‘RHOC’ Premiere Recap: Chaos Returns to Orange County

It feels a bit risky for this season of Real Housewives of Orange County to begin the same way as the utterly dreadful/borderline unwatchable Season 16, like the producers are placing a curse on the show.

Last season kicked off with a cold open of Heather Dubrow dramatically pulling up to her former mansion and walking through her home with a signature glass of “champs.” After four seasons off, the Malibu Country star had been summoned by the Bravo gods to rescue a show that was currently floundering thanks to Kelly Dodd’s controversies and Vicki Gunvulson flying off the handle. (Dubrow, sadly, did not.)

Season 17 begins similarly with a vignette of Bravo’s most fired Housewife Tamra Judge driving a motorcycle on a highway, intercut with some of her greatest one-liners (“That’s my opinion!”) and bitchiest moments (calling Emily Simpson Shrek.) Welcome our new Captain Save-a-Show!

Read more at The Daily Beast.