S06.E06: Unhappy Anniversary

[MMLEsq]

Originaly air date = April 15, 2014

The RHOBH visits New York, while Heather finds a few of her "friends" are boycotting her anniversary party.

I can't believe it's been more than 12 hours since this episode aired and no one had started the topic yet.  Are people still watching???  :-(

[izabella]

I'm still watching, but now book-gate has morphed into Heather-gate, and I have to cover my ears at all the screeching. 

I also didn't like the Brandi/Yolanda crossover, because I grew to hate them during this past RHoBH season.  And I got really tired of the "my daughter is going to college and I'm falling apart!" storylines in BH with Yolanda and Kim, so I don't want to see another one with Ramona.

Not a good episode for me.

[Lisin]

Oops! I thought I had started one earlier in the week! Sorry guys! Thanks MMLEsq for starting this. I haven't finished the episode because SHIELD was on later than usual last night so I only watched the first half of this one before I had to go to bed BUT, Oh Ramona. Always trying to stir shit up. I think it's hilarious that she is demanding Heather and Aviva make up after she and Sonja didn't speak to Aviva for a year because she called them white trash. All because she had a good vacation? How does that make any sense at all? I love the insanity of it all. 

[BusyOctober]

Loved the rooftop party setting.  So jealous of that view and the pool!

I'm guessing Ramona and Sonja were given their scripts with the direction to "play nice" w/ Aviva.  If not for the 2 of them coming to her aid, there's really no need to film Aviva.  Maybe Ramona was trying to keep any light from shining on her marriage troubles and stirs the shit as a distraction?

I like Kristin more each week.  I hope she gets a great settlement for her DB soon-to-be ex- husband.

Heather was right on with her summation of how Aviva "communicates" with only answering someone w/ another question.  So annoying.  It doesn't make Aviva look smarter or classier. She highlights her inability to argue or debate with confidence or conviction.

I know I'm going to Hell for this, but my ticket was punched long ago...I think the wrong end of Aviva fell into that farm equipment. 

[Lisin]

I said something similar about Ramona and Sonja to my husband last night. Ramona knows that fights are what get people to watch this show and if Heather, Carole and Aviva just flat out refuse to be around each other it's going to be a boring season so Ramona and Sonja have to be there to push everyone together. I'm SURE you're right about the notes from the producers, and I'm sure that they asked Ramona because they knew she's invested in the show being successful more than maybe Heather would be if they just asked her outright to do it. 

[copacabana]

Some villains make a show -- Aviva is not one of those.  She will take the whole thing down with her.  Ramona, Sonja, LuAnn, Heather, Kristen -- am I missing someone? -- one lives to snark and chuckle.  But Aviva is a vampire who takes a viewer right out of NYC, which is where the show needs to remain if its appeal is to be ongoing -- and into a weird lala land of Avivaness.  Complete with that horrid yellow wall paper which of course evokes "The Yellow Wallpaper" She is so supremely unlikable and anxiety-creating that I'd rather just switch off and revisit Battlestar Galactica.  Which is what I did last night.  

The one I forgot to mention above is Carole Radziwel.  I don't know how I feel about her but in the last several weeks, I've taken to thinking that I'd rather not think about her at all.  I don't doubt that she would make for an interesting and fun friend but this show and what it's done to her, shown of her, has done her NO favors and so it's also uncomfortable to watch.  Aging Carrie Bradshaw doesn't work for me.  I'm bound to SJP in that role -- there is no substitute for Sarah Jessica. 

Best part of last night?  Seeing Jacques again.  I'm sorry he broke up with the Countess.  I have always enjoyed LuAnn and hope this silly show will bring her back full strength.  Sonja who usually dresses so nicely had two horrid white blouses on in yesterday's chapter. 

Yolanda and Brandi don't help.  Also, please, less frantic camera movement might help.  I'd like to see the food, the room, the dress, the whatever.  Their camera work sucks a lot of the time. 

[sugarbaker design]

I'm enjoying the friendship between Carole and Heather this season, it's playful, fun and not too serious, a nice contrast to the craziness that is Ramona and Sonja.  Probably the best part of the season so far is the reduced role Luann plays in the franchise, a little of the countess goes a long way.  Scenes of Jacques dancing are always enjoyable, but best in small doses.  I like Kristen but hate the husband.  Does he get more screentime than Heather's husband because he's a bigger asshole?  Must be.

[Rhetorica]

I finally watched the episode and don't understand why the "real" friends, as Heather called the women at her anniversary party, blamed Romana. Sonja was the one who said she wasn't going and Ramona said she wouldn't if Sonja didn't.

Last year Heather and Carol sucked Aviva's and her creepy father's ass and made excuses for both of them. Now they remember what Aviva said about Romana and Sonja last year but forget their own actions! Geesh...

[aradia22]

So I feel like I'm always more focused on what I think is going on behind the scenes but that's what this show is like for me this season. 

From the beginning of the episode, I feel like there was a power struggle between Carole and Ramona. Ramona is trying to impose her will as really the last member of the old guard what with Sonja being ridiculous and the Countess getting bumped down to guest status. But Carole is determined to play Queen Bee and with Heather as her loyal guard dog and Kristen going along because Carole seems to make the most sense (and also probably because she's friends with Heather), the women are refusing to fall in line with Ramona. 

I was expecting Carole to chime in at the caviar tasting. It was a perfect opportunity for her to claim to be an expert on caviar. But... nothing. Instead we got the weird threesome conversation. Have your weird conversations in private. It's bad enough I have to watch it through the television. I felt bad for that waiter.

As for the Heather/Aviva thing, Heather is right that Aviva has said terrible things and isn't a nice person to be around. Also, half the time her arguments don't make sense. BUT, Aviva is right that Heather has no business getting involved and doesn't have a good reason for inserting herself into the thick of things (except that she wants more screentime). And yeah, Aviva answering everything with a question is stupid but is it really worse than Carole and Heather conveniently forgetting what they've said. Just because you deny it happening, it doesn't mean that we all magically forget about it. Again, I'm Team No One because everyone is wrong. 

Kristen and Carole being friends with Brandi and Yolanda makes me question their characters and standards more. Those are not the kind of friends that speak well of a person. Did anyone else wonder if Kristen has had cosmetic surgery? I always thought she looked very natural but there was something a little different about her face in those old photos.

You know, I expect it from Yolanda but I tried to give Carole the benefit of the doubt when she was talking with Josh in the beginning about bj's. Then it came up again at their brunch and I realized "Oh, she's not actually joking." It's not that I expect everyone to have liberal, feminist views but come on now. That conversation was gross and it was awful how they all ganged up on Kristen like she was wrong to not want to have sex while she was pregnant because she might lose her man. Cue the eyerolling.

I don't know if they were in a gym or a yoga studio in the later scene but does Carole think we really, really want to hear about her sex life? Because I'm pretty sure most people don't want to hear about her sex life. And also, I am horrible and bitchy for saying this, but is Carole really the right person to be giving advice on marriage and long-term relationships?

As for Heather's party, am I crazy for thinking that you're supposed to spend your anniversary with your spouse and not with a big group of people and then not with a small, catty group, obsessing and complaining about the few people who aren't there instead of having a good time with your husband? Like, let's tamp down the big, special anniversary nonsense. You decided to spend your anniversary with a bunch of other people while filming a reality show.

And oh my God, no one on this show should ever dance. Ever. At least not when there are cameras around.

[Cheetosandchoc]

Aradia, that whole BJ conversation was too much for me. I would be upset if my friend said I should give my husband one a day in font of him. It likely stings becuase they seem to not be in the best place. I just dislike Carol more and more each episode. I do think Aviva is getting a purposely bad edit, not that I think she is great but I do think she has some points to make. Like the name calling and sweaeing. Things just don't get resolved when that goes on. I understand that some people love Heather no matter what she does (I feel that way about BH Lisa) but she just doesn't do it for me. I don't like to comment on a woman's appearance but her makeup when meeting Aviva was horrendous!!!!! And she looks so odd during her TH. She looked great at her party, and I never thought she looked bad last season but this season.........

[KraftEasyMac]

I will readily admit that I am a Heather apologist. The basis for me is that she looks, sounds and acts exactly like one of my best friends. Her facial features are strong and can border on severe, and she can definitely be a bit abrasive, especially to those not in her circle of friends, but she has such a good heart, so I can't help but adore Heather. Carole on the other hand...

 

 

Aradia, that whole BJ conversation was too much for me. I would be upset if my friend said I should give my husband one a day in font of him. It likely stings becuase they seem to not be in the best place. I just dislike Carol more and more each episode.

Last season, there were times I found Carole's conduct with the other Ho'Wives' SO's to be entirely inappropriate. She really does fancy herself this flirtatious Carrie Bradshaw-esque vixen, but I find her to be so hideous (inside and out). She's confident, I'll give her that, but I feel as though she lords it over the other women whom she perceives to be insecure. It's gross behavior, and she is definitely not a girl's girl.

 

Also, word to whoever noticed that there was something... different about how Kristen looked in those old pictures with Brandi. I barely recognized her, so I wonder if it was more than simple Botox or fillers. I think she looked beautiful in those pictures and is still beautiful, but they definitely did not look like the same person.

[tinaw]

Krafteasymac Thank You! I was trying to remember who Carole reminded me of when she talked and you hit it right on the head

Carrie Bradshaw.

I still like Carole but the way she talks can be annoying sometimes

[Trooper York]

To tell you the truth Carole really reminds of Skeletor.

[tinaw]

To tell you the truth Carole really reminds of Skeletor.

Carrie Bradshaw-Skeletor, same thing