Major news broke over the weekend in the world ofThe Real Housewives of New Jersey. It appears thatthe traditional reunion for Season 14 ofRHONJwill not happen as normal.Instead, producers are looking at a different format to bring the women, in their alliances, together to discuss the events of the 14th season of the reality series. While fans have been given a glimpse into what’s to come this season,reports suggest that whatever happens in the finale is finite for these women. It might mean the end ofThe Real Housewives of New Jerseyas we know it. The last timeBravocanceled aReal Housewivesreunion, the entire cast ofThe Real Housewives of New York Citywas canned, and the show was rebooted. For 14 seasons,The Real Housewives of New Jerseyhas focused on family drama. It’s reached the tipping point.HasThe Real Housewives of New Jerseyexceeded the point of no return?
Back for Season 14,The Real Housewives of New Jerseyhas proven thateven if the Gorgas and the Giudices aren’t speaking, there is still enough residual drama to go around.This season, the cast includes all the previous season’s cast:Teresa Giudice,Melissa Gorga,Dolores Catania,Margarat Josephs,Jennifer Aydin,Danielle Cabral,andRachel Fuda. Additionally,Jackie GoldschneiderandJennifer Fesslerare back as “Friends of.” And let’s just say, they’re more than fulfilling their duty in the drama department. With the family drama still very much pervading the air, the cast has been shifting and wavering about where alliances lie and who is willing to let bygones be bygones. With uncertainty of the show’s future in limbo,it’s the cast divide that may be the main factor about its potential demise.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey
The Real Housewives of New Jersey follows the dramatic lives of a group of affluent women living in the Garden State. Centered around family, friendship, and fierce rivalries, the series delves into their personal and professional endeavors. With lavish lifestyles as the backdrop, the show captures intense confrontations, heartfelt moments, and the complexities of balancing relationships and social expectations.
Cast Divide Has Sent the Series Tumbling
The Real Housewives of New JerseySeason 13 ended in quite dramatic fashion. Teresa andLouie Ruelaswere married in a beautiful and extravagant wedding. Everyone was there. Well, except the Gorgas. With Teresa’s brother,Joe Gorga, and his family not attending, it officially marked the end of their relationship. But leave it to the reunion for the aftermath. Teresa and Louie claim they did not, but they allegedly hired a private eye to investigate her rivals, Melissa, Margaret, and Rachel. This caused a lingering effect that has continued to seep into Season 14. With all the finger-pointing and insults being hurled,some of the women are seeing the light regarding certain people’s true characters.Others have simply decided no one can tell them who to be friends with.
Teresa Giudice is a woman of loyalty.Well, loyalty to her. That word doesn’t quite have resonance if it doesn’t directly better her situation. With Teresa expecting her minions to pledge loyalty to her, it often forced many of the women to have to pick a side. Almost instantly since she graced the screen,Jennifer Aydin became a lapdog to Teresa and has yet to waver.She is her tried and true right-hand woman. During Season 13, Teresa also picked up new cast member Danielle Cabral as her mind was infiltrated by the negativity spewed in her ear by Jen Aydin, serving as Teresa’s surrogate. But Danielle saw the light and, in her own mind realized that perhaps her massive blow-up regarding the Melissa Gorga cheating rumors was truly a set-up. So Danielle brought it up and both Jen and Teresa adamantly denied any wrongdoing. Sadly, it’s just not accurate.These women have been caught red-handed in the past for leaking stories, so their nefarious deeds have been checked. Danielle is now shifting over to mending relationships with Rachel Fuda, who she truly never got to know, and Melissa, who is not only receptive, she even hosted a pop-up for her children’s clothing line for her.
What ‘RHONJ’ Season 14 Taglines Reveal About Cast Storylines
The taglines are out for the seven Real Housewives of New Jersey and once more they’re pithy, funny and a touch shady.
The Drama Continues on RHONJ
On Team Melissa, she has Margaret, who has been there supporting her ever since she felt the wrath of Teresa.Rachel Fuda fell onto Melissa’s side almost by defaultas she was close friends with Jennifer Fessler, who was close friends with Margaret. The three women have been quite headstrong about having their families attacked by Teresa and have continued to vow to remain separated from theVillain of New Jersey. Season 14 has shown that there is a slight caveat when it comes to a relationship being fixed. At this point in time,Melissa had a sit down with Jennifer Aydin to move past their drama, mostly for the good of their husband’s friendship. Jennifer Aydin is well aware that she should not have allowed the cheating rumors to get out of hand, but she knows her guilt falls at the hands of Teresa. She just doesn’t quite know that she’ll be slaughtered by Teresa when she finds out.
And then there is Switzerland.Dolores Catania has become collateral damage in the cast divide.She has known Teresa since they were teens. She met Melissa when she married Joe. But she has refused to ever take a side. She’s tried to mediate, but nothing has ever quite worked. By playing the middle, Dolores is the link that is keeping the show alive. Well, her and the contracts and the necessity to have the cast present at all the brunches and parties and events. When it comes to the “Friends of”, they are getting screen time like they’re a full-time cast member.Jackie is no longer willing to feel like a puppet to Margaretand has decided to be cordial with Teresa, the woman who has constantly tried to tear her down.
Jackie’s history with Margaret is being tested, and personal feelings and emotions are getting in the way of a civil reconciliation.For Jennifer Fessler, she came onto the show as a close friend of both Margaret and Rachel, and yet she has been willing to court the delusions of Teresa. If you give Teresa Giudice an inch, she’ll take a mile. Fans have seenJen Fessler live up to her nickname, Messy Fessy.She is completely playing both sides, much to the chagrin of Margaret and Rachel. But like Jackie, she refuses to let anyone tell her who to be friends with. It’s all going to catch up to both of them.
What The Future Holds For RHONJ
With the current makeup of the alliances laid out, it’s become quite clear, it’s not working for the betterment ofThe Real Housewives of New Jersey.All of this in-fighting is just not conducive to creating a healthy television show. Even if it is reality television.The divide between the women has had effects beyond the show.When it comes to press events,BravoCon was forced to have split panels because some of the cast refused to appear together.Throughout the filming of Season 14, there have been leaks about goings-on that involved the season’s story.
At the end of Season 13, there was no bad blood between Danielle and Jennifer Aydin, so whenreports came out that the two were temporarily suspended due to a physical altercation, fans knew this season was going to be juicy. More reports leaked regarding Jackie Goldschnieder flipping her allegiances before a single episode aired, and fans felt they were living inThe Twilight Zone. Never has there been a moment in the previous seasons that would have supported a moment like that? The more the Gorgas and Giudices were pressed on the state of their relationship, the more it became clear that filming separately was the only way for Season 14 to survive.But now the entire program hinges on survival.
Melissa Gorga, Margaret Josephs and Rachel Fuda are Ruining ‘The Real Housewives of New Jersey’
The Garden State ladies are going to find themselves under a revamp but Teresa will always remain.
For 14 seasons,fans ofThe Real Houses of New Jerseyhave been attached to the characters they’ve seen on screen. Some cast members have come and gone, but that’s the reality of a show of this nature. For this franchise to return,they might need to take a page fromThe Real Housewives of New York Cityand replace the entire cast.The Real Housewives of New Jerseymight need to start fresh. Fans love drama, but they don’t want to watch awkward tension at a lunch table when individuals who vehemently despise one another are forced to play cordial for the cameras.
Yes, there are plot lines beyond the drama.It’s fascinating to see how similar Melissa and Teresa are regarding watching their daughters leave for college. If they had a relationship, this would be a moment they could lean on one another. They’re experiencing something most mothers go through, letting the bird fly from the nest. Rachel has a wonderful story about the adoption of her step-son, but it’s been trumped by Teresa and Louie forcingJohn Fuda’s incarceratedex-wife into the picture in a manner she should not be.
Danielle is building a business from the ground up and deserves time to celebrate the achievement, not women fighting across the table during her moment. Marge is experiencing a loss following the death of her ex-husband, Jan. She’s showcasing a vulnerable side that is relatable. There is a reason she’s on edge, yet she’s being pushed off the cliff the more her perceived friends pull away. And then there is Dolores. She might have the question popped to her byPaulie Connell, if he ever gets divorced. There are so many stories that could and should be told, butthe intensity of years of these women pummeling one another has gotten the best of this show.
There is a universe whereThe Real Housewives of New Jerseycould retain Danielle and Rachel and allow them time to grow.They could invite other women in their lives to join the cast. There is a universe where Bravo gives Teresa her own spin-off show and allows Melissa the spotlight on the flagship program. Though fans know Teresa would not take that too kindly. Then there is a universe in which all the women depart and the casting department finds a new family to reboot with. Yes family, this is New Jersey. Family was the foundation ofThe Real Housewives of New Jersey. There is a reason why this show has stood the test of time. Allowing it to be completely canceled could be a risk for the network.But this version of the show cannot continue as is. It’s gotten way too real.
The Real Housewives of New Jerseyairs new episodes every Sunday at 8:00pm. All episodes are available to stream the next day onPeacock.
