Ghosts of Housewives Past

[KFC]

I thought season 6 was one of the worst seasons. I had no interest in Peggy or the ongoing Gretchen/Alexis vs Tamra battle. Season 7 introduced Heather and saw the alliances changing and I feel like the show has been on a good run since then.

 

I know Heather gets a lot of flack for her pretensions, but I agree and think she's been a good addition to the OC cast. Her presence shook things up and realigned the various camps. Lydia was also a solid casting move in Season 8 (she wouldn't back down and was a stealth shit-stirrer), and of course Shannon in Season 9. I didn't mind Lizzie's presence, either, personally.

[JAYJAY1979]

Lydia was a last minute addition to season 8 of OC right? She and her mom provided some light hearted moments....and I do think all housewives should take lessons from her on stirring the pot cause she did it son well that you are almost sure she was being.concerned and not being a troublemaker.

Lizzie was alright but she is more friend of then a housewife...IMHO.

[KFC]

I think Alexis was the last-minute addition in S8? Lydia and another woman had been added to the cast, but then the other woman balked and the producers scrambled to add someone in, which I think is why there was such a massive shift from the beginning of the season (Tamra throwing Alexis out of the CUT dinner) to the end (Tamra and Alexis getting along, Gretchen being on the outs with everyone).

[lunastartron]

I liked season 6 more than season 7, actually. The show became glossier but there was still an emphasis on individual narratives. Alexis was shown doing quotidian activities with her children, traveling with her family, etc., working on her dress line with Tal Tamra's birthday only included Lynne and Fernanda as opposed to all of the cast. Peggy had her own storylines with her family. There contrivances just escalated markedly when Heather joined the show, imo, although that wasn't directly attributable to her and I think she added panache to the program and makes for a good villain. Like the clambake? It made absolutely no sense that everyone attended since the reunion show prior had been especially hateful . . . Lydia was great. And, yes, Alexis was on the way out or to a demotion due to salary disagreements before season 8 until Alison Edmonds, first wife of Jim, had to quit at the last minute.

[Persnickety1]

I'm watching season 4 courtesy of Hulu.

 

I'd forgotten what an entertaining season it was, what with Jeana still on board and Lynn and Gretchen being introduced.

 

Since I've been cleared to go back to work a week from Monday, I am now making it my goal to sit through every episode of every season so that I'm all caught up before the season premiere in a couple of weeks.

 

Woo hoo!!!

[JAYJAY1979]

Rewatching season 6...and I have to say it isn't as toxic as I remember.

The narratives still were more about their individual loves in addition to some drama especially the infamous cease and desist confrontation.

I actually am semi liking Peggy.. at least in the individual scenes of her with her kids.

And Vicki is treating Donn in this season like Shannon was treating her husband in season 9. No wonder Vicki was trying to help.Shannon out.

Edited May 11, 2015 by JAYJAY1979

[Snarky McSnarky]

Lydia McLaughlin has published a book.  It received a rave review from one literary icon:

 

"Lydia's book really hit home...a real and raw depiction of everyday struggles we go through as Christians."

--GRETCHEN ROSSI, The Real Housewives of Orange County

 

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Orange-County-Housewives-Happiness/dp/1617954233/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

[dangwoodchucks]

I say bring back Lynne and let Vicki and Jeana discuss the career paths of her daughters with her.

[psychoticstate]

The narratives still were more about their individual loves in addition to some drama especially the infamous cease and desist confrontation.

 

 

JayJay, I think you mean the cyst and decease letter.

 

"Lydia's book really hit home...a real and raw depiction of everyday struggles we go through as Christians."

--GRETCHEN ROSSI, The Real Housewives of Orange County

 

 

Gretchen would know about being a Christian about as much as Tamra would know about being a human.

 

I say bring back Lynne and let Vicki and Jeana discuss the career paths of her daughters with her.

 

 

I second that!

[DeeplyShallow]

I say bring back Lynne and let Vicki and Jeana discuss the career paths of her daughters with her.

Oh, please no. All that brain dead idiot ever cared about was being on tv, shilling her craptastic cuffs and getting breaks on plastic surgery. I hated her from the start. She never took issue with her loser daughters before (well, there was that half assed attempt w the "teen specialist"), I doubt having her explain or confront her reality now will be satisfying. If anything, she'll get off on being back on the show. I would hope she'd never get that pleasure again.

God, I can't stand her.

[Beden]

The main problem I had with Lynn (beyond the fact that she was total crap as a parental/authority figure) was her complete refusal of any responsibility regarding her family's financial problems despite her and her daughter's repeated plastic surgeries and living seriously beyond their means (even including her RH paychecks). Her willful ignorance caused their eviction from the rental home; possibly more than one as they seemed to move with some regularity. She blamed her passive husband for everything, completely ignoring the fact that she refused to know anything about their finances, spent freely and refused acceptance of the downturned economy.

 

Oh, and yeah, her shitty non-parenting was impressive in it's way...claiming she didn't know her minor daughters were drinking en route to an end of the year filmed warp party because 'it's a big limo and they were at the other end'. I mean--cripes.

Edited May 16, 2015 by Beden

[Lablover27]

Lynn is still delusional.  That scene with her daughter at South Coast Plaza where she threw the cuff at Lynn.  Yikes.  Lynn gets an eviction notice but buys a jacket for $1200 (?) in San Francisco?  

 

For $200 you can get this  http://www.lynnecurtin.com/queen-b-metalic/

[Beden]

My favorite will likely always bee the scene where she's crying because her daughters had to deal with being served with the eviction notice and how she'd take that pain (or whatever word she used) a thousand times over...as she's recovering from plastic surgery which was not covered by insurance if they had any insurance.

 

That and her screed at her husband, blaming him for their financial mess which she completely ignored and refused delivery of. This happened shortly after a RH scripted and sponsored trip to San Francisco (?) where she vented to the other HW's about her lot in life as she bought said $1,200 jacket. Even Idiot Tamra was shaking her head at that. You know the old saying 'you make your bed, you lie in it'? Just sayin'.

[DeeplyShallow]

For all of the reasons above, I don't want her on my tv screen, not even as a cameo or party guest in the background. As much as I LOATHE Tamra, I'd rather put up with her onscreen than idiot Lynn. Seriously, she was more embarrassed and horrified by her possible age reveal than anything else. Crazy.

[chenoa333]

Lynn is still delusional.  That scene with her daughter at South Coast Plaza where she threw the cuff at Lynn.  Yikes.  Lynn gets an eviction notice but buys a jacket for $1200 (?) in San Francisco?  

 

For $200 you can get this  http://www.lynnecurtin.com/queen-b-metalic/

Gawd that's an ugly cheap ass looking bracelet. Lynn knows how to make Walmart  ""jewelry look like it came from Tiffany's

[Beden]

I couldn't resist and went to Lynn's site link above. She also has $300 cuffs which are just as special.

[JAYJAY1979]

Well Lynne was at the finale party for season 10 along with Tammy Knickerbocker... so a cameo is probably in the cards.

[KFC]

For all of the reasons above, I don't want her on my tv screen, not even as a cameo or party guest in the background. As much as I LOATHE Tamra, I'd rather put up with her onscreen than idiot Lynn. Seriously, she was more embarrassed and horrified by her possible age reveal than anything else. Crazy.

 

Yeah, Lynne reminds me of Taylor Armstrong. In that what we saw seemed like only a mere sliver of their griftery, likely criminal ways.

 

Tamra is more of a "villain and she knows it" to me. She's a paid instigator/"will famewhore for airtime," but I don't think she's an outright con artist in her daily life the way Lynne is.

[AuntieDiane6]

Watching Bravo's RHoOC marathon right now … it's the FAMILY VAN episode!!  Ah, the past …  

[Ubiquitous]

Bravo had a season five marathon yesterday. Wow, I had forgotten how everything with Lynne came crashing down that season!

[zoeysmom]

And Tamra's big fake scene-"I am so afraid. . . "  BS Tamra had already hooked up with Eddie.

[IKnowRight]

Ugh. Why does Bravo keep Tamrat front & center? Going back and watching her relationship develop with Eddie? Bleck... She says, "who wouldn't want to hump Eddie?" Eeeeeewww.

It's clear on review why this franchise went downhill. I like Shannon and tolerate Heather, only because they bring the median family income back up on a show that's supposed to be about privileged housewives. Sorry, Heather & Tamra as buddies would never happen if Tamra wasn't on this show.

[Mountainair]

Watching now and I totally forgot about Peggy and Micah and Alexis' constant one up man ship with her. I have to say that if I have to have a holistic wife on the show I much prefer Shannon to Peggy.

They just aired the scene were precious little one year old Capri (seriously?) is bleeding at the pool and Peggy is going nutso while Capri is oblivious. They of course have to rush her to the hospital. Gawd, I hate parents that over react like that. I'm glad she only lasted one season. Her husband Micah does make me think of Eddie for some reason. I could see them being friends.

And, I dislike Slade and Gretchen but this was also the season where he was known as TubbaWubba. I honestly forget how long the two of them have been together.

[urusai]

"No scratchy the new woody."  The contractor looked shocked after hearing Icki say that.  

Edited May 28, 2015 by urusai

[walnutqueen]

Well, I just flipped on Bravo in time to hear Vicky's "No scratchy the new woody".  Don't know if I can stomach sticking around for Tamra & Eddie's bubble bath.

 

 

ETA - great minds, urusai, great minds.  :-)

Edited May 28, 2015 by walnutqueen

[AuntieDiane6]

 

Don't know if I can stomach sticking around for Tamra & Eddie's bubble bath.

 

Are you kidding me??  Watching Eddie chug that wine still makes me laugh!!!!!! 

[psychoticstate]

You know, I liked Lynne's hippie chick attitude when she was first on the show.  It was quite a nice change from Vicki's manic Whoo Hoos and Tamra's constant bawling.  I never noticed how often that damn chick cried when I first watched but geez, she was crying over Ryan's tattoo, she was crying over Ryan's desire not to join the CHP (good news for everyone in California as far as I'm concerned) . . . the list goes on. 

 

I do think Vicki and Tamra were particularly nasty and mean to Lynne at first.  Tamra most certainly has no room to question anyone's intelligence. 

 

That said, upon these lovely rerun rewatches, I noticed in Lynne and Frank's San Juan Capo home, there is nothing on the walls.  Not a picture, nothing personal.  The walls are also painted a shade of apartment off-white.  I believe this is the same house they were evicted from. So clearly they were tenants and didn't own.  I'm curious to know where in Laguna they lived, as they claimed, because Laguna is expensive. 

 

I actually found it difficult to watch some of the Curtin family scenes, knowing what was coming.  Seeing Alexa walk over to Raquel's birthday lunch made me cringe.  She was wearing one of Lynne's dresses and it was so freaking inappropriate for a 15 year old girl.  Ironic that Alexa's then-boyfriend told her she looked like a stripper.   My biggest gripe with her will always be her lack of parenting and thinking that she had to be besties with her daughters instead of their mother.  Pretty telling when she says something like she still doesn't feel like an adult and she has an 18 year old.  Hello!

 

I felt sad seeing Jeff, especially when Gretchen said that he had gotten to the point where he just didn't want to live any longer.  I remember the scene where she got that gorgeous ring but it bothered me on rewatch.  I just felt it was somewhat insensitive and a bit much to be running around, screeching about this ring to Jeff's kids while he was dying at the hospital. 

 

Jeana certainly did allow Shane and Colton to treat her like crap, didn't she?  I couldn't believe how Colton acted when she wanted an ice cream at Shane's baseball game.  He was beyond nasty.  And Jeana, saying that he took his job looking out for her fitness so seriously.  She really couldn't see that her sons were emotionally abusive, could she? 

 

I'm glad I am missing the Eddie/Tamra bathtub scene.  I still don't buy those two are romantic in any way, shape or form. 

Edited May 29, 2015 by psychoticstate

[Box305]

Apparently Alexis thinks actresses are only in movies. 

 

I don't miss her one bit. 

[Ubiquitous]

Are you kidding me??  Watching Eddie chug that wine still makes me laugh!!!!!! 

That reminds me of them showing that clip on The Soup, except they made it look like Eddie had been chugging several glasses of wine.

 

I actually found it difficult to watch some of the Curtin family scenes, knowing what was coming.  Seeing Alexa walk over to Raquel's birthday lunch made me cringe.  She was wearing one of Lynne's dresses and it was so freaking inappropriate for a 15 year old girl.  Ironic that Alexa's then-boyfriend told her she looked like a stripper.  

I thought that was Alexa's dress that Lynne borrw a lot.

[lunastartron]

It's illustrative of both narrative convenience and Heather's selective application of standards that Alexis's "Angelina Jolie" talking head inspired so much ire. If I recall correctly, Gretchen actually went further in one of her own confessionals and snorted that she had "like, never heard" of Heather," ever!" . . . I actually think Tamra's deviousness over the years reflects a pretty respectable base level of intelligence. She may not be as erudite or as refined as Heather, but she's smarter, in my opinion. Stunts like her gaslighting of Shannon require no little intellectual nimbleness. She's quick on her feet, that one.

[FozzyBear]

It's illustrative of both narrative convenience and Heather's selective application of standards that Alexis's "Angelina Jolie" talking head inspired so much ire. If I recall correctly, Gretchen actually went further in one of her own confessionals and snorted that she had "like, never heard" of Heather," ever!" . . . I actually think Tamra's deviousness over the years reflects a pretty respectable base level of intelligence. She may not be as erudite or as refined as Heather, but she's smarter, in my opinion. Stunts like her gaslighting of Shannon require no little intellectual nimbleness. She's quick on her feet, that one.

I've always held the somewhat unpopular opinion that Tamara is very smart. Ignorant, uneducated, shallow, and selfish as fuck, but probably the smartest one on the show.

[georgekush]

I've always held the somewhat unpopular opinion that Tamara is very smart. Ignorant, uneducated, shallow, and selfish as fuck, but probably the smartest one on the show.

It's crazy she only got called on her chess playing this past season. Since I'd say around season six she's been stirring the pot. She'll get really close to a HW and then turn them against another HW. She got Heather and Gretchen to do it to Alexis and then Vicki and Shannon last year to turn on Heather. When that backfired she tried to gaslight Shannon and it kind of backfired too.

[IKnowRight]

It's illustrative of both narrative convenience and Heather's selective application of standards that Alexis's "Angelina Jolie" talking head inspired so much ire. If I recall correctly, Gretchen actually went further in one of her own confessionals and snorted that she had "like, never heard" of Heather," ever!" . . . I actually think Tamra's deviousness over the years reflects a pretty respectable base level of intelligence. She may not be as erudite or as refined as Heather, but she's smarter, in my opinion. Stunts like her gaslighting of Shannon require no little intellectual nimbleness. She's quick on her feet, that one.

Yes, Tamra is very smart. Can you imagine if she could use her brain to do good instead of hatching evil plots to take down housewives? Imagine if she actually cared about anyone but herself? Imagine if she used her brain to do something productive?

I wanted to add: can you imagine if she stopped saying things like "holy balls?"

She's a Nasty woman...

Edited June 1, 2015 by IKnowRight

[Beden]

Just caught part of today's marathon as I was doing dishes...the scene where Alexis goes, figurative cap in hand to Jim's inner sanctum, his office, to ask his permission to take acting classes or work with a coach. He asks her, as you'd ask a nine year old who wants a new puppy, if she thinks that this is a good idea, what about her job as wife and mother? How many things can she do and still spend time with her family and so on. Asking her to make her own decision, knowing that he thinks it's a huge mistake. He's sitting behind a paper strewn desk, she sits in the 'visitors' chair, literally on the edge of her seat, hesitant, nervous.

 

It was painful to watch.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Beden

[Box305]

I loathe Jim. 

[wheresmypizza]

And when Jim says, "raise MY children". Blerghhhh.

[SCS]

It's illustrative of both narrative convenience and Heather's selective application of standards that Alexis's "Angelina Jolie" talking head inspired so much ire. If I recall correctly, Gretchen actually went further in one of her own confessionals and snorted that she had "like, never heard" of Heather," ever!".

Yup. Gretchen's comment was never mentioned at the Reunion as Wounded Heather took Alexis to task. Why Alexis never brought up Gtechen's TH can only be attributed to the oft-pointed out fact that Alexis seems incapable of the quick rejoinder (although she did bust Gretchen on her hair extensions, which was kind of humorous).

[Giselle]

It's crazy she only got called on her chess playing this past season. Since I'd say around season six she's been stirring the pot. She'll get really close to a HW and then turn them against another HW. She got Heather and Gretchen to do it to Alexis and then Vicki and Shannon last year to turn on Heather. When that backfired she tried to gaslight Shannon and it kind of backfired too.

 

While I agree about  Tamera  encouraging the animosity of Heather and Gretchen towards  Alexis I don't believe she got Vicki an Shannon to turn against Heather. I believe it was Heather and Tamera firmly against Shannon all season long and Vicki' was the one who tried to be cordial towards everyone. About the only beef Vicki had with Heather was Heather's  constant correction of other's vocabulary and being a know it all at every turn, this was at the beginning of the season.

[Giselle]

I know Heather gets a lot of flack for her pretensions, but I agree and think she's been a good addition to the OC cast. Her presence shook things up and realigned the various camps. Lydia was also a solid casting move in Season 8 (she wouldn't back down and was a stealth shit-stirrer), and of course Shannon in Season 9. I didn't mind Lizzie's presence, either, personally.

Besides Heather's  high and mighty, better than thou attitude an her constant need to be "right" and making sure you know it,  what really set me against Heather and Tamera was their gas lighting of Shannon last year and the serious accusation of Shannon having a psychotic break at Lizzi's dinner party. Heather and Tamera were vicious last year towards Shannon. Shannon could compete with Heather economically and socially and Heather didn't like it.

[beaker73]

OMG.  I'm watching Alexis's live Fox 5 segment from the S7 premier and I am cringing. CRINGING. Soooo bad. 

[lunastartron]

I just rewatched the gaslighting episode over the weekend via OnDemand, and the most unbelievable aspect of the fallout for me was that Heather genuinely reconciled with Tamra and remained friends/allies with her at the reunion despite the ample videographic evidence of Tamra's duplicity. From the point that she ushers Shannon out onto the terrace, she deliberately and aggressively stokes Shannon's animus toward Heather, commiserating that she was furious herself when she'd learned that Heather had relayed the information about Shannon to her group of friends. Then, after she's done grabbing Shannon's face after Shannon has migrated to the front porch, she continues to posture that she "supports" Shannon against Heather. How Heather could not have caught on to the fact that Tamra was walking her into a blowup when she asked Heather to come out onto the terrace is either a reflection of Heather's obliviousness, collusion, or tunnel vision, in my opinion. It's a little strange to me that the viewer tide turned against her last year from my perspective because she basically has behaved identically during all three of her seasons on the show. I wonder if she felt that she'd sunk too much into her campaign against Shannon to turn against Tamra at the reunion; post-Shannon's combustion at Lizzie's dinner, the other notable point besides Heather and Tamra's "ambulance" and "psychotic break" allusions (girl, now you're a psychiatric professional?) was that Heather immediately tried to get Vicki on board with the premise that Shannon had somehow intentionally driven a wedge between them. She was still trying to promote that tack at the finale party.

[georgekush]

While I agree about Tamera encouraging the animosity of Heather and Gretchen towards Alexis I don't believe she got Vicki an Shannon to turn against Heather. I believe it was Heather and Tamera firmly against Shannon all season long and Vicki' was the one who tried to be cordial towards everyone. About the only beef Vicki had with Heather was Heather's constant correction of other's vocabulary and being a know it all at every turn, this was at the beginning of the season.

She definitely tried to turn them against Heather. Tamra told Shannon that Heather said that Tamra needed to pick a side. Tamra was also the cause for Shannon's huge blowout at Lizzie's beach house dinner. Tamra had told Shannon that Heather wanted to "take the Beadors down." She also told Vicki this. She was stirring the pot all season to turn them against Heather.

[PhilMarlowe2]

It's a little strange to me that the viewer tide turned against her last year from my perspective because she basically has behaved identically during all three of her seasons on the show.

 

I agree. But, for me, I never liked Heather and always found her to be mean-spirited and awful, so watching the tide turn against her was absolutely delicious last year. I think the reason why she stuck it out by Tamra is simply because she's stubborn. Heather really doesn't want to eat crow. Even at the reunion, she was still insisting that she didn't kick Shannon out of her house ("I asked you to leave..."). To turn on Tamra would mean to admit that she was horribly, dreadfully, unwaveringly wrong all season. And no way would she give Shannon that pleasure. Plus, she would then be out of allies and probably feared for her job security.

Edited June 1, 2015 by PhilMarlowe2

[JAYJAY1979]

And yet you see twitter pics earlier this year of heather sucking up to Shannon. It was glorious :)

Here is my theory on the whole heather/Tamra/Shannon mess. Heather.and Tamra were not getting along...Tamra realized that she couldn't outwit heather verbally so.she apologized...and tried another tactic to make heather look bad by playing on heathers dislike/insecurity of Shannon by revealing the email etc.

I think what tamra didn't realize was that Shannon figured out Tamra was the cause of the breach so she apologized to.Shannon..and then decided to gaslight Shannon by pretending to ot mention the take down the beadors...

So on essence, Tamra got.even with heather by throwing Shannon under the bus so that heather would look like the bad guy when she ran with the info provided. Which worked cause heather really took a beating in viewer polls.

Problem was that Shannon was smarter then Tamra gave her credit for...and no matter what Tamra tried to do...Shannon managed to come out on top.

What ill be interested to see is how.Shannon eventually warms back up to heather and Tamra. It looks like her and Vicki r fine...and I'm guessing Meghan and Shannon will have issue due to Meghan hitting on David at the hoe down party.

[Almost 3000]

Watching now and I totally forgot about Peggy and Micah and Alexis' constant one up man ship with her. I have to say that if I have to have a holistic wife on the show I much prefer Shannon to Peggy.

They just aired the scene were precious little one year old Capri (seriously?) is bleeding at the pool and Peggy is going nutso while Capri is oblivious. They of course have to rush her to the hospital. Gawd, I hate parents that over react like that. I'm glad she only lasted one season. Her husband Micah does make me think of Eddie for some reason. I could see them being friends.

And, I dislike Slade and Gretchen but this was also the season where he was known as TubbaWubba. I honestly forget how long the two of them have been together.

Don't know why but in this mess of low character wives it was Peggy I hated on first site and it never changed. Although the mention of her at one time dating Alexis's husband was a pretty good bombshell.

[Giselle]

Don't know why but in this mess of low character wives it was Peggy I hated on first site and it never changed. Although the mention of her at one time dating Alexis's husband was a pretty good bombshell.

For me it was Peggy, Lynn, and Tamera that I hated on first sight and it never changed.

[Box305]

This Sara(h) chick is out of control. 

 

(Watching Heather's party where she broke off a piece of the cake.) 

[FozzyBear]

This Sara(h) chick is out of control.

(Watching Heather's party where she broke off a piece of the cake.)

"Is this the world we live in?" Thank you, Sarah. I will always love you for that.

[Box305]

"Is this the world we live in?" Thank you, Sarah. I will always love you for that.

 

Jesus, she's exhausting. 

[JAYJAY1979]

I still loved Sarah at the bowling alley where she was stalking Vicki..