In terms of Real Housewives, it’s been one hell of a week. Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is even more dramatic off screen that on. Given that we are coming up on the now-infamous Aspen trip, one has to suspect the timing of some of the social media drama. But some things are just too unimaginable to even speculate – like what’s going on with Garcelle Beauvais’ family. While I certainly don’t enjoy the constant stream of Lisa Rinna’s antics on Instagram, I would take that any day over fans and bots attacking a teenager.
Anyway, given how heavy that feels, I’m trying to keep my other reality shows a little lighter this week. So here’s what I’m watching.
Sunday – Real Housewives Of Atlanta
Season 14 episode 17 is already shading Sheree Whitfield in title alone. “A Fashion Show With Fashions” is a callback to the early days of Real Housewives of Atlanta when She By Sheree was still a fever dream. But this week, it looks like she will finally deliver her promise of bringing joggers to the masses. Even though Sheree’s edit last week suggested her show might be a repeat of her past failures, the title suggests otherwise. Making matters even more dramatic? Estranged jailbird boyfriend Tyrone Gilliams makes an appearance at the show. Why is he attending the show after citing legal issues with filming in Philadelphia? I would love to find out. More importantly, I want to see Dwight Eubanks back on my screen. I have no doubt that he will give us the perfect synopsis of Sheree’s show, no matter what does (or doesn’t) come down the runway.
Watch on Bravo at 8 PM ET. The episode is also available to stream on Peacock the next day.
Streaming – Indian Matchmaking
Season 2 of the feel-good Netflix reality dating show is back. If you didn’t watch season 1, it’s not a requirement to start at season 2. The Indian Matchmaker herself, Seema Taparia, has her work cut out for her this time. She is stuck with a few singles from season 1, along with a few newbies ready to be set up. While past cast members are a clear indication that Seema’s work isn’t fool proof, it’s still fun to watch her try. Her ability to combine modern matchmaking with traditional Indian practices like astrology makes for an interesting ride. Add all the awkward first dates and you have yourself a light-hearted watch that doesn’t feel as dramatic as the others. There’s no real prize or competition aspect, just singles who really want to find love and are leaving it in Seema’s hands.
Watch on Netflix now.
The Hype
HBO Max has been slowly dabbling in the world of reality TV and one such show is The Hype. Season 2 serves a major fashion competition with a focus on streetwear. It’s like Project Runway but with more of a stylized edge. Leah McSweeney might think that she put streetwear on the map (FALSE), but these designers show us what real streetwear is. Not only are they responsible for bringing fresh designs, but they also have to add their own music, art and lifestyle to the “runway.” It’s a unique take on what goes into the fashion design industry. And what The Hype accomplishes best is taking us deeper than Project Runway ever did. Which is exactly what I was looking for.
Watch on HBO Max now.
Wednesday – The Challenge: USA
I’m a huge fan of the original Challenge on MTV. I’ve been watching since it’s debut in 1998. And while I stopped watching for a few seasons in between, I went back to rewatch the ones I missed. And fell in love all over again. But sadly, my rewatch came to an end and while I wait on the next season, The Challenge: USA is filling in the gap. Longtime Challenge host TJ Lavin is hosting, giving the show some familiarity. What’s different is that the cast is comprised of contestants from CBS’s biggest reality show hits. Fans of Survivor, Big Brother and Love Island will see some of their favorites (and not favorites) compete in some surprisingly difficult challenges to win big money. And given that they are coming from shows that rely heavily on strategy and alliances, The Challenge: USA offers big time drama.
Watch on CBS at 9 PM ET.
Wednesday – Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills
This week, we have finally made it to what this season of RHOBH centers around – their cast trip to Aspen. Last week, the housewives arrived at Kyle Richards’ incredible Aspen home. She might still have Christmas lights hanging up but it’s real estate porn at its finest. And now I want a Selling Aspen, pronto. So in the last episode, some viewers (like me), were ready to just turn the damn thing off after watching the cast relentlessly bully Sutton Stracke. Like I’ve said before, I’m not a Sutton stan, but the way they are treating her is indefensible. I watch Real Housewives for drama but when it starts getting darker (a theme this season), I want to rethink my allegiance to the franchise. Either way, I continue on, hoping that someone stands up to Diana Jenkins and the Fox Force Five. Sadly, I think I’m out of luck because Kathy Hilton is allegedly the next target.
Watch on Bravo at 8 PM ET. The episode is also available to stream on Peacock the next day.
[Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo]