The Real Housewives franchise has been round since 2006.
What began as one hour-long present has change into one of the greatest franchises in the world.
Somewhere alongside the means, the method of totally different cities began to develop stale — till The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (RHOSLC) burst onto the scene in 2020.
Armed with a dynamic solid that delivered drama weekly, it was a recent take that ushered us into a really totally different period of the franchise.
Unfortunately, it has gone up to now off the rails throughout The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 3 that it is exhausting to think about the present recapturing its former glory.
RHOSLC was destined for doom when its resident pot-stirrer Jen Shah pleaded responsible to one rely of fraud forward of the season premiere.
In the promotional materials lauding the September 2022 premiere, Shah feigned innocence to the allegations in opposition to her.
As a end result, the season was tough as she informed everybody she was harmless and that it had all been an enormous misunderstanding.
The finest transfer, each for the present and viewers, would have been to delay the collection indefinitely and reduce Jen’s presence as a lot as doable.
Did she deserve the platform Bravo gave her in these months main up to her sentencing?
It would not be the first time Bravo saved sure actuality stars employed after brushes with the regulation, and possibly it’s an excessive amount of to take into account placing ethics above income.
The community despatched blended messages when Jen was allegedly iced out of the reunion, just for Bravo to reportedly attempt bringing her again at the final minute.
Did the community understand that the collection spent an excessive amount of time on her story not to have her at the reunion?
If you watch The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City on-line, Jen’s antics and imminent trial have dominated the season.
It can be unusual for these girls to speak about these occasions with out Jen’s presence, however that is precisely what’s on the menu for the two-part reunion.
Four housewives (Lisa Barlow, Heather Gay, Meredith Marks, and Whitney Rose) confirmed up for the reunion taping, however season-long storylines felt contrived.
Whitney did have a private storyline earlier in the season, however the feud between her and Heather felt extra like a ploy made up for the cameras than the rest.
I do know the girls want to deliver a sure stage of drama for Bravo to retain them for the subsequent season, however feuds that really feel rehearsed and go nowhere are simply picked aside by viewers.
On high of that, the “Who gave Heather the black eye?” storyline wasn’t as scintillating as producers might need hoped. It’s not on par with “Who Shot JR,” regardless of how exhausting they tried to play it up. In the finish, it’s damaging as an alternative of entertaining.
These girls are supposed to share elements of their lives with viewers, however this specific storyline is so weird that I’ve questioned whether or not we’re watching a daytime cleaning soap or a Real Housewives collection.
I do know there’s at all times been that superb line between the two, however Heather’s flippant nature about what occurred to her eye as a method to craft a season-ending thriller have to be triggering for victims of home violence.
If the enhancing is to be believed, Bravo has footage of the incident, which makes the producer badgering Heather to ‘fess up about what occurred on digicam much more irritating.
Bravo has proven that the girls hardly ever management the narrative, however this isn’t a very good look.
As a end result, Heather went from being a fan favourite to one of the most divisive housewives over the course of a couple of episodes. The star has been vocal that the enhancing is to blame, elevating questions on how far is just too far with this kind of storyline.
Is Bravo main us on, or is Heather purposefully hiding the fact till a greater alternative to inform her story presents itself on-screen?
They say we should not take TV reveals too critically, but it surely’s exhausting not to have some ideas when the enhancing perpetuates a violent encounter.
Looking forward, Jen will possible by no means be on the present once more now that she’s been handed a 6.5-year sentence by a federal decide.
Then there’s Mary Cosby. She was the glue that held the collection collectively. She had a model of loopy that made it tough to look away from the TV.
She was uncomfortable, certain, however the present’s glory days had been due to her bonkers scenes.
If the present might discover a means to deliver her again, at the same time as a pal, for Season 4, it’d give it a jolt in the proper path.
I’m ambivalent about Meredith and Lisa this season. Their feud has been on the market, but it surely’s not dominated like some of the different storylines.
My finest guess is that the collection will get one other probability to proper the ship, however there wants to be a shake-up to shift the vitality.
I would not be shocked if Angie Katsanevas or Danna Bui-Negrete bought elevated to housewife standing.
They each have made reasonable impacts this season.
The similar can’t be stated for Angie Harrington. Harrington does not appear to have a lot of an in with these girls, making her appearances extra like directions from a producer than something pure.
What are your ideas on the state of RHOSLC?
Do you assume it is time to let the snowflakes defrost and put the present out of its distress, or do you assume including some new snowflake-wielding housewives can ship this present in the proper path?
Hit the feedback.
Catch the season finale Wednesday at 8 p.m. on Bravo.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
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