This week was about expansion and exits. At NBCUniversal’s upfront Monday, Bravo flooded the zone with a Season 2 renewal for The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, two new series orders, and confirmation that In The City—the Summer House spinoff—premieres Tuesday, May 19 at 9 p.m. Meanwhile, VH1 announced Love & Hip Hop is officially ending after 15 years with a six-part limited series, The Final Chapter, premiering this fall, and Netflix unveiled Calabasas Confidential, a next-generation California reality play set to premiere May 29. The conversation this week wasn’t just about what’s airing—it’s about who’s betting big and who’s finally folding.
Bravo’s Upfront Blitz: In The City, Rhode Island Renewal, and Vanderpump Heads to Vegas
Bravo used Monday’s NBCUniversal upfront at Radio City Music Hall to announce a Season 2 renewal for The Real Housewives of Rhode Island and two new series orders—a Vanderpump Rules spinoff titled Lisa Las Vegas and Secrets, Lives and Texas Wives. RHORI is currently the network’s No. 2 show, behind only The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and the scandal-fueled 10th season of Summer House is on track to be its most-watched season ever.
In The City premieres Tuesday, May 19 at 9/8c on Bravo, with episodes streaming next day on Peacock. The cast includes Lindsay Hubbard, Kyle Cooke, Amanda Batula, Danielle Olivera, and newcomers, and the show began filming immediately where Summer House Season 10 left off, following the group through major life moments including parenthood, separation, marriage, and new careers. The show will address Kyle and Amanda’s separation, and “Scamanda”—Amanda’s new relationship with Summer House co-star West Wilson, which required new scenes to be filmed after news broke to address the resulting divide.
The Vanderpump Rules spinoff, Lisa Las Vegas, follows Lisa Vanderpump as she expands her Vegas empire through the opening of her high-profile namesake hotel, culminating in a lavish opening party with fan-favorite Bravolebrities. It’s classic Bravo IP mining—take a proven personality, shift the location, and film the chaos.
Netflix’s Calabasas Play: The Next Gen Reality Gamble
Netflix is launching Calabasas Confidential, following a group of lifelong friends, foes, and exes in the Los Angeles County city made famous by the Kardashians, premiering May 29. The cast includes 14 recent college grads returning to Calabasas for a summer, back home and living in their parents’ hillside mansions, faced with confronting unresolved drama while defining what’s next for their lives and relationships.
Jeff Gaspin, head of unscripted at Netflix, told Deadline that Calabasas Confidential is part of the streamer’s plan to bring “some of that magic back” of original California reality series like Laguna Beach and The Hills. It’s a smart bet if the cast delivers—Netflix needs scripted hits and unscripted volume, and early-aughts nostalgia remains a reliable hook.
Also dropping this month: Love is Blind: Poland premiered Wednesday, May 6 with 11 episodes available for binge-watching, and Perfect Match Season 4 rolls out in batches—the first five episodes dropped May 13, followed by episodes 6 and 7 on May 20, and the finale on May 27.
Love & Hip Hop Takes Its Final Bow
VH1 announced Love & Hip Hop is officially ending after 15 years with a six-part limited series, The Final Chapter, this fall. The series will feature cast, creators, and cultural voices looking back at the franchise’s impact, its most talked-about moments, the controversies, and its cultural legacy, exploring the rise of its breakout stars, the business empires they built, and the franchise’s lasting impact on reality television.
Love & Hip Hop: New York and Hollywood went off the air during the pandemic and never returned, leaving Miami and Atlanta as the last cities standing. Fans can continue watching current seasons of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta on MTV Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT and Love & Hip Hop: Miami on BET Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
It’s a respectful exit for a franchise that genuinely shifted the reality landscape—since its 2011 debut, Love & Hip Hop created a platform for artists, entrepreneurs, and emerging voices whose stories were often overlooked, transforming them into household names.
Survivor 50 Continues Its Victory Lap
Survivor 50 premiered February 25 with 5.063 million viewers and a 0.95 rating in the 18–49 demo, marking the show’s best night-one performance since 2021 and reinforcing its status as one of CBS’ most reliable primetime anchors, with nine episodes showing consistency and resilience. CBS confirmed that Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans will air its three-hour finale Wednesday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET, and for the first time in seven years, the finale will include a live reunion.
The landmark 50th season premiered with 24 returning players—the largest cast the show has ever had—and featured game mechanics and production designs chosen by fan vote, with YouTube star MrBeast appearing in episode 10 to introduce a twist that increased the prize pot to $2 million. For a 26-year-old franchise, those are the kind of numbers that keep renewal conversations short.
What to Watch This Week
Chopped Castaways premieres Tuesday, May 12 at 9/8c on Food Network with judges Gabe Bertaccini, Maneet Chauhan, and Marcus Samuelsson, with the winner taking home a $100,000 cash prize. Perfect Match drops episodes 6 and 7 on Wednesday, May 20, followed by Survivor 50‘s three-hour finale and live reunion on Wednesday, May 20 at 8 p.m.