"The Rachel Zoe Project"

Credit: Bravo

While I was watching the latest episode of "The Rachel Zoe Project," I found myself wrestling with a question. Not "will Jeremiah last?" or "will Rodger go to Vegas?" or any of the other minor, obvious plot points being tossed at us by the show.

My question? Is Rachel Zoe being serious?

And I don't ask that in a facetious way. Rachel and Rodger have proven themselves to be, if not rarefied wits, at least moderately funny in a dry, sarcastic way. Rachel has long held onto a sort of cavalier, "yeah, yeah, baby, whatever" attitude to which a lot of working women of a certain age can relate. Last season, she seemed downright annoyed as Rodger begged her to make a baby with him, as babies do tend to vomit on couture and she had so much work to do. Rachel, even in her cuddliest moments, has never exuded maternal warmth.

But in this last episode, as Rachel and Rodger (along with her sister Pamela) met with a doula, I had to wonder if Rachel was just trying to amp up the drama. She's eight months pregnant and doesn't have a birth plan? She doesn't know what a doula is? She doesn't want to watch videos or take classes? Does she realize that, whether she likes it or not, she has to get a small person out of her body? In about a month? 

Shockingly, Rodger, who has seemed like the voice of reason this season, grumbles that he thinks doulas are great, big rip-offs. Okay, maybe a doula isn't your cup of tea, but rip-off? I give Rachel points for telling him to stick a sock in it, but I think this wasn't in defense of doulas as much as it reflects her dislike of Rodger speaking in public. I have to say, though, I'm surprised that he'd so quickly dismiss the idea of hiring someone whose job it is to be a soothing assistant during Rachel's delivery, as I'm pretty sure no mere mortal (even Rodger) is up to the task of dealing with Rachel during a contraction.

I can totally relate to Rachel's desire to have her baby 1950s style, mind you -- to get put under, then wake up to a perfect, swaddled baby being placed in your arms. But let's face it, childbirth isn't done that way anymore (it's a riskier option for mother and child). It's totally understandable that she's freaking out, by the way. Anyone who thinks, yay, I get to push a small basketball out of my body, whoot! has to be insane. But Rachel's determination to 1) work herself to death right up until the moment of delivery and 2) ignore any helpful advice that might be out there to make it a less terrifying and painful process is pretty alarming. 

Granted, we all know she somehow got this kid out of her, and neither son nor mother seem worse for wear. I'm hoping that in an upcoming episode Rachel will finally fully grasp the fact that this is happening (no matter how much she wants to move it forward in her schedule) and she might as well prepare herself, at least a little bit. But I have to wonder -- she didn't just show up at the hospital in Dior, shrieking for someone to extract this damn fetus from her so she'd still have time to make an event that evening, did she? 

What do you think about Rachel's attitude? Were you surprised Rodger was so anti-doula? Do you think Rachel's a good mom?

Liane Bonin Starr
Sr. Editor

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Liane Bonin Starr is an author, screenwriter and former writer for EW.com. Her byline has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Variety and a lot of other places. Her last book was called "a scandalously catty, guilty pleasure" by Jane magazine. Expect the same from Starr Raving.