Fans of The Real Housewives of Orange County eagerly anticipated Season 20. After all, it was billed as a legacy season. The series that introduced viewers to life behind the gates was celebrating 20 seasons of divorces, friendship breakups, marriages, and decadent displays of wealth. Without RHOC, iconic moments like Teresa Giudice flipping a table and Luann de Lesseps drunkenly landing in the bushes wouldn’t have graced our screens.
While we are only a few episodes in, so far this season hasn’t been living up to the hype. Some fans questioned Bravo’s casting choices for this special edition of the show. Vicki Gunvalson, the self-proclaimed “OG of the OC,” made her return as a full-time housewife. For some fans, this set up a nostalgic reunion between the Tres Amigas: Vicki, Tamra Judge, and Shannon Beador.
Still, while that may have been a draw for some viewers, the twentieth season of this iconic Bravo show so far has been lackluster.
The RHOC Season 20 drama is a retread of last year
Last season, Tamra accused her frenemy, Jennifer Pedranti, of being obsessed with her. For Season 20, Heather Dubrow wondered if Jenn was obsessed with Tamra. Yawn!
Once again, Emily Simpson and her bestie, Gina Kirschenheiter, seem to be the chief pot stirrers. These ladies will push the storyline forward, even if it is painfully awkward. These scenes seem produced and fake.
When Emily thanked RHOC newbie Carmella Garcia for her birthday gift, which was a Dior clutch, she had to add that Gina was “very vocal about it.” Naturally, this made Carmella angry at Gina, setting up a future confrontation.
Speaking of Carmella, Vicki already despised the new cast member. Are we surprised? Nope. Vicki’s go-to since the beginning has been not liking “the new girl.”
Of course, there were some exceptions, like Tamra and Shannon. I think it’s safe to say that Carmella won’t be in that club. And judging from the RHOC Season 20 preview, Carmella wasn’t vibing with Vicki.
As for Tamra? She was still trying to gain an authentic friendship with Shannon, much like she did last season. Again, I expected more than recycled storylines. RHOC Season 19 wasn’t impressive, and rehashing the same drama is disappointing.
Real Housewives of Orange County Season 20’s pacing is slow
Pacing is crucial in a Real Housewives show. Many fans weren’t thrilled when arguments dragged across multiple episodes. It stalled the show’s momentum and telegraphed exactly what was coming up next: more of the same.
So far in Season 20, Jenn and Heather’s feud about Tamra has spanned several episodes. According to Jenn, Heather was talking behind Tamra’s back. When Tamra confronted Heather, she denied it, claiming that Jenn brought up Tamra constantly. Plus, Jenn repeatedly mentioned how she couldn’t figure out if Tamra and Heather’s friendship was authentic.
In addition, Jenn told Tamra that Heather put Tamra “in a box.” This annoyed Tamra, while Heather saw nothing wrong with neatly compartmentalizing her friendships. Viewers clearly see there was an issue between Tamra and Heather. Please, Bravo, don’t spend the next four episodes revisiting this storyline.
Also, spending part of the premiere in Puerto Vallarta, where Vicki lives part-time, was fun for a few minutes. Just show us how famous she was at Andale’s and let us embrace the Tres Amigas memories. However, I could live without the beach scene of Shannon and Vicki falling in the sand. Instead, let’s speed up the pace and give us more actual storylines.
Nothing about RHOC yet screams this is a legacy season
So far, Season 20 hasn’t gifted us any jaw-dropping moments. Gina won Vicki’s admiration after she grilled the insurance maven about getting a prenup with her fiancé, Travis Mullen. And Emily launched a new podcast with her husband, which aggravated Tamra. Plus, after her son’s health struggles, Emily was on a wellness journey.
Besides that, Vicki reunited the Tres Amigas at The Quiet Woman, at the very same booth where Shannon once tossed a plate. Ah, memories!
The new drama this season involved Vicki’s boyfriend, Michael Smith, who allegedly had an engagement ring for her. “He says it’s in the safe and he’s not going to give it to me until I shape up,” Vicki previously told Shannon in Puerto Vallarta. My curiosity was piqued about why he was dangling the ring over Vicki’s head.
Meanwhile, Carmella’s complicated love life was also prominently featured. Her decision to gift Emily, whom she didn’t know, a Dior clutch and a vibrator generated some buzz among the cast. However, viewers probably didn’t need a lengthy discussion between Carmella and her two daughters about selecting the perfect vibrator for Emily.
Still, we are early in the season. I have my fingers crossed that RHOC Season 20 is a slow-burn, and that we will get the legendary installment that fans and the franchise deserve.
The Real Housewives of Orange County is streaming on Peacock.
TELL US – IS RHOC’S LEGACY SEASON A BUST ALREADY?