RHONJ Season 2 Finale

Grrrrr! This season's dose of duplicity has really ticked me off. Don't get me wrong - I'm a reality tv junkie who's addicted to the drama, but this has just gotten ridiculous.

And Danielle, the when you're speaking of more than one woman, the plural form of the word is "womEn". Pay attention, please! Shannon, now that you've pointed that out, it drives me up a wall every time I hear it!

First, let me start by mentioning a few little tidbits that I read online recently:
- Little known fact: Kim D and Kim G are sisters-in-law. That certainly explains a lot.
- A few short weeks after declaring bankruptcy, Teresa and Joe went on a $60,000 spending spree to begin replacing the furniture in their home that's been tagged for auction. Apparently, it's legit/legal, but even her lawyer said it looks bad.
- All their items are due up for auction on Oct. 3rd, including all the furniture and toys and stuff in each of the girls' rooms. That's just heartbreaking. Yes, the kids are spoiled rotten, but to have to auction off the baby's cradle? Really?
- Joe's successfully appealed his sentence for his DUI and will not serve any time. The first judge gave him the maximum penalties. The appellate judge reduce it all to the minimum.
- Danielle apparently hasn't been asked back for Season 3. Rumor has it she's shopping her own reality show about her life and issues.
- Teresa now has a gig as spokesperson for some tanning salon in North Jersey.
- The North Jersey Country Club in Wayne (site of the fashion show with the hair pulling) sent a letter to its members apologizing for the incident and telling the members that the RHONJ and Bravo are never allowed back.

Now, about last night.

Jackie - you have the nerve to say that you're a good mother? Are you kidding me? For real? What are you using for a benchmark? I just can't believe it. Granted, you don't beat or starve your kids, but your interpersonal relationship with Ashley needs some serious help.

Teresa - I just have to shake my head at how you continue to live in denial. Thankfully, I didn't have to suffer through the spending sprees (got it all out of your system in Italy, did ya?).

Albie/Chris/Lauren/Ashley - loving the kid interventions going on. Were you missing your camera time? How many times am I going to have to look at Albie being pictured as being so thoughtful? Apart from Ashley's temper tantrum at the dinner, I can't see how any of them really added much to last night's show.

Caroline and Danielle - I have to write about the two of you together for this one. Caroline, on the one hand, why did you feel compelled to contact Danielle? I have to think that was the producers putting you up to that, because I just can't see you volunteering for that. I just don't see it. The whole way you brought it up at dinner seemed contrived. Danielle, props to you for going. I think two bodyguards was a little overkill. As for the discussion itself. Caroline, if you had sat there and started in on the name calling (again), then yes, I would have gotten up and left, too. I can't blame Danielle for walking out. I really can't. How much abuse is she supposed to take before she's had enough? Danielle, you could have been more gracious and at least heard Caroline out. I really didn't expect Danielle to drop the charges (and we know she didn't). Caroline, I think you were hoping for a bit too much to expect that someone who went through what Danielle did when she was younger is going to suddenly turn around be so forgiving as an adult. I don't think Danielle has grown that much as a person over the years. She still seems to have a rather juvenile mindset, obsessing on others, feeling the need to assert herself. She's seeing this as a way to force the whole clan to admit that she (Danielle) was right and they owe her an apology. She's not going to pass that chance up. I did find it interesting that when they each started challenging each other on things - name me one time when I was mean to you, tell me one thing I did, what about your friends that are under indictment - they both skirted the issue. And Caroline, you can't have it both ways - you can't claim to be hurt when Danielle hurts the family, but then to take no responsibility for the pain they inflict on her. I think that's unfair. If you're going to lay claim to the damage done to your family but not to you directly, then I think you also have to lay claim to the damage done to Danielle by your family, even if it's not done by you directly. That knife really should cut both ways.

In the end it was unresolved. Nothing gained. More stress. Nobody won. Both came out damaged by the exchange. I thought the ending with Jillian and Christine hugging and shaking the hands of the body guards was ridiculous. What kind of message does that send to the girls about the neighborhood they live in and the people they have to face around town? I thought the big family dinner at the Brownstone (and yes, I got that right during the little trivia question - how could you miss that one?) was sad. Caroline acting as the matriarch of the family, telling Ashley that they do that for family. Gender reversal of the Godfather, anyone? Too staged, too fake, too ridiculous for me. I almost gagged when Jackie told Ashley's boyfriend that's considered family. Derek, run!

Still, I can't wait for the reunion. I'm addicted, what can I say?
But I wonder if the family will show up in force to buy all of Teresa's possessions so they can give them back to her. Especially their wedding rings.

What did you think?