Bravo is restructuring Summer House for Season 11 following the departures of Amanda Batula and West Wilson.
The stakes for the upcoming season are high. According to pagesix.com, network executives are hyper-focused on sustaining an explosion in viewership that occurred during Season 10. That season documented the end of Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula’s 10-year relationship and four-year marriage, as well as Batula’s secret romance with West Wilson.
The Exit of Amanda Batula and West Wilson
Both Batula and Wilson will not return for Season 11, which is scheduled to begin filming this coming weekend. Lindsay Hubbard described the decision to remove the pair as the right decision
, arguing that the show needs positive, fun vibes
rather than “cringe” or “hate-watch” dynamics, according to realityblurb.com.
Bravo’s “Crossover” Strategy and the Vanderpump Rules Precedent
To prevent interest from fading, showrunners are experimenting with crossover episodes featuring stars from other Bravo series. pagesix.com reports that cast members from Southern Hospitality were recently seen with the Summer House crew in the Hamptons over July 4th weekend.
According to sources cited by Page Six, Bravo execs are finding new ways to prevent interest from fading the way it did with Vanderpump Rules
post-Scandoval.
In the City: Performance and Season 2 Prospects
While the main series pivots, the spinoff In the City has emerged as a powerhouse, ranking as one of Bravo’s top three most-watched freshman series of the past five years. The first season captured the tension of Amanda and Kyle’s marriage just before their January split.
The future of the spinoff remains optimistic but undecided. Frances Berwick, Chairman of Bravo & Peacock Unscripted, told Deadline that the network usually waits until a season is finished before renewing, adding that they are excited
as they approach the end of the season and the Watch What Happens Live reunions.
“We need positive, fun vibes. Even if people wanted to hate-watch or watch it for the cringe, I don’t think it’d be fun for anyone else. Lessons were learned during the Scandoval situation.”
Lindsay Hubbard, via Reality Blurb
Cast Dynamics and New Romantic Entanglements
He has been spotted in the Hamptons locking lips with Next Gen NYC star Ava Dash and has also been seen making out [and] all over each other
with Southern Charm star Salley Carson, pagesix.com reports.
Lindsay Hubbard revealed that she and Danielle Olivera are in a good place
after a rocky first season of In the City. Hubbard even called Olivera from France to congratulate her on the birth of her son, Aiden, according to realityblurb.com.
The “Old School” Pivot for Season 11
Viewers can expect a shift in tone for the upcoming season. Lindsay Hubbard described the upcoming episodes as old school
because pretty much everyone is single
, as reported by Reality Blurb.
The network’s confidence in the brand is further bolstered by the series’ first-ever Emmy Award nomination in the category of unstructured reality program, according to pagesix.com.
Worth a look
