The Real Housewives of New Jersey was once the show to watch in the long-running Real Housewives franchise.
It hit the headlines due to the first-of-its-kind storylines charted on reality TV and also had decent viewership.
Now in its 14th season, the show is slowly becoming the laughingstock of the universe.
There are countless reasons for this, but the easiest way to proceed would be for Bravo to cut ties with RHONJ and focus on another city because it’s obvious the series is no longer a viable option.
Bravo rarely cancels shows in the Real Housewives franchise, instead calling their conclusions a “pause” because, as The Real Housewives of Miami has proven, they can return.
Sadly, there is little reason to believe that RHONJ can stage a comeback, so canceling it entirely wouldn’t be a bad thing.
1. The husbands are ruining the fun
The husbands need to go. Pic credit: Bravo© Provided by Monsters and Critics
Ever since its premiere, RHONJ has focused heavily on the men in the cast members’ lives.
While that initially set it apart from The Real Housewives of Orange County, it has manifested into one of the show’s biggest problems.
RHONJ introduced the men only because producers deemed the familial unrest between Teresa Giudice and Joe Gorga a good storyline.
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Over a decade later, Gorga’s involvement has opened the floodgates for the other husbands to have a significant presence in the series.
The frustrating aspect is that it takes valuable screentime from the ladies who appear in the opening credits as full-time housewives.
Viewers have been tired of the husbands’ antics for years, and producers have responded by giving them more screen time, which shows this won’t be remedied any time soon.
The last time I checked, the series was supposed to be about housewives, so it’s a big problem for the show’s longevity.
2. Casting issues that should have been addressed long ago
The cast needs to change. Pic credit: Bravo© Provided by Monsters and Critics
RHONJ doesn’t switch up its cast as much as the other shows in the Real Housewives universe, contributing to the issues across the board.
Love or hate her, RHONJ Season 14 has highlighted that Teresa is the draw because, even when she’s not on the screen, she’s the topic of the conversation.
If Teresa walked away or producers let her go, what would the women talk about?
It seems that Teresa purposefully stopped talking about sister-in-law Melissa Gorga this season to prove a point. Through seven episodes, that point has been demonstrated.
The only way to salvage the series before RHONJ Season 14 would have been a cast reset that only brought back about three cast members from the prior season.
The three cast members who should have been brought back should have included either Teresa or Melissa because the years-long family feud is boring at this point.
3. The show is too toxic
RHONJ needs a revamp. Pic credit: Bravo© Provided by Monsters and Critics
While RHONJ has always been a bit darker than similar series, the show hasn’t been able to break free from the fraught dynamic between the cast.
As a result, the show has become too negative, and there’s no quick fix to secure its future.
It’s a shame this could have been fixed if producers had been open to refreshing the show, but now that viewers are switching off, it may be too late to repair.
Margaret Josephs is by far the most negative cast member. She seems to think anyone talking to Teresa is going against her.
At the end of the day, the ladies are paid to film with cast members, so they shouldn’t be allowed to make decisions that impact the show.
Without Margaret meddling and pulling strings behind the scenes, there’s a bigger chance there would be some unity between the women.
That said, she isn’t the sole reason the show is toxic. The issue harkens back to the casting woes because those behind RHONJ are too afraid to draw a line.
4. John Fuda
John is a big problem for RHONJ. Pic credit: Bravo© Provided by Monsters and Critics
Sorry, but what is going on with this dude? John has been bickering with Teresa as though he’s a full-fledged cast member, and it’s been so off-putting.
From the outside looking in, I can only assume he believes that going after Teresa on camera will get him more screen time.
Because of his anti-Teresa campaign, he’s had about as much screen time as the other cast members this season.
The sad part is that his wife, Rachel Fuda, can handle herself with the women on her own, so it’s disconcerting that John keeps inserting himself into the drama and calling the only original cast member a “has-been.”
If the show forges a path ahead, keeping Rachel isn’t a bad idea, but her storyline would be far more interesting without her husband getting involved in the drama.
As I stated earlier, the same can be said for ALL of the husbands, but there’s something about John going after Teresa that feels icky as a viewer.
5. RHONJ’s canceled reunion means no resolution
The lack of reunion is an issue. Pic credit: Bravo© Provided by Monsters and Critics
The strange cast dynamics have made the first seven episodes of the season unwatchable.
While I don’t want to devote any more time to this season than I need to, the decision to cancel the reunion is a step too far because it eliminates any and all resolution.
Even the worst seasons in the Real Housewives franchise can be salvaged with a reunion that features closure.
While Bravo is reportedly looking at alternative ways to close the season, it won’t be worthwhile without the cast interacting and working through their issues.
An element of accountability comes with a reunion because the cast has the time to hash out all of their differences.
Taking that opportunity away is likely due to the cast’s continued insults on social media. There’s a good chance no resolution is on the agenda for this cast.
With the season finale charting a Rails Steak House fight that seemingly divides the cast like never before, it’s hard to imagine the show being able to bounce back from its current hurdles.
With so many things going against RHONJ, the series could be canceled by the end of the year. But it’s also possible that producers will finally take the complaints about the show seriously and attempt to save it.
The only way to salvage any shred of a decent show is to take the above on board and admit defeat. The Real Housewives of Orange County bounced back after its worst seasons yet, but it doesn’t seem like an opportunity for RHONJ.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs on Bravo on Sundays at 8/7c. Stream Seasons 1-14 on Peacock.