Bravo is rumored to be considering putting The Real Housewives of New York on hiatus after a rough season, but most viewers believe the franchise deserves a second chance. The RHONY season 13 reunion has been pushed back to October. Wild rumors are swirling around, and the show looks like it could be in peril.
The Real Housewives of New York debuted back in 2008, and fans couldn't get enough of the overly privileged women of the Upper East Side and their antics. The franchise is famous for its Big Apple backdrop, and cameras follow its cast members in order to paint a picture of what it is really like to live in "the city that never sleeps." Throughout the season, the cast has changed, with some heavy hitters like Dorinda Medley and Bethenny Frankel leaving the show. New faces were added, including Eboni K. Williams, while others remain season after season, such as Ramona Singer. Over time, viewers got to know each of the women on a personal level. Fans are not ready to see the show shelved.
There is no doubt that this past season of RHONY has been a dud. While the network is trying to figure out who to blame for the extremely low ratings, many believe that the COVID-19 pandemic caused the noticeable decrease in viewership. New York City was shut down. In fact, it was brought to a standstill in order to save lives. This negatively impacted the show's ratings since the women were not able to take part in their normal outings. Instead, they spent time at Singer's home in the Hamptons or in Salem, Massachusetts. There have been multiple rumors floating around that Bravo is looking into ditching fan-favorites like Sonja Morgan and trying to bring back Bethenny.
While the rumors are unconfirmed, getting rid of one of the most popular franchises seems a bit drastic to most Bravo viewers. The Real Housewives of New York deserves a second chance because the series has never failed the network or fans before. By all means, bring back big names like Carole Radziwill and Tinsley Mortimer, but don't scrap the series completely. Fall 2021 will be the first time since the pandemic that the city is once again open during the holiday season. Some fans think it can also be a rebirth for the series.
Bravo has revamped other Real Housewives franchises like The Real Housewives of Orange County, and it looks like the same strategy could work for the new RHONY season. The network got rid of toxic Kelly Dodd to bring back Heather Dubrow. This happened after fans dragged the network for allowing Kelly's bad behavior. If Bravo puts some work into the New York edition, it could still be a great success. It just needs a chance. However, if they do decide to ax Sonja, that choice may drive away even the most loyal fans.
The Real Housewives of New York airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.