The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 14 is over, and everyone is looking ahead to Season 15 should the fading reality series score a pickup.
All signs point to the show returning because, at one point, it was the crown jewel of Bravo’s expansive line-up, so the network will try to salvage it.
Earlier this year, Andy Cohen cast a dark cloud over Melissa Gorga, Teresa Giudice, and the rest of the cast’s futures when he confirmed the show would be revamped.
Fans have been clamoring for changes over the last few years because the show has run its course with the current personalities at the helm.
Season 14 proved that RHONJ needs to either end or get a reboot, so at least producers know the deeply rooted issues.
In a new interview on Two Ts in a Pod, Melissa revealed she’s “prepared or anything at this point” regarding the show’s future.
The star pointed to the rumors of hirings and firings as what would make her question her future with the long-running series.
Melissa also pointed out that she and her sister-in-law Teresa are “two extremely different characters” and she believes that bringing her estranged family member back would be a “darker” path.
Melissa claims she doesn’t want toxicity in her life
“If Bravo decides to go that route and the darker, whatever it is, route, then I need to say that is not a show that I want to be on anyway, which it truly isn’t,” the Envy boutique owner affirmed.
“I do want to be on the Real Housewives of New Jersey. I don’t want to be on that toxic s–t,” she added to hosts Tamra Judge and Teddi Mellencamp.
At this point, it’s obvious that the series will have to pick a direction that doesn’t include these two together, but, ironically, Melissa thinks that keeping Teresa would take the show in a more toxic direction.
For the first time in years, Teresa acted like Melissa didn’t exist, and the latter was left putting in the work of a friend of the housewives instead of a full-timer.
It was so bad that she grabbed an opportunity to go after Teresa during the Rails Steak House mass cast argument, leading to the infamous pose-off between the pair.
If the show really wants to eliminate the toxicity, it would fire both Melissa and Teresa because doing so would send a message to the rest of the cast.
If these two return to the show together, Melissa and Teresa would try to lure the new cast members to their half of the cast, thus keeping the division in place.
RHONJ should part ways with most of the current ladies
One of the only ways to secure the future of RHONJ is to part ways with most of the current ladies and only bring back the cast members who are open to filming with everyone.
With the show on ice for the foreseeable future, Bravo won’t make any firm decisions until early 2025.
At that point, we’ll probably get many obligatory statements from cast members claiming they’re walking away from those juicy Bravo paychecks before the new cast is announced.
What are your thoughts on Melissa’s admission about returning to the show? Do you think she’s even in contention for a comeback, considering how little she gave in Season 14?
The Real Housewives of New Jersey is currently on hiatus. Stream Seasons 1-15 on Peacock.
She’s not going anywhere unless they fire her.