By ruth young

Last night, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills returned for its 13th season and the biggest surprise for me was that the cast, who I’ve gotten so used to seeing on my TV screen since the show premiered in 2010, has dramatically changed. I’ve been an avid viewer of this franchise from the beginning, in large part because of how consistently it has offered both intense dinner party conversations and some of my favourite reality TV personas. I always look forward to every new season to check-in with my favorite Bravo ladies! But this year, those personas have changed.

First, a note on personas. Yes, reality television falls under the realm of unscripted content, but these shows always seem to follow a similar pattern in both the series arc and their characters. According to author Merrick Rosenberg, there are five types of characters featured in most reality television shows:

1. Eagle: Dominant, direct and driven, Eagles are all about getting their way. At best, they’re proactive; at worst, bossy.

2. Parrot: Parrots are the life of the party. They love to be around other people, but they tend to be a bit too trusting.

3. Dove: Passive to a fault, Doves want harmony above all else.

4. Owl: Owls prefer to stick to the rules, even when following a specific process or pattern leads to problems.

5. Chameleon: The best reality TV cast members are often Chameleons, who have bits and pieces of all four personality types mixed in. Chameleons can easily adapt to the situation at hand.

Prior to this season, I definitely knew where the three longest-running RHOBH cast members stood on this list of personalities—but after last night’s season premiere, I’m not so sure.

Kyle Richards

Out of all the Beverly Hills women, Kyle was always the one to try to bring everyone back together, a dove through and through. She put her friends and family first, and even when she ventured back into working through her stores and as a producer, she always worried about her family’s day to day harmony and how they were impacted. But it seems that this dove has flown the coop and is taking on the new role of an eagle, armed with five new tattoos and a whole different attitude. I think this season, we’re in for a brand new Kyle Richards.

Erica Jayne

When she joined the show in season 6, Erica was a welcome change to the cast. She spoke her mind and was not afraid to say how she truly felt. Unlike the rest of the ladies, her career found her performing as in glittery spandex cat suits at festivals and clubs into the early hours of the morning. I could always count on Erica for a quick quip or shady comment. In this season premiere, she’s not devoid of all sass, but she also showed a softer side, breaking down in tears during the first “confrontation” of the episode. I always thought of Erica as an eagle mixed with a little parrot, but like the kids say, it seems like she’s entering her owl era.

Dorit Kemsley

Dorit has been the housewife that I’ve never quite been able to put my finger on. Maybe she wasn’t a true chameleon, but I always thought of her as someone who definitely moved between the groups on the show. And, you could always count on Dorit for a great look. However, it seems that her emphasis on her outward appearance this season begins and ends with her brand new brunette ‘do. If this episode’s therapy circle is an example of what’s to come, I think it’s safe to say Dorit is definitely going to be more focused on rebuilding and repairing the harmony in her life, like a dove, than dressing up.

Although I am always excited for a new season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, this first episode didn’t really scratch that itch. It could be the inability for me to completely binge all of this season’s episodes or that these women felt so far removed from the people that I have grown so used to seeing. 

According to an Medium post published by counsellor Althia G McLaughlin, people who watch reality television often establish “connections” with the shows’ characters.  “Since viewers are able to live under the illusion that they are witnessing the “real”, everyday lives of the show’s characters, viewers are able to convince themselves that they know these characters and have a sort of “relationship” with them.”

This article was both extremely humbling and illuminating. Over the 13 years that I have watched (and rewatched) The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, I’ve held a set of beliefs about the ‘characters’ that would appear on my screen. But, I’ve obviously forgotten that just like I change from year to year, so do my favourite housewives. So, here’s to a season of new tropes and expectations.