RHOA: The OG Template

Bravo storytelling seems off, and it's impacting their shows. The Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion dashed all hopes of a miracle turnaround. The reunion suffered because there weren't any strong stories during the season. Drew's music career and later her marriage woes were the only adequately explored stories. We didn't get personal stories from the other castmates. We got personal scenes, but topics never evolved or reached any meaningful resolution. 
 
Story is essential to screen-based media from documentaries to scripted television and films. Story gives you the context, tells you the stakes, and provides needed exposition. Story reveals character. It's how we get to know these women. Bravo has been giving us stand-alone conflict scenes, hindering our investment in the cast. (Consider the RHONY reboot: What does Brynn do for a living? What is going on in Ubah's life?)  RHOA has always been heavy on personal stories. Seeing Kim's singing journey, Nene's quest to find her father, Sheree's divorce, Phaedra's pregnancy, Cynthia and Peter's financial struggles, Porsha's seeming controlling husband allowed viewers to connect with cast members as human beings. Focusing solely on conflict makes the women come across as petty and childish. There's nothing aspirational about being petty and childish. 
 
Another element missing from the storytelling is aspiration. Once upon a time, I tuned into  RHOA to see their handbags and shoes, to see what hotspots in Atlanta would be featured that week, to look at their homes and copy their decor. Now, we tune in and see them check into a pedestrian hotel in Birmingham. They're having conversations in the kitchen wearing sweats. The visual quality is suffering, and the quality of a visual production is like real estate. Brands will do product placements and buy ad space if the show's aesthetic aligns with the brand image. If I were an exec at Bravo, I'd make sure the dailies received were beautiful, in terms of all elements of mise en scene. 
 
Getting this kind of aspirational footage requires trust. You need the women to open up their homes knowing their boundaries will be respected, meaning camera operators won't trespass into closets without the consent of the homeowner. Castmembers need to feel safe inviting the cast and crew into high-stakes events like fundraisers and business launches, knowing that no other cast member will bring in a marching band or disrespect a family's legacy. They need to know they can go on a cast trip and engage in adult behavior without the footage being used against them to create a scandal. For these women to open up, the fear of being exposed or exploited has to be addressed. That's not too much to ask. 
 
A good cast also needs to be in place. The ideal Sweet Sixteen cast would involve swapping out Kenya and Kandi for Porsha and Phaedra. We need to return to focusing on lifestyle and laughs. The Season 15 cast was too divided, and Porsha and Phaedra can bring friendship and fun while giving viewers a needed sense of nostalgia. A seventh housewife is needed, someone who was either born or raised in Georgia. What's missing from RHOA is a specific sense of filming in Atlanta. The people who have long-term roots in Georiga have the strongest and most organic stories. There has to be a magnetic woman, who is a CEO, investor, or Atlanta Braves' wife who is willing to appear on the show. If Andy Cohen has to reach out to Princess, the creator of RHOA, then do it. Cast members who get along with each other and with the physical production crew are important to making a great show.  
 
Finally, closure could help the show. Bravo seems to discard housewives, and this practice enrages fan bases. It appears Bravo did not value Nene,  Porsha, or Phaedra. Ratings have struggled to reach a million viewers since their departures. A sit down between Nene and Andy Cohen ahead of the Sweet Sixteen premiere could be the salve needed to heal the fanbase. In this sit-down, Andy should apologize to Nene and express gratitude for her contribution to the network. The sit-down could continue with one-on-one interviews with the OG cast and Princess. Viewers must see these women literally and figuratively receive their flowers from Andy at the end of the special. In addition, Bravo should give Kenya the Paris spinoff she pitched to Bravo and coordinate the airing of Kenya and Kandi's spin-offs to follow RHOA Season 16. That way, there aren't hundreds of thousands of pissed-off fans avoiding the series. 
 
In all, returning to the original, RHOA docuseries template is necessary. Story, stellar mise en scene, and closure are needed to bring this series back from the dead. As simple as these elements are, I highly doubt Bravo will implement all three given their track record.