The Real Housewives of Rhode Island delivered a stellar first season. This new franchise gave viewers a fun location, a friend group with deep ties, and plenty of skeletons peeking out of the closet. These ladies also loved their families, and these bonds were featured on the show.
In RHORI, nearly every cast member came with an interesting backstory. There were plenty of cracker-worthy dramatic moments. Plus, these scenes felt as refreshing (and salty) as the ocean air.
During the RHORI reunion, lies were exposed, allegations were made, and both Rosie DiMare and Jo-Ellen Tiberi brought the receipts. Unfortunately for Rosie, her bedazzled briefcase didn’t make it onstage. Meanwhile, Jo-Ellen worked overtime making her case against Brian Pontarelli, accusing him of continuing his affair behind his wife, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli’s back.
However, heading into Season 2, the cast needs a bit of a shake-up. So, which RHORI cast members should keep their clam shell?
These Real Housewives of Rhode Island cast members should return for Season 2
There is a roster of four ladies who deserve a spot in Season 2. Rulla may not have appeared in many episodes, but her husband’s infidelity storyline dominated the season. And she came out full throttle at the reunion, screaming insults at Jo-Ellen and sniping at her when she spoke. Later, she showed her vulnerable side when she realized that Brian had lied to her … again.
Next, we have Jo-Ellen, who was painted as a liar by Rulla and her husband. She read alleged text messages with Brian’s mistress as proof that Brian lied about his affair. He even lied to Rulla about the date of his divorce. And now, Jo-Ellen seemed ready to give up on her friendship with Liz McGraw.
For comic relief, no one matched Alicia. From her obsession with crackers, to her love of “Janes Fonda,” and inability to make the word “ghost” plural, she was a riot. Finally, Alicia was thinking of wedding plans with her fiancé, Billy Kitsilis, after nine years of being engaged.
In addition, Rosie’s feud with Kelsey Swanson secured her spot in the upcoming season. The former news anchor started the season on the outs with nearly everyone, except for Alicia and Ashley Iaconetti. However, after Kelsey slammed the size of her upcoming home remodel with an ill-timed prank, Rosie lost it.
She tossed Kelsey out of her house and called her a “slam pig.” In the end, Rosie wanted to simply co-exist with Kelsey. And at the reunion, in one of Rosie’s shining moments, she urged Brian to reveal when his affair ended.
This RHORI castmate should not return in Season 2
First, let me say that I am a big fan of Ashley’s. From her stint on The Bachelorette to her time on Bachelor in Paradise with her future husband, Jared Haibon, I loved her personality.
Does she cry a ton? Yes. And do we love how emotional and open Ashley was? Also, yes. However, that doesn’t mean that Ashley was cut out to be a housewife.
Ashley was the only cast member who wasn’t from Rhode Island. Of course, she was friends with Rosie before filming started. However, she was treated like an outsider by the rest of the cast.
Since the group had strong connections, it wasn’t surprising. After all, Ashley moved back to Jared’s home state so that he could open a coffee shop.
Meanwhile, some of Ashley’s co-stars called out her demeanor during filming. Liz previously stated that the Bachelor Nation star “does really well in her confessionals, and that’s something that didn’t show up in the scenes.” Ouch!
Perhaps Ashley’s lack of a storyline also worked against her. While the other ladies navigated cheating allegations and family trauma, Ashley was focused on the coffee shop’s economic liabilities. Plus, Jared worked tirelessly at Audrey’s, missing time with Ashley and their sons.
According to Ashley, she wasn’t accustomed to ladies screaming at each other in public. So, she may not be the best match for RHORI.
I’m on the fence about these RHORI cast members
Liz was poised to be the series’ breakout star. However, her behavior during her nasty feud with Jo-Ellen and Alicia cost her some points with fans.
While Liz’s lavish lifestyle as the “weed queen” and her spicy temper made her fun to watch, her behavior at Capo soured some viewers’ opinions. After arguing with both Alicia and Jo-Ellen, Liz tugged Jo-Ellen’s hair and pushed her chair. Thankfully, Liz took accountability during the reunion after previously denying her actions.
At times, Liz, as the eldest of the group, felt like she didn’t fit in. If Liz returns, she must try to engage more with the entire cast.
As for Kelsey? Other than her feud with Rosie, the most interesting aspect of her storyline was her unconventional relationship with her longtime boyfriend. Kelsey lived in his huge mansion, complete with a staff to remove her lemon seeds. The mystery man spent half of the year living with another woman in Miami, while Kelsey was dating William “Bill” L’Europa.
After breaking up with her boyfriend, Kelsey moved on with Bill. She also started feuding with Rosie. For RHORI Season 2, viewers want to see Kelsey have an actual storyline with depth and emotion.
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island is available to stream on Peacock.
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