TheReal Housewives of New York Cityfanbase was originally in shock when the network canceled their favoriteRHONYline-up.Sonja Morgan,Luann De Lesseps, andRamona Singerhad held downthe reality franchisefor over a decade, butSeason 13 was largely regarded as a flop. Ramona’s unrepentant ignorance continued to land the franchise in hot water, with some fans demanding accountability whenrumors of her racial insensitivityon set began to circulate, while others simply insisted the show must go on.
The network found an elegant solution in rebooting the franchise with a fresh new cast in Season 14. While some had their doubts initially, and others continue to call for the return of the OGRHONYcast,many fans have been delightfully surprised at the level ofReal Housewivesexcellence the rebooted cast of New York hustlers brought to their first season. Each new cast member had big “main character energy” in their debut season, and week after week the ladies proved that they could carryRHONYinto a new generation.
What was surprising about the group was how committed they were to establishing deep ties with one another in this initial season, despite only being loosely associated with each other prior to filming.The women appeared to trust one another initially, entering their new friendships with genuine intentions, which is ironically the reason things began to unravel so quickly.Because they loved hard, they hurt harder. Once the women began to gossip about each other, a standard practice on allReal Housewivesseries, feelings were hurt as secrets were revealed. And from all appearances, the feuds that were at their inception at the end of Season 14 have been simmering under the surface, and the teapots have turned to tempests very quickly inSeason 15.
The Newbies Don’t Know What They are In For In Season 15 of ‘RHONY’
Newbie New York HousewifeRacquel Chevremontis an intriguing entry into the group. The art curator was once the partner of acclaimed artistMickalene Thomas, andhelped to foundThe Josie Club, a support network for queer female artists of color.Racquel has “it girl” written all over her. She andfashion industry legendJenna Lyonshave a charming relationship, and it is already iconic thatRHONYis getting more queer representation. Their closeness, however, could be seen as whatErin Lichydescribed as the tendency for the ladies to form “mini-groups” that get-together and exclude others. It seems Erin interprets her co-star’s closeness with the newbie as a withdrawal from her.
Luann de Lesseps Has One Regret About ‘Real Housewives of New York’
“It’s busy work, and it’s one that doesn’t get enough accolades.”
New “friend of"Rebecca Minkoffhas generated a lot of resistance from viewers alreadybecause of her link to Scientology, a religious affiliation that carries a bad look afterLeah Reminiand others have come forward aboutthe predatory nature of the organizationwhen it comes to wealth and members who try to leave. Because of her reputation in the fashion industry, Rebecca entered the group seemingly above the ladies' drama, a self-appointed peace-keeper. She seemed happy to simply be there, to observe and be seen wearing her looks. However, even in the first episode, she is getting a taste of what it can be like to be affiliated with the Housewives. BrattyBrynn Whitfieldobserved in a confessional that if you’ve been to Nordstram Rack recently, you’ll be familiar with Rebecca’s designs.It’s light shade and a catty comment, but if this is just the first episode, it seems like Rebecca will be in for a rude awakening onRHONYSeason 15.
One ‘RHONY’ Housewife Exaggerates, the Others Suffer
It’s Brynn’s world and the rest of us just live here. The coquettish character that Brynn exudes is perfect for reality TV, and you’re able to tell just how central to the series she is by how bothered her detractors are.Where she gets her wealthis one thing that everyone wants to know, refusing to believe the bubbly Brynn actually works for a living as a marketing and communications consultant.Rumors that she has a sugar daddyor a gentleman friend helping her finance her lifestyle have surrounded her since she stepped onto our screens joking that if you make her mad, she’ll “date your dad.“This is such classicReal Housewivesterritory that it’s almost too good to believe.Almost as if it was Brynn’s plan all along.
However, playing the devil-may-care socialite who says whatever clever thing pops into her head could come back to hurt her. Brynn has been accused by co-stars Erin andSai De Silvaofexaggerating stories and manipulating their context to paint others in a bad light. And, based on what we’ve seen in the series so far, they aren’t exactly wrong. When you are a natural off-the-cuff comedian, and you also happen to be fabulously adorable, it is easy to think your comments will be understood as playful. But when someone takes a comment to heart,Brynn has a hard time admitting that her interpretation of events,which she has exaggerated for comedic effect, can have real consequences for her friends and co-stars.
Jessel and Jenna are the Unlikely Middle Men of ‘RHONY’
Last season’s sleeper hit wasJessel Taank, as viewers seemed initially tepid in their reception of her, but as her personality revealed her as an iconic presence on the series,the fanbase grew ravenous in their support of her. If it’s Brynn’s world, Jessel is in her own universe, with hubbyPavit Randhawaand their adorable twins along for the ride. Her comfortable position as an already beloved icon gives her power in the group, but her efforts have always been towards staying in her universe, and only paying passing interest to the other Housewive’s drama.She is happily on the fence, and her neutrality brings a calming presence on a series where everyone is competing for control of the narrative. Because she is so disconnected from the drama, she is a pawn in no one’s game.
Jenna, on the other hand, is in the middle in a way that seems more personal. She seems to believe Brynn’s story of a time when Erin was speaking poorly about her after a road trip went wrong and Erin had to foot the bill for their expensive Uber home.Jenna tries to see both sides of the story, but the fact that she seems to be taking Brynn at her word is frustrating for Erin. Erin wants to keep her friendship with Jenna in a good place, but she hasn’t been able to refrain from making slightly snarky sisterly comments about her, which Jenna seems to have taken personally.
Brynn and Ubah’s Blow-Out Fight Will Divide the Group
The first episode of Season 15 began with a flash forward in time from the beginning of the season, to when the ladies had completed filming and were asked to gather for a photo-shoot for the opening credits.The women are all rattled afteran explosive fight broke outtowards the end of the season between Brynn and model and entrepreneurUbah Hassan. The fight escalated to the point that Brynn referred to her one-time friend as a “6-foot toddler,” and Ubah threatened to quit the show if her co-stars chose to believe Brynn’s version of events. At the photo-shoot, the other ladies were uncertain how the group would move forward afterSeason 15filming ended.
Each of theRHONYladies has big “main character energy,” which is partly to blame for their conflicts with one another. In a group situation where staying in control of the narrative or not can have real consequences for your life, when there is a disagreement about “what happened” in the friendships,things escalate quickly because what the ladies are really fighting about is who gets the last word. It’s why the women each seem to struggle accepting blame or accountability, because they feel they have to correct the narrative that is being told about them. This will all add up to an amazing season of Housewives drama, but I’m not convinced the friendships onRHONYwill survive Season 15.
New episodes of Season 15 air Tuesdays on Bravo. Past seasons can be streamed on Peacock.
The Real Housewives of New York City
A fast-paced reality show that follows several incredibly busy and ambitious Manhattan women. Watch as they balance envious social calendars, challenging careers, and motherhood, with the hustle and bustle of the big city all around.
