With RHOSLC having a pretty lackluster first season, the bar was set high for the second season to finally up the ante. But even with a near on-camera arrest by Homeland Security, it took us 14 episodes to get some real drama going on and well, that’s not a good thing. While I am appreciative that we finally get to see some real action going on, I can’t help but wonder why it took so long? Was it filler scenes? Was it a lack of direction for the first half of the season? Was there some lackluster storylines going? Well, babes, it’s all of the above, and I’m sorry that’s not really Shah-Mazing. Yes, Jen’s arrest was incredibly iconic and it made the girls work for their checks, but it shouldn’t take a federal indictment for the women to actually pick up the pace and do what they need to do.
In my opinion, there is only one solution: a mild cast shake-up. Now, I’ve been a huge opponent to 5-6 housewives on a cast. I’ve always thought the more the merrier. However, in this case Bravo might want to take the RHONJ (seasons 1-5) route and cast around 5 women and maybe a friend or two. Let’s dive into who should stay and who needs to go.
Jen: Keep
Whether you like her or hate her, she is the show. Not only is her arrest intriguing to watch, but there’s also a certain dynamic that she brings to the group that is absolutely perfect for reality TV. She brings the drama, the fashions, and the FBI. Plus, it seems like a lot of the storylines this season surround her, so thank you Jen for giving us a show.
Lisa: Keep
Hi baby gorgeous! Honestly, we all should be counting Lisa Barlow’s in our sleep. Lisa is a pot stirrer and to be honest, I wasn’t feeling her at the beginning of the season. I thought her antics were childish and not Housewives-worthy. However, the delusion of Lisa Barlow and the constant meddling is what makes her a great Housewife, and as the season progresses I can see the need to keep her.
Whitney: Demote
Whitney isn’t boring by any means. She definitely calls the B.S. out and is pretty funny, but I just can’t seem to really care about anything going on in her personal life. While her storyline last season about dealing with her father was incredibly powerful, this season she hasn’t given us much besides telling us that she spent her entire life savings on a skin care product that I haven’t heard of before (not so smart). But, I think she would be an iconic friend to the show. Messy, funny, and comes in at the right time.
Jennie: Keep
I’m not gonna lie to you, when I first watched Jennie, I found her personal story intriguing but her dynamic with the women to be a little bit bland. However, after last night’s episode, I am absolutely sure that she’s needed in this group. She’s great at addressing things head-on and not holding back on how she feels.
Heather: Keep
Whether you like it or not, Heather is the glue to this cast. She’s funny, relatable, and honestly just a down-to-earth person. I love the fact that Heather is a ride-or-die, and I also love that she stands in her truth. Beyond that, she’s good at starting those necessary conversations and, like Lisa, is an incredible pot stirrer.
Mary: No Idea
Mary was one of my absolute favorites for a while. I like that she’s incredibly delusional, has a no-nonsense attitude, and can read the girls when necessary. However, Mary has made so many offensive remarks regarding body image, race, and stereotypes to the point where I don’t see how she can recover from that. It’s not that I’m trying to “cancel” Mary, but it’s more so the fact that she has burned almost every bridge in this group that it’s kind of hard to see her returning. If the people she offended can move on from her comments, then I would like to see her back, but that is yet to be determined.
Meredith: Keep
Honestly this was a tough one—I really wanted to say Meredith should be a friend-of. I get it, she’s “iconic” and you can’t really figure her out and because she’s so “mysterious” and blah, blah, blah. I’m not saying I want Meredith gone, by any means—she’s hilarious at times and her aura is very intriguing. However, if Meredith does stay, I really need her to drop this whole Jen Twitter drama. Not only is it exhausting, but it just really isn’t that deep. She’s already cussed Jen out and “forgiven” her so I feel like the whole issue needs to be done with. Other than that, I like that she calls Lisa out on her messy behavior and I also like the fact that she’s someone who has her own opinions and isn’t swayed by others. I also love the fact that I never can tell exactly what she’s saying. We love a mystery.
So yes, I do think the cast should be five Housewives and one or two friends-of. I like the idea of having a core cast : Heather, Jen, Jennie, Lisa, and Meredith and the possibility of having Whitney and maybe a newbie come in and stir it up. This way we can focus on a core group of “friends” who know each other, and who understand the assignment when it comes to giving us a great show.
Images: Natalie Cass (4), Thomas Cooper, Andrew Peterson (2) / Bravo
