We have finally arrived at the reunion, well, part one of the reunion, and I am ready to fucking go. Right at the jump, you can cut the tension with a knife, and it's unclear who's friends with who because it seems everyone is on edge. Just how I like my reunions.
Even backstage, while everyone is in hair and make up and arriving, you can just tell there is an undercurrent of hostility. Andrea Denver arrives with his girlfriend Lexi Sundin, Paige DeSorbo heads into Ciara Miller's room where Mya Allen is also getting ready, Lindsay Hubbard and Danielle Olivera are getting ready together, Carl Radke and Alex Wach are unintentionally in matching suits and Kyle Cooke has a baby mullet.
I'd really like to have a quick chat with the higher ups at Bravo because we gotta figure out their show's filming schedule. I don't think the network necessarily anticipated that a relationship would come out of the first crossover show they do (Winter House), but since we got one, we gotta start churning out these seasons a little quicker.
Because if you think about it, by the time they filmed this reunion, Paige and Craig Conover have already filmed Southern Charm and Winter House, and we are quickly heading into another season of filming for Summer House. So a lot has happened, a lot of new relationships and dynamics have formed, but yet, here we are rehashing a season of Summer House, which finished filming in September. Doesn't seem right.
And it's very, very clear that something has occurred that no one is discussing, especially when it comes to Lindsay and Paige. Paige wouldn't even look at Lindsay, and it was incredibly obvious that even Andy Cohen pointed out that Paige's body language was "wild." And Paige said how uncomfortable she felt sitting on that side of the couch where no one liked her "except the two people on the end," Alex and Andrea.
I found myself saying out loud, "what is Paige's problem" multiple times because her attitude and demeanor just seemed to disproportionate to what they were actually discussing. Especially when it came to Lindsay and her singledom. Even when it came to her friendship with Carl, Paige seemed strained.
At one point, Paige said that Carl was "yelling at her," which, he never raised his voice; Carl is the calmest person there. And her saying "what did you do all summer?" to him was one of the cruelest things. He expressed how that comment hurt him – he was sober for the first time in the Hamptons, isn't that "something" – and she spun that around on him. It was honestly impressive the level of gaslighting that we witnessed coming from Paige.
The issue when it comes to down to Lindsay and Ciara, I think, is a lot more layered and complicated and, as much as I hate Fozzy Bear, I really think it was an incredibly missed opportunity to not have Austen Kroll there to hash it out. I feel he would be able to take more of the brunt of it all and maybe shed some clarity onto the situation rather than all of the girls just coming for Lindsay. Who, by the way, I don't feel is 100% in the right when it comes to this, but I don't think everyone needs to come so hard for her. But that was kind of the theme of the entire episode.
It was clear to me that Amanda Batula, Ciara, and Paige came in with some sort of agenda, because the way they all just non-stop came at Lindsay, it almost felt like they were baiting her into being "activated." And she didn't take the bait.
She remained calm, even when everyone was questioning her, telling her she was spinning things, and forcing yet another apology out of her when she already had apologized. She held her own. But you know who had her back? Her Carlito. Which made him even more attractive to me, if that was possible. Because despite what Craig likes to say, that they aren't a believable couple, what they have is history and a deep love and respect for one another, so whether or not he was dating Lindsay, he would've stood up for her the same.
And Kyle telling him to take the "boyfriend hat off" made me laugh, because Kyle, are you fucking kidding me? Why would he? *Alexa play "Don't Be Stupid" by Shania Twain*
One of my favorite moments was when it came out that Carl told Austen not to come to the Hamptons because "being on three shows would be thirsty" and that really just made me laugh because it is incredibly thirsty of Craig, Paige, and Austen and I applaud Carl for having the balls to say that to her face.
Amanda seemed very focused on Lindsay giving Ciara an apology that wasn't a "I'm sorry IF I hurt you" apology, and while I understand that, I also think we need to keep that same energy when it comes to Ciara and Danielle, because Danielle has received nothing from Ciara except shady comments on her relationship on Watch What Happens Live! and I was happy Danielle got to express herself somewhat and the level of hurt she felt, but I still don't think Ciara really cares what Danielle feels.
For weeks I've been trying to figure out Mya. I like her but I don't really get her, if I'm being completely honest. I feel she was incredibly two-faced to Lindsay during the summer from everything we have seen and then to see her on the couch doubling-down on Ciara, claiming that Robert and Danielle broke up multiple times over the summer, it just seemed odd. And I know they hangout in real life so I just didn't get that whole thing, honestly.
I don't think when you are someone's friend you need to back them 100% even when they are lying or wrong, but with Mya, I just can't decide where she falls on any of the issues, except when it came to Austen, and I of course love that.
Next week the episode carries on more of the same, and you will hear no complaints from me because it really is a juicy drama filled reunion whether or not I agree with the majority of what is taking place. I'm ready to see how everyone leaves things, the Ciara hooking up with Austen revelation, I'm ready for it all.
But you guys know, I'm not ready to say goodbye to the best show on Bravo!