TJG: (Part 2) Bravo Catch Up & RHOC S20 E7 with Ryan Bailey!

Two Judgey Girls

In this episode of Two Judgy Girls, Courtney and Ryan Bailey dive into the latest season of The Real Housewives of Orange County (RHOC S20 E

Key takeaways

• The RHOC season feels repetitive, with 'Groundhog Day' dynamics and no new storylines despite strong individual characters like Carmela and Heather's mom.
• The show's rapid production timeline—jumping from New Year's to Halloween in just months—suggests it prioritizes content over genuine life events.

Main topics

• RHOC Season 20 Episode 7 critique
• Stagnation in the show's narrative and character dynamics

Notable quotes

"It's Groundhog's Day again and again. There is nothing new about any of this at all."

"I wish I could have a real conversation with Tamara about how she really feels about this show."

Conclusion

While acknowledging the enduring appeal of RHOC due to nostalgia and fan loyalty,

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:15) Welcome back to Two Judgy Girls. It's Courtney from L.A. and we're back with part two with Ryan Bailey. Speaker 1 (0:20) OK, should we start, Osi? Speaker 3 (0:23) Well, I think you got the gist of OC. By the way, that's what I said with OC. I said, you know, it was a really great episode because 20 minutes in, I took an amazing power nap and I dreamt I was watching the new season of Salt Lake and it was awesome. You know, I Speaker 2 (0:37) always watch the episodes. I try to watch them twice, once just to get the gist and one to see the details. I have to compartmentalize like that. I paused it at least three times this morning. Speaker 3 (0:47) It Speaker 2 (0:48) was tough. Speaker 3 (0:49) It's legitimately watching paint dry at moments. And there are moments where you're like, OK, and there's a quirky thing here or a little thing there. But at the end of the day, I think this show needs revamped. I mean, like, I think you don't obviously get rid of everybody because I don't think that works. But I think you've come to the end of the road in terms of the relationships. These ladies have formed with each other and the dynamic, like there is nothing interesting. It's Groundhog's Day again and again. There is nothing new about any of this at all. And the sad thing is Carmela seems genuinely interesting. And I feel like she's on a dud season. If we didn't have Carmela. There would legitimately be nothing. We are doing the same arguments again and again and again. And they were talking about having sex with their partners. And Rebecca was like, I picture Heather and Terry is just having smooth body parts like Barbies. I don't want to hear about what everybody went in the bedroom. I Speaker 2 (1:46) love Heather. Speaker 3 (1:47) Oh, I want a full documentary on Heather's mom. She's been a bright spot of this season for me. I think I'd be like, put Heather to Beverly Hills and keep Heather's mom in OC. Speaker 2 (1:58) I mean, that wouldn't be a bad thing. Watching Vicky and Shannon suck up to Heather's mom, I was like, there's something here. Speaker 3 (2:06) And I know Vicky bumps into her in Puerto Vallarta. Speaker 2 (2:09) The funny thing about Vicky is the hypocritical nature of her. I joke and call myself a hypocrite, but like Vicky really is. Her trying to grill Carmela about living in San Diego and having a place in OC as if Vicky doesn't live in OC but really lives in Puerto Vallarta more often. Vicky is just... I think she's just a walking caricature of herself. And I think a lot of them are. And I love Shannon. Shannon is the heart of the OC. But then you watch her and you're like, has this show jumped the shark in a way? Are we looking for problems just to have conflict so that we have something to talk about? Tamara taking a backseat this entire season because she's always a pot stirrer. It's like she's a necessary evil. And I'm. Team Tamara here, which is crazy because I say I'm in the Upside Down all the time. I Speaker 3 (2:53) wish I could have a real conversation with Tamara about how she really feels about this show because she also does a podcast commenting on other Housewives shows. And she has to realize that this isn't good, what is happening. And I would be so curious because I think she has more of a producer's brain that's good and bad that what she thought or what she thinks is happening. But also with Shannon, who I dearly love as well, she obviously had such an intense season two seasons ago that they took it easier on her last season. It seems like they're taking it, well, they're taking it easy on everybody this season, but you can also tell Shannon kind of hams it up in the sense of she knows what she thinks people like about her of like, oh, is my, is my arm skin? Oh, is my arm flapping? Like she does these kind of flourishes. that once again, I would argue that you don't need to do any of that. Like we genuinely love these ladies just for being them. And I don't like when people become caricatures of themselves. That's what kind of Lisa Rinna, I think, blew it for me on her last season, where it was almost like she was imitating herself. But I think at this point, like they're all just grasping at straws. And to go to Vegas and then all of a sudden then to like. Go to the Grand Canyon? I would be like, no. Two hours, Speaker 2 (4:01) 15 minutes. I looked it up the distance. I'll stay in Vegas, Speaker 3 (4:04) thank you. What are we doing at the Grand Canyon all of a sudden? And then there's like, you can go zipline or you can go to the cultural center. I got nervous for that segment. I really did. I was like, everybody should zipline. Speaker 2 (4:15) Like they were going to do something offensive? They Speaker 3 (4:17) were going to say something offensive. It wasn't going to land. I thought it was just wildly out of place for OC. The Speaker 2 (4:22) Grand Canyon is gorgeous. It's like on my list of places to go. Have you been before? Speaker 3 (4:25) Yeah, it is beautiful. Speaker 2 (4:27) Them going like, this isn't even really that close. It's like Carmela and Heather having to drive to Orange County to film. It's far for them. The fact that any other franchise, when they have vacation episodes, cast trips, we're spending three to four episodes there because we have half days that take up an entire episode and we fit two days into this episode. It doesn't bode well for the cast. Speaker 3 (4:50) Well, don't they have two more trips because they go to Japan, right? At this rate, you could put these ladies anywhere. And I don't know if you would find any sort of natural drama. And it's really not the fault of the ladies where they just might not have anything going on in their lives right now. That happens all the time. If you put a reality camera on me right now, it would be boring as hell. And I feel like. Sometimes they rush these shows into production because they know they're going to be able to sell advertising on it and people are going to watch. I'll watch regardless. And I will. I'll never quit watching these shows. But sometimes you might want to wait till something's actually happening in their lives. Speaker 2 (5:24) I was saying it's really interesting the turnaround time on. Orange County, because we know Gina got engaged New Year's Eve. We know that they're filming Heather's opening party was Valentine's Day. And we're now in, what, August? And then we watched the other shows and we were doing Friendsgiving. We're doing Halloween. So it's like the turnaround time is so fast because we want to do the 20th season. We want to celebrate Rehugget. We want to do all of that. And there really is nothing going on. And I feel like. We could have just a fun season. We don't always need to have conflict. And that's, I think, maybe the problem is when you're trying to push conflict and we're going to fight over electromagnetic radiation in the rooms. And then it's really leading to Shannon's just lonely and she doesn't have anyone to talk about. And we're coming after fancy pants because she's fancy. These Speaker 3 (6:09) are co-workers. These are people besides Jean and Emily that don't naturally hang out in the offseason. But Speaker 2 (6:14) Trace Amigas, though, to be fair, they actually, I'd actually say this cast does hang out. in pairs. Not Speaker 3 (6:21) in the way that they used to. I feel like they really need their breathing room. And I feel like they pick back up cameras relatively quickly compared to other seasons where it's then hard to expect these ladies to have fun with each other when I don't know if they want to have fun with each other. And you can't force fun. Speaker 2 (6:37) And also, Jen can't be this mastermind of conflict that she thinks she is because you have to have the mind to be a mastermind, you know? Speaker 3 (6:46) Well, Jen needs to watch her kids, obviously. I get scared now. I'm like, yeah, she's going to Vegas all the time. And then we know what's happening with her kids. And I just feel like, oh, God. And then, like, I don't know how the Ryan FBI storyline just disappeared from two seasons ago. Wasn't he in trouble? Part of it was going to Vegas and gambling money from ill-gotten gains. There are questions like that I have where I'm like, well, why aren't we even bringing that up anymore? It Speaker 2 (7:08) has to be light and fun, Ryan. Light and fun. Speaker 3 (7:12) I just feel like it is. I don't feel that it is hitting that light and fun, funny bone for me. But also I realized that we view this in a different way. A lot of people, I've heard people that say, I really am enjoying OC this season. So I know they're out there. Speaker 2 (7:29) Like you said, people are hate watching it or because the nostalgia factor or we've been here for 20 seasons, we need to keep going or they're like genuinely invested. There's something about OC I think keeps people in. I also think it kind of is like a Beverly Hills. Beverly Hills has a lot of casual fans that check in every so often. And OC kind of feels the same way for me. Speaker 3 (7:48) Well, that's why it's like Beverly Hills, OC, New York before the cast change and Jersey and Atlanta. Those are the core shows that will always have some form of an audience, regardless of how bad the season is. But that's why it's hard. It's always an uphill battle for shows like Miami and things like that of people that feel like they weren't in on the ground floor. And it was really hard to convert new viewers because at that point you're like, well, we have five. That's a lot. But they will tune in religiously still to this day. And it's easy breezy for them where I think we watch it from this like critical eye. And sometimes we'll see this season. It doesn't almost deserve a critical look. Speaker 2 (8:26) That's a good point. But I would ask this then. Why do you think Atlanta was so successful this season? It's in its 17th season. I thought this season has been so fun, so fantastic. And then you have like OC where we're in the 20th season, 17-20. And there's still something about Atlanta this season that I was like, this season hits for me. Speaker 3 (8:45) Those ladies are brilliantly funny. Speaker 1 (8:49) but I'm saying like the Speaker 2 (8:50) reinventing of the wheel with Atlanta and maybe because last season was tough and maybe that'll be for OC. This is the tough season and next season will be way better. But Atlanta, yes. Oh God, the women are genuinely so freaking funny. Like I Speaker 3 (9:03) could watch that and I would consider it just a flat out comedy at times, but also you have people like Portia that are like not shying away from like, yeah. I'm a lesbian. I'm in love with Sway. There's no hiding it. And I think that is so refreshing. You want to talk about an evolution. You watch Portia from her first season till now. You have Phaedra not even having to share actual things going on in her life where I'm still like, God, I love her so much. You know, you have people that you love. You have Angela. I bought a Fange the other week. Speaker 2 (9:30) Mine arrives Monday. Speaker 3 (9:31) I have the box upstairs. Rebecca keeps going, are you going to open it? And I was like, I'm going to do an unboxing video. And I was like, I keep not opening it, but I bought a Fange. Speaker 2 (9:39) It's hot in L.A., Ryan. Open the Fange. I Speaker 3 (9:42) don't go outside. I'm good. So that's why Vicky's going to Atlanta next season. Speaker 2 (9:47) Oh, could you imagine? We see it on Rehoga right now, but could you imagine Vicky in any other cast where she thinks she'd come in as a top dog and they'd be like, so we're going to knock you down a couple of Speaker 3 (9:57) notches Speaker 2 (9:57) here. We're going to keep you on your scooter. NeNe yelling, where is your scooter? Speaker 3 (10:04) Get me the scooter. Because Speaker 2 (10:05) Nini has to be back next season, right? Speaker 3 (10:07) I Speaker 1 (10:07) think she'll be back in two Speaker 3 (10:08) seasons. Speaker 1 (10:09) I Speaker 3 (10:09) think she'll be back in Speaker 1 (10:10) two seasons. I Speaker 3 (10:11) think you'll see Nini on Traders before you see her on Atlanta. Fine. Speaker 2 (10:15) I want her on any part of my screen that I can get her on. I Speaker 3 (10:18) think you'll have a slow Nini rollout, but I think it'll eventually end with Atlanta. And I can't wait because it's just going to make that show even stronger. Yep. That'll be amazing. But Tamara on the OC red carpet, because I think I asked, I was like, hey. Which one of your cast members would survive on another franchise? She's like, none of these bitches. No, she goes, I would. And I'm like, no, you wouldn't even. Speaker 2 (10:39) You cried at Dorinda's. She made you cry because you brought food upstairs. I just think Emily or Gina, Gina would cry. They would just fade into the background because the standout characters to me on Orange County are Shannon, Tamara. Even Heather. But I think Heather, even putting her on Beverly Hills, I think she would fade to the background there. Speaker 3 (11:02) I'd be willing to try, though, to see what that's like. I think it's always good to wake these people up. And that's why, like, even Gina and Emily, who I think on any other cast would not have lasted this long in terms of seasons, where it's like they really, just by the magic of how OC is set up, have lasted this long. But at some point, you're now making it where one of them will not stay next season. Speaker 2 (11:24) Is that your prediction? Speaker 3 (11:26) Well, yeah, because usually then you have to break up the real, like, you know, whether it be Giselle and Robin for Potomac or Lisa and Erica Jane on Beverly Hills. And usually then you're able to re-appreciate the person that stays because then they're forced to actually dive in a little deeper into other relationships. But even then, when I think about that, I'm like, well, what are they really diving into? Who Speaker 2 (11:47) are you keeping? Gina or Emily? Doesn't matter. Speaker 3 (11:52) It really is very interchangeable to me. Who would you keep? Speaker 2 (11:55) I'd keep Gina. Speaker 3 (11:56) Yeah. Speaker 2 (11:57) Emily, I actually feel bad that every season is about her body. It's either about her body or it's about her kids. And Speaker 3 (12:03) she's so proud of it. And Speaker 2 (12:05) she looks fantastic. I'm Speaker 3 (12:06) one of those idiots that I was like, I thought even when she said she was at her heaviest, I thought she was good looking. Speaker 2 (12:11) She did. She looks fantastic. And wherever she feels her best in is great. But it's such a main focus on this show. And if it's not that, it's her kids. I'd rather her body than her kids. Speaker 3 (12:20) I think those kids are going to wake up one day, find out that they were like a storyline on a whole season. Or even when she starts talking about, we have the biggest issues with Luke. I'm like, no, Emily. We've had to really move the whole entire house. Annabelle has to go downstairs. Sometimes I'm like, I don't want to know. It's like when the valley, when you're like, it's so uncomfortable where I sometimes will excuse myself during scenes because I'm like, you guys are having a private conversation. I'm going to excuse myself. I Speaker 2 (12:43) shouldn't be here. Speaker 3 (12:44) I don't need to know this much, you know? Speaker 2 (12:46) Well, I was going to ask because obviously you're a new dad. Do you watch these shows now? I know. I don't know if you're aware. Speaker 1 (12:55) But to Speaker 2 (12:56) a beautiful baby. But do you watch these shows now with a different eye when you're watching them as parents? Because now you are a parent. The Speaker 3 (13:04) Valley is so completely triggering and really a different viewing experience where you are like, oh, and by the way, all joking aside, the conversation around postpartum depression, I really appreciate. It is something so real. I'm not saying that's what we're going through, but it is something that should be talked about. And it is something that like. I never really gave a lot of thought because I didn't have any kids. I didn't have any of that. But, you know, whether it be Hayden Panettiere talking about that this week has been in the conversation, the Lindsay Clancy trial with postpartum psychosis, it is a real thing. And so even like silly reality. I mean, I appreciate the Valley for trying to tackle something that is so insane where it's like Danny Booker talking about him. There's. I hate to use like, oh, that's like a sexy topic, but it's Speaker 2 (13:49) a