The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is no stranger to drama. Everyone has fought with everyone, they've all called each other names, rolled their eyes, made snarky comments... Those are the main ingredients to a good Real Housewives episode, after all. And while it is (sometimes) entertaining to watch friendships go from good, to bad, to good, to table-flipping bad, it is never fun to watch that happen with two sisters. Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Kim and Kyle Richards have been through their fair share of issues on the show, and unlike a feud between Brandi and Lisa, the Richards' sisters' family drama has always felt much more painful to watch.
There's kind of a list of reasons Kim and Kyle's relationship is devastating and amazing at respective times. Their sisters, they've dealt with family drama, they've dealt with addiction, they've gone through the Hell that is RHOBH, all of that can make the highs really high, and the lows really low. When the two are getting along, I feel as if my own sister and I are getting along — I don't have a sister, so it's all make-believe for me. When they're not getting along, though, it feels uncomfortable, and much bigger than anything Bravo set out to show to audiences. This is a show about well-to-do women in Beverly Hills, right? Not a show that displays the crumbling relationship of two middle-aged sisters. Let's take a look at Kim and Kyle's relationship since the show started.
Season 1
The issues between Kim and Kyle started early in the series, and surely even earlier in life. From the beginning, Kyle and Kim butt heads because of Kim's relationship with her children, which even as a non-parent, seems weird to me. Kyle felt that Kim had no life outside of her immediate family, which hurt Kyle. (Kim couldn't come to one RHOBH party because of something for her daughter, and it really set Kyle off. UGH Kim, stop putting your daughter first.) Season 1 was a season where Kim and Kyle fought about issues that seemed kind of pointless, even though you knew there was something brewing below the surface. Whether it was about Kim not coming to Kyle's defense, or Kim starting fights with Taylor, the two would argue about everything, and it all felt very trivial.
That was until the season culminated in what will be known as "The Limo Fight," forever. Kyle screamed at Kim for being "sick," "a liar," and "an alcoholic," and it was painful to watch, since this revelation felt much bigger than the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Season 2
This season focused a lot on Kim's issues with addiction. Her behavior always seemed off, and she would act a little strange at public events — but aren't we all a little wackadoo sometimes? Unfortunately, the comments from the Season 1 finale (see: "The Limo Fight") weighed in the air immensely. A lot of the drama revolved around Kim and Brandi during Season 2, and it caused Kim and Kyle to kind of team up, which was great, until Kim revealed a huge secret she had been keeping from her sister... her boyfriend, Ken. It was obvious that Kyle didn't really — how should I put this? — take to Ken, but the issues between the sisters ultimately stemmed from Kyle's worry about Kim's strange behavior. During the Season 2 finale, Kim revealed to Andy Cohen that she was an alcoholic, and spoke openly about her life after rehab. This could be the turning point for Sisters Richards.
Season 3
This was Kim's post-rehab season, and issues between Kyle and Kim were dwarfed compared to earlier seasons. Kim struggled with the questioning and the worrying that Kyle and the other housewives gave her when she would act a little less than perfect — come on, ladies, everyone has off days. But all-in-all, the relationship between Kyle and Kim seemed to be at its strongest yet.
Season 4
By far Kim Richards strongest season, and therefore a strong season for her relationship with Kyle as well. I feel like when both of the sisters have issues with the same person — but for different reasons — they are a force to be reckoned with (aka the Brandi showdown in Season 2). In this season, Sisters Richards had issues with Ken and Lisa and they were basically a Marvel comic book of strength.
Season 5
Kim's struggle with addiction resurfaces, which scares Kyle, rightly so. To give each side a fair voice, I will explain how they both see the situation. Kyle sees the situation as Kim is her sister, and she (Kyle) should be the one who is helping her (Kim) figure out whatever issues she may have. Kim, who has become close to Brandi this season, "doesn't understand" Kyle. She seems hurt by Kyle's involvement, and honestly, she might be questioning Kyle's intentions like some of the viewers are. They're relationship has been going up and down like a bad bobble head desk doll, but I'm hopeful that they'll work things out.
Images: Nicole Weingart/Bravo; Giphy (5)
