12 Wildest Reality TV Moments In 2023
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A cheating scandal heard around the world. A double injury ending in a cracked skull. A history-making tribal council.
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Those are just a few of the most talked-about moments from reality television over the last year — and we’re just getting started. Variety enlisted some of the team’s biggest unscripted TV fans to round up some of the wildest moments of the year.
Note: These are not ranked, as it’s a bit subjective to pick which is the most unhinged.
Ariana’s Instant-Classic Finale Argument With Sandoval
“Vanderpump Rules” (Season 10, Episode 15)
There may truly be nothing more to say about the #Scandoval on “Vanderpump Rules” — we’ve all said so much, especially here at Variety. And we could devote many items on this list to scenes from the 10th season of “Vanderpump Rules,” which contained so many gasp-worthy moments.
But let’s take this opportunity to look back at the inventive glory of the show’s #Scandoval episode, which served as its impromptu Season 10 finale. Long after production had ended on the season, Bravo picked up the cameras to capture the drama among the cast, as Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval broke up after she discovered he’d been cheating on her with their castmate Rachel “Raquel” Leviss. We were freaking out throughout the episode, but especially during Ariana and Sandoval’s on-camera argument hours after breaking up. She went from screaming at him (“I don’t give a fuck about fucking Raquel! Your friendship is fucking bullshit!”) to wishing him dead quietly after he asks her whether she wants anything (“For you to die.”). This episode should be in the Hall of Fame: the baseball Hall of Fame, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — all of them. — Kate Aurthur
Reunion Revelations
“Vanderpump Rules” (Season 10, Episode 18)
But wait, here’s more about the #Scandoval! In Variety’s exclusive breakdown with “Vanderpump Rules” executive producer Alex Baskin about how he and his team, with Bravo’s backing, captured the aftermath of the cheating scandal within the show, Baskin teased that within the reunion episodes, there would be “new information,” even to the cast. “I will put it this way,” he said when pressed. “There are revelations, and they are revelations that not all of them know now.”
Baskin’s promise set the internet on fire, and prompted much speculation among Bravoholics. Was Rachel “Raquel” Leviss pregnant with Tom Sandoval’s baby? Had Lisa Vanderpump known about the affair early on? In the end, the episode’s “revelations” weren’t quite as exciting as what people imagined, but they was definitely a significant moment on which to close the season. What Baskin was referring to was that in the final moments of the reunion episodes, Leviss decided finally to tell the truth about the timeline of l’affaire #Scandoval, spilling her guts to “Vanderpump Rules” showrunner Jeremiah Smith about the lies they both told, as engineered by Sandoval himself. — Kate Aurthur
Uche and Lydia Knew Each Other Before the Pods
“Love Is Blind” (Season 5, Episode 4)
Just as viewers thought “Love Is Blind” couldn’t shock them anymore, Season 5 proved that was not true. For the first time in the show’s history, two singles entered the pods looking for love only to meet (through a wall) someone they’d dated in the past. Lydia Velez Gonzalez and Uche Okoroha had both formed separate connection with other people — but only after they met in the pods and realized who the other was, mostly due to Lydia recognizing Uche’s voice. Producers later revealed they first asked them both to leave upon learning they knew each other, but when the contestants begged to stay and try the experiment, they were told they couldn’t tell anyone until they formed a true connection. Eventually, Uche’s confession to Aaliyah Cosby was too much for her, and she left — possibly because Lydia had become Aaliyah’s best friend and confidant, then told her so much about Uche. Meanwhile, Lydia’s match, Milton Johnson, didn’t get as upset — and the pair even got married in the end. — Emily Longeretta
A Tribal Council Like Never Before
“Survivor” (Season 45, Episode 6)
Season 45 of “Survivor” was one for the books thanks to the return to 90-minute episodes, explosive arguments from the get-go, a head-scratching showmance and more. But the best thing about the season, despite that he was taken too soon, was Kaleb Gebrewold. Kaleb was the strongest player on a tribe heartbreakingly nicknamed the Lulu Losers, and was seen by many as the protagonist of the first seven episodes — certainly by the “Survivor” editors, who didn’t hesitate to cut together montages of him charming player after player.
Unsurprisingly, by Episode 6, everyone on the beach was terrified by how much they loved Kaleb, and decided they needed to vote him out sooner rather than later. Floundering, Kaleb made his first social faux pas: an ill-advised speech at tribal council about why people should vote for J. Maya instead of him, which only made the attention on him worse. Realizing his mistake, he decided to use his Shot-in-the-Dark, a new-era “Survivor” play that allowed him to sacrifice his vote for a one-in-six shot at immunity. In previous seasons, no one who has managed to luck out and gain immunity from a Shot-in-the-Dark ended up actually being the target of a majority vote, but Kaleb made history. After Jeff Probst announced that he had successfully become immune, it was revealed that every single vote had gone to him, and that he’d negated more votes in a single play than had ever been done before. Kaleb’s fellow players were too in awe to be upset at their foiled plan, grinning and laughing as they did exactly what Kaleb wanted them to: vote J. Maya out. — Selome Hailu
Olivia Cracks Her Skull in Freak Accident
“The Challenge: Ride or Dies” (Season 38, Episode 17)
During the first part of “The Challenge” finale, Olivia Kaiser endured not one but two gnarly, very serious injuries. First, she sliced off the top of her finger during a bola-throwing competition when the karabiner got caught on her hand. At the time, she told Variety that her nerve was “hanging” out of her finger. She refused to quit, and had the medics bandage her up — even though it would then reopen during another part of the relay. Later, she competed in a slingshot competition, and struggled due to her finger injury. Her hand slipped while pulling it back and the ball ricocheted, hitting her straight in the nose. She’d eventually reveal that she’d broken five different places in her face, including her nose, the optical bone behind her eyeballs and cracked her skull to the hairline. She was, obviously, forced to quit, and couldn’t finish the final. — Emily Longeretta
Lele Pons Is Eliminated Before Harry Jowsey
“Dancing With the Stars” (Season 32, Week 7)
Brandon Armstrong and Lele Pons weren’t the best in the competition during “Dancing With the Stars,” but they were far from the worst. Even the judges were in shock when she was sent home during Music Video night, coming in seventh place. Barry Williams and Harry Jowsey even made it further, despite her scores being way higher… and you know, her actually dancing while Jowsey acted like a tree trunk (guest judge Billy Porter’s words, not mine!). — Emily Longeretta
The Sweetest Bitch Is Back
“Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” (Season 6, Episode 15)
After 11 years, and multiple public declarations that she had put “Jersey Shore” behind her, Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola (who previously declared herself “the sweetest bitch you’ll ever meet”) returned for the show’s spinoff during the sixth season, shocking her former roommates Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Paul “Pauly D” DelVecchio, Angelina Pivarnick, Vinny Guadagnino and Deena Cortese. Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, with whom Sammi had a volatile relationship years before, hasn’t yet appeared on an episode that she is in, as he’s stepped away to focus on his mental health. But, it’s been teased that a reunion could be in the works. As Pauly D would say, AWKWARD! — Emily Longeretta
Larsa Spills the Tea on Guerdy’s Cancer
“The Real Housewives of Miami” (Season 6, Episode 3)
When Guerdy Abraira told Larsa Pippen about her breast cancer diagnosis on “The Real Housewives of Miami,” their emotional lunch ended with a plea, as she asked Larsa to “take it in confidence right now,” since she had told so few people. In a shocking breach of trust (even for a “Housewives” franchise!), Larsa told all their friends in record time. Underlined by the show’s editors via a transition card that read “Six hours later… no, seriously, just six hours later,” Larsa shared the news at her boyfriend Marcus’ welcome home party. Given the urgency with which she dished, coupled with the fact Marcus had only been gone for five days, the gathering was effectively a celebration of Larsa’s betrayal. — William Earl
Antonio Goes on the Run
“The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On” (Season 2, Episode 6)
For those who don’t watch Netflix’s dystopian “The Ultimatum,” buckle up for the premise: Couples, in which one person wants to get married and one does not, form a “trial marriage” with other contestants, where they move in together and play house. After a rowdy cocktail hour, Alex, who was then with Antonio’s girlfriend Roxanne, told Antonio that she doesn’t respect him. That sent Antonio into a tailspin, as he was desperate to believe that wasn’t true… despite everything Roxanne had said to him that reinforced the notion. Antonio was so riled up that he literally sprinted away from his trial marriage, running into the cool Charlotte night, a man at the end of his rope. Was he going to try to win back Roxanne, despite being in the middle of this carefully curated experiment? Was he going to try to physically fight Alex? Would producers intervene by showing him tape of Roxanne constantly badmouthing him? It was a thrilling dash, only to be followed by Roxanne completely denying she slammed him, leaving the delusional couple somewhat reconciled. Hooray? — William Earl
Denise Loses the Thread
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” (Season 13, Episode 7)
Denise Fucking Richards made her triumphant return to “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” this season and the results were… weird! In what became — within the confines of the “Beverly Hills” universe — “The Dinner Party From Hell Part 3,” the ladies were welcomed by Kyle Richards to a weed-infused meal. At one point, former cast member Denise confronted Erika Jayne over… something. Unfortunately, her arguments were skewered and slurred, and didn’t make much sense. The chef summed it up best, quipping to his kitchen crew, “Dude, Denise Richards is fucked up!”
The sad coda came when, as the group moved to get post-dinner cocktails, Dorit Kemsley tried to do Denise a solid by telling her she was wearing her coat upside down. Denise’s terse response? “Don’t do this.” While the drama was solid, Denise’s perception of events was next level. — William Earl
Sutton Stracke v. Kyle Richards, AKA the “Name ‘em” Argument
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” (Season 13, Episode 4)
After all these years, reality TV fans can spot an instantly classic meme when they see one, and “Name ‘em” was one of those times. Group texts all throughout the Bravo Cinematic Universe lit up in mid November, when Richards and Stracke sat down together to hash out an argument they’d had during a cast trip to Las Vegas. Richards tells Stracke (rightly, sorry Sutton!), “You have a habit of losing your shit — in ridiculous circumstances too.” Stracke flashes her eyes, bows her chin, and then begins the most epic troll of the year: “Name ‘em,” she tells Richards, going on to repeat the phrase until Richards loses her shit entirely: “Let me talk, Jesus!” (During Variety’s Women of Reality summit, Richards said she was counting the “Name ‘ems” as Stracke said them: nine.) Instantly iconic. Watch the scene here if you want to experience joy. — Kate Aurthur
Tom Hanks’ Niece Has a Total Meltdown
“Claim to Fame” (Season 2, Episode 1)
If you’re unaware of the concept of ABC’s reality show, 12 celebrity relatives live together and must try to decipher which celebrities the other contestants are related to — and try to keep their own famous family member a secret. Well, when Carly Reeves, the niece of Tom Hanks, was identified and sent home on the first night, she had a complete breakdown. While packing her things, she was heard yelling, “I didn’t even get to do any challenges. I don’t deserve this! I should have more camera time. I should be here longer!” Later, in a slew of interviews, she admitted she may have “overreacted a little bit.” You think? — Emily Longeretta
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