S10.E09: The Good, the Bad, the Goodbye

[crgirl412]

Interesting episode!! 

[crgirl412]

It's only half-way over but I know that the biggest shock of this episode for me will be seeing Gage with bedhead!!!!!!!!

[Bronzedog]

BYE, ZOILA!!!!!!  Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!

[JocelynCavanaugh]

See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya! Enjoy your BMW X5 and multiple high-end bags, you ungrateful retired housekeeper!

[Willowsmom]

Jeff is better off without Liat. You could tell her husband wasn't happy about getting none if his suggestions  in the house.

I bet they're able to keep  nannies without Zoila..,

[biakbiak]

I have to have new life goals and that is to get a backyard as lovely as Jenni's yard.

[ghoulina]

I can't say I'm sorry to see Zoila go. I've never disliked her as much as others have, but I definitely think she's gotten worse over the years and creates a real toxic environment in that home. She and Jeff are close, so he has let her slide on a lot of things. But she has treated Gage like crap and marched around there like some kind of boss over the other staff for awhile now. It's enough. Look at the way she wouldn't let Laura even speak. She KNEW she was in the wrong. But she's become too much of a diva and thinks she can just do whatever she wants. This is a prime example of giving an inch and someone taking a mile. 

I hope they're able to get a solid nanny now, and maybe Laura can get some peace. 

I loved seeing Jenni's house. I don't know that I've ever seen it before. Her backyard is amazing and the scenes with her and her daughter were so sweet. 

[shirazplease]

Is Cat allowed to speak at all?  

[jennylauren123]

10 minutes ago, shirazplease said:

Is Cat allowed to speak at all?  

Perhaps she's a hologram? Even when Jeff said she's so ugly they keep her in the office, and don't allow her out, when they were at LeeAnn Black's house, Cat said nothing. I thought it was odd. No comeback?

[bichonblitz]

21 minutes ago, shirazplease said:

Is Cat allowed to speak at all?

No. She's there to bring the pretty. 

That was a very underwhelming goodbye. I think Jeff was at a point where he didn't give a shit if she wanted to retire, he actually appeared to be relieved to get rid of her. Monroe is his priority now, Zoila was not his everything anymore and she knew it. He has his partner and he has his baby. I do believe she said those hurtful things to the nanny about Gage not being the father. She always hated Gage with a passion. Does she even realize how lucky she was? BMW, LV handbags, Jeff paid for her face lift years ago and I also remember when she was threatening to retire before, he said he set her up with a pension for the rest of her life so she would never have to worry about money, and bought her a new car so I'm sure he bought her that Beamer, too. She doesn't seem to appreciate anything he has done for her. I know Jeff is no walk in the park to work for but she had to be the worst housekeeper ever.

Edited October 13, 2017 by bichonblitz

[Mindthinkr]

I think Zoila thought she had job security. I can remember times when Jeff would correct her or ask her to do something and she'd just put on her grumpy face and do or not do what he requested. In a job you do what the employer asks you to do if it's within your scope of employment. 

He spoiled her rotten. She became entitled. She did a rotten job. He probably is relieved to have her gone. Can you imagine if she had health issues under his roof? He'd be footing all her old age bills. Kudos to him for setting her up with money but he doesn't owe her anything more. Now it's time for him to spoil his daughter. 

[pasdetrois]

Zoila was long overdue to retire. Her personality changed because production and Jeff encouraged her to play the sassy Latina housekeeper (see Will & Grace). Then Gage came along and she couldn't handle the competition for Jeff's attention and affections (I'm sure Gage and Jeff didn't handle this triad well either). Jeff gave her lots of mixed messages - yelling at her and buying her luxury gifts and begging her to stay on year after year. Zoila became slyly manipulative.

I do think that deep down she knows she has been replaced by Gage and the baby. That has to hurt.

I think one reason that Jeff was let go from the big project was that he was driving up cost with his design choices. He's big on luxury finishes and intolerant of anyone else's ideas. Architects and designers/remodelers clash all the time. When they refer you to a showroom or vendor they usually profit from that action and the homeowner doesn't get the best value. Jeff lost to the architect and I also suspect the homeowners didn't like Jeff's domineering behavior.

[QuinnM]

Quote

I think one reason that Jeff was let go from the big project was that he was driving up cost with his design choices. He's big on luxury finishes and intolerant of anyone else's ideas. Architects and designers/remodelers clash all the time. When they refer you to a showroom or vendor they usually profit from that action and the homeowner doesn't get the best value. Jeff lost to the architect and I also suspect the homeowners didn't like Jeff's domineering behavior.

In the past people have always said that Jeff was on budget.  So If he said it was a $7 million build I’m sure that was going to be honored.  Trouble was by going with cheap fixtures etc the architect could say it was a $5 million and then do the change order dance.  So it ends up being twice the time and twice the money.  But once you get that far down the road you are stuck.  

So they will have a big house with cheap finishes.  They will have a house that someone has to work hard to get the money out of when they sell.  But some people are happy with that.  I know that my neighbors townhouse has shallow crown molding and window trim that is all 1x6.  And people say gee it doesn’t look as nice as the others.  Yeah, it doesn’t.  They don’t care.

I wonder what this does to that architects business?  Help cuz people see that they can go cheap with him or hurt because people see him as cutting corners?

[iwasish]

I see the Zoila thing a little differently. I think she wanted to retire and yet felt she couldn’t cause Jeff “needed” her, especially with the baby there now. I got the sense that she almost deliberately made issues and problems in order to create a situation where she was forced to leave. I see this kind of thing where I work. Many many long term employees who talk about wanting to retire but just can’t rake that step. Then almost subconsciously they begin to be dissatisfied and angry, resentful, hard to get along with etc, even though nothing has really changed at work to cause it.  Eventually they push things to a point where they’ve painted themselves into a corner and have to leave. 

Yes, Jeff now has Gage and Monroe and Zoila sees he doesn’t need her like he used to, and the same for Jeff, he said as much.  Too much has changed in the dynamic of Jeff’s life over the last few years for things to remain the aame with him and Zoila.  They need a break and in the future they can reconnect as the old friends they are.

Lait and Trevor? My take on the body language was that there were marital issues at play. He barely looked at her during the lunch. I don’t know who they are,never heard of either of them. My gut tells me it’s either marital or money issues. I liked Jeff’s ideas for the design. 

[dleighg]

Is there any reason the little dogs always have a harness on? Is that just to make walking them a quicker process? It seems kind of mean to me. Of course I have cats, they don't go out, so they've never been leashed, harnessed, or collared.

[QuinnM]

Quote

I see the Zoila thing a little differently. I think she wanted to retire and yet felt she couldn’t cause Jeff “needed” her, especially with the baby there now. I got the sense that she almost deliberately made issues and problems in order to create a situation where she was forced to leave.

I see it the same way.  And that is why I think she is a selfish, mean human being.  Everyone around her has been suffering at her hands for years.  People have lost their jobs, their income, their confidence.  She has laid a path of destruction and now just dances off into the sunset.  Good riddance.

The way she treated Gage was absolutely untenable.  I can’t believe he stayed.  And I bet that surprised her too since she had spent years running people off.  Nope this is the best thing for that entire home.

[jelley]

iwasish, I agree with you, but I'll take it one step further.  With all of Zoila's threats to quit, this was the first time (at least that we have seen), that Jeff just let her leave, and didn't leap up to tell her not to go.  She knew that meant that her time was up, and she was maybe a little relieved.  I think she stirred up shit because she was bored and feeling replaced.  I shed NO tears at her leaving.  Buh Bye.

[bichonblitz]

38 minutes ago, iwasish said:

Lait and Trevor? My take on the body language was that there were marital issues at play. He barely looked at her during the lunch. I don’t know who they are,never heard of either of them. My gut tells me it’s either marital or money issues. I liked Jeff’s ideas for the design. 

That and the husband had some rediculous ideas which Jeff shot down immediately. Some times you just have to give the clients what they want and keep your mouth shut. Jeff has a hard time doing that. In a way I admire him for it, he is a perfectionist and knows what a high end house should look like. It must be nice to have a business so successful it doesn't hurt so much to lose some clients along the way. 

[dleighg]

So what's the money situation with getting released by Liat and Trevor? Was Jeff getting paid by the hour before that, or was it just going to be a % thing, in which case they are SoL.

[shoovenbooty]

I thought the episode should have been titled, "Good Riddance, Zoila". In seasons past, I used to think that maybe Jeff was too hard on Zoila. That maybe she was tired and couldn't do as much around the house, and he expected too much of her. Then as the seasons wore on, I realized that Zoila was just what Jeff said: lazy and entitled. She took advantage of Jeff and was horrible to Gage. I know Jeff had a personal relationship with Zoila, but he should have let her go a long time ago. He was basically paying her for the relationship, not for doing any work.

I also believe every word Gema said about the things Zoila said/did, including saying that Gema didn't have to listen to Gage because he's not the father. I wouldn't doubt that Zoila was blocking cameras in the nursery, etc. to get Jeff and Gabe to stop trusting Gema, because one minute they were all, "Gema's the best!" then the next minute, "Gema's got to go!"

And poor Laura felt awful about the things Zoila said about her. You could tell she really did care about Zoila, and to find out that Zoila didn't feel the same about her, that had to hurt. I felt so bad for her when she kept saying, "I love you, Zoila" and Zoila just pushed her away. When she offered to leave if Zoila came back, so that there wouldn't be any more problems, I couldn't help thinking that is just what Zoila wanted and Laura was playing right into her hands.

Isn't Cat married to Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and was in a couple of episodes the last season or two? I don't remember if she was a client or...? I just remember Jeff making fun with them about the name Jenni had picked out if Alianna had been a boy: Tassos Nassos.

I think Liat and Trevor dropped Jeff from the job because he kept talking about what he wanted, and made them feel like what they wanted was a terrible idea. Doesn't it seem like a lot of the houses Jeff does, the clients sell within a few months? I wonder if it's because he did everything he wanted instead of what they wanted, and they ended up not liking it.

[Summerday]

Well, I guess I'm the only one who's sad to see Zoila go. Not sad for her, because I couldn't work in that toxic environment either and the fact that she did for 17 years is a miracle. But sad because Jeff's attachment to Zoila was the only thing that convinced me that he's able to form emotional attachments at all. I just don't see any affection/caring between him and Gage or even him and Monroe. I can see that he loves his pets, that he loves organization, and that he loves mocking his employees, but besides that he just seems cold and empty. 

I think Jeff was shocked and sad when she didn't agree to only work the weekends and I think he's going to miss her. I hope she does come visit the baby and Jeff. 

Has Jeff's mother ever been mentioned on the show? I know his parents are divorced, but why did he need Zoila as a surrogate mother?

[bichonblitz]

47 minutes ago, shoovenbooty said:

Isn't Cat married to Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and was in a couple of episodes the last season or two? I don't remember if she was a client or...? 

Yes! Jeff did a remodel for them. I couldn't remember who she was married to, just knew it was some teen heart throb. 

 

11 minutes ago, Summerday said:

Has Jeff's mother ever been mentioned on the show? I know his parents are divorced, but why did he need Zoila as a surrogate mother?

I believe Jeff's mother died when he was young, it had a huge impact on his life. I don't know if his parents were divorced at the time. I want to say they were not but could be wrong about that. 

[AttackTurtle]

2 hours ago, QuinnM said:

I see it the same way.  And that is why I think she is a selfish, mean human being.  Everyone around her has been suffering at her hands for years.  People have lost their jobs, their income, their confidence.  She has laid a path of destruction and now just dances off into the sunset.  Good riddance.

The way she treated Gage was absolutely untenable.  I can’t believe he stayed.  And I bet that surprised her too since she had spent years running people off.  Nope this is the best thing for that entire home.

I totally agree with this.  I've never enjoyed the office gang-ups that Jeff leads, but Zoila frequently enjoyed picking on other employees.   

Jeff was pretty damn good to her and for her to interfere with the nannies was awful.  Having an infant is tough, but Monroe appears to be an especially challenging child.  I can't imagine being anything other than supportive in the situation.

[laprin]

It is a sign of Jeff’s growth that he did not completely lose his shit over that Liat firing by text. He was angry, but managed to pull back. Seasons 1-3 Jeff would have had a conniption fit. I think the couple is having money and/or marital  issues and they did not want them to come to light on TV.  Hence, they dropped Jeff and his show. 

As for Zoila, I don’t care what made her finally leave, I’m just glad she’s gone. It was time. 

[SunnyBeBe]

I'm not sure what happened with this job that Jeff lost, but, it's obvious that all of these large houses in LA may NOT be what you think they are.  Apparently, you really have to have someone on the ball to ensure that you don't get shoddy work and cheap finishes.  It happens around my community and LA is no exception.  (Recall the cheap bathrooms in the Florida mansion recently.) 

I happen to think that Zoila was a piece of work from day one.  Do you recall how she dropped her former employer, to go work for Jeff?  I can't recall who it was, but, the story has been featured.  So, glad that she's gone. 

[howiveaddict]

Was Zoila still working for Jeff's grandma, or had she already retired from that job?

[Bronzedog]

To me, Zoila, once again, showed her true colors when she left when she was in the middle of feeding Monroe without finishing feeding her.  Zoila has always been all about Zoila and what she could get from Jeff.  Apparently she doesn't even really care about Monroe.

[Sprockets]

8 hours ago, iwasish said:

 Lait and Trevor? My take on the body language was that there were marital issues at play. He barely looked at her during the lunch. I don’t know who they are,never heard of either of them. My gut tells me it’s either marital or money issues

 

Exactly!  At that last meeting I thought "they're at the same table, but they could not be farther apart."  I am not sure I believe Lait and Trevor are together right now.  I think they aren't going forward with the house, they don't want to be filmed any more, so they fired Jeff.  

I'm glad Soiler is gone.  I hope she stays gone.  For whatever reasons, she chose to become toxic.  

It was horrendously unfair and bullying behavior to have that mock "trial" of Zoila.  Talk about a hostile work environment.  Jeff is never happier than when he is embarrassing someone.  He is one deeply sick person.  

Is anyone on this show mentally healthy?  

[dleighg]

7 hours ago, Sprockets said:

It was horrendously unfair and bullying behavior to have that mock "trial" of Zoila.  Talk about a hostile work environment.  Jeff is never happier than when he is embarrassing someone.  He is one deeply sick person.  

 

That was awful, mean, and in every way wrong.

[hoosier80]

These people are so exhausting.  I'm typically very organized (at work), detailed, and a hard worker, so I could do a good job for Jeff's company, but I wouldn't last a week with all the pettiness, mean girl shit, drama, and the attitudes.  Does he really only work on one property at a time or do they just showcase one property?  Jeff had said about one property it'd take him a year to get it done.  That just seems way too long even for a large project  A year to redo the Spelling mansion, ok, but this wasn't that large.  And all of the contractor problems, I just don't get it.  Wouldn't he have a regular go to list of contractors by now?  Unless, they've all tired of him or he's burned those bridges.

Zoila seemed to be acting out like the older child who suddenly has a new baby brother or sister.  She wanted all of Jeff's attention or affection.  She forgot she was an employee.  He may talk it up about how they're a family, but she really was not.  Even family has its limits.  You go against one's partner and try to undermine them, yeah it doesn't work out well.

I wonder if she's really gone for good.  She has to be getting income from the tv show?

[Guest]

15 hours ago, Summerday said:

Has Jeff's mother ever been mentioned on the show?

I checked an article (interview), re: Jeff

His mother died when he was 18.

Although I laugh at his snarky/sarcastic humor; I could never work for him.

[biakbiak]

4 hours ago, hoosier80 said:

Does he really only work on one property at a time or do they just showcase one property? 

He works on several. This season he is working on two of his own and then other projects they have shown Lea's house, the one in Newport Beach, Chad's rebuild, etc.

[laprin]

Wondering if the Liat and Trevor Gerstz job was a fake storyline all along. Turns out Liat used to be a casting agent for *wait for it* - Flipping Out (back in 2007 when the show started).  She’s currently a hypnotherapist.

 

Here’s a little bit about Trevor’s company. https://goldco.com/member/trevor-gerszt/

[StayingAfterSunday]

18 hours ago, Sprockets said:

Exactly!  At that last meeting I thought "they're at the same table, but they could not be farther apart."  I am not sure I believe Lait and Trevor are together right now.  I think they aren't going forward with the house, they don't want to be filmed any more, so they fired Jeff.  

I'm glad Soiler is gone.  I hope she stays gone.  For whatever reasons, she chose to become toxic.  

It was horrendously unfair and bullying behavior to have that mock "trial" of Zoila.  Talk about a hostile work environment.  Jeff is never happier than when he is embarrassing someone.  He is one deeply sick person.  

Is anyone on this show mentally healthy?  

I'm glad she's gone, too.  She brought nothing to the show and, evidently, nothing positive to the household, either.  She's gotten much too comfortable.  

In Zoila's defense, the scene where she is climbing the stairs showed the extent to which she is slowing down and getting tired - very tired.  

The "mock trial?"  I thought it was hilarious, and seeing Jeff laugh the way he did after each "guilty" made me laugh all the more.  Jeff can be a lot of fun, even if it is often at another's expense. 

I feel Zoila's "day in court" was well-deserved.  The fact that she could not bring herself to utter so much as an "I'm sorry" to Laura - even if she didn't mean it - revealed much about her character.  In this situation, she was stubborn and unyielding; she also refused to let anyone talk, and would not admit any fault.   An all-around difficult and immature personality.

[ghoulina]

28 minutes ago, StayingAfterSunday said:

The "mock trial?"  I thought it was hilarious, and seeing Jeff laugh the way he did after each "guilty" made me laugh all the more.  Jeff can be a lot of fun, even if it is often at another's expense. 

I loved the mock trial. I thought it was a fairly light-hearted way to deal with the issue, considering the seriousness of the allegations Gema made. 

[wallofsound]

I wonder exactly how many nannies they've gone through in the first few months of that baby's life.   How old is Monroe supposed to be in these latest episodes?    I know Jeff and gage must love her to pieces and Gage seems very good with her, albeit extremely controlling, but Monroe is with hired help most of the time.  How sad that she's seen a revolving door of care takers in a few short months.   I haven't heard Jeff and gage comment on how tough it is for the baby to feel secure with all these different people and continuously bond with new people.   All I hear is how inconvenient the nanny situation is for them and the business.   

[Sprockets]

3 hours ago, ghoulina said:

I loved the mock trial. I thought it was a fairly light-hearted way to deal with the issue, considering the seriousness of the allegations Gema made. 

It was extremely cruel.  Nothing the least bit funny about it.  

[KBrownie]

41 minutes ago, Sprockets said:

It was extremely cruel.  Nothing the least bit funny about it.  

Agree.  And all of this based on the texts of Gema the jilted nanny?  Why was her word on everything taken as the gospel truth?  It's not like she would have any reason to want to cause any trouble or anything.  And her calling/texting Laura was obviously pure shit-stirring.  Gema was looking for anything to stick.  If it had been anyone but Zoila (not excusing anything she's ever done, as she's certainly no innocent saint, but Gema is certainly not a reliable narrator) this would have been dismissed as the disgruntled ramblings of an ex-employee.  Gema strikes me as being the one jealous of Zoila's place in that household and wanted to be that person who was gifted cars and nice bags.  Laura too a little bit if she was truly upset she didn't get Louis Vuitton bag, but a different designer.  None of them should expect any of that kind of stuff from their employer.  Sure, it's nice and very generous of Jeff, but it's not mandatory on his part. 

They've gone through so many nannies because no one is going to be able to meet all their (sometimes over the top and unnecessary) demands.  But Zoila at 68 should have just said that she wanted to retire.  I believe she and Jeff, along with Jenny, have a real bond and hopefully, they can maintain that.

Edited October 15, 2017 by KBrownie

[Maharincess]

56 minutes ago, Sprockets said:

It was extremely cruel.  Nothing the least bit funny about it.  

That's your opinion. I thought it was hilarious and couldn't have happened to a more deserving person. 

It wasn't just in Gema's word.  Laura and the older woman also confirmed what Gema had said. 

Edited October 15, 2017 by Maharincess

[Sprockets]

17 minutes ago, KBrownie said:

But Zoila at 68 should have just said that she wanted to retire.

Yes.  The idea that she was "trying to retire for a long time" is nonsense.  There is no trying involved.  

[KBrownie]

9 minutes ago, Maharincess said:

That's your opinion. I thought it was hilarious and couldn't have happened to a more deserving person. 

It wasn't just in Gema's word.  Laura and the older woman also confirmed what Gema had said. 

Really?  Or did they just confirm that what Gema was saying was possible and highly likely since it was Zoila.  Big difference.  I didn't see where they verified the 100% truth of every claim Gema made, just that because it was about Zoila, that it was probably likely.  The older woman didn't claim she was there and a witness when all of what Gema said was happening was happening, did she?  Same with Laura.  

Edited October 15, 2017 by KBrownie

[Guest]

16 hours ago, StayingAfterSunday said:

I thought it was hilarious, and seeing Jeff laugh the way he did after each "guilty" made me laugh all the more.

Theory:

Jeff thinks that since he can/will laugh at you; you should get over yourself and laugh at yourself...

[lookeyloo]

And while they are interesting to watch and yes there are concerns about the ever changing nannies/bonding issue I always wonder how much the producers are behind what we see.  One or more seasons back to me it seemed very likely that Zoila was playing some kind of role when Jeff told her something. She had a smirk on her face that led me to believe they rehearsed it a few times.  These are scripted reality shows. We see edited snippets of their lives. 

[wallofsound]

I'm sure it's heavily edited.   Even though all we see is everyone staring at the baby monitor while Monroe naps.    She must do other things, right?    Jeff seems like he'd have her participating in all the cutesy music, movement, etc classes that are offered to kids.    Lord knows he can afford it.  

[StayingAfterSunday]

8 hours ago, artisto said:

Theory:

Jeff thinks that since he can/will laugh at you; you should get over yourself and laugh at yourself...

Yep, and I suspect Zoila would've done herself a favor by underplaying the situation.   

I find it odd that she's been with Jeff for 16 or so years, but hasn't adjusted to his sense of humor?  If the two share such a close mother-son-type bond, why wasn't she able to discern Jeff's particular brand of humor from outright malice?  Also, she's been around these people - Meghan, Jenni and Gage - long enough to know that none of them is against her (hasn't it been the other way around, specifically with respect to Zoila's poorly-concealed feelings about Gage?) 

Is she really that thin skinned?  A simple, "yeah, I said it," or "I was just joking when I said it," or even, "I was feeling tired and miserable when I said those things; I'm sorry."  might have put this fire out before it got out of control. For that matter, she could just as easily have laughed it off, and used a self-deprecating remark to diffuse the "jury's" antics.  I  think that would have stopped them in their tracks.

Edited October 15, 2017 by StayingAfterSunday

[maggiemae]

I'm still floored Monroe is stuck in her bedroom practically 24/7. I know, we saw her in the kitchen once or twice, and on a walk. But come on! Perhaps it is different but it doesn't look good on the show. Plus I don't see plenty of toys except 3 or 4 loud toys that are all the same.

As far as Zoila....bye! Stop in occasionally but glad your attitude and laziness are off the show. I imagine with her social security, pension from Jeff, pay from the show, and living with a daughter works out well for her. Oh, and her BMW too. Talk about an ingrate and not thinking about her relationship with Jeff. Not defending him - but she is a very cold woman, imo.

[biakbiak]

2 minutes ago, maggiemae said:

'm still floored Monroe is stuck in her bedroom practically 24/7. I know, we saw her in the kitchen once or twice, and on a walk. But come on! Perhaps it is different but it doesn't look good on the show.

Jeff has talked about this that they only are allowed to film in the house a few hours a day, we have probably seen at most 10-15 minutes of her.

[maggiemae]

Monroe can still be outside, or in the living room etc and interacting with her parents.....even for a minute or two. Or have her at lunch with them? IMO more interesting than the revolving door of nannies looking into her crib.

[biakbiak]

10 minutes ago, maggiemae said:

Monroe can still be outside, or in the living room etc and interacting with her parents.....even for a minute or two

But that also involves a film crew and more people, we have seen her in the living room, at the doctor, etc filmed with a video camera but Jeff specifically addressed that he didmt want her to be filmrd a lot. Next week we will probably see more of her since it's her baptism but I can't really judge her life was like when we have seen so little of her six months of life

[Mom2twoNonna2-3]

We complain when parents put their children and parenting on display. Jeff is doing the opposite and we complain. I think he's doing a good job in limiting the amount of exposure on Monroe's behalf.