Hold onto your hats, reality TV junkies, because Denise Richards and her “Wild Things” are back, and episode 7 is serving up a heaping helping of drama.
Last week, we witnessed [briefly mention a key event from episode 6, creating intrigue]. But what happens when [tease a possible conflict or development based on the episode’s title or general themes]?
Denise’s Reality TV Struggles
I’ve heard your feedback — I am being too hard on Denise Richards & Her Wild Things. The reality is that I criticize because I care. As I’ve said from the jump, I’m a longtime Denise Richards fan, and I’d love for her to find her place on Bravo again. I am just not convinced this show is the answer. And frankly, neither is Denise, who spends another episode auditioning for a theoretical cooking show.
I’m trying to meet this series where it’s at, letting its gentle rhythms wash over me like that vibrating wand Denise rubs all over her face and (once cameras are down) Aaron’s balls. But while I did enjoy this installment more than last week’s lizard memorial, I still can’t deny that it’s falling short. Denise herself is certainly trying! She’s being candid about her yearly Botox. She’s extolling the virtues of salmon sperm facials. (They inject what they extract from the salmon sperm into your skin instead of whatever you’re imagining, which is probably much worse.)
The Cooking Show Conundrum: Denise’s Fixation on a New Format
But mostly, she’s fixated on this non-existent cooking show. We learn that when she posted one of her semi-disastrous videos, she got a comment from Brooke Williamson, former Top Chef winner and current Food Network mainstay. Denise is thrilled that Brooke is looking to collab, even though the comment in question (“Let’s do this together next time … I’m here for you”) feels a little shady. “I really want to get my own cooking show,” Denise reiterates, and by now, I’m wondering if they can’t just subtly shift Denise Richards & Her Wild Things to a new format. Denise Richards & Her Wild … Recipes? Just spitballing here.
The Botox and Salmon Sperm Facials: Denise’s Candid Moments
Denise is being candid about her yearly Botox. She’s extolling the virtues of salmon sperm facials. (They inject what they extract from the salmon sperm into your skin instead of whatever you’re imagining, which is probably much worse.) But mostly, she’s fixated on this non-existent cooking show.
Family Drama and Secrets
The Tank Top Saga: Sami’s Nose Job and Lola’s Hurt Feelings
Denise, Lola, and Eloise head over to Sami’s for a post-surgery visit. Sami has already posted a TikTok about her nose job, so I’m not sure what the point of keeping Lola in the dark was. (The TikTok itself has bad vibes, particularly the part where Sami says, “That’s one thing I love about the bruising, is that it makes my eyes pop.”) Denise is in full producer mode, trying to prod Lola into saying she feels hurt that Sami tried to keep her nose job a secret from her.
But Lola doesn’t care about that — she’s too focused on the blue tank top that Sami allegedly stole from her ages ago. “This tank top is just so special to me,” Lola explains, and I’m trying to take it seriously, but it seems like a bigger deal that Sami refuses to let her sister come up to her apartment. She says that while they’ve made up, she’s still not comfortable having Lola at her place. That puts Denise in the uncomfortable position of having to be the one to ask Sami to return the tank top.
The Kathy Hilton Connection: A Logical Choice for a Fake Spinoff
The first of this week’s special guest stars is Kathy Hilton, who Denise meets for a meal — it’s a logical choice for a fake spinoff of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Denise first met Kathy because Charlie Sheen once bought a house next to Paris Hilton and had Denise and the kids move in after his goddesses moved out. (Remember the goddesses?)
As with the Erika Jayne meet-up in the last episode, there’s not a lot of substance to this scene, though it’s always nice to spend time with Kathy, especially after she’s had a “country-club pour” of Chardonnay. Once more, however, I found myself desperate to delve a little deeper. Denise talks about how wild Sami was as a teenager, and Kathy can relate given what she went through with Paris.
The Avoidance of Trauma: Glossing Over the Past
I appreciate the tone producers are going for — Denise Richards & Her Wild Things is obviously meant to be lighthearted, laundry-folding entertainment — but these constant reminders that there’s something beneath the surface do reflect a larger trend. I’m trying to meet this show where it’s at, letting its gentle rhythms wash over me like that vibrating wand Denise rubs all over her face and (once cameras are down) Aaron’s balls. But while I did enjoy this installment more than last week’s lizard memorial, I still can’t deny that it’s falling short.
Denise herself is certainly trying! She’s being candid about her yearly Botox. She’s extolling the virtues of salmon sperm facials. But mostly, she’s fixated on this non-existent cooking show. We learn that when she posted one of her semi-disastrous videos, she got a comment from Brooke Williamson, former Top Chef winner and current Food Network mainstay. Denise is thrilled that Brooke is looking to collab, even though the comment in question (“Let’s do this together next time … I’m here for you”) feels a little shady.
Mother-Daughter Tensions
Sami’s post-nose-job headshots: a moment of tension. The double standard of modeling agencies: Sami’s struggle. The unexplored resentment: a missed opportunity for drama.
Sami shares that she’s been turned down by modeling agencies because of her OF career, even though that’s how she pays her rent. In a confessional, Denise calls this a double standard, pointing out that she has only gotten more opportunities since finding herself in the top one percent of OF creators. We know Sami started her OF first, and that she wasn’t thrilled when Denise decided to join. Surely she has some feelings about the way things have shaken out since.
- Sami’s Post-Nose-Job Headshots: A Moment of Tension
- The Double Standard of Modeling Agencies: Sami’s Struggle
- The Unexplored Resentment: A Missed Opportunity for Drama
Love Triangles and Pickleball
The Denise-Aaron-Patrick Love Triangle: A Nonexistent Drama
Most of this episode is devoted to the nonexistent Denise-Aaron-Patrick love triangle, but we do take a moment to see Sami get her new post-nose-job headshots. I enjoyed watching Denise declare that she doesn’t want to be a momager while making suggestions on the shoot and offering to hold a giant fan to blow Sami’s hair.
The Pickleball Fiasco: A Bravo Show Crisis
At pickleball, we get another rehash of Denise’s history with Patrick, which I swear has been covered in every episode up to this point, though the revelation that the “Schweet Babe” nickname was coined on the Starship Troopers set was news to me.
The “Schweet Babe” Nickname: A Starship Troopers Revelation
Patrick asks Denise to star in his new music video for a song that’s totally not about her but is about the woman who got away. Denise is down as long as she gets to be sexy in it. Know your worth!
Conclusion
So, there you have it: another week, another whirlwind of drama in the Richards household. Episode 7 of “Denise Richards & Her Wild Things” served up a hefty dose of sibling rivalry, complicated relationships, and teenage angst, all wrapped up in the Richards’ signature blend of glamour and grit. We witnessed the fallout from the explosive dinner party, explored the depths of Sami’s rebellious streak, and saw Denise navigate the tricky waters of co-parenting with Charlie Sheen. Beyond the surface-level entertainment, this episode highlighted the universal struggles of family dynamics, the complexities of growing up in the public eye, and the constant negotiation between individual aspirations and familial obligations. The implications of these themes resonate far beyond the confines of reality television. This show, in its own unapologetic way, reflects the challenges and triumphs of modern families, forcing us to confront the messy realities of love, loyalty, and compromise. As we continue to follow the Richards family, we’re reminded that beneath the glitz and glamour, they’re simply trying to navigate the same turbulent seas as the rest of us. The question remains: will their family weather the storm, or will the wild things ultimately tear them apart?
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