Russian Dolls: Recap of Episode 8 "It Take DVA To Tango"

 

If you haven’t already seen it, episode 8 is on you tube.com of all places. I placed the video here for those of you who miss the show and want to see 8 before the marathon on October 7^th at 8AM ET.

The young Russians are all out at a restaurant playing with a Buddha figurine when Anna asks, “How is everyone’s love life?” Anastasia is very happy with Vlad. Anna announces she has found somebody for herself, he is funny, smart, has a great job, great body, he’s every girl’s dream. He is even learning Russian for her! They have been dating two months. This sounds very promising, except in the earlier episodes Anna confessed that she has cheated on every boyfriend she has had. Anna has trust issues and this guy is moving too fast for her taste.

Renata and Boris go out to eat, a date night. They are both believers in keeping their marriage fresh and Boris thinks this can come in the form of a rose or a trip or anything and he hands Renata an envelope. In the envelope is a present…dance lessons, something they can do together. Renata is thrilled and the best part is she can schedule it whenever she wants, so Boris says.

Anthony, Anna’s boyfriend, wants to get a tattoo, the words “I won’t kill you, but I’ll watch you die.” Then Anthony mentions he has to go out of town on business and Anna says good she will go out herself. Anthony starts asking her where she is going. Anna admits she hasn’t been out alone in two months, and she wants to keep her independence.

Renata calls for Tango lessons and the class for the beginners is only given on Tuesdays. Tuesday is the night Boris plays poker for many years. Problem for Renata. Boris comes home and what are the first words out of his mouth? “I can’t wait for Tuesday to go out with the boys.” Now come on, that was so scripted! Renata tells him she has a problem and he can’t say no, she scheduled the dancing class for Tuesday. Boris is not happy and he is even more upset when she says it’s every Tuesday. Boris is flexible, but he does not go dancing on Tuesdays.

Anthony gets his tattoo and takes off on his business trip and Anna is left on her own to go out. She meets the girls at a club. Suddenly they are all friends again. Remember their issues on Russian New Year? Well, they are all cleared up for this episode. She confides in the girls that her boyfriend is planning their future and she is just living in the moment. Anna says she needs space. And then she adds Tommy, a guy she used to date, has been texting her at least once a day. She is thinking of hanging out with him and wants their opinion. Diana is all for it. Diana thinks she has commitment issues because she wants to see Tommy and is afraid of getting serious with Anthony.

I guess Boris changed his mind because Renata and Boris are at the dance school for their first lesson. The first thing Boris says is that he doesn’t like the Tango, it’s boring.  He would rather play cards with the boys, but he wants to make Renata happy. Boris actually enjoyed the lesson.

Anna meets Tommy at the pool hall. She doesn’t think of it as cheating, she calls it harmless hanging out, not a date. It’s one game of pool. No big deal. Then Tommy says if he wins she should give him a kiss and she agrees to the bet…SCRIPTED! All of a sudden Tommy’s balls are all going into the pockets. They kiss. She said it felt completely wrong.

Diana can’t wait to find out what happened with Anna and Tommy and she tells her they hung out and kissed. Anna says she didn’t feel anything for him. She regretted going. She doesn’t know if she should tell Anthony about it. It was a mistake and she has to tell Anthony so she doesn’t have a lie between them. She cares for Anthony.

Anthony and Anna meet at 1001 Nights restaurant. She is going to come clean about Tommy. Anthony confesses to Anna that he is falling for her. He never felt this way before. Anna is pretty serious and tells him she has to tell him something. She went to play pool with another guy. He asks what else happened. She says she kissed him. He asks her to repeat it. She says they kissed. Anthony seems visibly upset and gets up. He takes his jacket and leaves. Anna starts crying. She walks out. Anthony is getting in his car. He speeds off and she is on the floor crying. She just lost an amazing guy. She ends up at Diana’s and Anastasia and Eddie are there. She was upset and needed her “friends.” She tells them she is upset about her breakup. She was hoping he would forgive her but he just walked out.

My two cents: This episode is about two of my favorite cast members, Renata and Anna. Let’s take Renata first. I get the impression that Boris and Renata never fight, so this little tiff about the dance lessons almost makes no sense. Knowing Renata, from watching earlier episodes, it would have made more sense if she had chosen a different ballroom dance offered on another night that would not have conflicted with Boris’ poker game. Renata is a peacemaker and loves Boris. However, if she had done that there would have been no drama, therefore the dance she wants to learn must be on Tuesdays so Boris can raise his voice and then give in. Love Renata and Boris, great couple.

Now too many things were wrong with the Anna script. First of all, all the girls are very chummy after the big fight and words that were exchanged on Russian New Years. You would think they would still be angry if it had been a real fight. Second of all Anna says she has been dating Anthony for two months and yet he was NOT at the Russian New Year’s party. The New Year’s episode (6) aired September 15^th and I am sure this episode was not filmed two or more months later, giving Anna time to date Anthony. Their timeline is a mess. It makes everything they say and do unbelievable. Third, Anna tells Anthony about her date with Tommy. There is no discussion at all, Anthony gets up and leaves. Anna doesn’t say wait, let me explain, or even go after him and make any attempt to let him know that the kiss made her realize how much she cares for Anthony. Even when she went to see her “friends” her emotions were subdued, not like someone who just broke up with the love of her life. I don’t get it. It makes me think these two guys were just brought in to create a storyline and nothing is real. By the way, they could have eliminated all those meaningless confessionals with Diana, Anastasia and especially the ones with Eddie and Albert, who only insult women, and spend more time on the storyline of the breakup. There is only twenty minutes to work with and they should make the most of it, but they don’t. But, who am I? I am not a writer or producer so what do I know? I know a bad show when I see one.

If you don’t want to wait until October 7^th the video is below. Now when have you ever heard of a show airing a new episode on you tube?

Picture and video credit: Lifetime

Russian Dolls: Sneak Peek Episode 6

We just learned that these three Russian Dolls spent the weekend dancing it up in Miami at The Set and yet here in episode 6 they are at each others' throats.  Yes, a fight breaks out between Anna and the other two,  Diana and Anastasia.  Apparently, it happens at Rasputin so Marina gets in her two cents.  Anna says, "But these two morons , they just want to fight, so I'll give it to them."  More drama, but is it real???  You decide.  As far as I am concerned, this is scripted.

Picture and video credit: Lifetime



Russian Dolls: Anna, Diana & Anastasia In Miami



Looks like our Russian Dolls are enjoying themselves in Miami at the Beach!  Apparently they planned a getaway together and it looks like Anna made up with Anastasia for not showing up at the fashion show!  However, there may be some kind of problem because two hours ago Diana tweeted this picture, which looks like Anna, fighting off a nose bleed or oher injury.  I hope it doesn't put a cramp in their plans.



There was no explanation provided as yet for the picture above.  And lets have another look at Diana, who has proven to be the most interesting to our readers.  Her blogs are still getting the most hits which means more readers want to know about her. 



Now if I could give Diana an excellent tip or friendly advice it is this: Diana, please make blog entries as often as possible, preferrably once a day, so people will find something new to read.  Second, update your website for the same reasons or it will have been a total waste of time and money.  You are in the public eye now and now is the time to strike while the iron is hot!



Russian Dolls: Ep 5 Recap “Calendar Girls”

Anastasia flipping out at salon

Diana and Anastasia entered a “Calendar Girls” beauty contest and they make it into the next round. The competition starts off with 100 girls and it’s narrowed down to 12, 1 girl for each month. Already I have to ask myself why isn’t Anna participating? Anna is strikingly beautiful and she has modeling experience. Maybe the answer will be revealed in the episode? If they win they will be in the calendars all over Brighton Beach. Excuse me, but the world is a lot bigger than Brighton Beach. Diana says, some girls have even met their husbands by being in this calendar. Well now that’s what I call “success” (sarcasm).

They visit with Anna’s grandmother and talk to her in Russian. Anna tells them she was very beautiful when she was younger and used to call herself “diamond” because she was like a rare diamond. Anna tells us why she isn’t doing the “calendar thing,” she is way too busy with her modeling school. She does have a lot of experience under her belt and she will use it to help her girls win. They do a practice photo shoot so Anna can tell them how to pose.

Over at Renata’s house, she is trying on dresses for Boris because she is hosting the Calendar Girl Beauty Contest. He doesn’t like the first dress because he thinks it has to be more glamorous. He loves the next dress, BUT he is afraid she will overshadow the participants. He wants her to find something more glamorous, again. He likes the third dress. As she twirls around for him, he spots a varicose vein on her leg and points it out. Renata admits it’s not the most beautiful thing about her, but it’s never been a problem. But if Boris notices it, she feels it may be getting worse. And he tells her they have to do something about it. I am very disappointed that he takes every opportunity to make her feel self conscious one way or another. His criticism may be well intended, but it is hurtful. He says she has a problem from the knees down. He advises her to go see a doctor.

Albert says Russian women “don’t take crap from anyone.” Then he says they need someone to control them and slap them back into place. I imagine he is joking about this and can’t be serious.

The girls get ready for the photo shoot. Anastasia says she is not intimidated by other girls. Next she starts fussing with the hairdresser doing her hair. After all she paid $800 for her extensions (pretty extravagant if you ask me) and she thinks the hair dresser was frying her hair making thin, dull, ugly curls. The hair dresser says she understands what she wants and Anastasia tells her she doesn’t think she knows how to curl hair. Diana is getting her hair done also, but Anastasia screams for her to come over to her station. She whines to Diana that they don’t know how to do hair while Anna is standing nearby rolling her eyes and shaking her head. Anna says when she heard Anastasia pitch a fit she wanted to take the curling iron from the stylist, curl her hair herself and then beat her with it. Anastasia keeps crying and Diana promises her she will be happy in the end. The salon owner is upset because she is being so disrespectful. The salon is actually sponsoring the Calendar Girls Contest. And everyone in Brighton Beach talk, so this episode is going to get around. If it doesn’t by word of mouth, it will by the airing of the show! Anastasia keeps saying her hair will be hideous. Diana has to calm down a hysterical Anastasia or she is going to blow the competition. Anastasia refuses to compete and is crying. Diana is insisting she calm down.

Anastasia says that no one knew what they were doing with her hair, BUT finally it came out nice. Anna tries to tell her that she was wrong to treat the hair dressers that way, but Anastasia insists if she hadn’t old them they would have messed up her hair. Ana tells her you don’t behave that way and lash out. This is one of Anna’s favorite salons and “princess” decides to flip out because her hair didn’t seem to come out exactly how she thought she wanted it. Anna says, “If Anastasia keeps acting like a four year old, this photo shoot is going to be a total disaster.”

Renata goes to the doctor. The doctor says he can fix it with an injection, it’s pure cosmetics, no surgery. But, the insurance will not cover it. It will cost $1,000. She has to think about it and talk to Boris. Come on now. She can make this decision herself. It’s obvious they have $1,000 for this procedure and Boris is the one who aims for perfection! Renata goes home to talk to Boris. He seems surprised to learn she went to the doctor. She tells him she is not doing the work because she looks ok, more than ok, she looks adorable. She says it’s a cosmetic procedure and insurance will not cover it. He wants to know how much it will cost. She says $1,000 and he answers “you’re worried about $1,000?” She says yes and he gets up and gets her $1,000 cash and hands it to her. He tells her use the money to fix her problem, she says it’s not a problem. He compares her to a diamond with an imperfection that kills it. It’s like a brand new car with a scratch on the bumper. But, Renata says, if she fixes this there will be other imperfections and they can’t fix they all. Finally, seeing he can’t win, Boris takes back his money and says she looks more sexy today than the day they met and all is forgiven.

The girls go to a studio for the photo shoot. They get their makeup done. They have 16 contestants and only 12 openings. During the photo shoot, Diana feels like a million dollars. The photo shoot actually looks very good and professional.

Anna tells Eddie all about Anastasia’s behavior and it sounds like they agree that she is a spoiled brat who has to have everything her way. And then take it a step further and say she is creating a bad reputation for herself which will stick with her. Even Eddie gets it.

The salon asked Marina, Sveta and Renata to judge the girls. Oh brother! Diana says she doesn’t feel well, I think it’s about adding drama and fails. Diana and Anstasia take a shot of vodka before doing the runway. Most of the contestants have very weird hairstyles. The names of the winners are called. Diana gets picked right away. How fair is it to have three cast members judge the contest? Of course they are going to be partial to Diana and Anastasia. There is a conflict of interest here. And of course to create more drama, there is one rose left and Anastasia’s name has not yet been called. And to my surprise, Anastasia did not get chosen! Wow! Anastasia says she is angry inside and can’t get over not being picked. All her friends are disappointed and show it. Diana was beyond shocked and says it was a bitter sweet moment. Renata tells them why she wasn’t picked. It wasn’t because she wasn’t beautiful enough it was all about the incident in the hair salon. Anastasia thinks it’s a stupid reason. She is filled with rage. Anastasia feels it’s because of Brighton Beach gossip that she didn’t win. She feels like a victim. She cries and complains to her boyfriend who just wants to get her home and ply her with wine so….she says he is the only one who makes her happy.

As usual, Anastasia lives up to her reputation. Once again she thinks the world owes her everything. If she doesn’t treat her own mother with love and respect, why would she treat anyone else with respect. She is 25 years old and already at several disadvantages. She hasn’t completed college and she has issues getting along with anyone. She needs to learn that to get respect you have to give respect and in life there will be disappointments. She needs to learn how to handle disappointment, because by her parents giving her everything, she has never learned how.

I want to know who paid for the $800 hair extensions and why. Good luck Anastasia, because at 25 you are socially behind most everyone your age.

Picture credit: Lifetime

Russian Dolls: Recap Episode 2 “From Ukraine With Love"

Seems like the Fashion Show was in February



Here we go! This episode is basically all about Anna and her modeling school. Modeling is her life. Anna came from the Ukraine when she was 9 years old. Anna says she and her family, including her grandmother, live in a small two bedroom apartment…grandma sleeps on the couch. Her mother is judgmental whenever she looks at Anna’s photo shoots and that makes Anna work even harder. Anna says that guys are just a hobby for her, she has gone out with many and cheated on all of them. Anna’s modeling school is called Link Model Management. She invests everything she earns into her school hoping that it will be successful enough to one day move her family out of that small apartment.

Anna school is having a modeling show. If the show is succesful, she will get new girls to enroll. She plans on opening more businesses in the future. The show requires a lot of planning, she has to get the models ready and she has to promote it. Renata Krumer, a local radio host and celebrity, has offered to host it. Anna’s mother will be listening to the radio as Anna is a guest on Renata’s show to discuss her fashion show. One hundred people are expected to be guests.

Meanwhile, Anna also needs to relax with her friends. All work and no play makes her exhausted. She goes out with Albert and Eddie and Anastasia and Diana, for a few drinks. The discussion starts off with a little joking and Anna makes the mistake of telling Eddie he has no money. That comment is extremely insulting to Russian men. Eddie immediately lashes out at Anna and hits her where it hurts. He calls her a fake model and says she has done as a model. He says her modeling school with 12 year old models is nothing. Anna cries in anger and frustration. Her feelings are hurt. Eddie went in for the kill. Anna goes outside to cry. Eddie feels bad and goes out to apologize to her. She doesn’t want to hear anything from him. As far as she is concerned Eddie has crossed the line.

At Anna’s modeling school, Anastasia pays her a surprise visit. She wants to make sure Anna is okay after the fight with Eddie. Eddie was going to come, but Anna insists she doesn’t want to see him, she is still mad at him. Anastasia feels that Russian guys make sincere apologies. Anna holds grudges. Anastasia, who has been friends with Eddie for 16 years, says she should be thankful he apologized, but Anna says he didn’t mean it.

Anna goes to Renata’s house. They are supposed to discuss the fashion show, but Anna confides in Renata about her fight with Eddie. Renata is easy to talk to. She tells Renata that Eddie spit on everything she cares about. Renata, after hearing all the facts, tells her it is never good to tell a Russian man he has no money. That is a huge insult.

Anna takes her fitness very seriously and works out all the time. Anastasia arrives and tells Anna that she told Eddie everything they talked about concerning the fight. Anna gets very angry and feels that Anastasia betrayed her confidence. Anna feels she should have had her back, it’s girl code. Now Anna wants nothing to do with Anastasia either.

The day of the fashion show arrives. Success of the show means more girls in the school which means more income for Anna.

Back in Anastasia and Diana’s apartment the girls talk about going to the show. Anastasia tells Diana she doesn’t want to go, she doesn’t even want to acknowledge Anna’s existence. Diana decides she will go and be the diplomat. Boris and Renata are at the show. Anna says she needs to be successful for her parents. This is her first show and she is nervous.

Eddie arrives at the show. He is being the bigger man and making an effort to show Anna he is sincere in his apology. But, Anastasia stays true to her word and doesn’t show up. Her empty seat, with her name reserving her place, sends a big message to Anna about the kind of person Anastasia is, especially because Eddie did show up. Anna feels she knew how important this show was to her and still did not bother coming.

The show gets underway. Renata starts things off by announcing the runway is about to begin. Svetlana says the show was “raw” but it is obviously that Anna put a lot of effort into it. Anna’s mom was proud and happy for her daughter and yet managed to have a few complaints she needed to voice. Eddie and Anna make up. Anna now feels that Eddie appreciates what she is trying to accomplish, but Anastasia has failed her as a friend.

Now for my take on this episode. Overall, I was pleased with it. I think this episode will get good reviews. We clearly see that Anna has ambitious goals for herself and works very hard to succeed. She also demonstrates great concern for her parents and wants to improve their living conditions. She has put a great burden on herself at a very young age. She is a very beautiful, young lady and really has what it takes to be a successful model, but this is a very competitive field so opening a modeling school is another way to pursue her dreams in this field. Anna makes a very good impression.

Renata always appears to be sweet, gracious, and she has class. I look forward to seeing more of her in the show. The fight between Eddie and Anna was pretty mild compared to most reality show fights, but also more realistic. There was nothing outrageous about it and I liked the way they were able to makeup and get past it. Anastasia should not have taken sides. Anna and Eddie were confiding in her and she should not have betrayed Anna, and she definitely should have put their differences aside and gone to the show. Anastasia seems to have a short fuse, I’m not sure what to think of her at this point.

I have to admit there were really no negative aspects of Russian culture brought out in this episode at all, and I was surprised. I hope to read some positive comments from the community regarding this episode.

Russian Dolls: Episode 1 “Mama Dearest” - Recap and Review

These are the only Russian Dolls I want to see right now!

I was looking forward to watching Russian Dolls, despite the bad reviews that it got from various newspapers, and it got plenty. I am sorry to have to say that the reviews all hit the nail on the head, in my opinion. If you missed the show, this is what happened and my review follows.

The episode opens with Marina complaining about her mother-in-law’s, Eva’s, “Grandma Pageant” and she pretty much does that for the entire show. She says, “I have no choice, but to go.” “Why do I have to waste my whole Sunday? It’s just a stupid, local Brighten Beach pageant!” she says. Renata disagrees, she thinks Eva can be anything she wants to be and if she sees herself as young and adorable, that’s what she is. The other woman, says that Marina thinks “she is the centerpiece of the universe and everyone should revolve around her.” Marina says of Eva, “she is just her husband’s mother, she’s nobody to me.” Then Marina talks about how the Russian culture teaches you to respect your parents.

There is a lot of skipping around to different cast members throughout the episode, maybe it’s the creator’s way of introducing us to all of them, but I found it to be a bit choppy. . We meet Diana, who is 23, but came to this country as a young girl. She is dating Paul, who is Spanish. In the Russian culture it is a big deal to date a non-Russian. The next scene is at the Russian bathhouse when Russians apparently go to relax, get together with friends and hang out in their bathing suits. There are a few shots of the younger cast members playing in the pool while the older members are at a table watching.

Anna says there are no decent guys out there. Anna is a model and has her own modeling school. She wants to be married at around 33 years old and freeze her eggs for later use. Anastasia, Diana’s friend and roommate, is not ready for kids. Eddie makes a wise crack to Albert, “Russian girls like to flirt, but never give it up.”

Eva gets ready for the grandma pageant. It’s a talent contest and she wants to do a belly dance. She has many outfits to choose from for her performance. Marina feels that once you are in your 50’s you do not wear revealing clothing. She says that Eva is embarrassing the whole family.

Diana gets advice from her friend Anastasia about her boyfriend situation. Her parents want her to be with a successful Russian man. Diana is 23 and wants to have a baby by the time she is 25 so she can be a “hot mama.” Diana, who is very beautiful, says she likes plastic surgery and botox. Diana’s parents are strict and very traditional. Anastasia doesn’t think she should tell her parents about Paul.

Back to Marina! She is still concerned about Eva embarrassing her at the pageant. The we hear Eva’s point of view. Eva is a 56 year old grandmother, who was once a Russian engineer. It was always her dream to be on stage and perform. She says she is so happy she has this opportunity to make her dream come true.

At Diana and Anastasia’s house, Diana’s mother drops in to pay a visit and help her make borsht. It looks like Diana doesn’t even know her way around her own kitchen. As her mom makes the borsht, she drops a few “hints” for Diana. A woman has to be “all,” a housekeeper and a cook. Diana asks how her mother would feel if she brought home a Spanish guy. Her mother has no clue Diana and Paul have been seeing each other a few times a week. Her mother says she would be upset. She tells her daughter that at 23, she needs to be thinking about her future. She wants to see her with a Russian man of the same culture…culture is very important. She tells her not to hurt her or the family.

Finally, the “Grandma Pageant!” Marina makes critical remarks the entire time. Eva does her belly dance and it was a real crowd pleaser. Marina is complaining that the pageant is too long and “it went on forever.” Her daughter is tired and cranky, so she leaves. Marina says, “It was horrible, 5 hours of torture.” But, Eva wins the contest for best talent and says it broke her heart that the family left. Marina says she would never go back again (to another pageant).

The episode ends with a dinner between Diana and Paul. They are eating tuna tartar, Paul hates it. She wants to talk to him about being Russian. She enjoys spending time with him, but asks if he thought there was a future for them down the road, like marriage. Paul says yes, he wouldn’t be going out with her otherwise. Then she bluntly says she can’t be with him because he isn’t Russian. Her family wants her to be with a Russian man. She breaks up with him, says she feels bad and that’s the way the cookie crumbles, but she has to be with a Russian man.

Now for my two cents! The short review is “Oy Vey!” If you are tired of reading, end here. This goes especially for Marina, who doesn’t like “long” things.

I hope that this episode is not a reflection of what is to come. Marina’s incessant complaining about the pageant and her disrespect of her mother-in-law was hard to listen too. Apparently she has learned nothing from her own culture about respecting parents. Eva is nothing to her??? Really? She made her opinion known at the very beginning of the show, was it necessary to keep it up the entire time? She wasn’t at all supportive of Eva, knowing full well that this was a dream of hers. Her husband, Michael, never once tells her to knock it off. Wasn’t the pageant held at their restaurant? Weren’t they making money from all who attended? Come on, give me a break. Her behavior was rude, disrespectful and obnoxious.

Anna doesn’t need to freeze her eggs just yet. She is young and 33 is still young enough to have children the old fashioned way. I know because that’s when I had mine. I have to agree with her comment that there are no decent guys out there. I felt the same way at her age. All guys seemed like immature jerks. My advice to her is not to think about guys as marriage material right now. Pursue your career and goals. If the right guy comes along, she will know it. Otherwise, she can focus on finding the right guy in eight years or so. If that doesn’t work, go to a sperm bank and be a successful single mother.

Diana, hmmmm, she knew full well that a Spanish guy was not going to be her family’s first choice for her as a husband. It’s part of the culture and ingrained in these women from birth. This is why they live in an ethnic community. They want to keep their culture and traditions preserved. Diana knows this, so what’s up with Paul? In my opinion, I think the show went out and got her a “Spanish boyfriend” actor just so they could make a point of addressing this issue. I think this was a little too scripted. The Russians, at least on this show, want their children to marry Russians, period end of story. We all know that; Diana should have known that. The way she breaks up with her boyfriend is cruel and thoughtless. She is dismissive. “Oh well, that’s the way the cookie crumbles.” Really Diana? Do you expect guys to line up to take you out knowing at any time you might announce their unsuitableness; maybe they aren’t Russian or Russian enough, maybe they don’t make enough money, maybe they aren’t good looking enough? Where do you draw the line? When does a person’s character count for something?

I have to end with Marina and Eva. Marina seems very selfish and self centered. This pageant is all about her and how embarrassed she is going to be of Eva. She already acts like the “diva” of the cast, but she has a very long, long way to go to be considered a “diva” in the entertainment field. Having an attitude, jewelry and designer clothes does not make you a diva, it makes you a diva “wanna be” at best. Diva’s have some kind of talent to bring to the table. I saw no talent in this episode, at least not from Marina.

Eva is another story. She is very likable. Her reason for doing the show she says is to show other, older, divorced women that they can still follow their dreams. Their lives aren’t over. Find something you are passionate about and pursue it. That is the message that Eva sent and it was well received by me. I am glad she won her pageant and I am looking forward to seeing more of Eva. The most touching moment of last night was, after the pageant, when Eva said that it broke her heart that her family left. Eva, all I can say to you is, don’t let Marina break your spirit! You keep pursuing your dreams!

Finally, the cast members all consider themselves reality show stars already. But I want to question another “star,” why was the “star of David” not mentioned? By that I mean, we are only getting part of the picture, the Russian part. The reality is that many, if not all, these cast members are Jewish. This is still a reality show, is it not? Did that piece of reality slip someone’s mind? Don’t you think we should know that? Are they trying to send a message that the Jewish element is irrelevant? I’d love an explanation for that. 


What did you think of the show? We'd love to know!

Watch entire episode here: Whole episode

Picture credit: GreatRussianGifts.com



Russian Dolls: Marina, Anna and Eddie Zee in WPIX Interview!

Marina, Anna and Eddie Zee

Marina, Anna and Eddie Zee talk about Lifetime's new show Russian Dolls.  It's a very lively interview where all three try to explain the premise of the show and what viewers can look forward to seeing this season.  They are very excited about the premiere and so are we!  Will you be watching?  We will have a full detailed recap here tomorrow morning, along with our opinion about this new show.  Will we love it or hate it?  That is the question!

Picture and video credit: WPIX

 

Russian Dolls: Anna Khazanova’s Modeling School

 

Lifetime’s Russian Doll, Anna Khazanova, though just 22 years old, has her own modeling school.   It's called Link Model Management.  Prior to being cast in the new Lifetime series, Anna has been a fashion model for over 9 years. Her school prepares students for a career in modeling. The students are selected based on their potential to succeed in a highly competitive business.

Anna’s credentials are very impressive. She has participated in over 50 runway shows and been involved in NY Couture Fashion Week two years in a row, as well as done print ads in magazines.

Check out more about Anna and her school at http://www.linkmodelmanagement.com/

There is also a short, professional video and many more pictures of Anna on the site!

Picture Credit: Link Model Management

Russian Dolls: Anna Khazanova “The Model”



Anna Khazanova has been given a starring role in Lifetime’s Russian Dolls, but she already had a career as a model. In March of this year she had a photo shoot. Her makeup artist was Sherry Blossom and the photographer was Fiton Gjonbalaj, who both did some great work.

Anna had been concerned about some acne outbreaks and Sherry advised her on various ways she could keep the problem under control. In her blog about the shoot, Sherry explains the reasons behind her makeup color selections. I have to say, Anna look amazing in the photos thanks to Sherry, Fiton and great genes. What do you think?  Is she star material or what?

For more pictures of Anna and the details of Sherry professional makeup advice, check out Sherry’s blog at: Sherry Blossom Beauty


Picture credit: FGP Studios