The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (season 2)

Production and crew

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills first season was successful for the network, premiering to 1.5 total million viewers as well as the finale being the highest-rated episode of the season with 4.2 million viewers, when combined with multiple evening reruns. In March 2011, a month after the conclusion of season one, it was renewed for a second season. In July 2011, the premiere date and cast were announced for the second season.

The following month in August 2011, it was revealed that although the filming had ended month ago, the producers were interviewing the housewives to introduce the season. The interview was to have the women discuss the events that occurred after filming round Taylor Armstrong's husband's suicide and explain to the viewers that season two occurred prior. In the same month the president of Bravo, Frances Berwick, revealed that the show was in the process of being re-edited in light of the death of Russel Armstrong. After the network's consideration of changing the premiere date, they decided to continue with their plans and left it unchanged.

The season premiere "Back to Beverly Hills" was aired on September 5, 2011, while the twentieth episode "The Real Wedding of Beverly Hills" served as the season finale, and was aired on January 23, 2012. It was followed by a three-part reunion that aired on January 30, February 6 and February 13, 2012 and a "Lost Footage" episode on February 16, 2012, which marked the conclusion of the season. Alex Baskin, Chris Cullen, Douglas Ross, Greg Stewart, Toni Gallagher, Dave Rupel and Andy Cohen are recognized as the series' executive producers; it is produced and distributed by Evolution Media.

Cast

All six wives from season one returned for the second installment. Along with the six wives two recurring cast members were introduced as "friends of the housewives", Brandi Glanville and Dana Wilkey. Glanville and Wilkey are describe as women "who certainly know how to spice things up in the world's most famous zip code."

Glanville joins the series having a friendship with Adrienne Maloof and history with, former house-guest to Lisa Vanderpump, Cedric. Glanville spent seventeen years of her life travelling the world as a high fashion model with specialties on the catwalk and as a print model for magazine such as Glamour and Cosmopolitan as well as working for design houses such as Giorgio Armani, Chanel and Gucci. Glanville joined the series shortly after a divorce, from that altered her trust in men. Glanville divorced Eddie Cibrian shortly after learning of his affair with LeAnn Rimes, and the two still share custody of their children, Jake and Mason. When Glanville isn't raising her sons, she's often enjoying playing golf or hanging out with her best friend, Jennifer Gimenez.

Wilkey may have become a recurring cast member in season two, but she guest starred on the first season as the event planner behind Taylor Armstrong's $60,000 tea party. When she's not planning children's events, she's planning anything from film premieres to elaborate parties across The U.S. and Europe. Wilkey moved around a lot as a child and was deeply affected by a car accident that put her mother in a coma, which later resulted in her death. Moving from the East coast to the west at the age of fifteen, Wilkey graduated from University of Southern California with honors and in later years she founded the Adwil Agency, a boutique web application development company and product placement firm. Wilkey is mother to her 22-month year old son, John Cayden Flynn, and relishes with planning her wedding for the following year which will result in gaining two adult step-children. When she's not running her event planning business or raising her son she's buying couture clothes and adding to her Barbie collection.

Synopsis

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season two begins with an introduction to the series at Adrienne Maloof's home with Maloof, Lisa Vanderpump, Camille Grammer and Kim and Kyle Richards discussing the recent suicide of Taylor Armstrong's husband Russel Armstrong, their financial issues and the abuse that circulated their relationship. The events following the discussion between the ladies occurred prior to his death.

The season officially begins with Kyle and her husband packing up their home, to move in to their new home that is much larger. Kyle and her sister Kim attempt to move forward after the event that occurred in season one. Grammer prefers for her new life as a single women, dealing with being along on a large property. Later, Maloof hosts a dinner party to celebrate Grammer's new role in the sitcom, $h*! My Dad Says with all the other ladies invited. Maloof introduced her new puppy, Jackpot, at the party that she thinks will rivals Vanderpump's dog, Giggy. At the Maloof and her husband have tension over things including the popping of wine, giving a toast and the placing of napkin, and it doesn't go unnoticed. Armstrong reveals that she and her husband are working on their relationship and are getting relationship therapy but Vanderpump's husband, Ken Todd, shocks the others when he implies that couple's therapy makes you weak. With Ken offending Armstrong, she leaves the table and heads to the bathroom with Kyle following soon after which leaves Vanderpump feeling uncomfortable in her friendship with Kyle.

Armstrong opens up about some serious problems with her marriage during a trip to Grammer to-be-sold home in Colorado. Armstrong attends a tea party with the other ladies hosted by Vanderpump, during the tea party Armstrong reveals her true feelings on Vanderpump. Armstrong isn't feeling supported by the other women on her feeling and claims they have all had negative things to say on Vanderpump. After leaving and returning, the ladies question Armstrong on her marital issues and the contradictions. Grammer walks out after claiming Armstrong needs to be honest and revealing Armstrong's marital secrets. After the tea party, Armstrong wants to put the drama to the back of her mind and throws her daughter a birthday party where Ace Young performs. The drama doesn't stay away for long after Armstrong fears running in to Grammer at Maloof's glamorous, backyard fashion show. Armstrong and Grammer's feud worsen at a Malibu house party hosted by Glanville, where Armstrong completely breaks down and Glanville ends up asking her to leave. Armstrong is uninvited from Kyle's annual white party after Grammer receives a lawsuit from Armstrong's husband, and the other ladies fear they may be next. As the women head to Lanai. Hawaii, Armstrong stays in Beverly Hills to work on her troubled marriage. At the Vanderpump's launch party for SUR, Armstrong arrives with her psychiatrist with visible bruising under her eye. Armstrong sits down with the ladies to communicate with the help of mediation from her guest. She is confronted by the ladies on her conflicting stories with her marriage and Armstrong reveals to the wives that she has left her husband Russel and that she had been abused by him.

Vanderpump finds out that her daughter, Pandora and her partner are engaged and is ecstatic because she think they're perfect for each other. Vanderpump hosts an extravagant engagement party for her daughter, featuring camels, snakes and circus performers. Vanderpump continues to relish her daughter's engagement helping her organize the wedding including invitations and lingerie shopping. While wedding dress shopping with Pandora, Pandora insists her mum also wears a wedding dress at the wedding. Despite her prior issue with Armstrong, Vanderpump, her daughter and Armstrong head to Las Vegas for Pandora's bachelorette party as well ass Armstrong's birthday. During the trip Vanderpump and Armstrong form a bond. Vanderpump hosts a launch party for her new lounge and restaurant, SUR. Vanderpump sends home a waitress, Sheana Shay, after she learns the history of her and Glanville. Another familiar face arrives at the event, Vanderpump's former house guest Cedric, who is swiftly removed. Vanderpump daughter gets married at Vanderpump's manor, in a million dollar, fairy tale ceremony.

Kyle hosts a charity cocktail event for the Lollipop Theater Network, but the attention at the party turns to the entrance of Brandi Glanville. The ladies begins to gossip about Glanville's alleged past with Vanderpump's former house guest Cedric, which leaves them questing her intentions. The question of Glanville continues when Maloof hosts a barbecue at her home and Glanville arrives and her bold language leaves Kyle and Dana Wilkey shocked. The rising tension worsens at a game night hosted by Wilkey. With everyone attending but Vanderpump, Kyle and her sister Kim hide Glanville's crutches. Later that night, Kim Richards who keeps going to the bathroom leaves Glanville with a few opinions that she is open to share. Glanville enrages both sisters and results the three getting in to an explosive argument throwing accusations around. Kyle and Glanville get in to a physical altercation at Glanville's house party in Malibu in the midst of Armstrong and Grammer's feud. Kyle shoots the cover photo of her memoir, Life Is Not a Reality Show: Keeping It Real with the Housewife Who Does It All.

Kim Richards skips Vanderpump daughter's engagement party for something she has been keeping a secret, that she is seeing a man. While Paul's night of beauty, Kim learns that mixing alcohol with her medication isn't a good idea but is amendment she hasn't broken her sobriety. Paul Nassif explains that the medication's affect causing sedation may be reason of her erratic behavior. The day after Kyle's séance that Kim chose no to attend, she reveals to Kyle that she has been seeing a man for a year. Kyle remembers him for a premiere they attended and questions why Kim kept it secret. Kim then drops another bomb that she is moving further away which leaves Kyle in tears. Later, Kim breaks down to Kyle about her fears of losing her family for choosing to have a relationship with her boyfriend, Ken. She reveals that he is the boss in the relationship which raises concerns for Kyle that he is obsessed with Kim and is controlling. Kim misses her first and second flight to the Hawaii trip, which leaves her sister worried and questioning her health. Kim arrives at the launch party of SUR flustered, after frantically getting ready, with her boyfriend. At the event, Kim reveals to her sister that her boyfriend is controlling and doesn't treat her well and the two have an emotional revelation that results in Kim telling Kyle that her period is late. Kim didn't attend the reunion and filmed an exclusive one-on-one with host, Andy Cohen. She revealed to him that she is an alcoholic and discussed life after rehab.

Maloof is concerned when her family is forced to makes some business decision with moving their basketball team the Sacramento Kings, which leaves their fans unhappy. Maloof heads to Sacramento to see what might be their last game in Sacramento and invites Kim along. In Sacramento Maloof is concerned by Kim's behavior and questions her sobriety. Maloof hosts a day of relaxation at a spa, but no one is left feeling relaxed when the tension between the Richards sister and Glanville surfaces. Kim arrives to Hawaii a day late with her boyfriend, having missed most of the activities, Kyle calls her out on her strange and irresponsible behavior.

Grammer going through a tumultuous divorce with Kelsey Grammer, must say goodbye to her Colorado home. To go out in style she invites the other ladies for some fun on the ski slopes. Grammer receives a lawsuit from Armstrong's husband after her allegations at Vanderpump's tea party.

U.S. television ratings

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills premiered to 2.18 total million viewers and the series' ratings continued to grow, attracting 2.8 million total viewers January 16, 2012 episode "Night of a Thousand Surprises", making Bravo the number one cable network on television among females 18-49 in the 9pm hour.

The finale of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 2, that aired on January 23, 2012, became the highest-rated episode of the season with 3.03 million total viewers and 2.01 million adults 18-49. It marked the first time the series has delivered over 2 million viewers among adults 18-49.

"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" season two Reunion Part One delivered 3.9 million total viewers and 2.6 million adults 18-49 on January 30, marking double digit growth with a 25 percent and 21 percent increase respectively compared to the prior season's"reunion part one."

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