After Shannon Beador became part of The Real Housewives of Orange County cast in season 9, viewers saw her appreciation for putting lemons in a bowl and they also watched her marriage crumble over the years. While Shannon’s organized life started to fall apart, she remained a devoted mother and good friend, but of course, couldn’t help but argue and experience conflict with several of her co-stars.
From her first few episodes to the most recent season, Shannon’s storylines on RHOC have been emotional and relatable, and even when she has been right in the thick of the drama, she remains a strong member of the cast.
10 “Meet & Potatoes” (S9, E2)
While Shannon’s embarrassing moments on RHOC stand out to fans, she started off the show strong with a dinner party that she hosted. Shannon had good intentions as she wanted to meet her new friend group and she also wanted to have actual food there, not just snacks or finger food, which was funny and relatable.
This is a classic Shannon episode as the problems in her marriage began to show. Shannon was upset when David bought two bottles of wine for the whole party, and the guests even heard them arguing. Viewers can look back and see that even before Shannon learned about David’s affair, the two had trouble getting along.
9 “I Couldn’t Chair Less” (S9, E5)
The friendship between Shannon and Vicki Gunvalson seemed so promising at first, as the two connected in this episode going to a Feng Shui specialist and holistic doctor.
Since fans know that the co-stars would go on to fight and experience many tense moments over the next few seasons, this episode feels important as it’s nice to remember the good times that they had together. Shannon is also known for her love of healthy, holistic living and this storyline allowed her to share that on the series.
8 “Skunk in the Barnyard” (S9, E10)
This is an infamous episode as Heather DuBrow kicked Shannon out of her home. Viewers felt that Heather was acting rude and out of character, but both cast members felt that they were in the right.
Shannon wanted to set the record straight, asking Heather if she told people that her marriage was over. While Heather took offense at this, it was hard not to sympathize with Shannon. She was struggling as she could see that her relationship was falling apart and it made sense that she wanted her friends to be on her side.
7 “Under Construction” (S10, E1)
RHOC fans supported Shannon when she talked about David cheating on her, and in this memorable episode, the former couple went to a retreat to see if they could save their relationship.
Shannon was incredibly raw and vulnerable, showing the range of emotions that she was dealing with, and this was when viewers really connected with her. While there have been moments on RHOC when cast members talked about divorce, for example when Tamra Judge told Simon she wanted to split up in the infamous limo scene, Shannon let cameras follow this tough journey.
6 “Baptism By Fire” (S10, E19)
While fans recall this season 10 finale because Tamra got baptized and Vicki talked about being “nailed to the cross,” this episode also featured a Shannon storyline that broke Shannon’s heart.
The Shannon/Vicki relationship became strained here when Shannon found out that Vicki shared with her brother Billy’s partner Ronda that David cheated on Shannon. This some of the most painful news that Shannon could ever receive and yet another example of a supposed friend not offering her love during this difficult time.
5 “Boogie Fights” (S11, E5)
This season 11 episode stands out for two reasons: because Shannon hosted a fun ’70s-themed party and because Kelly insulted her deeply.
RHOC fans didn’t support Kelly Dodd on many occasions, including at this party when she said that it was perfectly logical that David had an affair. Fans were very entertained by this episode as Kelly’s dramatic words just kept coming and it was great seeing the creative costumes the cast members were wearing. Shannon’s time on the reality show revolved around heavier topics like her divorce and while this episode did feature some insults about her marriage, viewers saw her trying to have a good time, which was nice.
4 “Shannon Gets Her Groove Back” (S11, E8)
When fans think about Shannon’s greatest RHOC episodes, her vow renewal was a really big moment, particularly since she and David didn’t end up staying together.
While it was sweet and exciting that Shannon and David’s marriage seemed to be back on track, unfortunately it didn’t last. Fans often talk about how Real Housewives vow renewals lead to trouble, as in in season 15, Braunwyn and Sean Windham-Burke would renew their vows and then announce their separation.
3 “The Not So Quiet Woman” (S12, E3)
There have been many dinner party fights and awkward moments in restaurants on the Real Housewives franchise, and in this season 12 episode, the cast headed to a restaurant called the Quiet Woman. Things were off to a bad start as Kelly Dodd extended an invite to Lydia McLaughlin, who Shannon butted heads with.
In one of the most impactful Shannon scenes ever, she became so frustrated with Kelly’s insults that she began yelling and even said that Kelly should go home. Fans can’t ever forget the pained look on Shannon’s face as she didn’t mean to behave this way in public, but she felt at her wit’s end.
2 “The Splash Heard Round The OC” (S15, E3)
Shannon’s housewarming bash in season 15 might not be one of the most dramatic Real Housewives parties, but it’s still worth mentioning as it was nice to see the cast member living in a beautiful, peaceful house after the turmoil of her divorce.
While Kelly and Emily Simpson didn’t want to attend this housewarming, and Shannon’s tequila tasting got a bit wild, this was still a high moment in Shannon’s RHOC journey. Fans were glad to see her in a nice home and happy new relationship and she definitely had struggled long enough.
1 “Trouble in Newport Beach” (S15, E13)
Shannon’s most emotional RHOC episodes have been about her divorce and the hard period in her life after, but this episode also saw her going through a transition period as her daughter Sophie prepared for college.
Another Shannon-centric storyline showed viewers that she and her boyfriend John Janssen were having some issues. Shannon talked about how they fought at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when they were staying home. While no one wanted to see Shannon having a hard time in her new relationship, it was important that she showed that they love each other but have gone through challenges, as this is relatable.
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