The Real Villains of Bravo: How reality TV creates the biggest baddies

Bravo Therapy

Hey BABs! I’m back with an episode that’s all about the Bravo villains we love to hate—or maybe just secretly love. Joined by my Bravo Bestie, Michael Sheley, we’re digging into what makes a perfect reality TV villain, how Bravo and reality TV are breeding grounds for creating these baddies, and which Bravolebs have gone from bad apple to Bad Ass Bitch.

We’re also sharing our own villain eras because, let’s be honest, we all have one (or many). And let’s not forget, sometimes the real villain is the Bravo producer (like when they brought Alexis Bellino back to Real Housewives of Orange County to try to show Shannon Beador out the door--FAIL!). From Bravo’s biggest baddies to reformed villains, we’re covering it all and breaking down the psychology behind it. FYI, this episode was recorded during Mercury Retrograde, so we’re really leaning into that villain energy.

Key Points:

• Villain Eras: Michael and I share our own villain moments and what we learned from them (or didn’t) and how they still creep up sometimes
• The Ideal Reality TV Villain: Who’s genuinely bad, and who just got the short end of the edit? The real villains like Jax Taylor and Tom Sandoval versus the perceived villains like Kristen Doute and Kathryn Dennis.
• Bravo Villain Archetypes: We're matching your favorite Bravolebs to classic villain roles.
• Our Favorite Reformed Villains: Reality TV stars who’ve turned things around—like Jeff Lewis going from evil boss to self-aware mogul, and Stassi Schroeder’s transformation from “the devil” to mom, wife, and total BAB.

Takeaways:

• Villains are often seen as opposing forces to the hero or protagonist, but there’s more beneath the surface.
• Reality TV often rewards and encourages people to embrace the villain role, but breaking free from that label is possible.
• External perceptions and the inability to set boundaries can perpetuate the villain role, but growth and healing are achievable.

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