While most shows are taking a hiatus and making us find a way to survive without them over the winter holidays, Bravo is gracious enough to continue airing new episodes of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills right through to 2016. This week’s episode “The M Word” was all about drama that is just beginning to unfold surrounding Yolanda’s illness.
Although in the last episode Lisa Vanderpump had to forgo getting her husband a miniature horse (as the horse was not up to her standards), fortunately, her rich friends came to the rescue. The episode kicks off with Lisa’s friends arriving at the house with not 1, but 2 miniature horses (including a baby that is only a few months old). The horses were escorted through the house, as Lisa introduces them to their new playmates: her zoo of swans and dogs. Later, Ken (Lisa’s husband) finally arrives home and met the two new family members.
Shortly after, we see Yolanda gearing up to go on an annual boating vacation with her then-husband, David Foster. It is sad to watch the two being so happy and lovey-dovey, knowing that eventually this will all end in divorce. However, the two end up in a secluded part of British Columbia to “reconnect [their] souls in the core of our love.” While for the most part they seem to be happy, there is some foreshadowing of trouble ahead, as Yolanda has to pass up on activities that David wanted to do because of her condition (i.e. hiking, long kayak trips, etc.) Yolanda explains, “the minute I got married I got sick. Obviously, it has been taxing on my relationship. David gets impatient, and he’s allowed to get impatient. It’s a tough deal for him as well.” At one point, it was almost like Yolanda had a crystal ball and had seen the future of their marriage as she states, “we used to do everything together. That is over. It’s life, and we’re either gonna get through it together, or we’re not.” Evidently, the latter happened.
Meanwhile, back in California, new housewife Erika Girardi gets some more screen time. Clearly, she lives the life of many of her cast mates, as she struggles trying to make time with her big-time lawyer husband. However, she does differ as she has created a successful career as a dance-music artist, Erika Jayne. Although she seems like an interesting enough person, her storyline is still very much disconnected from the core of the show, which makes for a relatively boring segment.
Just like Erika, Kyle Richard’s daughter Portia, 7, is hoping to get herself into the entertainment business. Although Kyle admits she was initially hesitant, she eventually accepted that Portia wanted to follow in her acting footsteps and even takes her to weekly acting classes so she can work on her craft. Fortunately, Portia has already made a name for herself as the family drama queen, so acting isn’t completely out of the realm of possibilities for her future.
Later on, Lisa V is seen greeting some of her fellow housewives at her door, as they come to meet her two new little horses. The first two to arrive are Lisa Rinna and Kyle Richards, who sit down and gossip with Lisa V, as they wait for Eileen Davidson. During this, they begin talking about Yolanda and Lisa R admits that she has facilitated outsider conversation about Yolanda possibly faking her illness for self-assurance or attention. Lisa says she feels ashamed but goes on to read the Wikipedia definition for Munchausen Syndrome, which basically insinuates that Yolanda’s illness is a creation of her own mind. Lisa V and Kyle seem to somewhat agree that it may not be Lyme disease that she is fighting, but they all try to give Yolanda the benefit of the doubt while still allowing themselves to engage in their favorite activity: gossiping about each other.
Of course, Kyle couldn’t escape without also getting hounded about her sister Kim Richards’ situation. Kyle states she doesn’t really know anything about her sister’s life while Lisa R points out that her sister opted to do the over-the-top disaster parody Sharknado 3 after she made fun of Lisa R’s willingness to do “anything for a buck” on a previous Housewives reunion show. In a confessional Kyle reveals, “a lot of people blame Kim’s battle with addiction on her being a child actor, but I disagree. I think people are just born who they are. I think you’re either predisposed to be troubled and have these issues or not.”
Furthermore, it seems that the Yolanda situation will be the foundation for the big dramatic blowouts this season. Fortunately, for us RHOBH fans, this storyline is just beginning to unfold, as the women are just starting to open up about their true opinions of the situation.
You can catch more of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills next week, Tuesday, December 29 on Bravo.
Next week:
Lisa V has to make an emergency trip to the vet’s, as one of her Swans falls ill. Meanwhile, Yolanda engages her kids and mother in a tough conversation on the eve of getting her breast implants removed.