Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18, Episode 20 Recap: The Reunion Concludes

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Welcome to the recap for Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18, Episode 20. This week, the entire season is wrapped up in a pretty orange bow, after Alexis’ arrival on the couches in last week’s installment. Was there any resolution, or will the ladies continue to go after one another now cameras are down? Here's everything of note from RHOC Season 18, Episode 20: "Reunion Part 3."

What happened on Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18, Episode 20?

The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18 reunion Part 3 teased a shocking bombshell that took place AFTER the reunion was filmed. But back on the reunion stage, Alexis and Shannon got no closer to fixing their broken relationship. It's clear they will never be friends. Meanwhile, Tamra and Shannon shared a hug, and the other ladies all tried to hash out their differences.

Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18, Episode 20 opens unlike any reunion in recent memory

Part 3 of the RHOC Season 18 reunion opened with the ladies discussing some information that came to light at the reunion. Have we ever seen a reunion episode open this way before, with filming of the ladies AFTER the season was supposed to have put cameras down? It's a lot – and I was immediately left on the edge of my seat wondering what we were going to find out.

36 hours earlier, we're back with Shannon and Alexis at one another's throats. Shannon gloats that she took Alexis' full-time job on the show, and has held it for a decade. "You know what Shannon? You're so bitter," Alexis swipes. "I don't want to talk about you anymore. Get married. Congratulations, you guys are perfect for each other," Shannon responds.

Alexis thinks Shannon is obsessed with John Janssen, despite their split. But Andy points out that Shannon can't help but discuss John when she's being sued by him – a lawsuit that has now been settled.

Alexis is mad, because when she first met John, she found bad press about him. Shannon reminds Alexis that the reason for her conflict in Season 17 was because she was defending John “to the death.” Then Emily tries to get involved in the chat, and Alexis tells her to “butt out.” Emily and Alexis cannot stand one another, and I’m not entirely sure why.

Shannon continues to say she paid for the entire relationship with John at the start. Meanwhile, Alexis claims he put over $350,000 into the love affair before the alleged $75,000 loan. There are a lot of numbers, and frankly, I’m tired. Alexis took too much sh*t for this, and it stinks.

How long was John single for before Alexis?

John claimed to be single “for a year” before getting with Alexis. Then, a text shows John was texting Shannon claiming he loved her just months before their relationship started. Alexis’ response is that being “friends with benefits” does not a relationship make. And then, both Gina and Emily try to join Shannon in bashing Alexis. “The bullies, Tweedledee and Tweedledum,” Alexis calls Gina and Emily, before activated Emily jumps down her throat.

“Don’t you ever f*cking call me dumb … you are an idiot! Don’t f*cking call me dumb, you are the dumbest f*cking girl I’ve ever met!” Emily shouts across the sofa, before Alexis asks if she wants to hit her. The aggression does seem high, but that feels like a lot.

“We were together every single day from [April 2023] until 10 days after my DUI,” Shannon clarifies. “Did he ever ask you to be his girlfriend again?” Alexis asks, before Shannon reveals they were still being “intimate” at the time.

It’s not exactly a shady timeline, but it’s one I’m no longer interested in. John is now with Alexis. Let’s move on. I want Alexis back for Season 19, but we need new storylines. This one has ran its course, and even Andy is tired. “She has [moved on],” he says of Shannon. “Trust me, she has.”

As for the lawsuit and rejected initial settlement offer? John wanted to see the season first, so could react to any “lies” Shannon said about him. Now that the show’s over, the pair have settled. So, his reasoning seems to make sense.

Were the Ring doorbell videos being used for “extortion?”

“It is my intent for nobody to ever see them,” John said of the videos in a pre-recorded confessional. “It was an extremely traumatic night for me and my two adult children, and it’s unfortunate that Shannon has not taken accountability for the people that she harmed that night. And, I would say that, if Shannon would like to, I would – the one person I would show the video footage to – would be Shannon Beador if she wants to see what she actually was like that night, and what kind of behavior she exhibited. She has characterized me as a monster on the show. If she wants to see what a monster looks like, she can view those videos.”

Back on the reunion stage, Tamra asks Shannon if she can recall what the videos may contain. But Shannon is getting emotional, and simply shakes her head. “We were in a fight, he said, ‘you’re a drunken idiot,’ and I got in my car.” The ladies then wonder why the videos came up at all, as they felt very much like a “threat.”

Alexis admits regretting bringing the videos up, and claims she didn’t know they were being filmed when she initially mentioned them. “I had a breaking point,” Alexis says of their Big Bear trip. “I was very upset. Every time I filmed, it was about John or Shannon. Here’s the thing, Andy. This was not any easier for me to film with the ex, than it is for her.” But she’s not gonna apologize “for defending my man.”

“Time for the ‘friend’ to exit the room,” Shannon says, as Andy wraps up the segment. What’s Alexis’ goal now she can’t be “amicable” with Shannon? She still holds some hope. But don’t hold your breath.

Emily has an issue with Jennifer’s friendship with Alexis, while Tamra defends Shannon

After hearing Jenn saying she doesn’t “subscribe to mean girl behavior,” Emily is confused by her friendship with Alexis. Tamra also catches a stray, as Emily says she’d rather take her than Alexis.

“Say ‘shut the f*ck up, I don’t wanna be friends with you,'” Emily asks Jenn of her Alexis bond. Jenn says she’s asked Alexis to let the mouse go, but Emily thinks Alexis is trying to “humiliate this woman on a global scale.” I think that’s a little dramatic, and Emily just has huge hate for Alexis. I’ll say again, it doesn’t make all that much sense to me. In fact, if anyone is coming across as a “mean girl” in this situation, it might actually be Emily.

Andy then gets to Tamra’s repeated defense of Shannon during the reunion. Shannon appreciates it, and can see just in Tamra’s eyes how she “acknowledged” Shannon’s hurt. The pair then hug, “because it’s easier to,” and Tamra admits she has “really missed” Shannon. There is a path forward for this pair, but it’s going to be one long and bump road.

As they’re making up, however, Jenn isn’t convinced. “This is such bullsh*t,” she whispers. Fortunately, Tamra doesn’t hear it. That wouldn’t have gone well.

“It feels real, and it feels like there’s a bed of love there,” Andy concludes, before final thoughts. “I’m actually pretty gratified by the place we’re ending things on.” Let’s keep the exact cast for Season 19. The connections are real, which makes for great TV.

Time for the juice! What’s the big RHOC Season 18 reunion bombshell?

36 hours later…

“Seven months she’s known that piece of information,” says Emily, “and she drops it after we film the reunion and they turn all the cameras off.”

“I’m happy that it’s coming out,” Gina responds, before Heather arrives. “It’s the never-ending season,” Heather says. “Yeah, thanks to you!” Heather has some new information; and she forgot to drop it at reunion!

After the finale party, Heather and Terry went to dinner with Tamra and Eddie, as well as Alexis and John. “I don’t remember why it came up. You were not the topic of conversation all night,” Heather assures Shannon. “Something comes up about the night of the accident, and John said, ‘Oh I heard the crash.'”

So, there we have it. If Heather is to be believed, John heard Shannon’s crash. But there’s more.

Did Shannon punch John on the night of her DUI?

Tamra then arrives and adds more juice. “He said that when you took off and he heard the crash, he went to go run for you, but his daughters stopped him and said, ‘no dad, this isn’t good, you guys are fighting, I’m gonna go look.’ And she went around the corner and said you were pulling off. Our mouths dropped.”

“He said that there was an altercation between you and him,” Tamra shares, before whispering to Shannon that John claims she hit him. “I don’t remember everything,” Shannon says. She doesn’t know what she did that night. But let’s be clear. Physical violence is never excusable.

“If you did something bad on the videos, you’re gonna take responsibility for what you did, just like you took responsibility for what you did that night. It doesn’t make you a terrible person,” Gina assures her new bestie.

Shannon’s “lowest moment of my life” was her DUI. And now, discussing it with her friends, Shannon finally feels “so much love” around her. Cut to the group hug, and another season in the can. Will Shannon be back? She hopes so…

The Real Housewives of Orange County streams on Peacock.

TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY SEASON 18, EPISODE 20? WERE YOU SURPRISED?

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