RHONY Season 15 De-Brief
it was not great but that's ok.
I’m going to start off simple: I am bias against the Real Housewives of New York City. The old RHONY was one of my favorites, specifically from seasons 7-10 and when they rebooted it, I was fully on board. I am a native New Yorker and seeing my city represented in this way brings me a lot of joy. I think that this cast is a perfect representation of New York City but I also just love a new Housewife.
I’ve talked at length about how everyone needs to just shut up and get with the program so I will spare you my soap box. Right now, I want to discuss the entire season.
I’ve already spoken about the finale, so if you’re interested, you can read that now. But I do want to say that since that post went up, I’ve changed my tune on a few things, but I think I will wait for after the reunion to really speak on them.
Season 15/2 was not great. It was boring at times, the pregnancy prank was a low point and not a ton happened. However, I enjoyed every episode I watched. I always tuned in, found myself laughing and enjoying the time with the women. I’m not an idiot though, and I know that pretty much nothing really happened but honestly, that was ok with me. I was happy to just watch these beautiful, accomplished women mess around with each other with no real storyline.
Though, I think as we’ve seen, the storyline was the fact that Brynn is a liar, and that was proven all season long.
I was really excited for the season — the trailer looked so good, but most of that was the pregnancy prank, and of course, the finale. While I was disappointed, I think I’m also pretty easy to please, especially if I like a cast the way I like these women.
Off the bat, I was impressed with Sai’s turnaround. She really took her lashings last season and changed her attitude, but still remained true to herself. It was really lovely to see and I think it made her a more well rounded Housewife.
I enjoyed Erin so much more this season because it felt like she found her footing. She is the central person to the cast and she knows it — but she plays it well. She does some pot stirring, some lying, some game playing but it works. She was also so vulnerable this season — with the discussions around her parents’ health and the conversations she had about her abortion both with Jenna and Glamour Magazine. It was so important and it felt really raw, and real.
As for Jenna…I really do not care if we do or don’t see her relationships. Her relationship with Cass is the least interesting thing about her — truthfully, I think relationships are the least interesting part of most of the Housewives, unless it is their central storyline, the way Maurico or PK are part of Kyle & Dorit. Sure, Jenna has different rules than the other Housewives, but I’m ok to let that slide. She’s Jenna Fucking Lyons, and she’s so awesome.
I think she brought it this season in ways she didn’t last; she felt more open and comfortable with the women; she stood up for herself, and played the game. If the reunion trailer is any consolation, it seems she gets a smidge activated which will be nice to see.
Jessel was less of a central character this season but she still delivered incredible confessionals, and she was mostly the reason we got an epic finale. I would like to see her come back to the front of the cast next year and I really hope she gets the baby girl she so desperately wants.
Raquel was an incredible addition to the cast and I can’t wait to learn more about her if she comes back next year. She is fun, interesting, cool, level headed but not afraid. There’s a lot of potential there and I wonder if she has any cool friends to bring along for the ride.
As a millennial, Rebecca Minkoff has been incredibly important to me for the past 15 years. She has given me so much, but she is not Bravo material. I appreciate everyone trying to make her a thing, but she didn’t work. I don’t even think it was just the Scientology of it all (in what world did anyone expect a practicing Scientologist to discuss the Church? Has no one been listening to Leah Remini?!), she was too stiff, too guarded and not fun enough to get down and dirty for the franchise. She won’t be back, and she won’t be missed.
While I have pretty much turned to be on Ubah’s side in the Brynn situation, I still had my issues with her throughout the season. It constantly felt like she was trying to create a moment, and the pigeon thing was played up way too much for my liking. I hated the way she reacted to Abe’s phone call, or the fact that Erin showed Jenna and Brynn a dick pick — that’s not her business and the way she truly overreacted was so strange. I also really didn’t like how she continually brought up anything related to Brynn sleeping with men for money, or power. Also, the fact that she told Brynn in the sprinter van that she didn’t care if she (or the other women) died, was so insane and glossed over too fast for my liking.
On the flip side, my feelings aside — I don’t know if she’s made for this. I feel like she has too big of a heart for this show. I almost feel like she’s too pure for it, if that makes sense? I don’t know if she’ll be back and if you asked me my opinion a few weeks ago, I’d say I didn’t want her back but now I kind of need her back.
And now, for Brynn… a star has never shone so bright and fallen so fast. It wasn’t until the last episode that I was annoyed with her, and even then I could find it in my heart to defend her but after the Rolling Stone article, I think that ship has sailed. She had so much potential to be one of the greats but something happened between seasons where she simply flew too close to the sun.
I wish we knew why she acted the way she did this season, why she spun the truth so much and couldn’t get out of her own way but I don’t know if we’ll ever find out. I don’t know if she’ll be back next season, though I would love a redemption arc. However, she needs to take some semblance of accountability for all the havoc she caused and pain she inflicted.
I’m not sure that is going to happen.
A few standout moments of the season for me:
The bugs in the food prank in the Hamptons — Sai and Jessel (I think it was them) throwing up in the sink was hilarious.
All the outfits — specifically Erin’s gray suit confessional, Brynn’s tulle suit dress and her sparkly cape. RHONY is the best dressed franchise, period.
Abe the Babe in drag. End of story. Really, that entire party was so fun — Jenna’s costume included.
Jessel and Pavit eating together in Chinatown
Sai’s memorial to her mother
Everyone making fun of Jenna’s pubes, and her being so cool with it and showing them a photo nearly sent me over the edge
The synchronized swimming montage
Really the entire Puerto Rico trip was a highlight for me!
This season was one of the poorer ones in Housewives history, but that’s ok. Not every season is going to be a hit — I mean, we have suffered through so many bad Orange County, Beverly Hills, and Atlanta seasons, but no one has given up on them so why shouldn’t the new RHONY ladies get the same chance?
It’s all going to be ok.
As I said at the start, there is a good foundation here and after an explosive finale, there is even more room for growth. They each have strong personal storylines, and while they weren’t friends at the beginning I believe that they have formed real bonds here which is half the battle.
If the women could stop the pranks and self-producing, I think season 16 could be really great. I think all of this could be fixed with a stern talking to from production and truly just listening to audience feedback.
We’ll see what the reunion brings, but I’m hopeful for a really good next season.
