We’re officially back in the saddle with The Real Housewives of Atlanta as The Real Housewives of Atlanta season 16 is officially underway. I have to admit, I wasn’t going into the season with very high expectations. Like many RHOA fans, season 14 and season 15 left me a little disenchanted with the series. Then when it was announced that the series was returning from its “pause,” I was skeptical with talks of an influx of new cast members set to appear.
However, when it was officially announced that Porsha Williams was returning to the franchise after her departure with RHOA season 13, I’ll admit I was intrigued. I was a fan of Porsha during her run on the show, as she often added a certain levity among all the drama. But while I gained intrigue, I stopped short of saying I was excited. This feeling of not having big expectations for the season continued even when Phaedra’s triumphant return was announced (and she’s had a string of entertaining runs on reality TV lately).
Attribute it to loyalty to the franchise (I fell in love with RHOA from the very beginning) or a fear of missing out on social media banter and water cooler conversations, I tuned into the RHOA season 16 premiere. And I can say with confidence, it’s a breath of fresh air and I applaud Bravo. It was a great idea to mix popular show vets with newbies, and the dynamic in the early days feels fresh. There’s a healthy balance of comedy, drama and light shade that’s captivating, and the new blood helps the storylines and pacing not feel stale.
Like with many shows, fans are eager to attribute the success of the new season to a particular person(s). With Porsha being the vet and having a huge following on social media, the natural inclination is to assume she is the breakout star of the season so far. However, I’d argue that this honor belongs to Shamea Morton.
Shamea has all the great qualities you want to see in a housewife. She’s funny, as evidenced by her account of how she met her husband and her incident in the bathroom. Speaking of that story, I appreciate her honesty and attest to her willingness to be authentic on camera, which is another plus for a great housewife.
I also like that despite Porsha being teased as the anchor of the show (exemplified in the series group cast photo and other promotional material), Shamea is the cast member who has ties and history with all the castmates. That gives her the unique ability to be in more scenes with everyone.
Oh, and I can’t forget to talk about the opulence. From a viewer’s perspective, there’s just something remarkable about seeing certain cast members live the life of luxury, and Shamea certainly doing that. Yet, she doesn’t throw her wealth in your face to the point it feels obnoxious.
All in all, I’m now looking forward to the rest of this season and seeing what else it has to offer. I can’t wait to see the rising star of Shamea, who prior to the season 16 premiere, I viewed as Porsha’s friend. She’s now shining brightly in her own right.
New episodes of The Real Housewives of Atlanta air on Sundays on Bravo. The episodes become available to stream the following day on Peacock.
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