On this week’s Real Housewives of Orange County, Tamra gives a speech and makes some startling revelations. Things are still a bit chilly between Terry and Heather. Slade and Gretchen learn they’ll have to make a baby in a new-fashioned way. Lydia urges Alexis to reach out to the other women, again. And Ryan receives his orders.
RHOC Star Tamra Barney Next in Line for Wedding Spin-Off >>>
Hot Under the Collar
Initially, Heather was willing to overlook Slade and Gretchen’s tardiness and all-around distracted behavior during her Hot in Cleveland taping in last week’s episode. This week, it’s a hot topic. And who is helping to fuel the flame? Why, it’s our favorite troublemaker Tamra. Kind of strange for her to encourage discord between her two good friends.
Gretchen and Slade aren’t the only ones on Heather’s s**t list, Terry is still on probation for, from what I can understand, several violations. He’s glib and insensitive about Heather’s return to work, and he cavalierly throws around the D-word: divorce. I’m starting to see a highly critical and judgmental side to Mrs. Dubrow that is a bit unflattering.
Frappuccinos and Forgiveness
In a refreshing change, Alexis is not filming alone or just with her husband. She and Lydia get together for some java. Lydia recalls the group’s trip to see Heather’s taping. I find it hard to pay attention to what they’re saying because Lydia’s wool cap and braids make her look like a hipster barista. Lydia continues to try and broker peace between the two groups, laying the bulk of the responsibility of mending fences on Alexis. I think if Lydia realized how much Tamra and Heather simply don’t like Alexis, she might lay off. I don’t think anyone watching cares if Alexis is ever brought back into the fold.
Romance Rebuffed
It looks like if there was a Vicki and Brooks break-up, the couple are back together. She heads to his condo for lunch. She admits that the two have been seeing each other several times a week. Too bad being reunited doesn’t feel so good. All of a sudden, control freak Vicki who, until recently, always steamrolled and manipulated her kids, thinks everyone should just live their lives and respect each other’s decisions. HYPOCRITE!!!
In an attempt to make the best out of an imperfect situation, Brooks invites Vicki for a romantic getaway, but she has to decline since she has already agreed to babysit her grandson. Lunch and the couple’s attitude quickly take a sour turn.
Public Speaking 101
Tamra has been invited to speak at the Los Angeles Ultimate Women’s Expo. In order to prepare herself for addressing a large group, she hires Gary, who is a speech coach. Tamra mentions the entrepreneurial nature of this gathering, but then she and Gary decide it is the appropriate venue for her to discuss her personal struggles. Why not talk about, oh, I don’t know, her multiple business ventures instead. The purpose of the event is unclear. It seems like nothing more than a glorified way to part women from their money.
Fertile Myrtle
Gretchen and Slade have decided to start preparing to have a baby. First stop, a transvaginal ultrasound for Gretchen to assess her fertility. Given her level of discomfort with this minor procedure, she’s got many nasty surprises in store for her if she and Slade do finally procreate. I also have to make it clear that her apprehension over the ultrasound doesn’t speak highly of Slade’s attributes. I can’t believe the doctor actually calls Gretchen’s uterus “lush.”
Along with good news comes the bad. Slade had a vasectomy over a decade ago, making a reversal not really a feasible option, so the doctor suggests they go the in vitro fertilization route. Gretchen is disappointed because the process of becoming pregnant and having a baby is not how she envisioned it.
Three’s Company
Vicki, Ryan, Briana and baby Troy head to San Diego where Briana and Troy are going to attend a Marine social function. On the way, Vicki is informed that Ryan has gotten his orders and he will be deployed to Afghanistan in a few months. Since he will be gone for almost a year, Briana makes it clear to her mother how much she will need her support to get through this time. It’s not looking too good for future rendezvous’ between Vicki and Brooks. Or it could be great news for Vicki since Ryan is the house hall monitor. It’s much easier to sneak around one person than two.
More Exasperation Than Inspiration
It turns out that Tamra is the keynote speaker for the expo and she gets off to a rocky start. Instead of giving these women useful information or even being entertaining, she opts for a sob story about how she didn’t feel loved growing up. If it weren’t so ridiculously self-indulgent, it would be hilarious. Also, she might have wanted to give her mom, who came to support her daughter, a heads-up about the topic of her speech. If she thought the news that she had a history of mental illness would come as a shock, she was sorely mistaken.
Terry and Heather finally have a good dialogue about their recent issues, and the couple seem back on sturdy ground.
Also, Lydia will not let her mother’s marijuana use go. She talks a good game to Alexis about forgiving and moving on, but she is like a dog with a bone on this subject. She lives in California where it’s legal to sell it in a cupcake. I think the wrong member of this family is sparking up the blunts.
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Mondays at 9pm on Bravo.
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(Image courtesy of Bravo)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Jennifer has worked as a freelance writer in the entertainment field since 2012. In addition to currently writing feature articles for Screen Rant, Jennifer has contributed content ranging from recaps to listicles to reviews for BuddyTV, PopMatters, TVRage, TVOvermind, and Tell-Tale TV. Links to some of Jennifer’s reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
