The ‘Orange County’ Housewives Escape for a Spa Day of Psychological Warfare
It’s always nice to escape the day-to-day world for a relaxing trip to wine country, where worldly worries fall to the wayside in favor of spa dates and coastal lunches. That is if you’re not Shannon Beador, a woman whose existence is a magnet for pain.
Each episode, a Jenga piece is removed from her ever-shaky tower of terror, pushing Shannon closer and closer to the brink of devastation. It’s daring storytelling, toeing the line of cruelty, while also providing the best-case scenario for a polarizing Housewife’s season post-DUI. The Real Housewives of Orange County is airing its most classic season in years, a good old-fashioned hero vs. villain arc that has given the entire cast something to chew on. The season’s only flaw is the incessant usage of ridiculous musical cues, but we’ve long lost the battle on the Selling Sunset-ification of reality TV. Please bring back the beautiful stylings of Alan Lazar!
The ladies embark on their second trip this week—and first as a full group—accompanying gay rights activist Heather Dubrow on her mecca to Sonoma County for the Family Equality fashion show. In the spirit of inclusivity, Heather extends an invite to both Alexis and Shannon, despite the John Jannsen legal drama hanging over their heads. No one can say the RHOC ladies don’t know how to show up to work.