My other guilty pleasure has returned.

I don't know if I really have guilty pleasures. Because in all honesty, there is no guilt involved. But most people would probably say they SHOULD be guilty pleasures, so we'll just go with that.

Real Housewives of Orange County returned this past Tuesday. Though that is generally my Nip/Tuck hour, last week's episode was so disappointing after the long wait that I put Drs. Troy and McNamara on the back burner for the forty-something version of LC, Heidi, Audrina, and Whit Whit.

Season 3 basically picked up where season 2 left off, but with one glaring omission. No Jo and Slade?? While some people will be disappointed by that, I'm ecstatic. I mean... Slade Smiley? It sounds like a Sesame Street character's name. Plus, if they're not the focus of the show, that means we won't have to listen to Jo sing again. That is WONDERFUL.

I don't want to sound cruel or heartless, but I think I probably will. Regardless... I feel the need to point out how ridiculous young Lindsey sounded while speaking of the death of her father. I know that such a thing is obviously traumatizing to a child at such a young age... but the whole thing seemed to me to be about money. "I have to pay bills now and buy groceries... things I'd never even thought of." Plus the countless references to the "Thai wife" who was keeping all of the money. Yes, these girls had become accustomed to a fairly comfortable lifestyle due to their father's wealth, but I found myself having a hard time feeling much sympathy for people whose closest emotional connection to their late father was seemingly his pocketbook.

Vicki is still as controlling and obnoxious as ever... and I love to watch it. She provides great comic relief on the show, but most of the time she's onscreen I simply find myself being grateful that she's not my mother.

As for Lauri, I think it's possible that she should get her head examined. I'm not a parent and have no plans to be one anytime soon... but I can't fathom sending a 21 and 17 year old to Miami unsupervised. 17 and 18, maybe... or even 17 and 20. But they do realize that the 21 year old is going as a liquor provider first and foremost? And attempting to impose a midnight curfew on your high school student when you won't even be present? Good luck with that one...

I don't have much to say about Tamra, the new housewife. She is certainly going to have to grow on me (as will her control freak husband... maybe he should get together with Vicki).

And I saved my favorite Coto family until last... the Keoghs. Kara and her bf broke up, as was expected when he went away to school. But the shock to me was the revelation that Kara will be going from conservative Coto to BERKELEY! The possibilities of her visits home during the school year are endless. There is guaranteed conflict in that and I can't wait. Shane is back in baseball and Colton is straight up trouble. I just hope that they focus more on the kids and Jeana this season than her weirdo husband and his dog that has been dead for 10+ years.