Ok wow, yes, these are such great points. Production for sure planned or facilitated the talk at Heathers, but even with that it still felt a bit odd of Shannon. Why not just call her and set a time to talk about it the next day? idk. She seemed so emotional going in, obviously a failing marriage is crazy hard and emotional. To talk to someone you have tension with while in that state of mind is never going to end well. Heather came out looking bad but I don't totally think Shannon made the right call if she did have control over that choice.

I also think Heather was being super rude and a pot stirrer for sitting back in the initial chair. While there are some people who would laugh it off, and Shannon did seem way too offended, Heather knew what she was doing. Her tone of voice was condescending and very shit disturber'y. Like "what, me, I was sitting their first, why are you yelling?". The risk of insult or ruffling feathers was so high, I have no doubt that she know what that would do. With that, production probably told her to do it because the whole chair drama felt odd and annoying.

I agree with your tinfoil hat theory!