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Cast change — the franchise recalibrates

The New Blood

The first substantial cast refresh. New Beverly Hills voices enter and the existing dynamics recalibrate — a transitional season doing what transitional seasons do, with varying results.

Filmed
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, Palm Springs, and Puerto Rico
Premiered
Nov 4, 2013
Bravo · November 2013
Format
Social reality
First major cast refresh
On this page5 sections
  1. 01The take
  2. 02The shape of the season
  3. 03Where it sits in the canon
  4. 04Adjacent in the canon
  5. 05Also appears in
01The take

Setup more than delivery.

The foundation holds. The season's work is setup as much as delivery.
02The shape of the season

New cities enter the itinerary.

The first substantial cast refresh of the Beverly Hills run. New additions change the social geometry and the format spends much of the season recalibrating — which dynamics carry editorial weight in the new configuration. A watchable transitional season that handles change competently without reaching the heights of the stronger entries. The foundation holds; the cast integration takes its time.

03Where it sits in the canon

The #05 slot.

Slot #05 of 15 in the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Editor's Canon. The transitional season of the Beverly Hills early run. New cast members change the existing social geometry, and the show spends much of the season recalibrating — which dynamics carry editorial weight, what the franchise looks like after its first substantive cast refresh. A watchable season that handles the mechanics of transition competently enough; it doesn't reach the heights of the stronger entries, but it doesn't waste the foundation either. The fifth slot belongs to it without much argument — the season's work is setup as much as delivery, and it performs that function adequately.

No spoilers. Every page is reviewed before it goes live.
05Also appears in

Cross-references.