RAISE YOUR GLASSES HIGH...this one's for you tonight!
Here's what I'm currently watching!
Did you miss me? It’s been over a month since my last edition of the newsletter, but I can assure you it’s because I’ve been busy watching and listening to everything ever created even the bad stuff so that you don’t have to! Read the newsletter and take my recommendations and I promise you won’t regret it. Basically what I’m saying is stick with me kid and you’ll go far! Another reason I’ve been consuming so much media is because I’m desperate to achieve some work-life balance and these past couple months that’s meant happy hours after work, drag shows on the weekends, lots of friendship, and lots and lots of turning my brain off and binging hours of tv after work. It’s not perfect but it’s something closer to balance than I’ve felt in a while. Something about watching tv makes me feel incredibly grounded, and like myself. Maybe it’s because I come from a tv family where we ate meals together while watching our favorite shows, and had nights that were designated as “good tv nights.”
I’ve watched more tv these past few months than I have in a while, probably since lockdown, and I don’t think the idea of entertainment as an escape has ever resonated with me more than it does right now. That’s why this edition of Currently Camille is all about what I’m currently watching! If you’re someone who is very invested in what I’m currently listening to, do not fret; another edition of Currently Camille all about what I’m listening to will be hitting your inboxes on Monday!
Bravo! Brava! Bravi!
Vanderpump Rules
I have to be so incredibly honest and transparent with you all; before the news of Scandoval broke, I hadn’t seen a single episode of what I now know to be one of the most incredible reality tv shows ever created. What took me so long? I knew that Vanderpump Rules was a real housewives spin-off but I’m also not a huge housewives viewer (YET!) so it never really felt like must-see-tv, and as many of you already know, reality competition tv is more my jam mostly because of the fierce emotions that arise when people are competing against one another! I like to think that the case on Vanderpump as somewhat similar, but instead these people are competing against themselves, their questionable choices, and the intense bonds they have with each other that complicate every situation they’re in, while also making fantastic reality tv.
I have somehow ended up at the only workplace in America where people aren’t obsessed with VPR and the events of Scandoval and when I hear myself explaining the events of the show to my co-workers (who are definitely just being polite and letting me have my little moment)I know it sounds like any other outrageous reality show. But readers who know all the words to Raise Your Glass by Deena Deadly know that VPR is unique because of the history that these people have with each other, which is coming into play now more than ever. This affair between original cast member and certified hairerrorist (a person who consistently makes hair choices that are questionable and disturbing) Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss a woman who I’m not entirely sure isn’t a cardboard-cutout-who-one-day-made-a-wish-to-be-a-real-girl-but-just-cant-quite-figure-it-out hasn’t just made for great tv, but has resulted in the end of years-long friendships that pre-date the show. You don’t get much of that in this particular era of reality tv where random people are sort of thrown together and much more prone to self-producing.
Recently Andy Cohen appeared on the podcast Las Culturistas and talked with hosts Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang about a number of things, (dropping names the entire time) including his lifelong love of soap operas, specifically All My Children (ABC SOAPS HIVE MAKE SOME NOIZZZEEE) and how it has influenced every show he’s ever made. He attributes the use of flashbacks during episodes to his love of soaps and points out the similarities between characters that have decades long story arcs on soap operas and the cast members that have been on his shows for 10+ years! Vanderpump is gold from episode one and works so well because we’re coming into the already established world that is the Lisa Vanderpump culinary universe!
One of the most fun things about VPR for me is the cancer (zodiac) representation on this show in the form of Ariana Madix and Stassi Schroeder, a pair of birthday twins whom I immediately clocked as being ‘a bit of me’ as love islanders would say. The way that they didn’t get along for so many years before joining forces and celebrating their birthdays together is great depiction of a cancer-cancer friendship. As a double cancer it’s so frustrating seeing people constantly harping on the softness and the tears and the nurturing when we have the ability to get so angry and so dark and so intense in a way that I find honest and refreshing…but I guess you could say I’m biased.
When stassi said “I’m the devil and don’t you forget it” I not only levitated but I immediately googled her birthday because it resonated with me so hard. Watching Ariana in the season 10 finale tell the useless and spineless Tom Scwhartz that they weren’t friends anymore made me feel so seen. When it comes to grudges and getting bad people out of our life, I approve that message! And if your hands get full, I volunteer to hold the grudge for you, because that’s the kind of friend I am. Other examples of accurate cancer representation in pop culture include;
Everything Solange has ever done, but most notably whatever went down in that elevator that night!
Everything about Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson’s relationship; falling in love with a scorpio, writing a song named after that Scorpio, and then writing a song called THANK U NEXT after no longer dating said Scorpio. Also everything about this photo.
Vera Wang (my birthday twin) and Ariana Grande coming together for a joint slay every few years including when she designed Ariana’s Wedding dress when she married that tall realtor man. Also the fact that Vera Wang has been designing the uniforms for the Philadelphia Eagles’ cheerleaders for the last 20 years (DID EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT THIS?!) The idea of bringing Glamour to the football field is very Cancerian as well!
Missy Elliot’s Twitter Bio
Also these two tweets from Missy Elliot;
CONGRATS TO MISSY ELLIOT FOR BEING THE FIRST WOMAN IN RAP TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME!
This. - Shoutout to all my cancer girlies who can’t help but be honest about and express their big feelings. I love you all. I love us.
As much fun as I’m having as a baby bravo enthusiast, I’d be remiss not to mention that Bravo doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Along with many of their shows not having any Black cast members until recent years there have also been cast members like the aforementioned Stassi Schroeder who have been fired or reprimanded for racist behavior. When I saw that Bravo’s newest show “Martha’s Vineyard” featured an all-Black cast, I HAD to give it a try, and I’m so glad I did. There are currently only two episodes out, but those two episodes are packed with brewing conflict, opposing personalities, and at least one explosive argument. We’ve got Kappas, Alphas, Playboy bunnies, a military man, an incredibly party promoter-y party promoter, and a bad bitch standing ten toes down for her emotional support dog in a house full of black folks that don’t seem to be into animals. It’s juicy and I can’t wait for more. If at any time you’ve found yourself obsessed with Issa Rae’s HBO MAX reality show Sweet Life, then you’re definitely gonna wanna give Martha’s Vineyard a try!
I’ve been having a ball watching VPR and texting and talking to you guys on socials about it. I’m craving more Bravo business so if anyone has any suggestions for which Bravo adventure I should embark on next, please let me know down in the comments!!!
Succession
The final season of Succession is well underway with only two episodes of the entire series left. Unlike VPR, I’ve been watching Succession from the beginning and I am really pleased to see it wrapping up on its own terms rather than dragging this story out over the course of more seasons. It’s early to say, but as much as I am loving this season, I doubt then when it’s all said and done that I’ll be saying season 4 was my favorite of the entire series. I was recently reminded that this season is taking place over the course of one week which can sometimes make certain storylines (the Mattson deal) feel really drawn out, especially when you’ve only got 10 episodes to wrap everything up. It makes me genuinely want to ask my dad how we watched all those seasons of 24 starring Keifer Sutherland (each season took place over the course of one day with each of the 24 episodes being one hour of said day.) In this era of 8-10 episode seasons I don’t know if I could do it.
To be brutally honest, I’ve had to go back and re-watch a few episodes of Succession this season due to my inability to stay awake. This confession is less a critique of the show and probably more a critique of me and my sleeping habits, but it must be said that for this latest episode I was wide awake the entire time! Don’t get me wrong, the season is another great one with everyone doing some of their best work, (Succession will surely sweep during awards season.) but this latest episode “America Decides” where we watch the Roy siblings debate the ethics of interfering in the presidential election and ultimately leading a Nazi candidate to victory, felt like a return to form while also revealing sides to these characters that we haven’t really seen before even if we knew they were there because of the show’s impressive writing The best thing about the episode was the big, bold, blatant reminders of exactly who these people are. They support Nazis, they rig elections, they disrespect women, and that's who they are even if they are quick-witted, funny, and even at times, endearing.
Two things I want to know more about before the season is over;
What is this hard time that Shiv was going through when she met Tom??? They constantly bring it up, especially this season.
I doubt we’ll get more of this but I am so curious about the beginnings of Kendall and Rava! Was he ever a decent father? Would things be different if Rava were white? Watching Kendall basically disregard that his brown daughter was hate-crimed got me thinking lots about his dynamic with Rava and their kids and now I’m craving a Bravo-esque flashback moment real bad.
The Other Two
The Other Two is BACK and just as funny and full of heart as ever! With an absolutely stellar ensemble of comedic powerhouses, everyone on The Other Two constantly EATS! Helene Yorke is really taking it though so far this season as Brooke Dubek, the older sister and manager of pop sensation Chase Dreams. In past seasons we’ve seen Brooke gain the self-esteem to make a name for herself in the entertainment industry and put some of her self-sabotaging tendencies on hold and finally get together with her lovable himbo heartthrob Lance. In this season though she’s ready to leave the industry in search of a higher purpose and so she sets out on a mission to “do good” in the most tone-deaf, white woman ways you can imagine. Anyone who can hold their own in scenes with comedy legends like Molly Shannon and Wanda Sykes deserves some recognition and I hope Yorke gets hers soon! If you’re not watching The Other Two, now is a great time to start.
The episodes are short which is great If you’re allergic to anything longer than 30mins like I am, packed with jokes, and in this 3rd season you can see the show taking more creative risks that are funny and in my opinion, really paying off! Now more than ever feels like a really good time to show some love to HBO Max shows that you want to stick around; the streaming service has recently removed a number of Max originals ahead of a somewhat controversial merger with Warner Brothers. Maybe The Other Two is safe though since it features a predominantly white cast???? (shows like Legendary, Love Life, and Southside that have casts of predominantly Black and Brown people have all been canceled and/or removed completely, making them almost impossible to watch)
In other The Other Two related news…
Single Drunk Female
A show that I love and have talked about in previous editions of the newsletter released season two in April on Hulu, and didn’t disappoint. I watched season 1 of Single Drunk Female in about a day and was so sad to be done so I made sure to take my time with season 2 and I’m so glad that I did. Season one focused mostly on Sam and her journey in a 12-step program with the supporting characters there to show us how much Sam’s drinking has affected the people in her life.
In season two though we get to know more about the people in Sam’s support system and see them needing some support as well. It was nice to see a show about an alcoholic where they weren’t made to look like the only imperfect person on the show. It was a pleasure watching characters like her best friend Brit played wonderfully by Sasha Compere (whose short hair is slowly motivating me to get into someone’s salon/barber chair real soon,) go through it and really have to face her own mistakes and imperfections, especially when it comes to her relationship with the man who came between the two besties in season one.
On Single Drunk Female, characters dealing with addiction are written with humanity and care. They are not cautionary tales, just other people going through things and working through things and trying to get better. My love for great ensemble casts is another reason why I’m always screaming at people to watch this show. With a cast of mostly newer and relatively unknown actors Single Drunk Female is an opportunity to see people who aren’t constantly in our faces which I always find exciting. One of my favorite performances in season two however comes from seasoned actor Ally Sheedy most famous for her role as Allison Reynolds in the Breakfast Club. Here she plays the role of Sam’s mom, a widow who doesn’t really understand addiction and what her daughter needs from her in order to get sober. Another exciting addition to the cast this season and reason to watch season 2 is tv veteran Busy Phillips who is a joy to watch in any role. Bob the Drag Queen also guest stars in an episode this season!
The 2010s!
If you’ve ever watched VH1’s I love the [insert decade here] imagine that but as a CNN show. The talking heads have less of a playful tone, but the information is just as entertaining if you’re a pop culture/history bitch such as myself.
I’ve watched every season of this show so far starting with The 70s (the television episode of this season being my favorite of the entire series) and there is something much different about watching a deep dive into a decade that I was old enough to be present for. I was nervous that this season wouldn’t do it for me like past seasons for that reason, but there’s something valuable in being able to reflect on moments that you’ve lived through in our fast paced society. A great example of this is in the first episode on “peak tv.” With streaming making the tv market more saturated than ever it’s easier than ever for great shows and great performances to get lost in the shuffle. In this first episode though, they touch on that phenomenon and make it a point to recognize some great shows that barely anyone watched.
Ten years ago when I started watching original content on Netflix or when I created my Spotify account, I wasn’t thinking about how streaming was going to change the way we consumed media forever. When I was watching Breaking Bad for the first time I didn’t know that I was living in the era of ‘peak tv’ but one episode into The 2010s, I now understand more of what I’ve lived through and that feels more important to me now than it ever did before.
Thanks for reading…
and be sure to like and subscribe to the newsletter if you liked what you read or felt inspired to check out any of the shows in this Currently Watching edition of Currently Camille! Be sure to check your inboxes on Monday where I’ll be talking Jessie Ware, Caroline Polachek, Kaytramine, albums that flopped this year, new additions to the playlist and of course a lil Currently Camille life update.