The 'RHOC' Reunion Pits Them Against Each Other

There were plenty of rivalries during Season 9 of Bravo's Real Housewives of Orange County . Shannon clashed with Heather, David clashed with Terry, Brooks clashed with Briana, Andy/the world clashed with Vicki's opinions on race, class, and Oklahoma. But most of all, Tamra Judge made an enemy of Lizzie Rovsek, and while everyone has had their problems with Tamra and her "shit-stirring," most of the other Housewives have accepted that's just how Tamra can be. But Lizzie won't let it go, and it's actually a little admirable.

Obviously things got kicked off on the wrong foot when Tamra's excuse for missing Lizzie's birthday party didn't feel particularly genuine, and Tamra had no patience or apologies for Lizzie for not going. The two stopped talking and started sniping at one another, which only got worse when Heather proposed a game of Shag, Marry, Kill among the guests at her Valentine's Day party. People were hypothetically shagged, married, and killed, many drinks were had, and Lizzie made a reference to the game, telling Tamra she was just angry because Eddie, her husband, had either said he would choose to marry (according to Lizzie) or shag (according to everyone else) her.

Tamra and Lizzie are the only ones who seem in danger of losing their place in the cast. So far, Lizzie hasn't made much of an impression, but ever since her disastrous birthday party, she's been out to rectify that. At the very least, it looks like if Lizzie can't guarantee herself a sophomore season on the show, she's at least going to take Tamra down with her. She never seemed all that passionate about being on the show, but the reunion was taped after everything else happened, including her closest friend on the cast, Danielle Gergorio, getting demoted from Housewife to friend of Lizzie's. Maybe she suddenly really wants to be a reality star.

But the fights on Part 2 of the reunion special seem more personal than they've been during the season. Lizzie admitted on her Bravo blog that filming Part 2 left her in tears. Tamra has a way of finding the one thing that gets under her costars' skins. With Vicki, it's Brooks. With Heather, it's her Fancy-Pantsiness. With Shannon, it's the suggestion she's crazy. And as if that list isn't long enough, she also zeroed in on Lizzie's body issues. While Lizzie is obviously gorgeous, she explains that her large boobs have been a source of insecurity since she was a teenager, and she actually had two breast reduction surgeries.

So after being hurt by those comments, the birthday party, and Tamra's all-around negativity, Lizzie comes up with an equally mean, if not as clever, retort: "You're just a bitter old lady." Honestly, she's right. Tamra is sitting there with her sour lemon face on, screaming and scrambling to defend herself, but it just looks pathetic how she's lashing out. While Lizzie has always seemed a little bland to be on Real Housewives of Orange County, it feels like Tamra is the one who's outstayed her welcome.

Image: Vivian ZInk/Bravo; Giphy (3)