While it’s been fun watching Kyle and Sutton trigger each other every episode, the frenemies have finally decided to put things to rest (for now) following Kyle’s disastrous weed dinner. On tonight’s Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, it feels like the group is starting anew with Annemarie officially onboard as a full-time Housewife. Unfortunately, this nosy (according to Crystal) nurse anesthetist comes on a bit too strong and gets effortlessly schooled by Sutton. If social media is any indication, I don’t think this newbie will be a fan-favorite anytime soon.
This week’s episode centers around the fourth anniversary party for Sutton’s eponymous clothing store. But the women still have some things to clear up before they can celebrate the divorcee’s retail success, including Kyle and Dorit’s insinuation that she has a problem with alcohol. To everyone’s surprise, Crystal is, as Dorit calls her, the carrier pigeon in this situation. And based on the mid-season—even though we’re only a third of the way in—trailer following the episode, it seems like a producer has finally convinced her to play in the mud with the rest of her messy castmates.
But first, Kyle recaps the weed dinner and the questions around their marriage to Maurico, who, of course, denies any foul play. Kyle also gets a home visit from her therapist/life coach Jamie to talk about her fractured relationship with Kathy and the devastating loss of her lifelong best friend, Lorene, by suicide. She says those losses, on top of the instability in her marriage, have been particularly hard.
In reference to Kathy, Jamie tells Kyle that she’s not obligated to maintain unhealthy relationships, even if they’re family. Now we know that she and Kathy are on good terms, and she seemingly applied this advice to Mauricio instead. (I also have a theory that she’s playing up her hurt over Kathy this season to conceal her marital issues.) He also tells her to embrace her moment of growth (a.k.a her midlife crisis), even if it’ll “ruffle some feathers.” No, Jamie!
Then we move on to some boring family scenes. Garcelle goes out to dinner with Jaid and his girlfriend, Ashlyn. It’s actually very cute, but I still need more from Garcelle’s personal life than whatever her twin boys are up to—which is just being charming and polite. Meanwhile, Annemarie gets her first at-home scene, and we’re introduced to her gaggle of children and (jump scare) her husband, ex-footballer Marcellus Wiley.
Not only is this man currently being accused of sexual assault, he also feels very strongly about trans athletes competing alongside cis people. On a less serious note, he’s a bit hammy in his first scene. Then Annemarie tells us Marcellus’s very rude reason for wedding her. “He’s like ‘You’re an 8-and-a-half in everything,’” she says proudly in her confessional. “He’s like, ‘You’re not a 10 in looks. You’re not a 10 as an athlete. You’re not 10 in brains. But you’re a solid 8-and-a-half at everything you do.’” What??
Leading up to Sutton’s party, Erika calls her mother, Renee, to tell her that she signed her contract for her Las Vegas residency at the House of Blues. And Renee is already in Miss Tina mode asking about her hair and ready to pick selects. It’s interesting that the scene of Erika signing the deal, surrounded by giant letter balloons that spell out Vegas, was left on the cutting room floor and merely shown in flashback. But I appreciate the producers giving us smaller doses of Erika this season. She does have her own documentary special coming out, I guess.
Kyle also FaceTimes Morgan while she’s getting her makeup done for Sutton’s party. And she’s still trying to sell Morgan as this one-of-kind human being and not just a chill 28-year-old who doesn’t share her anxiety. Kyle also jokes about her and Mauricio possibly having secret families in different countries, in case anyone was actually buying that she doesn’t want the rumors surrounding her brought up.
So we finally make it to Sutton’s party. And Kyle brings Kim along to prove that she hasn’t lost two sisters, like Sutton said at her weed dinner, just one. Kim is still very upbeat and talking about her new art projects, which are just cute illustrations on walls. But I love this journey for her. She even suggests she bring her markers to Sutton’s store, so she can decorate the place.
When the three meet at the bar, Sutton makes a joke that she “needs permission from mom” before she can order a drink, referring to Kyle. Kyle knows exactly what she’s talking about and tries to defend her comments about Sutton’s alcohol consumption. She says she didn’t imply that she was an addict, just that she thought she had drank before the “NAME ‘EM!” argument—which is BS! But Sutton accepts this explanation.
Then Dorit, Garcelle, and Annemarie join them to re-litigate Kyle’s new ring. Kyle asks why Sutton and Garcelle weren’t curious about any of her other new jewelry, as if a necklace holds the same sentimental value as a wedding band. Then Garcelle notices that Kyle’s replaced her ring yet again with a Tiffany T True ring (which is giving lightning bolt necklace vibes.) “It’s almost like she wants us to ask, ‘why do you have a third ring?’” Garcelle says in her confessional. Exactly!
Then they circle back to the speculation about Sutton’s drinking with Dorit in the hot seat this time. Sutton says that Crystal reported what she and Kyle said back to her. And everyone is stunned that Crystal has gone from a neutral observer to the Sheree Whitfield of the group.
So they all go back to where Crystal and Erika are seated, and Dorit starts pleading her case to Crystal like she’s on trial for murder. After what seems like an hour of Dorit clarifying her comments, Crystal finally says, “I’m bored.” Then Annemarie decides she’s going to give her first Housewives argument a go. And boy, does she get humbled pretty fast. If she was going to come for Sutton, she should’ve done it at the weed dinner when Kyle was pissed at her. But now she’s trying to restart this discussion about Sutton’s esophageal stricture after everyone’s moved on.
Annemarie’s also not a doctor, which makes her judgments about Sutton’s eating and drinking habits immediately disputable. She asks about the specifics of Sutton’s esophagus disorder, and why she can’t just chew her food down more instead of not eating. When Sutton replies that she does eat, Annemarie immediately says it was Kyle’s comment and not hers. (So why are you asking about it??)
Then she goes after Sutton’s neuropathy and tells her that she shouldn’t drink while she’s taking Gabapentin. Sutton responds that her doctor told her she could, but Annemarie keeps insisting she’s not supposed to do that. Meanwhile, a cursory Google search shows an article from the National Health Society that says you can drink while on the drug.
Sutton almost has to refrain from laughing while responding to Annemarie. “Are we good, doctor?” she asks sarcastically. Annemarie responds that she’s being condescending, as if she didn’t just try to tell Sutton about her own esophagus in front of a group of people! Anyway, no one cares enough to jump in, so they all move on and salute Sutton’s business. They end the episode taking a group photo, which always precedes some mess that will inevitably divide them on Real Housewives. I can’t wait!
