Last night’s episode of Bethenny Ever After felt like the end of an era. Bethenny Frankel rehashed the past and she and Jason Hoppy seemed to be finally moving forward in a positive direction. We were treated to several montages of Bethenny’s life on reality TV over the years and although this isn’t the finale it seems to be setting the stage to tie up a bunch of loose ends in preparation for next week’s final farewell.
Things begin with Jason and Bethenny visiting their new apartment, which is still under construction, but finally seems to be moving along. Bethenny is having some issues with the TV eclipsing the bar and since this is quite literally an apartment built on booze, sweat, and tears – Skinnygirl needs an altar.
Really though, she’s right. Not only does Bethenny Frankel Hoppy love her some libations, but an homage to the glorious liquor gods who made her rich seems fitting. I also think she needs a shrine to Andy Cohen.
We are treated to a montage of Skinnygirl over the years from Bethenny convincing the ever-so-classy ladies of Real Housewives of New York to try a Skinnygirl margarita to learning she’d sold the brand to BeamGlobal.
Next up, Bethenny and Bryn head to Spanish class. Bethenny talks about wanting Bryn to have all the opportunities she didn’t have – namely parents that love and care for her and want to be involved in her life. Bethenny marvels at how perfect Bryn is and how unique. She describes Bryn as her own signature brand and the life of the party. Bethenny tells us her priorities have seriously changed since becoming a mommy and she wouldn’t want to miss a thing. Which is nice. She does seem totally enthralled with Bryn. I hope she always remembers that business is just business.
Side note: I love that Bethenny and Jason walk Bryn so many places.
It’s montage galore up in here! There’s another montage of Bryn‘s life and Bethenny‘s pregnancy. I cannot believe how big Bryn has gotten and how tiny Bethenny has become. Time really has flown.
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Bethenny and Jason get together for dinner with her father Bobby‘s best friend Louie. Bethenny and Louie discuss Bobby’s rather absent style of parenting and Bethenny admits she always considered her step-father, John, her real father and called him dad. Am I the only one who barely remembers her mentioning him throughout the years?
Bethenny and Jason recently met John for dinner – off camera, which was awesome – and discussed her childhood and his impact in her life. Apparently he refused to sell her out in the E! True Hollywood story and was rewarded with a phone call and a personal thank you from the Queen B. John admitted he wasn’t always perfect and that her childhood was a mess, but Bethenny acknowledges that he loved her and tried his best.
Louie defends Bobby‘s parenting style and claims he loved Bethenny very much. Jason doesn’t understand how Bobby could’ve distanced Bethenny and been so emotionally detached. Louie dismisses Jason as not being around long enough to understand. Ok, then.
We see a flashback of Louie‘s last time on reality TV when Bethenny met him at the racetrack for her birthday and he gave her a neglige. I miss Bethenny and Jill Zarin together. I’m still sad their friendship fell apart over famewhoring and pettiness. Remember when Jill and Bethenny seemed normal and nice?
Bethenny and Julie Plake head over to the Wendy Williams show where Bethenny will be a guest. After prying Bethenny’s size 00 jeans off (does she wear child’s sizes?), Bethenny starts plotting to take over daytime TV.
Bethenny is eager to talk to Wendy about embarking upon the talk show world since she has just been approved for a six-week test and that is how Wendy got her start as well. Apparently they initially wanted Bethenny to take over an existing show, but she wanted to do her own instead, so she didn’t get the full green light. She wants to learn how things work behind the scenes. Isn’t that what her new BFF-hood with Ellen is for?
On the show, she talks to Wendy about the usual – her sex life, marriage, and money.
It’s Therapy Time! Dr. Amador and Bethenny talk reconnecting with her parents and accepting her family. Bethenny shares that she and Jason are in a much happier place and communicating well. Jason is involved in the business, but she isn’t pushing him to make an ultimate decision and slowly he is deciding on his own. Bethenny tells Dr. Amador about meeting with her step-father and said it was “nice” reconnecting with him.
She also discusses finally attempting to reach out to her mother Bernadette Birk. She is thinking of calling her to find a resolution and heal. Bethenny claims she has never been angry with her mother because she always saw her as damaged. And now she accepts that they did love each other and there were some good times in their relationship.
Dr. Amador wants Bethenny to understand that although her family wasn’t ideal or conventional, she did have a family. He thinks she needs to mend things with her mother and move forward; citing the last days she spent with her father and how that brought them closer together, making her see him as family for the first time.
Dr. Amador also discusses how far Bethenny has come over the years in therapy and commends her commitment to changing herself and her relationships. The end is near for the Skinnygirl show, I predict.
Bethenny and Jason visit the new apartment. They seem joyful and in total awe of what they have accomplished. They acknowledge that they are a good team, despite their differences, and Bethenny says they are committed to their marriage and growing together as a couple.
We get another montage of their relationship and marriage. And a flashback to the early days when they were happy, content, and totally in love. Bethenny is confident that their marriage will stand the test of time as they learn to accept each other and work together. I agree.
Checking out Bryn’s new room, they discuss having another baby. Bethenny hints that her boobs are sore, but she thinks she is just getting her period. She is happy with their one amazing child, but understands Jason‘s desire for another baby. She is also a realist about her age and the likelihood of her getting pregnant. Jason agrees that he too is totally on board with one healthy, happy little girl that they adore.
Last night’s episode was actually a good show. Bethenny wasn’t too annoying and self-obsessed. She seemed happy, relaxed, and more natural than we’ve seen her in a while. I like that she and Jason are honestly working on their marriage and I find it endearing. Reality TV has clearly become a burden to them and has taken away from their happiness and stability. I think a lot of their issues this season stemmed from having a lot going on and the stress of moving, plus they both seem so over having the cameras in their faces.
In next week’s season finale Bethenny has a big announcement. I predict she’ll either reveal she is pregnant or that she has decided to end the show. Tonight certainly seemed like the predecessor to the end as they tried to wrap up a bunch of storylines and end things on a positive note.
Also, we get to see the finished apartment which they are moving into next week. That’s odd because according to Bethenny‘s twitter they just moved in recently. So was this filmed months after the season officially wrapped?
Next Week: Season Finale. Bethenny has news. And moving! Julie’s last day.
THOUGHTS ON LAST NIGHT’S EPISODE? DO YOU THINK BETHENNY AND BERNADETTE RECONNECTED? IS THIS THE END OF BETHENNY EVER AFTER?
