On this week’s episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County, the girls travel to Canada for some skiing and other outdoor adventures. Tamra finally reveals a secret she’s been keeping from Vicki. Lauri and Gretchen suffer the wrath of Vicki. And Lydia’s plans for a calm, elegant weekend go down the drain.
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Canada, Huh? (I Refuse to Use Eh)
So, it turns out Lydia is Canadian, and she’s upset that Americans don’t know anything outside America. I have news for Lydia: many Americans don’t know much about what’s going on inside America either. But she’s determined to broaden the girls’ horizons — all of whom have traveled extensively, I’m sure — by taking them to her birthplace.
Alexis drops by to give Lydia a present since she had a bit of a tough time on the last group trip to Mexico. The gift, a crystal covered Bible, just screams Alexis. Now Lydia has to drag the hideous holy book through customs. Alexis, who is also going to Canada, is still harping on that trip to Costa Rica, and says she’s coming well equipped this time. All the ammunition she needs is in a similiar tacky Bible.
To Tell or Not to Tell
Lydia and Tamra meet to go shopping for their upcoming trip to Whistler. Heather tells Tamra she won’t be able to stay long due to her shooting schedule on Malibu Country. Tamra questions her why she’s bothering to come at all, and Heather says she wants to support Lydia and accompany her on the pilgrimage to her homeland. It turns out Lauri will be tagging along as well. Tamra confides in Heather that she has a “weird concern” about the ex-housewife hanging with the group. She tells Heather all the dirt that Lauri told Gretchen, including the story of the infamous threesome. Heather admits she’s already heard this gossip from Gretchen as well.
Tamra feels like she should tell Vicki, but she doesn’t know how to bring it up. Heather doesn’t think it’s anybody’s business, and it shouldn’t be brought up at all. Tamra is torn between keeping Gretchen’s confidence and not hurting Vicki’s feelings. Tamra is also a bit shocked by Lauri’s vindictive behavior, telling Heather this is not the Lauri she knows. Let’s face facts, Tamra and Lauri were never close, so how could she possibly know what Lauri is capable of? The woman has been missing in action for years.
Partly Confused
No sooner do the girls hit foreign soil, and the BS begin. Heather tells all the girls she won’t be staying for long because she has to get back to work. Heather says that according to her sources, executives from the show wanted Gretchen for a very brief cameo but there were scheduling issues and the opportunity passed. Gretchen says she received a call and was going to go in, but it happened to be the same day everyone was going wedding dress shopping with Tamra. Heather is dubious since she made it to the table reading the same day and still managed to be the first to arrive at the dress shop. She’s convinced that if Gretchen was actually offered a part, she should have had no problem working and being there for Tamra.
I’m not sure if Heather is feeling some territoriality about this job or is just convinced that Gretchen is lying. She’s just won’t let it go, which is very unlike our “Jewish Mary Poppins.” Heather brings up the fact that Gretchen said the shoot was on a Friday when the show doesn’t ever tape on Fridays. Gretchen thinks Heather is hung up on a technicality. Then Alexis chimes in that she also got a call about appearing on the show, but she was too busy. Who cares who got offered what? The show sucked and got cancelled. Everybody move on.
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A Little In and Out
Lydia’s Uncle Greg, holy hotness, joins the ladies in Whistler. All the girls gather in Lydia’s room for some cocktails to kick off their trip. Tamra notices Lauri and Vicki being all chummy and still can’t decide whether to rat out Lauri or let the story die. The girls try to play matchmaker between Lydia’s uncle and Vicki. And Vicki is most definitely receptive behaving like Scarlett O’Hara at a barbeque. Lydia isn’t hoping for a love connection; she says she has enough crazy in her family. Turns out Greg is taken, and Vicki’s hopes of a quickie are dashed. The evening quickly winds down, and Heather, after spending roughly six hours north of the border, returns to California.
Skiing and Seething
The next day, the ladies hit the slopes and the s**t hits the fan. As the girls split into separate gondolas, Gretchen asks Lauri if she’s spoken to Vicki yet, and Lauri says no. Then she asks Gretchen if she said something to Tamra or anybody else concerning what they discussed at the stables, and Gretchen admits that she did. Obviously, this is exactly what Lauri was hoping would happen, otherwise why would she confide in Gretchen? But Lauri is quick to point out that she never said that Vicki had a threesome, only that Lauri caught her in bed with two other people. Give me a break, what else are people going to think? You’re not going to get out of this one on a technicality, Lauri.
Tamra finally decides to come clean with Vicki and tells her friend that Lauri told Gretchen some personal, unflattering “sexual things” about her. Vicki is livid and threatens to reveal things about Lauri. Vicki confronts Gretchen about the conversation she had with Lauri, wanting to know specifically what was said. Gretchen is caught off guard and irritated that Tamra blabbed even though she said she wouldn’t.
I will give Vicki credit for being honest about being unfaithful to Don. I’m not sure whether admitting to being a serial adulteress helps clear her name when it comes to the accusations of other more “lewd” sexual acts. It’s unfortunate that Gretchen was the messenger because Vicki lashes out at her just for giving any credence to the rumors.
Lauri makes it to the bottom of the mountain and into the belly of the beast. Vicki starts in on her immediately, but Lauri tells Vicki she never said that Vicki had sex with multiple partners. She might not have said it, but she damn sure implied it. Vicki insists that she was fully clothed and watching a movie. Lauri isn’t the least bit intimidated, she barely even raises her voice while Vicki is screaming like a banshee. Lauri says this is the “game of telephone from hell,” and she feels she’s been betrayed.
I can’t wait to find out which housewife “accidentally” falls down a mountain next week.
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Mondays at 9pm on Bravo.
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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.
