‘Real Housewives of Orange County’: Love, honor and obey

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In this week’s episode, newbie Alexis had more screen time -- and that’s not necessarily a good thing. Maybe the absence of Jeana is the problem. There’s no one there who’s bold enough to call out/tease Alexis about her lifestyle. First, we see Alexis take her two not-old-enough-to-get-manicures/pedicures daughters to get ... well, a mani-pedi. No biggie, right? She certainly isn’t the first mother to do it. But when discussing her ‘ideals’ and marriage with Gretchen, she lost me. Calling her husband/master ‘godly’? Puh-lease. Then the whole spending-time-apart-from-the-husband issue came up. Alexis lost me when she started talking about the ‘devil’ and ‘temptation.’ It’s rare that I agree with Gretchen, but when she noted that hypocrisy in the statement -- pointing out how weird it is that Alexis can wear tight, revealing clothes that have the potential to lure men, yet they don’t allow temptation in their life -- I found myself shouting, ‘THANK YOU!’ To have to say that it’s not because you don’t trust each other is baloney.

Donn, Vicki’s husband, seems just as flummoxed by Alexis and Jim’s idea of a happy marriage. After playing golf with Jim and Simon, the topic of what constitutes an ideal marriage came up when Jim and Simon essentially invited themselves on the trip to Florida. Donn said he had no interest in tagging along. And Alexis’ master, Jim, said he had ‘no problem with Donn allowing Vicki to go’ alone. Phew! So glad Jim approves!

And the other ‘Housewives’ master, Simon, continues his reign over Tamra. We learn Tamra has been offered a job with her Realtor, but Simon isn’t too supportive. He wants her home and working part time. Dude, this is 2009.

Meanwhile, Lynne and her daughter, Raquel, went in for plastic surgery. Raquel got a nose job; Lynne got a brow and neck lift. They seem to be happy with their results ... for now.

So what do you think, Show Trackers? Are Simon and Jim too controlling? What are your thoughts on the mother-daughter surgery?

-- Yvonne Villarreal