Jersey Shore: Family Vacation recently returned with the premiere episode for the second half of Season 7.
However, many viewers were frustrated to see OG cast member Ronnie Ortiz-Magro absent from MTV’s episode.
Main cast members Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola, and Deena Cortese were present.
Viewers also saw Angelina Pivarnick, Vinny Guadagnino, and Paul “Pauly D” DelVecchio.
Many of the cast’s significant others showed up, too, including the return of Pauly’s girlfriend, Nikki Hall.
However, Ronnie didn’t appear in the show’s opening credits or the episode, and fans expressed their frustrations.
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation returns without Ronnie in premiere episode
During MTV’s Family Vacation return episode for Season 7, viewers saw most of the cast sans Ronnie. The OG cast member didn’t appear in the show’s opening credits either.
Meanwhile, Ronnie’s ex-girlfriend, Sammi, whom he met during the original season of Jersey Shore, is featured in a big storyline as she embarks on her IVF journey.
In the episode, she is still with her boyfriend, Justin May, but they’ve yet to get engaged on the show, which will occur later in the season. The couple’s real-life engagement occurred in April 2024.
A trailer for the second half of Season 7 appeared on Jersey Shore’s Instagram page. It featured scenes from the cast’s upcoming trips to Las Vegas, New York, and Miami and footage from their “apocalypse” experience.
In the premiere, it appears Sammi and Angelina squashed their previous beef during the season. However, a new feud emerged involving Mike and Angelina over several issues. One of those is Mike expressing he tried to be a good friend and doesn’t feel it’s been reciprocated due to Angelina’s lack of contact.
Along with Sammi’s storylines, Snooki explores her family situation more as she attempts to discover brothers, sisters, or other relatives she may have never met due to being adopted.
In addition, Vinny is working on becoming a stand-up comedian away from reality TV. Angelina’s issues with her fiance, Vinny Tortorella, and her attack on Snooki’s stylist will also be featured.
Fans show frustration over Ronnie’s absence from Family Vacation
While fans had many reactions to the return of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation on MTV, there were quite a few displeased that the OG cast member didn’t appear in the premiere episode.
“Where is Ronnie I’m gonna have a heart attack if I don’t see Ronnie lol,” a commenter wrote on Jersey Shore’s IG post.
“Dammit Angelina is still on the show and Ronnie isn’t,” another individual commented.
Several commenters asked where Ronnie was, and another demanded the show include him.
“thanks for excluding filming with Ron in his own hometown. we get y’all pamper Sam but they can be adults and film together. what was all the buildup for?!” a commenter asked, calling out the show.
Will Ronnie appear in more Season 7 episodes?
Ronnie appeared as a main cast member for the first seasons of Family Vacation and exited the show several years ago due to domestic violence issues. He started working on his mental health and getting his life together.
In recent seasons, he’s appeared as a guest and then a recurring cast member, including his emotional reunion with most castmates except Sammi, who skipped that first reunion visit.
Fans anticipated the eventual reunion of exes Sammi and Ronnie years after they dated. The quick interaction was awkward, with very little said between them.
Sammi has maintained that she doesn’t have issues being in episodes with her ex, indicating that she is beyond their previous drama and can co-exist as she views him as a co-worker while filming the show.
During the first half of Season 7, Ronnie joined the cast on a trip to Tucson, Arizona, where he met his ex-girlfriend Sammi’s new boyfriend, Justin May, while everyone ate at a restaurant.
The guys’ interaction went fine, although Sammi said in a confessional interview she didn’t want to see her ex and current boyfriend shake hands or become friends.
In the second half of the season, another significant event occurs for Sammi and Justin: the couple gets engaged on the show, and cast members celebrate the special occasion.
The good news for Ronnie fans is that he will likely show up at some point during the season, as he appeared several times in a trailer last month.
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation airs on Thursdays at 8/7c on MTV.
All episodes of Jersey Shore are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
The link above is an affiliate link. This means that for any qualifying purchase you make, we may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.