The Real Housewives of New York City Season 3 Reunion Part 1

Network: BRAVO
Series: RHONY
Episode: Season 3 Reunion, Part 1 of 3

Yes, fans, the report is that the Reunion is going to be shown in three parts. The first is tonight, Thursday, the second is Monday, the third part next Thursday, all at 9 PM. Immediately after tonight's installment of the reunion, I'll be blogging Bethenny Getting Married? which, along with TRUE BLOOD, is the reason I started this blog. TB is back Sunday night at 9 on HBO and I'll be covering it, too.

The commercials say this is the most anticipated reunion show in the history of the Real Housewives franchise and I'm sure it's true. It's been a season of epic battles, changing alliances and paranoid delusions. Twitter and FaceBook have been all abuzz with fans demanding that Andy Cohen hold some feet - Kelly's and Jill's - to the fire and hold them accountable for their reign of terror this season, but I don't hold out much hope. Jill is still feeding Kelly's delusions in the press and pushing her own selfish agenda while trying to discredit Bethenny and Alex. 

OK, here we go. Everyone seems very sedate, but the tension is so thick in the room that it's probably hard to breathe.

First up, Alex and Jill, toe to toe. They're showing all the times Jill insulted Alex's kids this year and then Bethenny's nefarious message. Then we see LuAnn scolding her, and we go to the fight in Jennifer's house, then see Alex telling Simon to STFU at Ramona's renewal ceremony. Alex says she let it all out, and she feels freer than ever. Uh oh, Alex and LuAnn are squaring off. Alex accuses LuAnn of taking sides, too. LuAnn is being condescending, what a surprise.

Andy asks Jill what she thinks of the new, outspoken Alex. Jill says she's glad Alex found her voice, but she criticizes her and Bethenny defends her. Jill says they weren't friends anyway so it's no big deal. Alex tries to respond and Jill interrupts, Alex continues, but Jill repeats that they aren't friends and it's no big deal. Andy diggs deeper and asks what exactly Alex has been holding in for 3 years. Alex says that every time people get something, Jill goes to the press and plants stories, tries to get people not to film with certain people.

A viewer asks how Alex can forgive Bethenny and Ramona, and Alex says because when she called them on it they stopped. Alex confronts Jill about running her mouth then trying to explain it away later. Jill is getting snippy.

Someone asks why Simon seems bloated this year and Alex says he stopped smoking and has gained about 6 pounds. The implication, of course, is that Jill planted a story about Simon being a drunk and saying that he and Alex were being dropped from the show. There was no truth to it, but it's one example of the dirty press Jill has been planting about the other women.

Now we're on to the "renewed Ramona-coaster." Ramona got in everyone's face this season, and they've got it all on tape. Bethenny jokes "did you renew your driver's license?" Andy has a comment from someone who isn't buying the renewed routine and Ramona says she's gotten tons of support on Twitter and other places. LuAnn says she's rude, and Ramona slips in a slam about LuAnn's one shoulder dresses. Ramona coyly deflects remarks about her big eyes.

LuAnn makes a comment about Ramona kissing the Hooter's captain and Ramona replies she wasn't screwing anyone else, which caused a beat of silence but nobody responded. Alex and Bethenny laugh that Ramona made out with all of them on that trip and Ramona says she just likes to kiss and it's no big deal, and Andy backs her up. Good for Andy.

Andy reads a question that asks whether Jill wasn't just as rude at Ramona's ceremony as Ramona was at the Kodak event. Jill apologizes in that quick, not-really-meaning it way she has.

Now they move to Bethenny's clips and Andy says she showed us she can not only have it all, she can have it all at once. We see the PETA shoot, Jason, the engagement announcement, peeing on the stick, then B and Jason dancing together at Ramona's reception, happily showing off her baby bump. Bethenny gushes over Brynn who is now (at the time of taping) 5 pounds 7 ounces. Andy makes her stand up and show how skinny she is only about 12 days after giving birth. Andy reads a comment that calls Bethenny a media whore, and Bethenny says that she thanks heaven for the press because they've made her business ventures successful. Now Bethenny and Kelly get into an argument because Bethenny says she never put Kelly in the press. Kelly is snippy and defensive but has no proof and after they go back and forth for a bit and Alex takes Bethenny's side, Andy says they're not going to resolve it today.

A viewer asks whether Bethenny and Kelly are not an equal match and Bethenny agrees. LuAnn laughs about warning Kelly about the trip and Kelly's face shows she's uncomfortable remembering "scary island." It's pretty obvious the viewers are going to get no satisfaction on that account. They could still challenge Kelly about claiming she was bullied, but I'll be surprised.


We're back and Kelly says she is clear that Bethenny didn't call the guy at Page 6 herself, but she seems to be implying someone working for Bethenny did. They're interrupted, though, because Ramona pops up and says she was too hot and had to stand. Andy says they'll break for lunch in 5 minutes, but we go back to commercial. WHOOPS! They show a preview for Monday's part 2 and it looks like they DO call Kelly out and she walks off. I can't wait.

Now we're on to the fight between Bethenny and Jill. We see all the clips and we see the phone call where LuAnn is listening in. Then we're at Ramona's house where LuAnn interferes. We hear Bethenny saying she tried three times to work it out and is giving up. Jill turns around when Ramona announces the engagement. We see Jill's supposed change of heart and the final  luncheon when Bethenny says "divorce is hard." Jill starts making excuses - she felt bad about dropping Ally off at school, yada yada, and she's a NY bitch (ain't that the truth) and she didn't really mean they're "done." Bethenny says what actually happened is that the show took Jill over and she became grasping and greedy (my words, not B's) and Bethenny began to feel she couldn't tell her about things because she'd go on a rampage. Bethenny says Jill came back wanting to "slay this girl" tried to get people not to film with her to sabotage her show. Alex steps up and says let it be the 5 of us and let Bethenny go off on her own and don't film with her. They really get going over whether Jill wanted to make up on or off camera at Ramona's. I can't even follow it - they're all talking, Jill is making excuses, Bethenny is calling her out for claiming she wanted to talk off camera when she does nothing else on camera and it goes on and on.


Bethenny says she has changed and Jill said she wouldn't change. Jill claims she has changed and she'll see it today. Bethenny says her life has changed and she doesn't know where to put Jill in her life because Jason doesn't care for her because she's materialistic. Jill gets upset and walks out. Kelly tries to step up but Andy takes them to break. End of part one!

The previews look great - more Monday. Next up Bethenny Getting Married?

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