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Tensions Boil Over At The 'RHOC' Season 13 Reunion

by Megan Walsh

Though Bravo reunion shows typically air a week after the finale, they aren't shot at the same time as the rest of the season. There's usually a small break between the end of filming and the reunion, giving the Housewives in question time to prepare (or start an unexpected Twitter feud). The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 13 reunion airs on Nov. 25, but when was the RHOC reunion filmed?

A little detective work quickly reveals that the reunion was filmed about a month before it premiered. A first look at the reunion from Bravo shows Tamra Judge wearing a low-cut black floral cocktail dress with long sleeves and a fluted hem. It's a distinct dress that also made an appearance on Tamra's Instagram in three photos posted on Oct. 25. One was a selfie captioned "That’s a wrap #rhoc [sic]," while the other two pictures showed her posing with co-stars Vicki Gunvalson, Kelly Dodd, and Shannon Beador. In the last photo, you can even see the hint of couches and chairs behind them in the familiar reunion set up.

If Tamra was filming with the rest of the women in her reunion dress on Oct. 25, then it stands to reason that the reunion was shot that day.

Though Season 13 ended with most of the women on good terms (relatively speaking) after a season of mild spats, it looks like a lot has changed since the finale. Bravo's first look shows Emily Simpson arriving at her first reunion special with a very lawyerly binder full of evidence that includes printed-out social media posts. Once she's on the couches, her altercation with Kelly from earlier in the season comes back in full force.

Kelly shouts that it's against the law to threaten to kill someone (which Emily kinda sorta did after Kelly mocked her husband at a party), but Emily yells back that that's only the case if there's reasonable worry of being harmed. When Shannon points out that she had to be restrained, Emily points a finger at her and announces that she is not talking to Shannon.

Host Andy Cohen tells Tamra that he never knows what to expect from her at reunions, and it seems like Shannon would agree. Their close friendship was tested this year, and it appears those issues haven't been fully resolved. Shannon reveals that she hasn't been speaking to Tamra, and once they're on the couches Tamra says that Shannon's continuous negativity has been wearing on her.

On top of that, Vicki indirectly accuses Kelly of doing cocaine and Gina Kirschenheiter calls Shannon an "open book of bullsh*t." It looks like this reunion is going to make up for a low-key season with next level histrionics. Even the seating arrangement proves that the usual alliances are out the window: Shannon, Vicki, and Emily are on one couch, primed to yell across (and vice versa, I'm sure) to Tamra, Kelly, and Gina on the other.

It seems like the Season 13 reunion is going to be one you don't want to miss.

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