Selling Sunset Season-Finale Recap: People Who Live in Glass Houses

As a long-time fan of reality TV and a seasoned observer of human behavior, I must say this latest season left me quite intrigued. It feels like we’ve all been drawn into a whirlwind of gossip, real estate, and a dash of drama that only Selling Sunset can serve up.


The great irony of being a villain is that you stand against the idea of peace and friendship; you are all for yourself and never for anyone else, but you also need help. To be effective, you must have someone with you, if only so you can express your evil schemes for the audience’s benefit. Walter White has Jesse, The Brain has Pinky, Captain Hook has Smee, and Bre has Amanda Lynn. This is what Nicole is missing and what makes her so frustrating: instead of a smirking accomplice egging her on, she has Mary, who doesn’t even want to get involved, rendering her totally inert in a way that makes the audience feel just plain bad. But some major changes are beginning to unfold in these final episodes of season eight, “World War Bre” and “Burning Down the House,” with Bre embracing evil, Chrishell looking pretty foolish, and a rare peek at a scary side of Mary.

Mary was disappointed to see people quarreling during her pet’s funeral, yet she acknowledges that she won’t take any action regarding it. She even admitted it, so what can one do? When she witnessed the argument, an angry side of her, which she calls “Scary Mary,” almost surfaced, but she chose not to let that happen, perhaps considering it inappropriate for a TV show. I have always been understanding towards Mary, given her experiences on camera and the fact that she’s currently grieving over her pet, a loss I can empathize with. However, her decision not to confront her colleagues who are causing trouble, instead channeling her anger towards them due to her dog’s death, has undeniably impacted these episodes negatively and continues to diminish Nicole’s dignity.

In simpler terms, when Nicole publicly shares the rumor about Emma dating a married man, it seems like we’re moving towards a resolution. However, the producers linger too long on Nicole, allowing her to continue dropping vague hints even after she’s already revealed the information. For instance, she says, “There are certain people you shouldn’t be romantically involved with,” which is odd because she’s just told us everything. The situation becomes sad when nothing comes of it. Nicole had a strategy to confront Emma, complete with a catchphrase she was eager to use, but no one else is willing to get involved. Alanna can’t help due to her legal jurisdiction limitations, leaving Nicole alone to potentially face a screaming match from three people at once, an event nobody wants to witness. So, all we see are brief shots of Mary and Nicole’s relatively expressionless faces when Emma arrives at Amanza’s art show.

As a movie reviewer, I find myself applauding Amanza’s gradual liberation from The O Group, an organization that now appears to be teetering towards genuine darkness. In her current phase of life, Amanza has the chance to create something truly beautiful – her art, which brings her joy and pride, and is worth a substantial $18,000. For most people, such an amount would be a significant fortune. However, Mary casually points out that this sum pales in comparison to the commission checks from The O Group, which she suggests make their difficult reality on camera bearable – a chilling reminder of the all-encompassing influence of greed.

In simpler terms, despite Chrishell’s reputation as the show’s sympathetic and friendly character, her actions towards Bre make her appear more cunning and timid than she may intend. It’s puzzling why Chrishell continues to maintain friendship with Bre, given that Bre has openly expressed indifference towards others’ opinions. Friendship with someone who doesn’t care about your feelings seems illogical.

As a movie buff, I can’t help but feel intrigued about how Chrishell will react to Bre fully embracing her darker side. To those who may have doubted that Bre was merely a victim of Amanda Lynn’s manipulations, her actions speak volumes. She’s openly declared war on Chelsea and Emma by unfollowing them on Instagram, and her next move is to try to get Amanda Lynn a job at The O Group – all because they dared question her intentions! It seems that a slight against her motives is an unforgivable offense.

In a more solemn context, Bre is facing legal action from three ex-employees who allege that she has made offensive and disrespectful remarks about individuals in the LGBTQ community, among other serious accusations. Although this issue isn’t directly addressed on the show, it seems appropriate to acknowledge it due to the intense public backlash that occurred over Nicole’s Instagram comment incident.

It’s strange that most of the online criticism has primarily targeted Nicole, despite Bre suggesting at the end of the season that she has “a lot” against Emma. Moreover, Bre appears more complex and self-assured than Nicole, making her appear as a larger threat. I can’t help but wonder if there might be a strategy to gradually phase out Bre if the lawsuit worsens or something similar, to avoid drawing too much attention to her.

The key insight I’ve gleaned from this season is that Chelsea stands out as an exceptional individual. She’s an all-around gem: courageous, intelligent, adept at real estate, and so strikingly beautiful it seems almost illicit; I simply can’t get enough of her. Moreover, she has a remarkable knack for comprehending the show’s dynamics. She knows when a narrative is becoming stale, when the audience may turn against her, and when it’s time to progress and advance. This ability is all the more impressive given the turmoil in her personal life, reminiscent of a modern-day British Taylor Swift! As the season concludes, Chelsea confidently discards her wedding ring during her confessional without addressing whether her husband is aware of the situation yet. And truth be told, I’m perfectly content with that. The last face I wish to see on my screen again is Jeff’s. Chelsea will undoubtedly navigate through her challenges given her intelligence. In this $4.2 million house boasting a panoramic view of the valley, she clearly envisions her future: becoming the hero this reality docu-soap real estate TV show requires. We depart with her gazing out over the horizon, contemplating a fresh start for herself, one she’ll be more than ready to battle for when the need arises.

Unlisted Observations

• Jason’s Miscalculation: Just like many of us, Jason became complacent, thinking Emma was no longer contemplating suicide. He left her unattended in his brand-new Ferrari, reasoning that she couldn’t drive a manual transmission and thus wouldn’t steal it. However, he was mistaken. Emma took the car for a short spin, limited to first gear. Brett cautioned him, “I’d kill you if that were my car.” Not the best choice of words if you don’t want her to steal your next one, buddy.

• Things We Learned About Alanna: Her Chanel bag broke!

The sight of the high-end dry cleaning machine in the closet of the Pacific Palisades house left me indifferent to wealth until then. Now, I’m compelled to swiftly abandon all my values and go to any lengths necessary to own a closet that steams and disinfects clothes. I’m convinced this will bring me eternal happiness!

Amanda Lynn points out that Bre referred to Alanna as “the dull one,” which is perhaps accurate, but I’ve had enough of Bre being unkind to Alanna without cause. After all, Alanna owns a cowboy town and invited Bre to visit! What does Bre own, a rundown shack?

Seeing Nicole and Christine post together on Instagram during the premiere week feels akin to Gandalf witnessing the beacon from Minas Morgul – it’s a glimmer of hope that fills me. If they’re teaming up, it would certainly be wonderful news as I believe Christine’s presence is crucial now more than ever. For Nicole’s success and for the struggle we face together!

I subtly believe that Bre’s blond wig might be an effort to emulate Christine. Another point to consider is bringing back the original instead.

Bre clarifies that Amanda Lynn gives her a positive feeling, but in all honesty, there’s no denying that Amanda Lynn is a killer. Every evening, she eats soup from a human skull, and I have a strong suspicion that she continues to do so.

“Imagine if I proposed a deal where you could install three ghostly-looking cartoon lamps on your ceiling for the sum of $450,000 – not exactly pocket change, but just around half a million dollars?

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2024-09-07 07:54