RHONY 2.0 has an authenticity problem. But, I should probably back up and explain what I mean.

I am not one of those people who, how many years later, are still moaning about the cancellation of the original RHONY. It was great while it lasted, but its time has come and gone and that’s okay. I am still quite shocked that it got cancelled because the Bravo-verse sure loves them some original RHONY but we have the current line-up and I quite like the diverse casting. It was inevitable that S1 was going to suffer from a comparison but I thought that would lessen or stop by S2. We are currently 6 episodes into S2 and people are still calling for their heads. I don’t think it’s boring but this is where my authenticity problem comes in.

They cast a good group of women who knew each other – which I think is important in Housewives casting – but then, the ladies are cagey about their lives. Jenna has a girlfriend (or fiancée?) and we don’t get to see it. Ubah has a boyfriend now and we don’t get to see it and this is after we followed her story in S1 where she talks about wanting love and feeling lonely. These are just two examples, but they are enough to make the audience feel like they are being cut out. You can’t make a good reality show with guards up.

The ladies also seem so aware of the cameras and seem to care what the audience thinks of them and it’s stunting their greatness. Lil’ Miss Brynn who is not having a great season has me at my wits end with her baby voice, cutesy, wink at the camera while sexualizing everything act. Why on earth are we seeing her coach Miss Boring Rebecca Minkoff on how to act on camera? Sai is pretending to be zen and making nice with everyone after seeing how the audience reacted to her and it’s so unnatural and odd to watch. I wish they would all take a deep breath and just let themselves be. Stop trying to over-produce or anticipate what the audience will say. Erin has some kind of beef with Jenna and tells everyone except Jenna and it becomes this much ado about nothing. I have no issues with the petty fights but when it feels like you are trying to create a moment that’s where it falls flat. Ubah, I am talking to you as well.

This is exactly why Jessel is the star of the show. Because, for better or worse, she is showing the good, the bad and the ugly of her life and she is just being herself, living in her own bubble. Compare her to Erin, who is obviously hiding something about her marriage as Abe looks so terrified every time he is in her presence while she seems very annoyed by him. Housewives fans are no strangers to sour husbands but I am not a fan of Pavit and I am always in awe of how Jessel doesn’t even try to cover it up like other Housewives would. She just lists his litany of sins as casually as mentioning what she wants to buy at the grocery store later.

I wonder why they thought they had to add new cast members. I love me some Racquel but I do think they should have given the original cast more time to create and settle into their dynamics. So yeah, while I am not as down in the dumps as most seem to be about RHONY, I can still acknowledge that some tweaks need to be made. I am not sure where the rest of the season is headed as there doesn’t seem to be a major storyline but wherever it goes, I know I’ll still be watching and hoping that the audience gives them a chance.

Review by Tayne Ment a Pop Culture Enthusiast with a special love for reality tv. You can keep up with her here: @taynementdotcom