, and the Curtin girls put the other OC kids to shame. Completely useless. Even when someone like Kara was whining about a car or money, she at least had some aspirations (college, becoming an attorney). Even slacker Michael realized that if he wants a yacht, he needs to actually work for it. And it's icky to see how Lynn eggs the girls on. All she cares about is whether she can borrow their cute little outfits.

[DeeplyShallow]

And now, they do porn. Can't say it's surprising.

[chenoa333]

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Lynn Curtin net worth: $5,000.00. Those ugly cuff bracelets just aren't selling like they used to. LOL

[Mischievious]

With Bravo showing the early, early seasons these next two weeks, I thought it would be great to have a place to discuss them rather than the media thread. I didn't see one already started so I hope this is okay. If not moderators -- I'm sorry. :)

I finally got to see the FAMILY VAN episode! And the cat crap condo! Dreams do come true.

I'm amazed at what a spoiled, entitled brat Kara, Jenna's daughter, is. And was there every a segment featuring Jenna she didn't discuss money? My head hurts from watching her segments.

I laughed a lot at how Slade had confessionals even in the first season. He really did want to be part of this show, didn't he?

[JennyMominFL]

I was so excited when I checked my DVR and  there they were.

Slade and his black card. Oh how he has fallen

[zoeysmom]

With Bravo showing the early, early seasons these next two weeks, I thought it would be great to have a place to discuss them rather than the media thread. I didn't see one already started so I hope this is okay. If not moderators -- I'm sorry. :)

I finally got to see the FAMILY VAN episode! And the cat crap condo! Dreams do come true.

I'm amazed at what a spoiled, entitled brat Kara, Jenna's daughter, is. And was there every a segment featuring Jenna she didn't discuss money? My head hurts from watching her segments.

I laughed a lot at how Slade had confessionals even in the first season. He really did want to be part of this show, didn't he?

The early episodes there was a constant price posted on the screen.  Over the years the practice has stopped.  Jeana started this show and really was treated pretty poorly.  All these women needed a way to network and make money and she provided it.

[AuntieDiane6]

 

All these women needed a way to network and make money and she provided it.

 

Of all the franchises, the OC ladies benefitted the LEAST.  Teresa's cookbooks were truly best-sellers, Kim's song DID make money, Ramona's jewelry sold decently on HSN and certainly Nene catapulted her appearances to "fame." 

[JAYJAY1979]

I think the OC women...at least the earlier ones were hired because.they had a story or angle to tell...more so then cause they had a product to market.

I miss the husbands, kids, friends, etc having talking heads. To me, it helped me to get all.sides of the story.. and made the narrative more complete.

If Andy Cohen would have more then just the housewives have talking heads again in would be happy! Last season on BH, all the women used their kids for airtime/story..but only the women got talking heads which made the narrative incomplete to me.

[njmama]

This is the creme de la creme for me. OG housewives, not peddling products. Except for Lou (rip) with the OC Angels. Andy started this as a peek into the lives of these women who live behind the gates. Now, they aren't even housewives, or wives at all. It's singles and divorcees. Most kids have grown up and are now looking for spin offs or ways to capitalize.

I miss these years, especially this franchise too. I wonder whatever became of Lauri's kids. I miss Jo.

[motorcitymom65]

This is the creme de la creme for me. OG housewives, not peddling products. Except for Lou (rip) with the OC Angels. Andy started this as a peek into the lives of these women who live behind the gates. Now, they aren't even housewives, or wives at all. It's singles and divorcees. Most kids have grown up and are now looking for spin offs or ways to capitalize.

I miss these years, especially this franchise too. I wonder whatever became of Lauri's kids. I miss Jo.

I had forgotten how much I loved this in the beginning. 

 

Really, from the beginning it wasn't so much about actual wives (with two of the originals being either not married or divorced - Jo and Laurie), but to your point, it was about their lives. Just regular everyday issues and struggles. Jo's desire to be in a relationship with someone who would/could financially take care of her, yet her need to still be young and independent, etc. I wonder if such simple narratives would still interest us today? I like to think that they would, but the feedback on the BH show during the first 6 or 7 episodes when they did focus on each individual HW and their families, was just brutal. 

 

One thing that I caught rewatching S1 and S2, and is timely since we will see Vicki's reaction to her mother's death on camera, is the bad relationship that Vicki had with her mother. Can someone remind me of whether or not that changed? I had recalled that her mother was incredibly critical of Vicki in almost every situation and that Vicki resented that, but have no memory of that ever changing. 

[JAYJAY1979]

I think the reason the critiques were brutal on BH was cause the women weren't all that intteredtimg on their own...plus, people have been trained to like the current format.

Though season 9 of OC did have a lot of individual narratives with Vicki in Oklahoma...Shannon's eccentric beliefs and how her oldest daughter reacted, plus Tamra meeting her eldest sons girlfriend that he met on Instagram lol. If Tamra thinks that's trashy..that is saying something lol

[Mischievious]

Oh how I miss these early episodes. Where Ashli snuck into Tammy's house via the dog door in order to throw a party.How did she fit? Not saying she is large, just the door was so small.

With Slade being referred to as as a House Boy. I swear, some things just never change, do they?

 

ETA: Lindsey, not Ashli. Too many little blond girls running around. 

Edited May 22, 2015 by Mischievious

[Grneyedldy]

This is the creme de la creme for me. OG housewives, not peddling products. Except for Lou (rip) with the OC Angels. Andy started this as a peek into the lives of these women who live behind the gates. Now, they aren't even housewives, or wives at all. It's singles and divorcees. Most kids have grown up and are now looking for spin offs or ways to capitalize.

I miss these years, especially this franchise too. I wonder whatever became of Lauri's kids. I miss Jo.

See that's the point......Andy did not start this. Bravo bought it and then retooled it. When Teresa Guidice flipped the table and created big ratings the whole franchise went to pot (IMHO).

[PhilMarlowe2]

Yeah, the table flip was definitely a seminal moment. As was Sheree pulling Kim's wig. It's funny because I remember when season 2 premiere of NYC aired, they advertised the minor rift between Jill and Alex/Simon as "the biggest catfight in Housewives history." There was very little actual fighting, no yelling, no physical violence and it ended civilly in one episode at a pool party. My how things have changed. I do respect that the OC has yet to have any of the more outrageous moments, though I guess Tamra's wine toss comes close.

[JennyMominFL]

Do we know how Tammy Knickerbocker's kids are doing?

[Box305]

Watching Season 3 right now and all I have to say is, "Shut up, Quinn." 

[Portae]

Have we ever talked about Roman, the pitbull breeder who was dating Tammy's older daughter? His kennel's logo was a pretty well-known nazi/skinhead symbol, but I don't recall that being discussed in the context of the show.

[FozzyBear]

Have we ever talked about Roman, the pitbull breeder who was dating Tammy's older daughter? His kennel's logo was a pretty well-known nazi/skinhead symbol, but I don't recall that being discussed in the context of the show.

The Knickenbocker girls were so, so fucked up. IMO, second only to the Curtin girls. I don't think either graduated HS. They had really strange (icky) relationships with both parents. I can't even imagine what that house was like to grow up in with pervy Lou and survival mode Tammy.

[zoeysmom]

http://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/tammy-knickerbocker-my-life-after-the-real-housewives

 

 

Do we know how Tammy Knickerbocker's kids are doing?

Hopefully Lindsay has given up drinking-her blood alcohol was FOUR times the legal limit.  Girl is lucky to be alive. 

http://hollywoodlife.com/2013/01/29/lindsey-knickerbocker-arrested-punching-cop-tammy-knickerbocker-daughter-rhoc/

[Quita]

One thing that I caught rewatching S1 and S2, and is timely since we will see Vicki's reaction to her mother's death on camera, is the bad relationship that Vicki had with her mother. Can someone remind me of whether or not that changed? I had recalled that her mother was incredibly critical of Vicki in almost every situation and that Vicki resented that, but have no memory of that ever changing.

 

I remember the same thing, motorcitymom65.  Vicki's mom seemed genuinely irritated by Vicki and her attempts to get her mom's attention during her visits.  They didn't seem to have the best relationship, but mother-daughter relationships can be complicated and I'm just basing my opinion on the very few times I've seen them together.  Not sure if their relationship had gotten better at all.

[Mischievious]

Oh these early seasons are so fun to watch again. Truly, leaps and bounds more enjoyable than the current seasons. My DVR is stocked full of episodes so I'm still catching up but some things that have stuck out to me:

Chuckling at the great amazing Kara not getting into her top choices of USC and UCLA. I realize she had great grades and those are tough schools to be admitted to but her and Shane have this air to them of being the most amazing humans ever.

I really enjoy Lauri of the early seasons and her interacting with George and their blended family. She is how I got hooked on RHOC. Sophia is adorable and I hope all is good for her.

Just saw the episode where Jenna and Vicki are in Mexico and Jeana made the comment about Lauren, Michael's girlfriend at the time, being Vicki's future ex-daughter-in-law. Yikes! I had forgotten about that. Awkward! As overwhelming as Vicki is, I appreciate how she seeks out things to do and experience on these trips. When my family visits he Caribbean, my favorite memories are when we have left the resort and explored/experienced the islands.

Um, Christen, I doubt Lou bought the Hummer specifically for you so drop the attitude at the driving school.

The ladies visited San Diego. Didn't they recently visit and some of the ladies jumped on Vicki? Or am I just imaging things? When this trip started I thought "wow, they had that drama this early," but nope.

Like you all, I really enjoy the talking heads from the family members and how it all seems so organic.

Even though I'm not a huge fan of some of the people, there are some cute moments, such as Ashley and Mackenzie renting the gorilla and chicken costumes for the trip to Yellowstone.

I'm laughing at Tamra talking smack in her talking head about how she'll be running circles around Jenna in the real estate world. Uh huh. And the true Tamra foreshadowed what was to come with how she was when she took her clients to dinner as a thank you. Get the clue Tamra when they were asking for Jenna's number.

I'm sure I'll have more thoughts as I continue to watch but definitely am enjoying the early seasons.

Edited because I've been spelling Jeana's name wrong.

Edited May 23, 2015 by Mischievious

[georgekush]

They were showing season four today but the early episodes. Just a heads up of the upcoming viewing this Monday: the classic "You went to Bass Lake!" episode, 120 in the Shade (which is one of my favorite episodes that I go in depth about in the Season Four Discussion page) and last but certainly not least..Naked Wasted. Get your DVRs ready folks.

[IKnowRight]

Tamra Barney, the most nasty housewife ever, IMO. She was awful from day one. Sounds like she will be baptized next season? A stunt to reinvent herself? She was awful to Jeana...I am so glad Jeana runs circles around Tamra in Real Estate. What bothers me most about Tamra is the way she puts down women in her circle while in the beginning making them feel like she was their friend. While Simon was no prize, I didn't blame him for being disgusted with her...something went seriously wrong with her in her childhood or she is just evil from birth.

Edited May 23, 2015 by IKnowRight

[njmama]

Tamra brought this franchise down big time. Yeah, she may have brought the drama but she is vile.

Gretchen I loved at first but then once Slade entered the picture it seemed too contrived and fake, trying too hard to stay relevant.

Jeana is still the most real and is my favorite. Even though her kids are jerks, lol.

[Lizzing]

I'm rewatching some of S4, and how I miss the more "organic" feel of the format.  Yeah, there are still obviously set ups, like Vicki and Brianna talking at restaurants, Tamra and her son Ryan talking about his mouth tattoo, and Lynne going on shopping sprees with her daughters.  But other stuff just seemed so much more natural, like Vicki getting bonked on the head by a football on the Lake trip.  And I totally forgot they used to do in scene THs in addition to the sit down THs, like talking with Tams right after the mouth tat reveal, while still on the Lake or with Lynne outside her house during the spray tanning party for her daughter.  With those THs, it was much less rehearsed and sound bite designed, like they all do now.

 

But I need to stop watching because it seems ever scene Lynne is in that doesn't involve shopping has a tremendous amount of food and it's making me hungry!

[FamilyVan]

I love the early seasons.  Here is a strange revelation - in season 1 Vicki was 43 which is my age now.  So what I am watching, is a woman my age.  Hmmm.

 

Season 1 the biggest takeaway is wow Slade was such a douche.   He really was horrible.  He treated Jo so awful - I really don't even get why they were involved and how did it come to be that she was dating him.  Were they really dating or was it an act?  Then the scene where Slade's parents come and he calls them the Clampetts while flashing his AmEx Black card?  LMAO at this knowing what we know now...  god he was such a pretentious phony DB.

 

There is this scene where Jeana has a party at her house and Shane is analyzing Slade how he took Jo and sheltered her away at a table far from everyone because he was intimidated, I'm not a huge Shane fan but he totally nailed it.  He had Slade all figured out, surprisingly insightful for Shane.

 

I know that Slade was friend with Scott Dunlop, and that's pretty much the reason why he got to be on the show for so long.  But I am so happy that he is gone now from my screen and I hope he does not return. He was such a serious DH.

[DeeplyShallow]

Watching season 4 now and I love the old shows. I've been watching since the first episode ever so it's making me nostalgic. So much less contrived.

I've said it upthread but I hate, HATE Lynne. She makes my skin crawl. Self involved twit, in a perpetual drunken haze at lunch with her daughter, talking about hangover remedies. Yeah, what a shock that her daughters turned into drug addled porn "stars".

Hate!

[Bronzedog]

Lynn and her daughters were complete losers, but, Jeana's kids are absolute assholes.

[FozzyBear]

My take away watching the early seasons is just how precarious Slade's finances were. I always thought he was living beyond his means, but knowing what was to come it becomes obvious just how much of a paper life it was. The house looks like the type of quickly thrown up cheep housing you could get for no money down and an interest only mortgage (which honestly, you're renting at that point), it looked barely furnished as if he didn't have enough money to buy a couch after his mortgage payment, he drove a Hummer which was a company notorious for its sketchy financing packages, Slade pays for everything with a credit card, all of the gifts he gives Joe are garish, but not actually nice looking. It's so clear he had a bunch of debt and no money.

Edited May 26, 2015 by FozzyBear

[Mountainair]

I agree.

I think a lot of us snuck alcohol from our parents before we were legally of age to do so but the fact that these idiots did it with cameras running just shows a total lack of respect for Lynne and Frank and shows me that they were always probably enablers and never disciplinarians. Well, from the looks of it they did their children a huge disservice. What absolute brats those girls were and what a sad excuse for parents they had.

Jeanna is no better really. Her kids are straight up assholes and I agreed with Vicki. If my kids ever spoke to me they way Jeanna's did they would be smacked in the face.

[FamilyVan]

Jeana's parenting was awful.  How about when Colton broke his hand.  Jeana said "Can I call his Mom?" re: the friend that did drugs.  She said to Colton "If you were doing drugs I would want someone to call me."  Ohhh yeah right!  Let's picture some well-meaning mom calling Jeana to rat out one of her kids for drugs.  Let's imagine how Jeana reacts to this phone call.  LMAO noooo not her Coltie.

 

Does anyone remember that super rich-couple that Slade and Jo hung out with?  The wife and Jo went horseback riding together?  I think I remember someone mentioning what ever happened to them but I can't remember.

 

I would totally still watch a show about people in Coto.  It was really fascinating.  Maybe it really was just a product of the time though, pre-housing bubble crash.

[Maharincess]

I feel like some of my brain cells died every time I watched Tammy and her daughters.

Between Lindsay constantly talking about the "pitchers" taken of her and Tammy talking about her "relay ship" with Duff, I was screaming at the TV for them to learn to speak properly.

Speaking of Duff, holy shit I've never seen a more whiny, needy man in my life.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Maharincess

[JennyMominFL]

I feel like some of my brain cells died every time I watched Tammy and her daughters.

Between Lindsay constantly talking about the "pitchers" taken of her and Tammy talking about her "relay ship" with Duff, I was screaming at the TV for them to learn to speak properly.

Speaking of Duff, holy shit I've never seen a more whiny, needy man in my life.

I have a friend from Ohio. She is extremely smart with a grad degree and is a biological anthropologist who works for Harvard developing new meds. She says pitchers.. IT's regional.. I agree with your point about the girls thougj

[Beden]

 

Lynn and her daughters were complete losers

 

Does anyone remember that super rich-couple that Slade and Jo hung out with?  The wife and Jo went horseback riding together?  I think I remember someone mentioning what ever happened to them but I can't remember.

Lynn was a complete loser; she and her now ex were losers as parents and essentially destroyed their daughters by enabling and never setting any standards aside from the most superficial--plastic surgery for teenagers, overpriced, tacky clothing, the need for a kid to have a BMW they couldn't afford to keep up with friends. Ridiculous, sad and pathetic. The girls may have had a chance if their parents had actually parented them. Add to that the likely fact that none of them were exactly Mensa candidates and what you see is what you get--young women with no values beyond materialism, desperate for some kind of acclaim or acceptance. And Lynn never accepted responsibility for anything, blamed everything on her ex. Sad, pathetic.

 

As memory serves, that wealthy couple were business contacts Slade was hoping to score a big account with. He tried to become friendly on a social level--drinks, fun afternoons horseback riding --Jo showed up in skin tight jeans ad something completely inappropriate on her feet--to try to get the rich wife pillow talking Slade into the account. The business man guy basically saw through Slade from the first second, patronized him, condescended to him and played him like a fish on a line before dropping him. I may be wrong but I vaguely recall that they were hit hard by the crash of '08. I think so, anyway.

[FozzyBear]

Lynn was a complete loser; she and her now ex were losers as parents and essentially destroyed their daughters by enabling and never setting any standards aside from the most superficial--plastic surgery for teenagers, overpriced, tacky clothing, the need for a kid to have a BMW they couldn't afford to keep up with friends. Ridiculous, sad and pathetic. The girls may have had a chance if their parents had actually parented them. Add to that the likely fact that none of them were exactly Mensa candidates and what you see is what you get--young women with no values beyond materialism, desperate for some kind of acclaim or acceptance. And Lynn never accepted responsibility for anything, blamed everything on her ex. Sad, pathetic.

As memory serves, that wealthy couple were business contacts Slade was hoping to score a big account with. He tried to become friendly on a social level--drinks, fun afternoons horseback riding --Jo showed up in skin tight jeans ad something completely inappropriate on her feet--to try to get the rich wife pillow talking Slade into the account. The business man guy basically saw through Slade from the first second, patronized him, condescended to him and played him like a fish on a line before dropping him. I may be wrong but I vaguely recall that they were hit hard by the crash of '08. I think so, anyway.

My favorite part of that day was when Slade made some vaguely racist joke about Joe not understanding something because she was Peruvian (I think Joe was from Peru? Maybe Costa Rica? I remeber she had immigrated as a kid) and the couple just stared at him like the douchbag he was.

[Mischievious]

Could someone please make an animated gif of Vicki getting hit by the football at the lake? I may have rewound and watched it at least five times, laughing more each time.

I just died! In the same episode where Vicki gets hit by the football, Ryan shows Tamra his lip tattoo and she proceeds to freak out. At the end of the freak out when Vicki is consoling her, Tamra informs Vicki she is her best friend forever and they "pinky swear" to that. Oh Andy, you need to play that clip at the next reunion because....hilarious!

Edited May 27, 2015 by Mischievious

[Mountainair]

Maybe it's because my coffee hasn't quite kicked in yet this morning but watching Don and Vicki at dinner makes me really sad. I miss Don. He may have had his moments although I'm struggling to think of any time he was out right nasty without being provoked. He seemed like such a saint to put up with Vicki for so long and she essientially just shat all over him. He always cam across as a sweet gentleman. Now, internets prove me wrong!

[IKnowRight]

I'm rewatching some of S4, and how I miss the more "organic" feel of the format.  Yeah, there are still obviously set ups, like Vicki and Brianna talking at restaurants, Tamra and her son Ryan talking about his mouth tattoo, and Lynne going on shopping sprees with her daughters.  But other stuff just seemed so much more natural, like Vicki getting bonked on the head by a football on the Lake trip.  And I totally forgot they used to do in scene THs in addition to the sit down THs, like talking with Tams right after the mouth tat reveal, while still on the Lake or with Lynne outside her house during the spray tanning party for her daughter.  With those THs, it was much less rehearsed and sound bite designed, like they all do now.

 

But I need to stop watching because it seems ever scene Lynne is in that doesn't involve shopping has a tremendous amount of food and it's making me hungry!

I liked it when they did the talking heads immediately following an event. No chance to rewrite your thoughts on what just took place, instead it was a natural reaction of what each person felt at the moment instead of a reflection that puts a polish on their memory or history rewritten to match a narrative.

I'm reminded again of my hate for all that is Tamra, her plot to replace Jeana and her obvious jealousy when she realizes she's no longer the hot housewife with each new lady. I'm wondering now if Tamra went back to Real Estate because she was already planning to leave Simon? I want to give her credit for contributing to her household income in a bad economy but something changed since last season and you can feel it now upon review. It seemed that both Tamra & Vicki became joined at the hip once their marriages were dissolving.

Lynne and her daughter getting plastic surgery when their financial situation was nothing but a house of cards. Frank saying the economy was rough but he wanted his wife to be happy?! How can you be happy with a new face and teenager with a new nose knowing you can't afford your house rent? They were sticking their heads in the sand...as mature grown adults and no concerns for the future. It's crazy!

[Roxy]

I think this show took a turn for the worse when Tamra showed up. You can see it with binge watching them all in  short order. Before that, you see they're all basically decent women trying to deal with their families and not working to be Top Bitch on the Block. Tamra made her intent clear right off the bat- she's the hottest bitch in Orange County. Yuck. She's hideous.

 

She also brought out the worst in Vicki who is just a really insecure woman. I live not far from where she grew up and she's my sister's age. I know her type very well. She's from a middle class background and was not the popular girl in school. She was fine but always wanted to be "more". Anyone who seems "better" threatens her. She was fine with the other women because she knew them for years and they were at the same "level". Her jealousy of Lauri's new life was admitted and then it just got worse and worse with the new girls. And Tamra threw gas on that fire.

 

I miss Jeana and the others who weren't just trying to cause drama. They had it in their own lives. The Josh stuff was so sad. He was so lost and Lauri was not equipped to deal with it. She was too involved in herself, IMO, although she cared. She just couldn't put him above her own need for "success", meaning a rich dude to support her.

[Beden]

 

Lynne and her daughter getting plastic surgery when their financial situation was nothing but a house of cards. Frank saying the economy was rough but he wanted his wife to be happy?! How can you be happy with a new face and teenager with a new nose knowing you can't afford your house rent? They were sticking their heads in the sand...as mature grown adults and no concerns for the future. It's crazy!

I just keep thinking 'stupid is as stupid does'. Frank seemed genuinely in love with his wife, one of those guys who would try to move heaven and earth to make her (and the daughters) happy. He chose poorly; face lifts before rent, nose jobs before car payments and so on. Poor sap--then Lynn blamed him for their financial meltdown, something she willfully ignored and blamed on him to the point of not being able to stay married. The bitch never added 2+ 2 to add up to the fact that he was doing it to make his idiot wife happy. I'm willing to assume that she also blames him for the daughters current professions and situations. What a douche.

Edited May 27, 2015 by Beden

[ryebread]

The Teen Whisperer was at the Curtins' house this morning. 

 

When your 15 year old daughter tells you straight up that she hates that you, her parents, always try to track her down when she's "with a guy", there's a clue that you're doing something wrong in the parenting department.  Said 15 year old is upset that she can't stay out and party all night like her 17 year old sister. Oy.

 

Also...Jim Bellino took Alexis out to dinner so she could stir horseradish into his cocktail sauce and watch him eat  For her efforts, he rewarded her with a gaudy necklace with 7 carats of diamonds.  Seven carats.  In case you didn't hear him the first time, seven carats.

[TaxNerd]

Maybe it's because my coffee hasn't quite kicked in yet this morning but watching Don and Vicki at dinner makes me really sad. I miss Don. He may have had his moments although I'm struggling to think of any time he was out right nasty without being provoked. He seemed like such a saint to put up with Vicki for so long and she essientially just shat all over him. He always cam across as a sweet gentleman. Now, internets prove me wrong!

I miss Don too.

Gretchen said she was the Madonna of real estate when speaking of her past "career". I missed that one the first time around.

[IKnowRight]

The Teen Whisperer was at the Curtins' house this morning. 

 

When your 15 year old daughter tells you straight up that she hates that you, her parents, always try to track her down when she's "with a guy", there's a clue that you're doing something wrong in the parenting department.  Said 15 year old is upset that she can't stay out and party all night like her 17 year old sister. Oy.

 

Also...Jim Bellino took Alexis out to dinner so she could stir horseradish into his cocktail sauce and watch him eat  For her efforts, he rewarded her with a gaudy necklace with 7 carats of diamonds.  Seven carats.  In case you didn't hear him the first time, seven carats.

Wow, I guess Gretchen was right about Lynne's parenting. Lynne should have at least opened her mind...all she was concerned with was her feelings of inadequacy as a mom. Lynne, grow the F up, get your head out of your a@@...

If it's too hard to raise your kids in Orange County, MOVE! You obviously couldn't afford to be in your neighborhood in the first place. No one owes you a certain lifestyle.

My teenagers got used cars..they may have wanted nicer ones, but they got what we gave them, contributed to the purchase, paid insurance on cars, while in high school & college full time. We don't owe them BMWs jus because their friends got them....wow, Lynne just doesn't get it. When Gretchen (no children) spoiled Alexis & Tamra are trying to get through to you as a mom, you better wake up and parent your kids properly. I LOVED that Lisa Vanderpump let her sons utilities get cut off, they don't owe max a free living...Max knew it too.

What ticks me off is dealing with parents like that when trying to raise your kids to understand what matters...and that's not looking good above bring fiscally responsible.

[Lizzing]

I miss Donn too.  Watching the vow renewal episode was rough knowing what happened later.  Donn's vows were heartfelt (and I think kinda admitted cheating in the past) and he got teary.  I don't see him as an actor, so I thought that was real.  Then Vicki's vows were all "here's this 1.5 carat ring, do you like it?"  Ughhh.

 

I really had forgotten how much the earlier seasons focused on the HWs individually with their families. For instance, there is a ton of footage with Lynne and her family, but the story is then woven in with Gretchen taking the younger daughter shopping and Lynne's breakdown at Alexis' cooking party.  Or Gretchen's scenes with Jeff's kids in MI, but still everyone being aware of Jeff's passing and Gretch's dubious move on to Slade.  It, like the contemporaneous THs, just feels far less scripted and production driven.  I wonder why the production changed, because I think (I could be wrong) that the consensus is the earlier seasons are better.

[Mountainair]

....and then we get to Simon. While Tamra is no prize he sure was a manipulative jackass. What a tool.

It is amazing to sit back and look at the big picture of how many marriages dissolved because of this show. With the OC ladies it seems that at least half of these broads are married to someone they weren't married to at the start of the show.

[ghertigirl]

I forgot what a black cloud anything featuring Lynn's family was.  What a family of losers!  And knowing how the daughters turned out now makes it even more depressing to watch in retrospect.  Someone mentioned above how she probably blames Frank for how the daughters turned out.  I kind of doubt it because I doubt she has enough insight to realize that her daughters are doing anything wrong.