Fall TV Blog

Perhaps last week’s Vegas weekend was a bit too much bonding on The Real Houswives of Orange County because in Tuesday’s episode, the ladies went their separate ways.

Vicki boarded a cruise ship with her husband Donn, her son Michael and his friend, and headed out to sea where lucky passengers could take part in Vicki’s new seminar series, L.I.F.E. (Living Inspired & Fully Engaged). But Donn, Michael and his friend did everything they could to stay away from Vicki’s lessons, opting instead to drink at the bar. The only problem was that Vicki brought them along with the understanding that they’d attend the seminars and learn something.

Tamra traveled to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to visit her estranged father. The reunited duo sat by the lake and shared words. Trying to comprehend how her parents’ happy relationship could fall apart when she was 25-years-old, Tam broke down and told her father that she probably loved him more than anyone. At a Japanese dinner later in the show, Tamra’s son Ryan bonded with his older (and married) cousin Nancy. “Ryan! She is related to you,” Tamra yelled across the table at her son, who was getting too close to Nancy. (more…)

After dealing with the ups and downs of ill-behaved children in last week’s episode, the Real Housewives of Orange County were in dire need of a vacation — and so the ladies hit Sin City to get into some trouble of their own.

The gals checked into a $5,500 a night presidential suite at the Red Rock Las Vegas — complete with an eight-person Jacuzzi, full bar and pool table — and immediately toasted to a weekend “truce” over champagne before heading to the pool.

There, a fully clothed and unhappy looking Jeana moaned about wanting to find a man. Gretchen, who flitted about between the pool and bar in a yellow bikini and oversized hat, purchased a “hottie whistle” and presented it to Tamra. Lynne sat on as the girls hurled insults her ways. This time the main perpetrator was Jeana. “Lynne and I are past the ‘hottie whistle’ age,” she explained. Meanwhile, Vicki went back and forth between being on the phone — her daughter was having boyfriend issues (maybe she should talk to Jeana?) — and flirting with the idea of — well, flirting with other men. (more…)

As if we didn’t get enough of the next generation of Housewives and their House-bands with the recent incident involving Gretchen and Tamra’s persistent son Ryan, Tuesday’s Real Housewives of Orange County followed some more youngsters with less than desirable behavior. And between disrespectful sons and a cocktail-guzzling daughter, the Housewives were definitely busy.

Planning to cheer on 22-year old son Shane in a minor league baseball game, Jeana — along with Vicki — headed to Chicago. The gals made a pit stop at Vic’s old home to catch up with her “people.”

As the friends knocked back cosmos like women of Sex and the (Windy) City, conversation quickly took a turn for the obvious — pre-marital sex. Vicki offered up a tidbit about her O.C. pal: Jeana allowed her kids, at 16, to have sex in her home. Regardless of Vicki’s saintly stance on the topic, she didn’t look much better when the cameras caught her sitting on the lap of her best friend’s husband as she gave him butterfly kisses and tousled his hair. (more…)

Good News? Sad News? Regardless of your stance, we can report: Gretchen and Ryan are NOT the newest couple on The Real Housewives of Orange County.

After a tequila-fueled dinner at Tam’s place, they didn’t hook up, but Gretchen did manage to say behind a closed door, “I like you. You’re really cute and totally turn me one,” before she rejected the persevering youngster’s request for “just one kiss.”

A few days later the two reunited at a pool party — this time sans copious amounts of tequila (children younger than Ryan were present). Despite Tam’s insistence that, “Ryan showed up because he knew Gretchen would be at the house,” nothing but hugs and an awkward hello were exchanged.

This didn’t stop Tamra from awkwardly notifying her guests of the affair that never was. And when she wasn’t gossiping about Gretchen, Tam was complimenting her pals on boob jobs well done. “I think Gretchen was a little jealous. She wants boobs so bad,” she said. (more…)

On Tuesday’s Real Housewives of Orange County, an etiquette class inspired Tamra to throw a high-class fete. With a little too much help from her husband Simon, chef Brian Malarkey (from Top Chef season 3!) and son Ryan — acting as bartender — Tamra welcomed the ladies for multiple courses of fine dining.

Gretchen strutted in first. Feeling guilt over her fiancé’s worsening condition, she tried to forget about her pain and sashayed into the backyard in a low-cut magenta dress. “I was glad to meet Gretchen, she’s a smokin’ hot girl,” Ryan said right away, as he ogled Gretchen from afar.

The other Housewives arrived, and Tamra was quick to pour tequila shots for all her guests. But her proclivity for always keeping Gretchen’s glass full was dully noted. She snickered to Vicki that she was going to get her “naked wasted.” (more…)

The Real Housewives of Orange County — with the exception of Vicki, who was out of town — got together on Tuesday’s episode at the St. Regis to go shopping for hats to wear to the races.

Gretchen and Tamra were back on good terms after Tamra apologized for making Gretchen cry during a dinner when she questioned her for celebrating the Fourth of July while her fiancé Jeff was in the hospital. But the women got competitive again over the pink hats when Gretchen claimed all of them for herself.

At the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, “where the surf meets the turf,” Gretchen wasn’t wearing a pink hat and Tamra immediately took note. She also commented on how Lynne and her husband Frank were not like they rest of the Housewives: “[They] remind me of 1970 surfers. They’re so mellow.”

Pretty soon, there were two groups: Vicki and Tamra and their dates at one table, and Jeana, Gretchen and Lynne and their dates at another. When Jeana and Gretchen go to place their bets, Lynne is left alone with Vicki and Tamra deliberately ignoring her. “I just wanted to be friends with these ladies,” Lynne said. “I don’t know what their problem was.” (more…)

After shaking her tail feathers with friends at a burlesque party, Gretchen went shopping with her friend and client Lynne, officially introducing viewers to the new Housewife. “Staying fit is very much a part of my life,” Lynne said. “Hook me up with some Botox … I’m game for everything.”

Lynne and her husband Rick, of 18 years, have two children, Alexa, 15, and Raquel, 17, who are the “biggest problem” in their life. “I’m the worst pushover with my kids,” she explained. Over lunch with Raquel, Lynne discussed her upcoming 18th birthday. Raquel wanted a party, but Lynne wasn’t so sure. “I’ll figure out a way to do it with or without you,” Raquel said.

When the conversation turned to the consequences of drinking too much, Raquel offered a hangover cure. Her tip: Taking a shower and turning the water from hot to cold to hot again. Also, taking Alka-Seltzer. “I like Googled it,” she said assuredly. But Raquel had second thoughts when Lynne told her Alka-Seltzer was fattening.

Tamra decided to come clean over lunch and admitted to Gretchen that the Housewives hazed her before their trip to the spa in L.A. Gretchen was in a forgiving mood when she hear that her new friend had joked, “Hold on to your daddies, girls. Here comes Gretchen.” (more…)

Saying, “My family is my priority,” Lauri Waring Peterson quit The Real Housewives of Orange County on Tuesday’s episode, after disclosing that her son Josh — who’d struggled with an addiction to heroin — had relapsed, been arrested and was eventually sentenced to eight months in jail.

Quick question: Will you miss Lauri, George and their kids, including horseback-riding Sophia and Ashley, whose skin care line is in the works? What will happen with them?

Her departure from the show makes way for a new Housewife Lynne Curtin, who promised in promos for next week’s show, “I’m obsessed with being young.” Indeed, her bio on the Bravotv.com, says she is a former gymnast, an avid surfer, runner, horseback rider and kick-boxer. It also says she prefers to be friends (rather than a disciplinarian) to her “outspoken” teen daughters Raquel, 18, and Alexa, 16. “I want to be the cool mom,” she says. “I don’t want to say no.”

We’ll see how Vicki deals with the new new girl. (more…)

Tuesday’s episode had the Housewives hopping into a limo and heading to L.A. for a day at a (very expensive) spa. Gretchen was the last to be picked up and as she walked down her driveway to the limo, she had a hunch the ladies were talking about her behind the tinted windows. She was right. The women laughed, called her a gold digger and speculated about whether she’d gotten breast implants.

Gossiping about the new girl (and telling her to shut her mouth at a champagne brunch on the spa’s roof) wasn’t the only drama for Vicki, who was planning a “family vacation” to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Her husband Donn wanted to go but Vicki couldn’t understand why he would want to spend time with his wife and kids. Meanwhile, her “babies” — 22-year-old Michael and 21-year-old Briana — decided at the last minute that they didn’t want to go on the trip but Vicki forced them to pack their bags and come along. On top of that, Vicki, who can’t stop working, was desperate to evict tenants from her rental property and decided to call to check on her court date while getting a pedicure with Jeana, who rented the property and sat next to her, trying to relax in the spa’s chair. (more…)

Watch out New York and Atlanta, the women of The Real Housewives of Orange County have returned to reclaim their mantle as the most fabulous ladies on Bravo. With three seasons under their (animal-printed) belts, the original Housewives — Vicki, Lauri, Jeana, Tamra and newbie Gretchen, who joins the ranks this season — are back for more brawling, bawling and Botox. – Brian Orloff

Here’s what each Housewife was up to on Tuesday’s season 4 premiere:

Vicki: She works hard for the money — but Vicki Gunvalson knows how to enjoy it too. Right away, the insurance agent takes her son Michael out to check out a yacht, complete with a washer and dryer, plasma screen and autopilot. But how to pay for it? Gunvalson hatches a plan to convince her daughter Briana and hubby Donn that they should sell their river house to afford the boat. (more…)