For those who have consistently read my columns, you know I am a huge reality t.v. fan. My love for reality t.v. has come in handy with the writer’s strike having no end in sight. When it comes to reality t.v., The Real Housewives reign supreme. The most recent U.S. installment of the housewives, the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City returns September 5.

Originally, I was not a fan of the RHOSLC, but last season’s finale took the show to epic heights, resulting in the federal indictment of lead housewife, Jennifer Shah.

Shah’s legal woes were a hot topic last season. With her consistent claims of innocence and sessions in therapy, where she cried out begging for understanding why “someone would do this for her,” housewives and fans alike were torn on if Shah really committed a crime.

As it turned out, no one did “this” to Shah, she did it to herself.

Shah, along with her business partner, Stewart, were running a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that involved taking thousands of dollars from elderly and vulnerable people.

Throughout the season, Shah repeatedly claimed she had no knowledge of this and that Stewart must have been orchestrating this behind her back.

The housewives were split over Shah’s innocence.

Queen bee Meredith Marks made it clear that she had never trusted Shah to begin with and wasn’t shocked at all to find her in the middle of such a scheme.

However, one housewife was truly Shah’s ride or die until the trial.

Heather Gay consistently supported Shah, even promising Shah to take care of her husband and children if she were found guilty.

But, their friendship took a bizarre turn on a housewife getaway.

Gay and Shah had a few more drinks than other housewives and were staying up late in Heather’s villa when the cameras quit rolling. The next morning, Gay appeared with a black eye. I don’t mean like a little bruised eye; her eye could barely open.

A full investigation was launched by the Bravo staff as to what happened. Heather stayed mum, claiming someone in the house knew what happened to her.

She later recanted, saying she believed someone in the house must have done that to her, but when they said they didn’t, she guessed she must have just fallen while walking to her bed.

To make things even messier, Heather’s cousin, Whitney is also a housewife and demanded to know the truth.

When Whitney asked Heather if Jen hit her, Heather refused to answer.

Whitney asked Heather if she was protecting Jen and didn’t want to get her in trouble, but Heather walked away and gave no more time or energy to the questions at hand.

Fans everywhere began to speculate that Jen got angry and attacked Heather, but when it came time for the reunion Jen wasn’t there to answer. She was battling her court case out in New York, which was equally as shocking.

Despite denying all allegations of wrongdoing for over a year, Jen pled guilty in a last minute decision, nearly knocking the breath out of Heather, who still believes she is innocent to this day.

While Jen Shah will not be present this season, repercussions from her failed friendships will surely be on display as Heather attempts to mend things with the housewives after furiously pushing them away, claiming Shah’s innocence.

All I can say is, Salt Lake City is sure heating up!!