We kick off the season with a ski trip to Big Bear for Reza, GG, Mike, Nema, Mona, Destiney, and MJ. It sounds like none of them actually know how to ski. It’s nice to start off with a potential for serious injury.
They have a great big lodge in Big Bear and a private chef. Bravo hooked them up. GG is going through a rough divorce from Shalom. Mike has met someone, or cast someone, to play the part of his love interest this season. Her name is Mona. She and her brother Nema will be joining the cast this season. Nema falls immediately in love with Golnesa. She’s very emotional about her divorce and says she has no sex drive anymore. Nema is weird and I don’t think he will be GG’s type. 
Mike just said that Sherv is coming later that night because he has to work. Really? Tell me more about this work. We’ve never heard how he makes his money. Mona reminds Nema that he has a girlfriend.
I just realized we are halfway through the episode and I haven’t had much to say. I don’t believe that Reza made anything on the breakfast buffet. It did look good though.
There are literally no other people on the slopes besides the cast. How did that happen? Why are they wearing helmets? Is that some new law or something?
Nema and Mona are Persian but don’t speak Farsi. Also they were not raised together. When they were 2 and 4 years old, their parents got divorced and the mom took the girl and the dad took the boy. They didn’t reunite until college.
That Spy Who Dumped Me movie has had more advertising than any movie in the history of the world. It does look kind of cute.
There is a double date with the brother and sister and Mike and GG. There seems to be more chemistry between Mona and Nema than anyone else. It’s rather odd. Speaking of odd, GG wants to be pregnant by next yet and in a non-committed relationship with the father. Nema is already offering up his sperm.
I’m not sure what Destiney is crying about to Mercedeh. Destiney has problems with relationships. Doesn’t everyone? Mike sure does. He is saying and doing all the wrong things with Mona. He says she needs to marry someone very wealthy because she has a long list of pricey desires. Actually she wants to homeschool her kids (I disagree with this) and travel a lot. Neither of those things are outrageously expensive. He’s low-key calling her a gold digger. I don’t think she would be on a date with Mike if she was. He doesn’t even have a job. Which reminds me, I wonder what his fake go no where enterprise he plans to fake this season?
Mercedeh and Reza share a bed and a bedroom and talk about how happy they are in their lives. She wants Reza to spend more time with Tommy and she loves her relationship with Adam. Mercedeh asks Reza to be her Man of Honor.
Golnesa and Rema really hit it off at dinner. Mike and Mona are like oil and water. Mike tells Mona he is friendzoning her. Golnesa agrees to a date with Nema when they get back home.
Next week, why are we going to pretend that MJ’s mom doesn’t want MJ to marry Tommy? She likes Tommy more than she likes MJ!
They were drinking Bogle!!! That is my commenting fuel!! Somewhere between glass two and glass three I move from spectator to TT Super commentor. Woo Hoo
It’s not a new law in California but since they’re not experienced I bet Bravo made them wear helmets due to insurance issues. Although I am a very good skier and I still wear a helmet because it’s dangerous and one wrong hit to the head and you’re a vegetable.
Or dead…look at Sonny Bono and Natasha Richardson. They were both experienced skiers. Natasha was not even on the slope and slipped fell while in her skies.
My husband had the same type of injury from a ladder. Thankfully a retaining wall broke his fall and saved his life. He still can’t taste or smell.
I never understand not wearing one, the correct bump and you’re dead! I am so sorry about your husband, thank goodness he’s alive.
I don’t wear one but I ski like MJ now. I grew up without all the helmet stuff and as I’ve aged, I’m not the daredevil I used to be. That said my daughter always wears a helmet, it’s part of “the look” and I’m glad!
I know we only see snippets of what was actually taped, but is it weird to anyone else that Nema is so madly in love with GG 15 minutes after meeting her? It’s stalker-creepy.
This whole episode seemed so staged and fake. Ugh. Is it bad that I love looking at all the food the most?
That is exactly the feeling I got the entire episode. The trip was very staged and contrived, and I know that trips are planned specifically for these shows, but Big Bear seemed like something half of this cast would never even considering doing irl, and then to do it during the first episode felt awkward. Did nothing happen during the offseason that they had to create this activity for them to do?
There is no way Mike is dating this woman Mona. He either hired her for a storyline or to rehab his playboy image – or Bravo did. She is as bland as bland gets, and her interactions with him were classic bad acting. I won’t even get into the brother, who had no reason to be there if he weren’t in fact hired, and his socially awkward declarations of life-changing love for GG, whom he met 5 minutes ago. And Destiney, using an everyday ordinary problem as her first ever storyline?
I am surprised that the Shahs felt it needed to sink to this level, it’s usually an entertaining show when the cast is just being the trainwrecks they normally are.
In the last few minutes, it dawned on me that Mona and Nema are like creepy former RHNYC Cindy Barshop and her brother…but with personalities.
They eat really good looking food. That’s all I got. Snoozefest#
If you want to recoup some of that hour back, Leon Bridges is on Jimmy Fallon tonight!
I thought everyone looked great except that Mike, who is potentially handsome, always manages to appear nudgie, with the ill fitting hat, and rumply clothes and weird facial expressions that look like Asian warrior masques. It was funny when the group burst out laughing about Mike saying he had no ego. WWHL – Reza and Mercedeh look great and her skiing skills surprised me! I will probably regret saying this in some weeks but I think Nema is kind of cute (exotic eyes) and it was sweet when he called GG beautiful – she was so happy. I think she is beautiful too, but I don’t think GG feels that way. Their chemistry seemed real! GG’s ring was gorgeous.
Asian warrior mask facial expressions is hilarious and spot on. Thanks for making me laugh!
How does Shrev allegedly make his money again???
Schemes
GG looked gorgeous this year. Loved the new hair. I liked Nema. At least he said only one other woman made him feel like this and it was his ex-wife. He seemed really smitten with GG.
Mike was an ass to Mona after the dinner date. Reza called it when he said if a woman didn’t drop to her knees 12 minutes after meeting Mike he was done. Haha. Mike has a huge ego no job and is getting older. That playboy lifestyle can’t last forever.
Shev didn’t get any air time this first show. Glad to see him back, he is usually a voice of reason. Except for the whole sleeping with the married woman last year, I always liked him.
I was super impressed with MJ & GG sking abilities.
A huge ego, no job and a giant golden dool. Maybe he can be a gigalo.
Nema has that whole Shia Lebeouf vibe going – not a bit attractive to me, but each to his own. Theress something very creepy about him – he’s just too eager to please GG, and he agrees with everything she says, and what’s with the girlfriend? They’ve been together for a year-and-a-half and he’s willing to jump ship that easily? Remember what they say, GG, what they do to get you is what they’ll do when they want to replace you. Hope she doesn’t fall for his B/S.
Mike is as delusional and full of himself as usual. I was in hysterics when he said he had no ego and everyone else just about busted their bladders laughing and howling. Reza hit it on the nose when he made the comment about Mike needing women to be immediately obsessed with him. When they’re not, he gets kind of a mean, dismissive attitude. Run, Mona, run! When Mona said she wanted her kids home school, he jumped right in and said he did too – until he realized she didn’t plan to to it herself and still planned on traveling a lot with them (he wants his wife to do it so she’ll be stuck at home all day and give him plenty of time to cheat). Then he kind of insulted her by saying she’d better marry a really rich man if she planned on traveling all over and she let him know, in no uncertain terms, that she already did that and had plenty of money to keep doing it. She’s way out of your league, Mike, get used to it.
Reza looked really healthy and much younger and it was nice to see everyone getting along. Why can’t the RHOOC or RHONY behave like that when they go on a trip? I stayed in a beautiful cabin near Big Bear once before, for a week, but that ski chalet was huge and gorgeous. I don’t remember any shots of snow other than the man-made stuff on the ski slopes though – that would be disappointing, since half the fun is sloshing around in the snow, when you’re not used to it, and especially watching it fall. Looked relaxing though, but if I were to go somewhere like that, I’d rather go out to eat or live on sandwiches than have a live-in chef (unless there was a huge blizzard and I was snowed in). I’d want complete privacy, and the ability to be completely spontaneous. Wonder if they ever realize how fortunate they are?
Hope that made sense, I’m getting tired and it seems a bit incoherent. Should have proof-read!
I kind of missed the homeschool convo (and I’m with TT on this, unless you are in a totally abhorent district, or like Pioneer Woman, its an hour drive to the nearest school)
She wants her kids homeschooled but she doesn’t want to be the one to do it???? WTF?
I just looked her up.. shes a doctor so its understandable that she wouldnt want to lol..
you nailed it TT: at the vegan restaurant scene, it was painfully obvious there was never going to be any chemistry between Mona and Mike, and that this created connection is to serve as the introduction of a new cast member ie. Nema. What does Mike have that could possibly be attractive to a woman with a degree, a job and breath in her body? When he made that comment about ‘principles’, explaining that he had overridden differences in the past, ie. with Jessica, my jaw hit the floor. Didn’t she commit to Judaism to marry his entitled player ass? Mike is looking down the barrel of being the creepy old guy hitting on the young women a la Shep but without the mailbox money. I pretty much hated what the women were wearing in the party bus to bear mountain: Destiney in her ‘dope’ tshirt, GG with the weed leaf and MJ in her Gucci tracksuit, though that was probably the most stylish. I miss Asa big time.
Mona is a Dr, what on earth would she want to do with him? I heard her on a podcast. She is plant based and really into wellness & beauty. She was very likable.
I was delighted not to see Asa and disappointed she is featured in the previews. Of course, she is filmed stirring shit between Adam and Reza, because — Asa.
IDK what Mike sees when he looks in the mirror. He is a slobby mess and not a catch at all, despite what his mommy tells him. He was unbelievably rude to Mona during dinner, but I guess she and her brother will be regulars and they had to start somewhere. The brother is creepy — his confessionals, his ski clothing and wine glass on a rope, and his obvious pursuit of GG. GG needs a good man, not someone who will dump a longtime girlfriend for a few minutes on television. ugh.
Can’t stand Mercedeh. She has mean & jealous streaks that can be really cruel. The way she treated Lily was despicable but her bastard child comments about Soltan were unforgivable. When Asa’s name came up she talked shit, but from what I remember the hateration came from her.
I want to see how the GG & Nema story plays out. I hope she finds love. In the show’s history, she’s never had a favorable edit. I also want to see the completion of Reza’s home renovation and what Asa’s up to. I like Tommy eventhough he picked that shrew, MJ.
Other than that, this show could leave my DVR like the RHOC. The way they treated Asa during her pregnancy was so terrible, I was done after the last reunion.
GG never has a favorable edit because of her actions and attitude – hard to hide gross behavior
Watching Nema and Mona kept giving me flashbacks to Friends, “The One With the Inappropriate Sister”. Mona seems like quite a bore, Nema is not starting off the right foot with me on national tv saying he has a girlfriend but wanting to date GG. Loved the lack of Asa this episode!!!
Also, does it seem like Destiny is trying to hard in her talking head, or is it just her personality?
I find Destiny as trying too hard to the point of being annoying
snoozefest
Reza the big bear mountin’ went to Big Bear Mountain. The best went over the mountain to ski what he could ski.
Mike was actually honest with Mona. She is well educated. She is a PharmD. and while a PharmD makes very good money…they do not make I want my children solely educated by tutors and to spend all Summer in Europe kind of money.
The crack about Nema’s car cracked me up. My 75 year old mother gets a new…you guessed it…white Lexus every year.
I know that she’s doesn’t have children, but Mona’s comments about child-rearing are completely jejune. You educate a child according to his or her needs, and you don’t know what those will be until you see how your child develops. I have friends (from college) who split their education among public, private schools, and/or boarding schools both here and in Europe, even supplementing with tutors, due to their family’s work/living arrangements and their own personal developmental needs. It’s a different experience, for sure, but not necessarily superior. The fact that Mona is saying this makes me thinks she has no real experience with money and is trying intentionally to sound superficial for shock value. It’s not like she is going to birth the King of England.
As someone who has taught at literally every grade level from first grade to college, it is very important for children not to be isolated in the process if at all possible. That is one of the major issues with child actors that don’t turn out well. It’s actually better that she at least doesn’t want to home school them herself. In her case she is highly educated so that is better than when the meth heads do it to avoid being referred to child services. But it is important that kids have a variety of teachers as well. In elementary school here that was a trend in “looping” with your kids which means the teacher moves on with the same class of students. As much as I would have selfishly loved to do that with many of my classes of kids, every teacher has a much different style, and mine was much different that EVERYONE’S. I was kind of a hippy dippy California liberal sort of teacher (don’t tell Erica).I was strict on the class rules of civility (heh, yeah I know,) I was very free with my methodology. I’d have my writing class outside which was the bane of many principals existence. If we were learning about Adjectives we would go outside and journal about the clouds. Of course the principal was like IT’S NOT YOUR OUTSIDE TIME!!! etc. My kids loved me and excelled on THE STANDARDIZED TEST which is all principals care about in the end. However, I think my kids needed to have the spectrum of teachers to learn about life. I’m a fan of boarding schools, mostly because I always wanted to go to one like my brother did. But being stuck at home having someone come in to basically tutor a kid is not the way to go. Nene Leakes kid went to some weird high school where he got credit for following his mother all over the country with a tutor and now his career goal is to be a comedian like his mother. He also had not athletic experience. This will not end well.
I think it is selfish when people think they can give their kids a better education than schools. You make fine points, I agree with every one. Not only do they get shorted on academics, but they need to be part of a world, not the little moon orbiting around a parent at the center of the world. How do they learn how to get along as a team member Being in a classroom provides opportunities to learn from students, not just teacher. Even the most intelligent person cannot teach EVERYTHING as well as a credentialed teacher. Especially when they are taught by my sister-in-law who thought that New Mexico was in Mexico, the Vietnam War was fought over the Panama Canal, and did not know what the Boston Rea Party was. Really.
Completely agree. I always enjoyed the school setting and fully espouse the goals, benefits and values of live classroom instruction for children (not to mention the social interaction). I also believe in the utility and value of employing various pedagogical methods and modalities, even within the same class, which I think provides the best foundation for knowledge – and abhor the idea of “teaching to the test.” Homeschooling is also not my preference, but to each their own, and for a very few, it just might be the right choice. But above all else, I know that different children need and require different things for optimal educational development, so to approach child-rearing or education with a one-sided, prescribed approach that doesn’t take the individual child into consideration is a veritable mousetrap.
By the way, the friends I have who went to boarding schools, both here and abroad, loved them as well!
I can understand the benefits of home schooling in certain situations as times have changed. Particularly in certain areas, and I am sure drugs are a problem there. Here in this area we have a one High School called “Dana Pills” and another one nicknamed ” Heroin High” There are too many drug cartels around who buy up homes for cash and move their families here. That and their mafia members feed off these kids give drugs to these homeless guys who sell them to these kids. I would see a lot of ER kids with drug induced Psychosis from bad batches of Crystal Meth coming over from the borider cooked with God knows what. So Home schooling could be of benefit.
Mike is really bothering me this season. I see no reason for Nematode or Mona.