The Real Housewives of Miami Season-Finale Recap: Santa Slays

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The way this episode ended felt straight out of a *Scooby-Doo* cartoon. Everyone huddled together to hear the reveal: there was no ghost or demon, just someone in disguise. And who was behind all the trouble this season? Adriana de Moura! Though, maybe pulling off the mask *did* reveal a demon after all.

Adriana’s had a relatively calm season, mostly avoiding conflict and focusing on her hurt feelings about Julia’s friendship with Alexia and Marysol. There was a memorable argument with Marysol about her knees, but it felt almost harmless and Marysol seemed to have brought it on herself. However, the old Adriana is returning – the one who frustrated viewers for years with her stubbornness, tendency to misinterpret things, and lack of loyalty unless people constantly praised her. While she was irritating, that’s also what made her such a good reality TV personality.

The drama begins when Adriana unexpectedly arrives at Marysol’s holiday party, which is also a gifting event. It turns out Marysol and Alexia both scheduled their parties for the same day without discussing it. Adriana, Guerdy, Larsa, and Stephanie attend Marysol’s, enjoying free gifts like pajamas, IV drips, and jewelry, and even a surprise visit from Jill Zarin, who’s secretly been planning revenge on Andy Cohen. Meanwhile, Julia, Lisa, and Kiki end up at Alexia and Frankie’s Beauty Bar, where they receive manicures, less-than-fresh prosecco, and lukewarm sushi. While there’s no Santa, Alexia’s friend Jonny is on hand to criticize Todd before heading back to Spain.

Okay, let me tell you, the drama was already brewing at Marysol’s party. Adriana was immediately unloading on Guerdy about Julia, claiming Julia isn’t a real friend after their blow-up at the art party. She’s convinced Julia has been using her and secretly working against her the whole time! And she wasn’t letting Kiki off the hook either, still upset about that age joke. This is all a problem for Stephanie, because Adriana and Kiki are key to *her* party, and if they’re feuding, it could ruin everything. Adriana, ever the hostess, assured Stephanie she’d handle it and keep things smooth… but honestly, I’m not convinced that’s possible with this group!

Julia is caught between other events and a large Christmas party, but she’s also hosting something of her own – an event centered around opera and foster care. It’s not quite a fundraiser or a concert; it’s a bit unclear what it is exactly. It appears to be a promotion for *Carmen*, an opera Julia performed in, but she presented it as a charity gala. At the event, she brought together representatives from the opera and a foster care worker who helped her adopt her children, hoping they might collaborate in the future. Honestly, the whole thing could have easily been handled with a simple email.

Julia’s friends, Alexia and Marysol, were at the gathering, along with Kiki, and they all wondered why Adriana couldn’t make it. Adriana explained she had a band rehearsal with twelve people and couldn’t change the schedule. Everyone had a point: Julia felt Adriana’s absence showed how she felt about Julia and her kids, which was true. Adriana countered that Julia hadn’t mentioned singing when she texted and she couldn’t cancel her rehearsal, also a valid point. Alexia believed Adriana was trying to make Julia feel isolated and unhappy with her new friendships, and she seemed to be right about that too.

Everyone involved had a point, but also made some mistakes. Julia should have realized Adriana’s last-minute notice and performance made it impossible for her to attend. Adriana, in turn, should have checked in with Julia after rehearsal to see how things went, knowing how much it meant to her. As for Alexia, she actually seemed to understand the situation perfectly – a first! Someone needs to recognize Alexia for that, maybe with a reward or a raise.

The conversation flows on at Stephanie’s party, though her husband, Masoud, is absent due to a business dinner he couldn’t move. Marysol’s husband, Steve, does attend. Lisa’s boyfriend, Jody, almost didn’t come – she’d initially told him it would be in December without air conditioning. But then she joked there would be lots of snow, and he got so excited he exclaimed he’d be there, practically grinding his teeth.

True to her promise, Adriana starts off trying to be on her best behavior, particularly with Kiki. Kiki gently calls Adriana out for revealing her age with a math problem on her birthday cake, and Adriana quickly accepts the apology. Adriana also apologizes for her actions in the previous episode, where she asked her friend Carol to falsely assure Kiki she wasn’t racist. They reconcile with a hug, and this is the only positive thing Adriana does throughout the rest of the episode.

Actually, Adriana’s new song, “I Love My Dog,” is surprisingly good! Compared to other songs from the Real Housewives over the years – like “Tardy for the Party” or Danielle Staub’s “Real Close” – this one feels the most genuine and relatable. It’s simply a sweet song about her love for her dog, and honestly, who can’t relate to that? Dogs are amazing! It’s become the most charming and memorable song in the Housewives’ musical history, much like “Smelly Cat” is for Friends.

Adriana is delaying the performance with excessive demands. She insists on specific lighting, wants the area around her piano cleared, and needs everything to be perfect. While it’s important for artists to have a vision, they also need to be punctual and consider their audience. Adriana needs to realize this isn’t a grand concert hall – it’s a Christmas party in a food court. Professionalism and preparation are good, but it’s important to be realistic about the setting.

Following her performance, Julia questioned Adriana about why she skipped the event. Adriana felt Julia didn’t respect her work, which Julia found surprising given the nature of Adriana’s performances – two heavily Auto-Tuned dance songs and a silly song about pets. Adriana also accused Julia of wanting her to abandon her aspirations just to attend. While the event could have been a good opportunity, it’s unclear if it truly aligned with Adriana’s goals. Adriana then pointed out she’s been performing for 14 years, compared to Julia’s one year, implying her experience somehow made her dream more important.

The argument quickly intensifies, revealing a lot about Adriana’s character. She angrily questions Julia about a minor detail – whether she knew her band had twelve members. Julia, frustrated, points out that Adriana hasn’t asked about her children, a far more important issue than Adriana’s struggling music career. Adriana defensively asks if she’s the children’s godmother, highlighting her self-centered thinking. She only seems to care about others if they’re central to her life or reflect well on her, and she’ll only offer help if things are done her way.

Adriana claims Julia is a nobody she discovered and brought onto the show, but it feels like the situation is reversed. Julia has consistently been a main cast member and is close friends with others. It seems possible Adriana was kept around specifically to create drama with Julia, a former beauty queen married to a famous tennis player. However, Adriana accuses Julia of this behavior because that’s how she operates – she projects her own actions onto others. Knowing she was taking advantage of Julia, she assumes Julia was doing the same to her.

Julia finally explains her complicated relationship with Adriana, revealing why she’s behaved the way she has all season. In a private interview, Julia describes how Adriana acted like a close friend in public, but privately was manipulative, controlling, and constantly put her down. Julia says it felt like four years of emotional abuse, and she can’t handle it anymore. While Julia isn’t perfect, this explanation clarifies her actions and fits with what we’ve seen from Adriana, who seems to hold onto past issues and constantly test Julia’s loyalty.

Stephanie’s speech felt overly dramatic, like she was trying out for a news anchor role. Then came a major reveal: Marysol admitted she coached Adriana during her argument with Kiki. Marysol explained that she and Adriana both know Marysol originally used the word “ratchet,” but she advised Adriana to say “wretched” instead – the price for Adriana being left alone for two years. Honestly, Marysol and Adriana seem to be the masterminds behind all the drama on the show. They clearly dislike each other and are so skilled at manipulation that they’ve been secretly pulling the strings from the very beginning.

Okay, let me tell you, the tension between Marysol and Adriana is *deliciously* messy. Marysol is seriously playing the game here, and she expertly turned the tables on Adriana in front of everyone. The shade was flying, especially when Adriana, still in her sparkly costume, tried to come for Marysol’s all-black outfit. Marysol’s comeback about Adriana looking ready for the ice rink? Perfection. Honestly, I get where Adriana’s coming from – she says she was just talking and Marysol totally blindsided her with this scheme. It wasn’t a request, it was an ambush! They’re *both* at fault here, covered in the mess. These two are determined to pull everyone down with them, and frankly, I’m here for it – I’m relieved to watch the drama unfold. And the only thing that briefly paused the fighting? Gift bags, courtesy of Anastasia of Beverly Hills, of course! This show is just one long advertisement disguised as reality TV, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The season ends with updates on everyone’s personal lives: Stephanie is reconnecting with her sister, Julia is talking to her daughter, Guerdy is catching up with her whole family and showing off her husband, and Larsa has a new boyfriend-surprisingly, he’s an NBA player. But the biggest news is that Todd and Alexia have officially split… at least for now. Anything could happen, of course. However, one thing remains constant: these women, their dramas, relationships, wealth, and complicated histories will always continue, just like the waves on Miami Beach – endlessly powerful, captivating, and potentially overwhelming.

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2025-09-26 05:56