We’ve known for months that The Real Housewives of New Jersey’s reunion would be unlike any other.
Thanks to the cast’s fractured dynamic, Bravo and production didn’t want to force them together with a traditional reunion.
Things got violent at Rails Steak House, and that episode had many aspects of a reunion because it featured the ladies coming together to come to blows about their conflict.
Instead, Bravo is airing a special titled “Off The Rails,” which takes the women back to the restaurant, but enemies won’t even have to meet up.
Producers opted to put the women in different rooms so they could watch the finale without facing an opponent.
The first seven minutes of the special dropped this week, showcasing the ladies picking which room to sit in to avoid conflict.
Andy Cohen won’t be involved in the reunion special
The reunion episode won’t have anyone asking questions because Andy Cohen wasn’t involved.
Instead, the ladies will talk about their thoughts on the season.
It’s certainly a low-key affair compared to past reunions, and fans took to social media to voice their displeasure.
The above fan put it best when they said it would be a group of women making accusations without the recipient there to defend themselves.
Perhaps it would have been better to scrap the reunion because this episode has all the makings of a disaster.
“This just looks like a stupid and frustrating way to do things,” another fan pointed out.
These fans are over the reunion plans. Pic credit: @lgilmour6/x and @esteco2/x.
It would have been far more beneficial to bring them together one last time, given that these women are unlikely to be on the show together again.
“This is absolutely stupid,” said another fan who wondered why the episode got the “go ahead.”
“There should have been a reunion and Danielle fired,” the fan added.
This fan calls out the reunion decision. Pic credit: @redhead1011/X
“It looks so cheap,” said one more critic.
RHONJ’s rails finale is “cheap,” according to this fan. Pic credit: @abravobitch
RHONJ is gearing up for a reboot
We’ll reserve further judgment until the episode airs, but we’re skeptical that the installment will be worth it because the cast has already shared their thoughts on the season.
What else is there to tell at this point?
Looking ahead to Season 15, the only cast members reportedly locked in are Teresa Giudice and Dolores Catania.
This isn’t exactly surprising, considering the show’s toxic nature. A reboot of sorts is expected.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs on Bravo on Sundays at 8/7c. Stream Seasons 1-14 on Peacock.