Denise Richards & Her Wild Things Recap: Only Godzilla Forgives

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In my summary of the first two episodes of “Denise Richards & Her Wild Things“, I expressed support for Denise and by extension, the show itself. Although I was relatively lenient in my initial critique, it failed to reach the standards set by “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills“, its companion series. However, there are certain boundaries I won’t cross, and a memorial for a lizard is one of them. It has been a long time since Tom Schwartz’s lizard, Daug, required us to sit through a poolside memorial during the most dismal season of “Vanderpump Rules“, but Denise’s tribute to Brooke Mueller’s pet lizard, Godzilla, has evoked similar feelings of despair.

In simpler terms, the “Drop Dead Gorgeous Lizard” episode sequence, which included two consecutive episodes, had a somewhat coherent storyline compared to other events. However, after resolving the Sami-Lola dispute in the second installment, the show appears to be struggling with its direction. A scene featuring Denise taking her eldest daughter rock climbing is as exciting as it sounds, though I did enjoy Denise boasting about her Special Forces filming experience and being disappointed when the instructor didn’t recognize it. Denise then tells Sami and Lola they must organize Godzilla’s memorial since Brooke requested it, calling Godzilla her “little soulmate” in a flashback, and because (though not explicitly stated) they need something to do if they aren’t going to argue. I admire Lola’s reluctance to inform her job about missing work for a non-human memorial, even as I agree with Denise’s suggestion to just provide incorrect details.

In my newfound understanding of ‘Denise Richards & Her Wild Things’, what truly hooks me is the underlying mystery and darkness that lies beneath the surface. Frankly, I’m tired of being reminded how unconventional these individuals are. Denise herself acknowledges, “This isn’t normal,” referring to their pets, yet she admits there’s nothing ordinary about them or their family. The repetitive emphasis on peculiarity is becoming reminiscent of the “she’s so crazzzzzzzy! Love her!” internet phenomenon. Instead, I yearn for more intriguing tales like Sami and Lola questioning whether Brooke ever married their father (she did) or Denise casually mentioning that Godzilla turned up on her doorstep unexpectedly while Brooke was being admitted to rehab. While I don’t want the show to be a barrage of trauma, considering they’ve endured enough, it must be prepared to delve into the gritty aspects occasionally if it intends to maintain our interest.

The anticipation surrounding Denise’s conversation with Erika Jayne on the show was high due to the potential for lively interaction. Given Erika’s stellar performance this season on RHOBH, I had hoped for a sparks-flying encounter. However, most of their time together was spent on Denise recounting details about Godzilla’s memorial, leaving little room for the anticipated dynamic. Although they reconcile following their heated argument in season 13 of RHOBH, they fail to address the underlying cause of their estrangement. In a confessional, Denise remarks, “Erika and I were on the path to friendship, but things took an unexpected turn for some reason.” The root of the issue seems to stem from Brandi Glanville’s accusation of Denise having an affair with her, which culminated in a confrontation initiated by Lisa Rinna. Since Denise would never bring up Brandi’s name on her own show, the conversation instead revolves around Erika’s language around children Sami and Lola. They apologize to each other, but I was hoping for something more substantial than this.

Instead of having Sami and Lola go to a frame store to get a large Godzilla photo framed, which seems more like an errand than entertaining content for the show, I prefer scenes featuring Denise and Erika that are less eventful but still engaging. While there is tension between Sami and Lola, it appears to be typical sisterly disagreements, such as Sami not letting Lola use her expensive hairbrush or making rude gestures towards each other. However, their relationship seems more complicated when it comes to protecting one another. For instance, Sami becomes defensive when a man who does not prioritize Jesus disrupts Lola’s peace, but Lola doesn’t seem to reciprocate the same level of support for Sami. This dynamic mirrors many siblings’ relationships, yet I’ve been told this family is unconventional, so perhaps their dynamics are more complex than they initially seem.

In a simple and conversational manner, let me share my thoughts on the lizard memorial: It’s quite heartwarming, really. There’s a picture frame that holds photos of Godzilla and Stevie Nicks (he was fond of Fleetwood Mac). A Fig Newton-made cake sits there, his favorite treat. People take turns sharing their memories of Godzilla. Aaron admits he misses him dearly: “I saw him and I felt, this guy is truly special.” Despite Denise being slightly disappointed that her daughters didn’t arrange a rabbi (perhaps because they forgot Brooke was Jewish or her third ex-husband was), Lola steps up to deliver a prayer. She speaks sincerely about Brooke’s sorrow: “I hope she continues to receive love in her life, flowing from the Lord.” As I ponder if Denise Richards & Her Wild Things could be considered religious programming, we move on. Denise is pleased that she managed to get her daughters to collaborate, and now believes they can arrange her funeral when she passes away. Sami finds this thought morbid, but as Denise often reminds us, “life is short.

To put it simply, hearing “Life is short” isn’t something I appreciate when I’m stuck with a mediocre reality show. The second episode of this particular series has slightly improved, but let’s be honest, there’s not much else happening in “OnlyPans.” A significant portion of the episode features Denise filming herself preparing homemade pasta with Sami and Eloise, which, unfortunately, didn’t turn out well. This is all part of Denise’s attempt to secure a cooking show spot. She explains that she finds it fun and different, given her lack of formal training. I wholeheartedly support her ambitions, but I can’t help but question why she’s not putting more effort into the show she’s already filming. When the pasta-making is finished — with no edible pasta to show for it — Denise admits, “This video isn’t even worth posting.” Frankly, I agree, so why did we have to watch several minutes of it on TV?

I believe this episode is more beneficial for Denise’s character portrayal. It includes an impactful scene where we’re introduced to Eloise’s homeschool teacher, Miss Angie, offering insights into her communication abilities and struggles. Eloise can utter around eight to ten words, often quietly, and she’s working on replying “yes” or “no” via text messages. This episode also marks the first time Denise’s third daughter appears in a confessional with her mother, showcasing Denise’s nurturing and caring nature. The segment is crafted without any hint of condescension, instead embodying respect and compassion towards Eloise. Even though it was revealed that some of Denise’s OnlyFans photos were accidentally synced to Eloise’s iPad, the imperfections make her more relatable and forgivable. After all, no one is flawless.

Currently, Denise is grappling with the influence she may have on Sami, who is planning to undergo a nose job after getting breast implants. She openly admits that this surgery has been a long-standing desire, which can sound troubling coming from someone so young. Similarly concerning is Sami’s intention to model her new nose after her mother’s appearance. In a heartfelt confessional, Denise laments, “I feel guilty that she feels compelled to emulate my nose or whatever, because I don’t want them to feel pressured to look a certain way.” Although her sentiment is admirable, it would be more beneficial if she communicated this directly to Sami. It appears that Sami prefers to maintain some distance from family during this surgery, as evidenced by her request for Denise not to attend and her desire to keep Lola unaware. On a practical note, Sami is hesitant about revealing her nose job because she shared her breast implant decision with many people, who subsequently advised her to choose a smaller size, which she now regrets.

Denise can accompany Sami to the pre-surgery consultation, where Dr. Dugar discusses a delicate nose reshaping operation. This sounds relaxed until he says something disturbing like “We’ll carve your natural structure.” Both Sami and Denise are shocked by this, and it’s an image I’d rather forget. Thankfully, we don’t witness Sami’s surgery in the episode, but we do see her wish she had confided in Lola earlier. Lola could have offered a lengthy prayer for her support. Although the show is delving too much into religious discussions, I’m curious about Sami’s feelings towards Lola’s strong Christian faith. For instance, during one scene, Lola asserts “I can do all things through Christ” while building a dog crate. Despite this, Lola eventually learns about Sami’s nose job at the end of the episode, leaving me questioning its significance. Wasn’t she going to tell Lola soon anyway? Or was Sami planning to keep it secret until her recovery and then attribute any changes to makeup techniques?

As a movie enthusiast, let me share my thoughts on the latest episode. The most striking incident (and I use the term ‘striking’ lightly) was Denise’s ‘OnlyPans’ photoshoot, where she persuaded Aaron to snap pictures of her concealing her chest with pots and pans. When she explained her reasoning behind these provocative images, she said, “People might think, ‘Denise Richards’ cooking show…boring,’ but this definitely grabs attention.” I appreciate Denise’s audacity and raw ambition. It’s intriguing to see how she manages to juggle her OnlyFans with faith-based and family-friendly films like ‘Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace.’ However, as we reach the fourth episode of this reality show, I find myself yearning for Denise to concentrate more on the primary task at hand. Although I’m keeping hope alive for ‘Denise Richards & Her Wild Things,’ my focus is starting to wane.

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2025-03-12 05:56