 | The Real Housewives of D.C.: No Train Wrecks!posted by RF Club, Group AdministratorMonday, September 13th 2010 @ 1:31 AM (not yet rated) |
The Real Housewives of D.C. episode Special Interest was special. But, before I begin talking about the episode I must take a moment to examine myself and I hope it makes you take a look at viewing habits too. Listen, I was claiming that the Real Housewives of D.C. was boring and then I thought why? Why is it boring? I know why because I kept comparing it to the Real Housewives of New Jersey and The Real Housewives of New York City.
In all honesty, that is an unfair comparison. First, both series are well into second and third seasons. We know these housewives better. This means we are invested in the relationships and then in their last seasons, both series, had explosive things happen.
We all know the last season of the Real Housewives of New York City was all about the ending friendship of Jill Zarin and Bethenny Frankel and to add good measure a little Kelly Killoren Bensimon crazy. In addition, we watched some dark horses emerge on the Real Housewives of New York City. I mean I watched Seasons1 and 2 and let's face it did you ever think that Ramona Singer would be so liked??? If we all are totally honest with each other one of the biggest shockers is the complete change in fans reaction to Silex. I mean in the beginning you heard nothing but unflattering things about this couple and now, my goodness, they are hailed as quite a couple and good parents to top it off. Oh, I remember their very first season and all the talk was about their social climbing and how often they left the children but now a complete 360 has happened with Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey offered the same situation. If you remember the first season was very short and it was clear, very fast that it was going to be all the ladies against Danielle Staub. What put The Real Housewives of New Jersey 'on the map' was the table flip and the fact that they had only a few shows in the early summer.
Anyways, what I feel guilty about, to a certain degree, is I enjoy watching 'train wrecks'. Gosh, that is hard to admit. Although, I am clearly not the only one. The numbers prove it. Unfortunately, for The Real Housewives of D.C. they are not bringing in the viewing numbers. The Real Housewives of New York City were under serious pressure to bring in viewing numbers and they had to compete against the primetime viewing season. Meaning, they were competing with Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy CSI, and whatever else. Now, even though a show may not be on Thursday night people only have so much viewing time and people were DVRing stuff and viewing it at their leisure. Therefore, The Real Housewives of New York and The Real Housewives of Orange County had tougher competition than if they had a summer time slot.
My point, 'train wrecks' are bringing in the viewing and yet when people tweet and US bloggers post we claim we can't stand the 'train wreck'?? I am guilty. I am a blogger. If you notice I blog consistently about the Real Housewives of New Jersey but not so much for The Real Housewives of D.C.. My Posts are generally not flattering about the women but do you think Bravo cares??? Hell no! They love it. Bravo knows that 'train wrecks' make good television.
Unfortunately for Bravo The Real Housewives of D.C. ladies have to much class for 'train wrecks' and therefore they probably won't see a second season. If I were them I wouldn't lower my head in shame. I would hold my head up high. I think it is sad that WE only watch the hair pulling, the square tit yelling, the table flipping, the wig pulling, the fight between two friends and the crazy lady. I am guilty. Guilty as charged. I didn't watch The Real Housewives of D.C. until Sunday. Four days after it aired. No executive wants to hear that piece of information. Here is the sad thing. I enjoyed the episode. I really and truly did enjoy it. I think Bravo should market The Real Housewives of D.C. differently. Here is why!
The Real Housewives of D.C. gives us for what we have been CLAMORING ABOUT! What is that you ask? We have asked for intelligent women who share their daily life with some ups and downs. The funny part is we have gotten so use to all the over the top drama that now we find what we asked for to be boring or we say it is boring!
Let us take a look at The Real Housewives of D.C. and put the other shows out of your mind. Or better yet, remind yourself what you don't like about the other shows and find the refreshing points in D.C.
Well, the first comparison. The Real Housewives of D.C. and The Real Housewives of New Jersey don't even compare on an intelligence level. Chances are these women would never be in the same circle if they lived in the same town. I mean who felt bad for Stacie Turner having to endure an evening next to Teresa Giudice on Watch What Happens Live???
Alright, I have digressed onto the episode 'Special Interest'
The episode begins with the ending of the Oasis Winery Stomping grapes adventure. I must admit that scene was tense. Poor Mary Schmidt Amons! Talk about an accusation coming out of left field. Talk about a lady handling it with grace. Do you think a Real Housewife of New Jersey lady, even Caroline Munoz, would have handled it with that much dignity? What about a Real Housewife of New York City, Orange County or Atlanta?? And right there is the problem. Bravo needed and wanted Mary Schmidt Amons to go ballistic. Anyways, the Turner's seemed genuinely appalled by the accusation and the way the Salahi's approached situation. I understood Stacie's point of view. Of course they don't condone stealing but the Salahi's had no actual proof, they were slandering a person's name and they were blind siding a mother. Stacie was trying to get Michaele to understand that she felt for Mary because it was her daughter and the Salahi's were equating THINGS to people. Once again, stealing is wrong and a person feels violated when robbed but there was something more going on and Stacie quickly picked up on that because you don't drop a bomb like that at the end of a dinner party.
I do not call that boring. Not everyday am I at a party with so called friends and they are informing me that my child is being investigated by the FBI or have I been witnessed to such a scene. Interesting indeed!!
Of course Mary went home and confronted her daughter, Lolly and informed her husband, Rich. From the scene we saw I am going to assume we were seeing a staged scene. Her daughter and husband were calm. A little to calm for my liking. Once again, the problem with The Real Housewives of D.C. We are use to outlandish scenes, scheming and threats. Just doesn't happen on The Real Housewives of D.C. Anyways, Lolly basically denied the charge and said she thought the best route was to ignore it. Rich said he was unsure what he would do and it would depend on the amount of alcohol involved. That was it!
Okay, now how uncomfortable was the Catherine Ommanney scene with Edwina Rodgers?? That is a Real Housewife scene for sure. Cat was pulling teeth to get a rise out of Edwina and boy boy Edwina was not going to bite. Of course, Edwina wanted her party filmed and for some reason she thought Cat was her in?? I was wondering why not Michaele?? Now, Cat crossed serious lines when diving into politics and she is not a citizen. Here is clue Catherine Ommanney, "We Americans have enough trouble talking to each other about our own countries problems but we certainly do not want an outsider telling us how to do it or better yet how rotten we are doing it." You know how it is, you can talk about someone in your family but by golly an outsider better not or they will get a punch in the nose. Edwina wanted to punch Catherine Ommanney in the nose and I did too!! The problem, in Washington D.C., you don't scream in public, flip tables or punch noses if you want to last in there. Edwina behaved like your typical lobbyist. Reality television smacking us in the face.
Now, I don't know about you but Lynda, Cat and Stacie all looked genuinely uncomfortable getting their pedicures and gossiping. See, that scene would be normal in any of the other Housewives series but it just didn't fit for these ladies and you could tell. Unfortunately, they (Bravo) needed to bring Lynda and Cat into 'the know' about what went down with Mary and the Salahi's. I would rather have just seen that each woman found out from Mary through their interviews. It was obvious Lynda had a clue and I think Cat had heard. But, for whatever reason Bravo felt we had to see them discuss it on screen so they could get them to talk about it in their interviews. A staged scene that did not work.
Michaele at lunch with her personal assistant/best friend. I guess this is where we are suppose to wonder if Mary is telling the truth or Michaele about Lolly being a part of the theft? "Who posts it on Facebook?" Michaele kept saying. "Well, who blindsides a friend at dinner??" Oh, and didn't you just love how Michaele claimed to be Cinderella?? She is setting herself up as the 'picked' on housewife. Not a villain but Cinderella for Michaele. Insert finger in the back of my throat now! For some reason I don't feel sorry for this villain (she is no Cinderella)! Michaele is so fake.
Onto the Edwina Rodgers party. Stacie and Jason getting ready was delightful. Your typical getting ready except it was democrats going to a republican event. They were funny trying to figure out how to dress but Stacie wanted to dress appropriately. Stacie knew politicians would be at the event and obviously her and her husband's reputation are important to them. On the other hand, Cat was out to embarrass Edwina. I am not sure why?? In addition, I am not sure why her husband felt the need? He must be through with being a political photographer because if republicans continue to hear that his wife is blatantly against the party and if they were to take office in the near future she could be a liability (Yes, I know they are no longer a couple but at the time of filming they were so why was he into it?) It really is how things work in the world. Anyways, I did not find the dressing up as Sarah Palin funny? I thought it was rude. I did find it funny that her daughters called her wedding dress inappropriate? I was trying to figure out was it her actual wedding dress or were they referring to a dress she wears to weddings??? Back to the Event! I felt Cat dressing up as Sarah Palin was mocking the hostess which is really rude. If you don't want to support a person then don't go to their events. The better moment at the party were the words exchanged with Cat, Michaele's personal assistant and Michaele. I must admit I thought Cat didn't need to say a word about the assistant's remark. If Cat is going to dish it she better learn to take it. It was a horrible exchange between Cat and Michaele. I mean, Michaele trying to change the subject awkwardly with the wig remark and Cat making no sense with the shocking pink dress remark. Goodness it was a mess of a conversation, if you can call it one!! I mean talk about an awkward verbal exchange in which two women try to desperately outwit each other and both looked like idiots! Now, c'mon, that conversation was not boring and how Stacie just stood there through such an awkward moment??? Wow!!! Now, that was definitely, a Real Housewives moment. Not over the top but definitely a moment.
So, I was wondering wouldn't you be concerned if the hostess didn't show up? They all seemed a bit mean about her not making it. I wonder if they felt bad after they realized she really was ill??
Poor Lynda, this episode was not flattering and I mean it in a way that she was in all the staged scenes. The phone call to Stacie. Staged. Why would she call Stacie after the second offer is made??? So, Bravo could ask Stacie what she thought about Lynda moving? You know Lynda had been talking about it therefore she could have just given her opinion without the phone call. It is funny how you do get those people who are very Urban and just can't stand suburbia. Stacie is one of those people.
The pedicure scene, Staged! Showing her kids the house, Staged. I mean that scene was weird. I kept trying to figure out was that Lynda's stuff or was it the old owner and they had not moved yet. It was unclear???
The only scene that seemed authentic was the dinner with the Turner's!! Stacie doesn't believe in reverse discrimination. Not surprising. I do like Lynda. I loved it when she said "you close your eyes and a woman is woman and man is a man." I really liked that and I think Stacie has trouble with seeing beyond color. That is reverse discrimination.
Overall, I find The Real Housewives of D.C. interesting. They have some intense moments. Politics can get heated. They talk about race, obviously a very intense subject. These women are intelligent and lead full busy lives. Mixed in with their busy lives they gossip, have awkward moments and try to have a little fun. I think this is what WE CLAIMED we wanted. WE, the viewers said we wanted women of a higher stature. We said we wanted women with brains, careers, families and yet show us the ups and downs.
We said we were over the table flipping, hair pulling, screaming at each other in public and yet The Real Housewives of D.C. has the worst ratings. Yep, we are guilty, we like to watch train wreck and Bravo has the numbers to prove it.
I really do hope Bravo gives The Real Housewives of D.C. another season but I have a sinking feeling the ladies are going down! You know what is sad? I have no problem using the term Ladies with most of this group. Only one I would not include. I am not saying I love all of the women. Each one has their moment but I do enjoy this group and I actually wish that the Salahi's would not have been included I think they tarnish the series but something tells me the numbers will go up the night of their escapade.
Lucy
RFclub
