It may be Episode 2, but we’re still in the first weekend out here in the Hamptons. And, just like every year, the Good Vibe Tribe is giving big Fourth of July energy. You know, because it’s the Fourth of July.
Everything felt sort of awkward and tense in last week’s premiere. But the drama kicks off in earnest this week, and we have more than a few major confrontations in between all the performative patriotism and red, white and blue beach ensembles. Plus, Ciara Miller and Danielle Olivera finally show up for Season 7!
Kyle vs. Carl
At the top of the hour, the gang throws on their star-spangled swimwear and heads to the beach. Which is apparently the perfect setting for Kyle Cooke to confront Carl Radke about their work issues. As last week made clear, significant strain has crept into the BFFs relationship over the last year — partly with Carl feeling unappreciated and overworked at Loverboy. However, Kyle thinks a major part of the issue has to do with Lindsay Hubbard being in Carl’s ear. Poisoning the well, so to speak.
Ultimately, the two number one guys in the house reach some sort of tentative detente. But wouldn’t this conversation have been more appropriate in, I don’t know, say… a work setting?
Mya vs. Lindsay
However, the Kyle/Carl conversation isn’t the only feud playing out on the beach. Mya Allen also decides to pull Lindsay aside and attempt to clear the air over what happened in that car in L.A. And how well do we think that turns out?
One of the things that irks me the most about Lindsay is that whenever she’s confronted about her behavior (or tone…or attitude…or treatment of people…etc.), she simultaneously plays dumbs and condescends to the person trying to talk to her. It’s infuriating. Can be a little bit manipulative. And is precisely what she does to Mya. To the point that the latter nearly walks away from the conversation out of pure frustration.
Lindsay never thinks she’s wrong about anything, no matter how rudely she speaks to those around her. Mya claims she just wants to be able to co-exist in the house. After all, they have all summer to be around each other. But Lindsay interprets that as “I don’t want to be friends with you” and makes it an issue. The two will never be able to agree on what happened after Family Feud, and decide to hug it out even if nothing is 100 percent settled.
Loverboy’s Got Problems
The actual Fourth of July is a quiet affair, with the entire house heading back to New York City in a caravan. However, the drama doesn’t stop in the city. Craig Conover makes his first cameo of the season in an adorable yellow sweater to visit Paige DeSorbo. And Kyle gets bad news: Loverboy has lost its distributor for the entire Coachella Valley. It’s a bit of a crisis and, according to his retelling to Amanda Batula, the fumbling of the ball falls on Carl as VP of sales for completely ignoring the distributor while he’s been in LindsayLand.
RELATED: Carl Radke And Lindsay Hubbard Reveal If They Want To Film Their Wedding For Summer House
A Case Of The Rotating Bedrooms
Going into weekend two, there’s yet another shift in the dynamics of the house. Namely because Carl and Lindsay took off to Malibu for a wedding. And Ciara and Danielle finally arrive to the party. (Yes, Danielle appeared on the Fourth for a quick brunch with her two besties, but it feels right to finally have her back in the house.)
With one of the resident couples gone for the weekend, it becomes a question of where everyone will actually sleep. Danielle feels like it’s too close to home to use Carl and Lindsay’s bed. So she sequesters newbie Chris Leoni and takes his room. Ciara is obviously more than happy to lay in bed with her girls all weekend. But the puzzle that is the room situation has me wondering: with so many roommates and so few beds, will we ever get the entire cast in the house for a weekend this season?
Kyle And Danielle’s Showdown
The crew heads out to dinner on their first night and drama is already brewing. Kyle’s still heated over the issues with Loverboy during the week. Add to that the fact that Carl apparently didn’t give sufficient warning that he was leaving for California and left the entire sales team in the dark that he was on a cross-country flight. So, Kyle has a lot to vent about at the table. Which he promptly does to Mya — seemingly his new ally — and, by default, the entire table.
Kyle’s frustrations may be valid, but he takes things several steps too far by throwing his BFF firmly under the bus and bringing personal issues from well in the past (like a pre-sober Carl’s out-of-control alcohol and drug use) into the argument. Which feels gross, wrong and like a violation of their friendship.
Over at the other end of the table, Danielle is seething on behalf of Carl, and inserts herself into Kyle’s diatribe to defend him. Naturally, the conversation turns into a full-scale argument as the newbies look on in uncomfortable disbelief. But really, it’s just all the more sad knowing where Danielle’s unwavering loyalty to Carl and Lindsay is going to get her this season.
TELL US – WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON: KYLE OR CARL? WHAT ABOUT LINDSAY OR MYA? DID KYLE GO TOO FAR IN HIS FRUSTRATIONS WITH CARL? WAS DANIELLE RIGHT TO DEFEND HIM?
[Photo by: Sasha IsraelBravo]
