The Real Housewives franchise has become a behemoth force in the TV world over the last decade and change. The Bravo-verse was shook when it was revealed that New York was being rebooted with a new cast, while the OGs will film a season of Ultimate Girls Trip. The new Real Housewives of New York City just premiered, and the responses and memes were fired. Prepare for some chuckles, Bravo fans.
The new cast of women had some big shoes to fill on RHONY, considering how beloved/infamous original cast members are like Bethenny Frankel, Countess Luann, and Ramona Singer. Plenty of folks sounded off on social media outlets like Twitter, sharing their thoughts about the new ensemble. Bravo superfan Christian Snow tweeted out a funny meme about how his opinion of the reboot has changed now that it's here, saying:
Bravo fans 9 months ago: “We rebuke a #RHONY reboot!!!”Us watching tonight: pic.twitter.com/3rdhwtFSHVJuly 17, 2023
Honestly, same. Fans had big reactions to the Real Housewives of New York City changes, especially once the legacy series was scrapped in favor of Ultimate Girls Trip. But now that the new show is actually here, Bravohaulics seem to be changing their tune. Namely because the first new episode and the cast are so much fun.
Another Bravo historian/superfan that seems to be into the new version of RHONY is Ira Madison. He also took to Twitter, and made a bold suggestion for other shows from the Bravo-verse. Check it out below:
Time for Bravo to hit refresh on #RHOA too because #RHONY was giving…July 17, 2023
This might actually be a great idea. Considering how well fans are responding to the new version of RHONY, maybe another city or two need to be rebooted as well. There's been plenty of conversations about certain shows like New Jersey become stale, thanks to conflicts and alliances that are often repeated. We'll just have to see how Andy Cohen and the network decide to move forward.
There are plenty of hilarious responses online related the first new episode of The Real Housewives of New York City this season. Some of them are deep cuts which reference the previous 13 seasons on Bravo.
For example, the following tweet which references/pokes fun at former RHONY OG cast member Alex McCord. She famously said "I am in Brooklyn trying to survive in this economy" back in Season 3, which has been turned into a number of memes over the years. But that part of NYC is already factoring into the new season, and fans are seeing the parallels. Check out one funny response below:
The first scene of new RHONY happening in Brooklyn was actually vindication for Alex McCordJuly 17, 2023
Obviously Brooklyn is a trendy and expensive place to live, but it wasn't a place the original Housewives of New York cast were interested in seeing. Favorites like Luann de Lesseps and Sonja Morgan famously wouldn't travel downtown past Bergdorf Goodman in the evening. But Brooklyn is not only part of a plot line, but new housewife Sai De Silva is a Brooklyn native that lives in a gorgeous brownstone there. As such, we should be getting more of the BK this season than ever before. Alex McCord was really breaking ground for Season 14 (lol).
The first episode of RHONY Season 14 was pretty light, as we had to be introduced to the new women of the beloved show. Their drama was about smaller issues like food reservations and charcuterie boards, which was a breath of fresh air for some fans. As one posted on Twitter:
They’re fighting about cheese plates and restaurant reservations. We’re back to the petty basics, and I’m loving it. 🍎 #RHONY pic.twitter.com/wphQeRYOh1July 17, 2023
Over the past few years the Real Housewives franchise has started becoming a true crime show, thanks to Jen Shah's arrest and prison time as well as Erika Jayne's legal issues related to Tom Girardi. But the first episode of New York City brought it back to smaller issues, which added to the comedic moments. Another fan commented on how much money the new cast seems to have, including fashion icon Jenna Lyons. In their words:
#RHONY finally having rich cast members pic.twitter.com/PPGveyxyPnJuly 17, 2023
Shots fired. Part of what makes the Real Housewives franchise as a whole enjoyable for some fans is the wish fulfillment. While most of don't have the wealth shown on the shows, it's fun to see how the other side lives. Although that feeling started to wane for some New York City fans. Case in point: how hard it was for Sonja Morgan to sell her townhouse. (Side bar: Welcome to Crappie Lake is an absolute joy, and both Sonja and Luann are TV gold.)
We'll just have to wait and see this exciting season ultimately plays out. The Real Housewives of New York City airs Sundays on Bravo. Be sure to check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
