Steven Henry/Getty ImagesWelcome back to Real Housewife of New York Bethenny Frankel's exclusive blog about The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Bethenny blogs exclusively for E! Online every Wednesday, dishing about the craziness that goes down with these Jersey girls each week. Here's her third installment, for episode three.
Take it away Bethenny...
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Those coming attractions keep bringing us back, but I'm not finding the actual content all that riveting (and I mean not even in a "can't look away from a trainwreck kind of way"). I find it pretty boring so far, and I think it is largely because the husbands may be the most interesting characters, and they don't seem to be surfacing anytime soon. When Dina's show opening is sans husband, you know he cracked the whip and said, "Keep my ass off that show!"
We even got to see the back of Jacqueline's husband's head during that painful dinner for six with Danielle. The viewer doesn't like missing characters that aren't missing in life. Been there. Done that.
On to specifics...
We can't blame Gia for anything. She is a beautiful little girl who seems smart and sweet. I fear for her future husband, because he will have a rough time keeping her materially happy. The bevy of suitcases for a children's photo shoot was horrific. Jill Zarin always brings the most jewelry, accessories and extras, and she doesn't even come close. It was disgusting. There, I said it. I'm also not a fan of a modeling agent saying anything negative whatsoever in front of a child. Like Gia needed to hear that her pageant pictures were inferior. Again, disgusting, and potentially damaging as well.
Teresa just doesn't seem to know any better, is potentially bored and is clearly living vicariously through her daughter.
As for Caroline, you can't not like her. She cares about her children; doesn't care about Botox or clothing or gossip in particular. She cares about her family. I want to go to her house, eat her sausage and peppers and lie down and be taken care of. Love.
Her sister Dina is a bit more tricky. She was very sweet with and seems to honor her brother. She doesn't seem to be fulfilled by her work, seems a bit conflicted in her marriage and something smells of discontent here. I would be willing to bet she's had some minor work done on that pretty face of hers, and I think she just wanted to elevate herself and put Danielle down about the Botox. That backfired, because the audience knows that that forehead and lips have had some help.
I also know that this is the Jersey Housewives' first season, and the producers undoubtedly asked them to get together for the show. Clearly Dina didn't want to do this for America to see. Fair enough.
As for Danielle, I know she is nuts and damaged. But as a viewer, I really respect her putting it out there and doing and saying it all for us to see. She might be hiding her past, but the others are hiding their present. She just seems miserable. As for her wanting to keep young to keep her 26-year-old, by the looks of him, she could sit on her ass all day eating Mallomars and get a guy like him. He is unattractive, sneaky-looking and just plain sleazy. Obviously, she can do better. Dating her gardener or the first person she sees on the street would be an improvement.
I'm not surprised that Jacqueline's daughter is failing school or that she got a brand-new car. She is spoiled and her mother is a sweet doormat who doesn't seem to want to take a position on anything. Caroline said it all right in the kitchen. Staying out of family/friend gossip and drama is one thing, but when your kid is failing, bring out that firm hand. That car would never see the light of day if it were me. I have no kids and don't always opine in this way, but this I am sure of. Ironically, Danielle's children seem lovely and she seems to spend a lot of time with them.
As I said, the episode was lukewarm, but I can see the final episodes will be spicy. They keep pushing the Danielle-Dina rivalry, and it just isn't doing it. They live in the same town and don't like each other. How fascinating. We can see that there are some skeletons in Danielle's closet, which isn't so surprising or interesting.
What is way more interesting is what Danielle has on Dina. I find Caroline and Danielle to be the most entertaining to watch, with Dina right behind. Jacqueline and Teresa are a bit of a snooze at the moment. Without their kids, people may not watch at all. Three more episodes to go!
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Check back here, same time, same place, for a recap of next week's The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Bethenny Frankel is the inventor of the Skinnygirl Margarita and author of the New York Times best-seller Naturally Thin, available everywhere books are sold. Information, updates and recipes can be found at www.bethenny.com and www.skinnygirlcocktails.com.
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