If you haven’t checked in with the women of Salt Lake City since last season, I have good news and bad news.
The good news: Season 7 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City premieres September 16.
The bad news: approximately 74 emotional emergencies have occurred since you last checked in.
Lisa Barlow and Bronwyn Newport still have unfinished business. Heather Gay and Angie Katsanevas ended last season increasingly aligned against Lisa. Meredith Marks remains very much Meredith Marks. Whitney Rose is questioning her marriage. Angie and Shawn Trujillo have separated. Bronwyn and Todd Bradley are already separated. Mary Cosby is entering the season after an unimaginable family loss.
And yes, Britani Bateman is still here.
Salt Lake City simply refuses to have an off year.
So before Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 7 begins Wednesday, September 16 at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo, we’re going back through the alliances, scandals and spectacularly petty feuds you actually need to remember.
Because if there’s one franchise where saying “Wait, why are Lisa and Heather fighting again?” is completely reasonable, it’s this one.
First, How Did We Even Get Here?
RHOSLC has only existed since 2020.
That fact remains absurd.
In six seasons, we’ve had Jen Shah’s federal fraud case, Mary’s church controversies, Lisa’s hot-mic rant about Meredith, Heather’s mysterious black eye, Reality Von Tease, Meredith’s “rumors and nastiness,” Bermuda, lawsuits, friendship collapses and enough burner-account discourse to justify a permanent cybersecurity department at Bravo.
Then Season 6 somehow found new material.
The cast consisted of Lisa Barlow, Mary Cosby, Heather Gay, Angie Katsanevas, Meredith Marks, Bronwyn Newport and Whitney Rose, with Britani Bateman returning as a friend.
And the season essentially asked one question:
How many different ways can Lisa Barlow become involved in an argument?
Quite a few, apparently.
Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 6 Started With Lisa vs. Bronwyn
Lisa and Bronwyn’s friendship was already damaged entering Season 6.
Their problems dated back to Bronwyn’s first season, particularly after Lisa questioned whether Bronwyn and husband Todd Bradley had actually purchased the roughly $4 million diamond necklace Bronwyn wore during her anniversary celebration.
Bronwyn did not forget that.
Naturally.
By Season 6, their simmering resentment turned into open warfare.
Lisa memorably dismissed Bronwyn during an early confrontation, and the insults escalated quickly. Meredith later told Bravo there had been significant hostility building between them long before that particular explosion.
The problem wasn’t really a necklace anymore
That’s the thing about RHOSLC.
A necklace can start the argument.
By the time you’re finished, you’re discussing marriages, lawsuits, loyalty, money and whether someone has secretly been feeding information to the press.
Bronwyn accused Lisa of hypocrisy, particularly as questions surrounding Lisa’s own business and legal matters entered the group’s conversations.
Then things became more personal.
Bronwyn and Lisa eventually agreed their families would be off limits.
That agreement apparently had the structural integrity of wet tissue paper.
At the Season 6 reunion, Bronwyn accused Lisa of continuing to insult Todd during the Greece trip despite their truce. Previously unaired footage subsequently supported Bronwyn’s claim that Lisa had made another disparaging remark about him.
So if you’re wondering whether Season 7 begins with Lisa and Bronwyn peacefully shopping for matching friendship bracelets:
No.
Then Came the Great RHOSLC Leak Investigation
Season 6 also became consumed by another Salt Lake City tradition.
Who is leaking what about whom?
Bronwyn’s past legal issues became public, and suspicion developed over whether someone connected to the group had helped push the information.
Lisa denied being responsible.
Repeatedly.
Heather confronted her about it during a group dinner. Lisa became emotional, vehemently denied leaking Bronwyn’s information and eventually stormed away to call her husband, John Barlow.
The allegation remained disputed.
That’s important.
Nobody gets promoted from “accused of leaking something” to “confirmed leaker” simply because six Housewives yell about it simultaneously.
Angie brought an actual scroll to the reunion
Then Angie Katsanevas decided regular reunion receipts were for amateurs.
At the Season 6 reunion, Lisa again denied being the source of leaks.
Angie produced a scroll of evidence.
A scroll.
Salt Lake City saw Heather’s Bermuda screenshots and apparently decided office paper wasn’t theatrical enough anymore.
Bravo’s reunion summary confirms Angie brought evidence she believed established who was behind the alleged leak, while Lisa continued denying she was responsible.
Tea with receipts?
Angie brought tea with illuminated manuscript.
Lisa and Meredith Somehow Ended Up Against Everybody
Here’s another relationship you need to remember.
Lisa Barlow and Meredith Marks.
Their friendship has survived more structural damage than some actual buildings.
These two started RHOSLC as longtime friends.
Then came Lisa’s legendary Season 2 hot-mic rant about Meredith.
Their friendship collapsed.
Then it rebuilt.
Then it cracked.
Then it rebuilt.
By the end of Season 6, Lisa and Meredith were once again standing together while much of the remaining cast stood somewhere else.
The finale took place in Greece, where the women attended a theatrical production called Sisters of Salt based on their relationships.
Yes, RHOSLC essentially hired actors to reenact everyone’s dysfunction in front of them.
Subtle.
The performance forced uncomfortable conversations afterward, and the evening ended with friendships still badly fractured.
Meredith eventually left the group with Lisa.
Heather’s assessment?
“It’s you two versus the world.”
That division largely survived into the reunion.
The Plane Incident Made Everything Worse
If you’re going to Season 7 wondering why Whitney, Meredith and Britani still have unresolved tension, we need to discuss the airplane.
During Season 6, Britani brought up social-media rumors involving Meredith’s husband, Seth Marks, and an alleged affair.
These were rumors, not established facts.
Meredith was furious.
The subsequent travel day became a major source of dispute because cast members offered dramatically different descriptions of Meredith’s behavior.
Heather said Meredith was already extremely upset before boarding.
Angie described Meredith as yelling and crying at the airport.
Britani later found herself seated directly in front of Meredith and Lisa on the plane.
What happened onboard became another RHOSLC Rashomon situation, with different women describing the incident differently.
Whitney maintained at the reunion that she stood by what she witnessed.
Meredith accused Whitney of lying about her.
That conflict isn’t disappearing.
The Season 7 trailer already shows Whitney asking Meredith whether they can move forward.
Meredith’s answer?
That’s not happening.
Efficient.
Bronwyn and Todd Are Over
Then Season 6 produced a major personal development.
Bronwyn Newport and Todd Bradley separated after nine years of marriage.
By the time the Season 6 reunion aired, viewers knew. The cast, however, learned about the separation during the reunion taping itself.
Their marriage had been controversial among viewers since Bronwyn joined RHOSLC.
Todd’s communication style, his frustration with filming and the couple’s disagreements had all attracted attention.
Now the marriage is ending.
But Todd isn’t disappearing from the story.
Season 7 footage shows Bronwyn confronting him as they work through the separation, with Bronwyn accusing Todd of keeping secrets hidden and Todd walking away from the conversation.
And then there’s Brandon.
Bronwyn Has a New Man, and Naturally Everyone Has Opinions
Season 7 introduces Bronwyn’s new romantic relationship with Brandon Good.
And because this is Salt Lake City, nobody simply says, “Congratulations.”
The trailer indicates some of the women question Bronwyn’s account of her new relationship and her motivations.
Bronwyn therefore enters the season in a fascinating position.
She’s separated from Todd.
She’s dating again.
She’s still feuding with Lisa.
And she’s now going to have to defend her personal life to a group of women who have turned cross-examination into a winter sport.
That’s a lot of storyline before we’ve even reached Hawaii.
Angie Katsanevas and Shawn Have Separated
This is the biggest development to break immediately before Season 7.
Angie Katsanevas and Shawn Trujillo have separated after 27 years of marriage.
Angie confirmed the separation publicly and said Season 7 will show what happened.
She also emphasized that she and Shawn remain close friends, business partners and committed parents to their 15-year-old daughter, Elektra.
That makes the Season 7 trailer considerably sadder in retrospect.
The footage shows Angie and Shawn discussing whether they might go separate ways and worrying about how that could affect Elektra.
And Angie is already upset with Lisa and Meredith
Because apparently a 27-year marriage ending isn’t enough storyline.
Angie said Heather and Mary reached out to support her after news of the separation became public.
She was less pleased with Lisa and Meredith.
Angie criticized social-media posts from both women that appeared shortly after news of her separation broke, calling their behavior insensitive.
So Season 7 hasn’t even premiered and the off-camera relationships are already moving beyond what was filmed.
That’s very RHOSLC.
Whitney Rose and Justin Are in Trouble Too
Three marriages are central to Season 7.
Bronwyn and Todd.
Angie and Shawn.
And Whitney and Justin Rose.
The trailer shows Whitney telling Justin she doesn’t know whether they can move forward in their marriage.
Whitney has since described Season 7 as deeply emotional and said her personal storyline may be the season’s biggest shock.
Asked directly about the status of her marriage after 16 years, she declined to reveal the answer ahead of the season.
That should immediately get longtime viewers’ attention.
Whitney and Justin’s relationship has been part of RHOSLC since the beginning.
Their marriage has weathered business problems, family changes and Whitney’s evolving relationship with Mormonism.
Now we’re apparently watching it reach a genuine crossroads.
This isn’t background material.
It’s likely to be one of Season 7’s emotional centers.
Heather Gay Has a Boyfriend
While marriages are collapsing around her, Heather Gay has apparently chosen a more cheerful assignment.
She’s dating.
Season 7 introduces Heather’s boyfriend, Tripp.
Bravo’s official cast preview identifies Heather’s new relationship as one of her major personal developments this season.
For Heather, that’s significant.
Her post-divorce dating life and complicated relationship with Mormon expectations have been part of her story since Season 1.
Watching her enter a serious new relationship gives her something genuinely new.
Of course, she’ll still have time to fight with Lisa.
We contain multitudes.
Mary Cosby Is Entering Season 7 After an Unimaginable Loss
This part deserves a completely different tone.
Mary Cosby’s son, Robert Jr., has died.
Season 7 will follow Mary as she grieves that loss. Bravo’s official preview identifies her grief and family life as a major part of her upcoming story.
Last season, viewers already knew Robert Jr. was experiencing serious difficulties.
At the Season 6 reunion, Mary confirmed that he was incarcerated and told Andy Cohen she would rather know he was there than dead.
That comment is heartbreaking to revisit now.
Mary has said Season 7 contains sadness alongside joy and that she’s learned to speak her mind more openly.
Whatever else happens this season, her grief shouldn’t be reduced to ordinary Housewives storyline mechanics.
There are some things bigger than the show.
Britani Bateman Is Still Causing Problems
Britani returns as a friend for Season 7.
And honestly?
Good.
Every franchise needs someone capable of entering a room and accidentally detonating three friendships before realizing appetizers have arrived.
Britani ended Season 6 still on the outs with Lisa and Meredith, while describing stronger relationships with Heather, Whitney, Angie and Bronwyn. She even joked that Mary was going to become her best friend whether Mary knew it yet or not.
Season 7 footage already shows Britani clashing with Bronwyn.
Of course it does.
Who Is Ashley Quai?
There’s also a new woman entering the snow globe.
Ashley Quai joins Season 7 as a friend.
Bravo’s official cast announcement confirms Ashley joins returning friends Britani Bateman alongside the seven full-time Housewives.
New blood is useful in Salt Lake City because alliances have become deeply entrenched.
Ashley enters a group where everyone already has history.
Lisa and Meredith have years together.
Heather and Whitney are cousins with their own complicated past.
Angie has become deeply embedded in the group.
Bronwyn has already established enemies.
Mary exists on a social planet with a population of one.
A newcomer can disrupt all of that.
Season 7 Is Taking RHOSLC to San Francisco and Hawaii
Salt Lake City understands one basic principle of Housewives production.
If everyone is already fighting, put them on an airplane.
Season 7 includes trips to San Francisco for St. Patrick’s Day and Hawaii.
The trailer suggests neither trip will be relaxing.
Angie and Lisa clash.
Bronwyn and Britani fight.
Whitney and Meredith remain at odds.
Heather attempts to repair relationships with Meredith and Lisa.
And multiple marriages are unraveling around the group.
Hawaii deserves compensation.
The Lisa Barlow Problem Isn’t Going Anywhere
If there’s one person positioned directly in the middle of Season 7’s relationship map, it’s Lisa.
Her issues with Heather and Angie remained unresolved after the Season 6 reunion.
Her friendship with Meredith remains strong.
Her conflict with Bronwyn remains alive.
And Angie is now publicly criticizing her response to Angie’s separation.
Even during the currently airing Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th, Lisa’s Season 6 RHOSLC grievances have followed her.
She told other Housewives that the reunion explained why she remained icy toward members of her cast.
Lisa believes other women frequently attack her reputation and struggle to be happy for her.
Heather and Angie have a very different interpretation.
Nobody resolved it.
Perfect.
See everyone September 16.
Why Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Still Works
Here’s what Salt Lake City understands better than almost any current Housewives franchise.
The relationships keep moving.
Nobody remains permanent allies forever.
Lisa and Meredith can go from best friends to enemies to allies again.
Heather and Whitney can be Bad Weather, stop speaking and find their way back.
Mary can disappear from the group and somehow return as one of its emotional centers.
Angie can arrive as a friend and eventually become essential.
Bronwyn can join the show and immediately start disrupting alliances that existed before she got there.
The show has history now.
But it hasn’t calcified.
That’s the magic.
And Season 7 appears to be shifting the balance again.
The women are entering it with three marriages in serious transition, multiple unresolved feuds, a new relationship for Heather, a new relationship for Bronwyn, profound grief for Mary and an alliance structure that looks ready to collapse the second someone orders a Vida Tequila.
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City returns Wednesday, September 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo, with episodes streaming the following morning on Peacock.
So if you’ve fallen behind, consider yourself caught up.
Lisa and Bronwyn still don’t trust each other.
Whitney and Meredith aren’t moving forward.
Angie and Shawn have separated.
Bronwyn and Todd have separated.
Whitney and Justin are questioning their future.
Heather has a boyfriend.
Mary is grieving.
Britani is Britani.
And somewhere in Utah, Angie presumably has another scroll ready.
Salt Lake City is back.
Hide the DMs.
