I saw this week that Bravo has launched a line of Real Housewives branded wine to coincide with the launch of RHOSLC-there’s a white, a red and a rose option. I actually just happened to be watching an old season RHOC the other day when I was folding laundry, and it was the season when Tamra and Vicki were in a feud and argued over who was contributing more their Wines by Wives partnership. It feels very significant to me that wine and housewives are still an essential part of our pop culture dialogue, but that Tamra and Vicki are not holding oranges this season yet they still seem to be stirring up all the drama off camera. In a way they’re gone, but in a way they’re still as powerful as ever….it kind of feels a little spooky, right?

Who’s Not Invited:

Candiace: Monique should not have touched her. If Candiace wants to file charges, that is her right-I think it’s a little dramatic, but she has the right to let the justice system decide. However, for her to want Monique to go to jail over hair pulling in a wine barn on a reality show that didn’t result in any serious physical harm is totally crazy! Monique has three children and a very needy bird. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to another human, much less a mother of three small children, to go to jail over hair pulling. This is why it’s so hard to like Candiace even when she starts out in the right. I also can’t believe that Gizelle and Robyn and Wendy are going along with it.

Michael Darby: He’s still terrible and that therapy session didn’t give me any more sympathy for him.

Wendy and Her Husband: Loved her family and children-they are so cute and I could have watched hours of footage from that party. The clothes and the music and food were all amazing. However, why did she and her husband think that his family would show up to a party that was being filmed after years of not speaking when all he did was send a single text two days before the event?? If they wanted to heal a painful wound, I would have thought they would have called and I definitely would have given more notice. Last minute invitations are never a thoughtful gesture.

The Ghost of Tamra Barney: is still alive and well and doing it’s best to spread drama throughout the OC. Do you think she thought she was coming back to show at this point or was she just doing it out of habit or spite?

Who Made the Guest List:

Uncle Lump: He gave Ashley some great advice and seems to do a wonderful job of being the male role model in her life. I hope she takes some of his words to heart.

Ashley: I was glad that Ashley stood up for Monique, although I would have taken another approach. I always think it's so interesting to see which housewives stand up for people who aren’t around and which choose to just stay out of it. Ashely tried to be a good friend to Monique while still acknowledging that Monique should never have touched Candiace, and I couldn’t believe that Gizelle was so dismissive of her. Gizelle is riding her high horse straight to the Unlikeable Ranch on this issue.

Gina and Emily: Their restaurant scene as the drunk Dos Idiotas was the most likeable and also the worst behaved that Gina and Emily have ever been on this show. Gina was so mean about Bronwyn and Emily was more relaxed that she’s ever been on camera, and it made me like them just a little bit.

Shannon: She seems very happy with her business and was a good friend to Bronwyn when she opened up to her about her issues with alcohol. It looks like that friendship is about take a hard turn, but I hope that they can work it out.