The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Recap: Assistant Tea

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Okay, so this week’s episode of Rich Women Doing Things was WILD. They took their chaos to Sedona, and honestly, I was living for it. Picture this: they were playing bumper cars… inside a supermarket! And they almost ran over this poor guy, but just kept going! Then came the shopping spree – seriously, $500 globes, $1400 coats, and turquoise jewelry sets for $2300! They didn’t even think about whether it was okay to buy that jewelry, which… wow. But the best part? They hiked up this mountain, completely out of breath, just to sit with their crystals and give them water! Like they thought they could grow a crystal tree to save the world from some vortex. It was ridiculous, amazing, and I can’t wait for next week!

The women, especially the wealthier ones, spent a lot of time discussing Sutton. Before we get to Ms. Brown, though, we need to address Rachel Zoe, as her initial period of adjustment is over. I’ve decided, and I feel confident in saying, that Rachel is a great addition to the show. She’s being herself, and that self is a bit strange and quirky, mysterious and unsettling. She’s not quite like a character from the Addams Family, but with her long hair and flowing dresses, she sometimes resembles Cousin Itt wearing oversized sunglasses.

Rachel comes from a time when reality TV was still new, and the Housewives franchise was just beginning. That’s why she seems so authentic – she’s simply being herself, like she did when she first appeared on Bravo. Unlike many newcomers, she doesn’t seem to have a set idea of how to play the ‘reality star’ role. Plus, she already knows these women and easily integrates into their social circle, understanding when to contribute to conversations and when to stay quiet. She’s settling in really well. I don’t expect her to create a lot of conflict or drama, and honestly, I’ve lost hope that this show will be as dramatic as it once was. Ultimately, it’s a show about wealthy women living their lives, and Rachel has been excelling at that so far.

I’m genuinely worried about Kathy Hilton. She seems really off. She’s been up all night, barely leaving her room, and mostly just watching TikTok. She’s not participating with the group and seems completely disconnected, even wandering around with a napkin stuck to her shoe without realizing it. It’s hard to understand how she’s coping. She doesn’t even have her assistant here to help, which is unusual for her. (And speaking of helpers, I have a crush on the assistant who brought pastries to Jen Tilly – muscles, good taste in podcasts, and a helpful attitude? I’m impressed!)

Kyle doesn’t seem very worried about her sister, Kathy, which makes sense considering Kyle tends to focus on herself. Plus, Kathy has always been pretty independent. Right now, Kyle is worried about her friendship with Dorit. After a long hike, she and Erika talked on a mountaintop – a spot known for its energy – and Kyle explained that Dorit feels unsupported. However, Kyle is getting conflicting information from Mo about what’s really going on, and she’s confused. Kyle often says she supports her female friends, but I don’t think it’s okay to side with an ex-husband during a friend’s divorce. I agree with Erika: Kyle needs to stay out of it before she damages both relationships.

Dorit is complaining to Boz and Rachel, both of whom are a bit emotionally sensitive at the moment, about a situation with Kyle. Dorit says Kyle is telling everyone she’s being supportive, more so than usual, but Dorit wants to see Kyle actually act supportive before she believes it. They don’t have much time to dwell on it, though, as they spent the day shopping and hiking and then returned home to cook for themselves. It’s baffling – with three assistants, two makeup artists, a hairstylist, an accountant, a webmaster, and a team of 47 producers, why aren’t they able to hire a chef? Surely someone on staff knows how to grill chicken, or one of the assistants could be put to work!

I’m really frustrated with this situation, mainly because the workload isn’t being shared fairly and it feels chaotic. Some people, like Jen Tilly, aren’t comfortable cooking, and others prioritize getting ready over helping with dinner. I agree with Amanda that this is a problem. It’s unfair that Sutton insists everyone cook, assigns herself a large dish, and then doesn’t follow through because she needs personal time. I’d be upset too! Sutton claims it’s a vacation and people should do as they please, but her lack of participation is leaving everyone hungry. When you’re counting on someone, they should step up and help, especially with something like dinner, and do it promptly. Otherwise, things are going to escalate quickly.

Just before dinner, Amanda wondered if she should share some information with Sutton. A friend had told her about a recent encounter with Avi, Sutton’s former assistant. Apparently, Avi mentioned Amanda to this friend and said she should contact him if she wanted to learn damaging information about Sutton – and even suggested Amanda hire him to really upset Sutton. Amanda asked Kyle for advice, who, after a moment of thought, encouraged her to bring it up during dinner. Amanda then relayed this story to Sutton.

Sutton’s response is odd. She simply says “Okay, fine” and claims it doesn’t concern her, then states she didn’t think Avi would ever say such a thing. I’m confused – does she believe he wouldn’t say it because of the million-dollar NDA she paid him? Or because they’re still on good terms? Perhaps she thinks it’s out of character for him? Or does she think he didn’t say it because she suspects Amanda is trying to create drama and believes bringing up Avi will get Amanda’s attention? I have many questions about Sutton and Avi, but the biggest one is why she doesn’t think Avi would say that.

The issue resurfaced the next evening during dinner. Sutton had taken them to a restaurant either by or in the airport – a location everyone found equally unappealing, comparable to making guests cook for themselves and then arriving late with the main course. Amanda mentioned Sutton’s outburst in the kitchen, how she’d called Amanda “missy” and dismissed her complaint about being late. I side with Sutton – being called “missy” by a Southerner isn’t a major offense. It’s a way of expressing frustration while softening the blow, showing you’re serious but not intentionally unkind. Amanda likely undermined any goodwill when she questioned if Sutton was actually upset about her mentioning Sutton’s assistant.

Sutton gets visibly upset and asks the other women to stop discussing her and Avi when she’s around, demanding to know if she’s understood. This is a playful reference to a famous scene from the movie A Few Good Men. Rachel quickly responds with a clear “Crystal,” and shortly after, Kyle Richards’ plane takes off from a nearby airport. Erika immediately points out that Sutton’s attempt to avoid the topic is actually drawing more attention to it, making it seem like a bigger deal than it needs to be. Erika excels in this moment, reminding Sutton that she currently has a good relationship with everyone and shouldn’t let this bother her. She also clarifies that Amanda didn’t mean any harm, she just came across as gossipy.

Sutton believes Amanda is acting with bad intentions, insisting Avi would never say what Amanda did and accusing her of seeking attention. However, viewers haven’t gotten to know Amanda well enough to determine if she’s being truthful or not. What’s clear is that Sutton is very upset. When Kyle checks on her, Sutton admits she’s not okay, and she abruptly cuts Jen off before Jen can speak, not even knowing if Jen was offering support or commenting on her hat.

Jen and Kyle stepped away, and Jen expressed her frustration with being criticized. She believes Sutton receives preferential treatment from their friend group due to being perceived as sensitive, and she thinks this dynamic contributed to Garcelle’s departure. Jen feels the situation always revolves around Sutton, leaving little room for anyone else. She described a powerful, overwhelming energy in the group – Sutton’s dependence, Rachel’s eccentricities, Boz’s passivity, Dorit’s anxiety, Kyle’s preoccupation, Erika’s signature hairstyle, Kathy’s wild behavior, and Amanda’s… unique energy. Jen felt like this chaotic mix of personalities was creating a swirling, intense atmosphere, comparing it to a brewing storm or ingredients combining in a cauldron, building towards an inevitable explosion.

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2026-01-16 04:55