Real Housewives of Orange County recap: 'Mystic Mistake'
Who could have predicted that a group dinner with a psychic would go terribly wrong? Not the psychic, apparently! Here’s what went on down this week’s episode:
Lydia is…going to Iceland! And she’s taking all the other housewives with her, even though it’s very clear that most of these woman can’t stand each other and would absolutely never go on a girls’ trip were it not for a reality show making them do it. She’s going there to “review Iceland” for Nobleman magazine, a fact worth digesting for a sec: Yes, a group of housewives are going to help Lydia “review” an entire country for what looks like a vanity-project men’s magazine started by her husband? Can’t wait to read that.
Vicki is…listening to her heart. Literally — she’s going to her cardiologist to get a checkup on her heart health. She’s been under a lot of stress recently — cue a Bravo supercut of Vicki screaming at people over the years — and wants to make sure her ticker is working A-OK. According to her doctor, it’s not in as great a shape as it could be. I didn’t understand anything her doctor told her, but Vicki seems to think some of her heart issues are stress related, and that certainly fits the narrative she’s crafting about her life at this time. She starts unloading to her doctor about all the reasons why that could be, telling him, “You’re not my therapist,” right before she kinda treats him like one anyway.
Meghan is…hosting a psychic dinner party. She thinks that meeting with a psychic would help all the women get over their issues, so she brings her friend “Michaela Mystic” to read some auras and assess some energies during the course of a catered dinner. The problem? A handful of the housewives don’t believe in psychics and don’t want anything to do with her. It’s a little awkward when Peggy is the first arrive and flat-out refuses to have her aura read.
Kelly is…sitting this one out. She and Vicki are freaked out by psychics and instead have a girls’ night to themselves. Lydia was hoping to invite them to Iceland along with the rest of the gals at dinner, so she gives the two a call from Meghan’s house and extends the offer to go to Iceland. This puts Kelly slightly a little on edge considering that last season’s Ireland trip was definitely not her best moment.
Tamra is…kind of over Shannon’s sensitivity right now. Trouble in their friendship has been quietly brewing for a few episodes, and it almost comes to a head when they’re on the phone recapping the Sulahians’ anniversary party and how Diko pulled Shannon aside to complain about David’s alleged “interrogation” of Peggy’s health issues. Shannon accuses Tamra of giving it more life than it needs just as she’s accusing Shannon of doing the same. It ends with Tamra throwing her phone out of frustration, but later in the episode they seem to be on good terms: Tamra invites Shannon over to tell her that her estranged daughter has texted her and invited Tamra to her graduation.
Peggy is…mad at Shannon. Though they ended things on a good note at the anniversary party, with Shannon apologizing on behalf of her husband and Peggy telling her it’s all good, Shannon apparently hasn’t been texting Peggy back or returning her calls. Peggy confronts her at the dinner table, and it gets ugly fast. As Shannon tries to explain herself, Peggy drops the “Do you trust your husband?” line, knowing that’s a low blow given the ups and downs Shannon and her husband have had in the past few years. Shannon, meanwhile, keeps talking, talking, talking — it doesn’t seem to go on for that long when you watch the edited television version of the evening’s events, but other housewives keep referring to how much air she took up, so we’re probably talking filibuster levels of defensiveness here. Neither Shannon nor Peggy will back down and give in, so the fight keeps escalating until Peggy basically gives her a verbal eff-you: “Who cares about your feelings or your husband’s feelings? I’m lucky enough to not be going through chemo right now. Let’s talk about that.”
Shannon is…not doing so great. She storms off to the bathroom trailed by Tamra, and Lydia eventually follows and tells Shannon to talk it out one on one with Peggy. It’s unclear exactly what sets Peggy off when they do, but she starts crying and realizes their talk isn’t going anywhere and leaves the party early. Shannon is upset because she looks like the bad guy even though she was trying to tell Peggy that she never meant to hurt her feelings or cause trouble — she was just sticking up for herself and also felt vulnerable. This is clearly about so much more than just what David did, and Shannon eventually realizes it. Later, at Tamra’s house, she admits that she’s starting to take the sadness and anger about the state of her marriage out on all kinds of people and other situations where it’s not necessarily relevant. Tamra suggests maybe some space from David would be a good thing — perhaps this Iceland trip is coming at a good time after all.