‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ & More

As much as some hate to admit it, reality television has become a go-to guilty pleasure for many of us. Sure, some of the plot lines are shaky to say the least, and many reality stars are just poor actors looking for a break. Still, millions tune in every week to see who NeNe Leakes will read next and which of Tamar’s catchphrases will be the talk of Twitter.

Check out EBONY’s 2018 reality television wrap-up below.

Ebony Fan Favorite: Real Housewives of Atlanta

Bravo brought us both seasons 10 and 11 of Real Housewives of Atlanta this year, with EBONY readers clamoring for Season 10 content all 2018. The series welcomed model Eva Marcille into the fold as a friend of the show. She has since been promoted to full-time cast member. 

Season 10 also found Sheree Whitfield and Kim Zolciak at odds with most of the cast, resulting in an explosive reunion. Although all the ladies got into it at some point, Zolciak’s presence completely changed the energy of the room, eventually storming off after a tongue lashing from NeNe Leakes, Kenya Moore and Kandi Burruss. Moore also announced her pregnancy during the Season 10 reunion.

EBONY Staff Favorite: Braxton Family Values

We couldn’t get enough of the Braxton clan, who had a tumultuous 2018 to say the least. Unresolved family feuds turned into a much-needed therapy session for the musical siblings and their divorced mother and father.

Parental bickering, Traci’s decision to film without her sisters and Tamar’s overall attitude were the focus of the family counseling session with Iyanla Vanzant. The life coach was eventually able to break through, but not without tension building between her and the “Love & War” singer. Mama Evelyn was able to check Tamar at a particularly challenging moment, which eventually led to the songstress acknowledging her own mistakes.

Still, the youngest Braxton isn’t completely satisfied and recently claimed much of what fans see on the show are “lies” while admitting she’s acted a “plum fool” on camera. Her distaste for how the show is filmed and edited leaves fans unsure if she’ll make a return in 2019.

Messiest Reality Show: Love & Hip Hop

Unlike several competing reality shows, VH1’s Love & Hip Hop airs year -round, rotating between seasons filmed in New York City, Atlanta, Hollywood and Miami.

The Hollywood edition of the series is the most recent to wrap up after a season filled with “he said, she said” moments. Teairra Mari confronted her ex, Akbar, for leaking nude videos of her.

Brooke Valentine, who was voted “Messiest Cast Member” by her castmates, had her hands in several pots, including spreading rumors about Nikki Mudarris and accusing Lyrica Anderson of cheating on husband, A1, with Safaree Samuels.

Anderson and Samuels’ storyline quickly took over the series, and Nicki Minaj’s ex refused to be clear about his relationship with the married singer until the reunion, when he finally confirmed that they never slept together. On a more positive note, Lyrica and A1 have welcomed baby boy Bentley since the show’s finale. 

Most Slept-On Reality Show: Basketball Wives 

Basketball Wives flew under the radar for many of us this year but still produced a juicy season, thanks to the return of Jennifer Williams and the alleged lies she brought along with her.

Williams wasn’t the only troublemaker: Fan favorite Tami Roman stirred the pot by accusing Evelyn Lozada of lying about being abused by ex Chad Johnson. Lozada also came under fire for a racist remark she made toward Asian cast member, CeCe Gutierrez. Still, most of the season’s drama centered on statements Williams allegedly made about good friend Lozada, including that she slept with one of Shaunie O’Neal’s exes. O’Neal and Malaysia Pargo also claimed Williams told them Lozada’s daughter, Shaniece, 25, was promiscuous, which Williams denied.

By season’s end, Williams was dismissed by most of the show’s cast members, who later accused show creator O’Neal of starting “a lot of BS” behind the scenes.

Most Unexpected Reality Show: Chad Loves Michelle 

Michelle Williams has had a year full of ups and downs. Shortly after sharing her depression diagnosis with the masses, the Destiny’s Child singer accepted a marriage proposal from NFL chaplain Chad Johnson.

The pair currently has a series, Chad Loves Michelle, airing on OWN. Unfortunately, just weeks into the show, Williams broke things off with the pastor without giving a specific reason why. Some believe his comments regarding her mental health were factors, but neither has yet confirmed that.