The Bravo drought is over, and the Real Housewives of Orange County are here to quench our thirst. Even if some of them were just as thirsty as we were LOL.
*Cough, Alexis Bellino and John Janssen.*
Orange County Season 18 Production
The new breaking of the 4th wall that Bravo seems to be doing was ever present, like when Shannon looked into the camera when Alexis stormed off post argument.
The production value this season is top tier. It had a surrealism vibe that the season 17 reunion stage had. The confessionals looked sharper and clearer, and the camera work did its thing. It’s almost like we all had on super bright, vibrant prescription glasses while watching.
I also noticed that they added a lot more visual aid. Whenever the ladies would reference something, there would be a photo on the other half of the screen. I thought that was a great asset to start including.
Another change I noticed was the zoom out during confessionals. Prior seasons, housewives would wear nice tops because they filmed from the waist up. Now, you can see the ladies’ full outfits from how they are sitting. I don’t know if it necessarily adds value to the confessional scenes, but it was another stylistic change I noted.
Shannon’s DUI
As anticipated, the start of the season centered around Shannon’s DUI. We learned even more about what happened from Shannon’s perspective.
Long to the short, Shannon and “Johnny J” formerly, John Janssen, had gotten into another screaming match. In a fit of rage, Shannon walked out to the car to imply she was leaving. John did not want her to leave as she was intoxicated. To make him scared, Shannon revved her engine. Only, she actually took off and lost control of the car and crashed into a building. From Shannon’s POV, the entire situation happened in a matter of 10 seconds.
Much to Shannon’s dismay, the ladies weren’t super sensitive to what happened. Namely, her former bestie Tamra Judge. Tamra was not extending much grace to Shannon in her scenes when the ladies were filming talking about what happened. Not that they should given how dire it could have been.
We also learned that Alexis and John began dating just 6 weeks after Shannon and John split. Tamra says that Shannon’s karma from the accident is God giving the “girl she hates” to John.
Shannon has a touching moment with her 3 daughters (Stella, Adeline, and Sophie) when she’s sharing her feelings about Alexis and John dating. Her girls are poised, smart, and so beautiful. You can say what you want about Shannon but she is a great mother, and you can tell her daughters truly respect her.
Emily and Shane
Emily and Shane are such an odd couple, but they provided levity to the episode. Emily’s first scene featured Shane putting an exercise massager on her nether regions.
Emily also made two snarky remarks about Shane in her confessionals within the first 20 minutes. It’s funny to watch their banter back and forth.
I think Emily is such a great asset to the franchise. She’s always been very representative of a working mother with a “normal” body. She has lost a lot of weight (40 pounds) but she did it in the gym. I thought that was inspiring.
Heather and Terry
Fancy Pants Dubrow is BACK! So is yet another home reno. It wouldn’t be a Heather scene if she wasn’t parading contractors, designers, and builders around a 30,000 square foot home. No matter the season, some things never change.
We learned that Heather is mainly living in LA, which has me questioning how her commute works for filming. I guess when you are that rich you don’t necessarily have to care. Do rich people even sit in traffic? I’ll never know!
Gina and Travis
Just like Gina’s first season on RHOC, we are left scratching our heads on this storyline. The children are growing up and growing out of their current Orange County home. Gina has two boys and a girl from her previous marriage to Matt, and Travis has two girls a one boy. The modern day brady bunch!
As we know the real estate market is not great right now and I can only imagine it’s even worse in Orange County. Gina and Travis cannot afford to buy a house the size they need to accommodate their family. So, the solution? Moving into separate homes.
Gina also alludes to Travis’s ex-wife playing a major role in their relationship. She dropped “baggage” quite a lot when referencing their past relationship. Especially when she contrasts how well she and Matt are co-parenting their children.
Another interesting tidbit learned – Travis is the first person Gina has ever been “in love with.”
Alexis Bellino Returns
Jesus Jugs has entered the building, and she brought her newfound relationship with her. Alexis shares from her perspective how she and the rebranded Johnny J met.
On November 18, they both went to have dinner (separately) at the popular RHOC stomping ground, The Quiet Woman. John slipped into Alexis’s booth, and they instantly connected.
Alexis says that she and John knew by the second week that their whirlwind romance was legit.
Alexis maintains that the lawsuit that her ex-husband Jim Bellino filed against Tamra and Shannon had nothing to do with her. More on that later.
Tamra and Sophia
It was so refreshing to finally see Sophia on our screens! Sophia and Spencer have both lived with Tamra, but her ex-husband Simon refused to let them film. Now that Sophia is 18, she is ready to make her OC debut.
Tamra’s children are so different than she is which is hysterical. Both Sophia and Spencer are the artsy, liberal type, while I assume Tamra tends to lean more conservative. Either way, I think seeing Tamra with her children humanizes her and shows a different side that we don’t often see. It’s nice to see her in mommy mode, even if her children are well into adulthood.
We see Tamra have a breakdown in the tattoo parlor re: her relationship, or lack thereof, with her eldest daughter, Sidney.
Sidney and Tamra have had a hot and cold relationship throughout the years due to Sidney’s connection and siding with Simon Barney.
Here’s hoping Tamra can have a full house one day with all of her children home!
Jenn and Ryan
My goodness this scene was hard to watch. I’m not just talking about Ryan’s green pleather jacket. Jenn opens up about her financial woes. Due to her ex not paying their rent in full each month (unbeknownst to her), Jenn and her family were evicted from their home.
What makes it even more awkward is the fact Gina was Jenn’s realtor and now she’s “cc’d” on all her eviction emails LOL.
Heather’s Party at Balboa Bay Resort
We meet Gina’s friend Katie who is a new cast member this season. RHOBH’s Sutton Stracke actually connected Gina and Katie when Katie needed an OC realtor. Kismet.
Alexis and Shannon have a blow out conversation surrounding one John Janssen. As the ladies scurry to read lips, Shannon drags a metal table across the ground to position them in the shade. A shady spot for a shady convo.
But before I get into that, Shannon walked into the party serving absolute c-nt. You can tell that the DUI was the wakeup call she desperately needed to get her life back on track. She appears healthier and of sound mind. Not to beat a dead horse, but my goodness she looks good.
Back to the fight.
Alexis assures Shannon that she had no involvement in Jim’s lawsuit toward her. She maintains they were not together at all when he filed, and that she’s only mad at her because John chose her over Shannon.
Final Thoughts on Orange County
This season premiere delivered in every way. It answered questions, connected dots, had laugh out loud moments — all of it.
Someone said on twitter that Jenn gives quintessential OC housewife vibes and that is exactly how the premiere felt.
The drama felt organic, not manufactured and the ladies are connected. It’s not a group of random OC women who don’t know each other from Adam trying to make a friend group work. There’s nostalgia mixed in with a fresh vibe that you do need to stay current. I have a good feeling about this season and I hope this continues to the other franchises as they gear up to premiere this fall.
I don’t want to be too premature when I say this, but is Bravo back??
Tell me all your thoughts from the Real Housewives of Orange County premiere!
