Sutton Stracke Is The Key To Saving ‘RHOBH’

Why doesn’t The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills understand our needs? For two seasons now, the show just hasn’t quite grasped what we as viewers crave (and demand) from the series. For some reason, they think that what we want is a bunch of glamorous women ganging up on one glamorous woman about something that hardly matters (and the root of said drama is completely lost along the way) until she’s had enough and she leaves the show altogether.

But what we actually want is a woman like Sutton Stracke in the cast — and actually in the cast, holding one of those precious diamonds in her hands, as this woman has proven this season she is more than deserving of. While Sutton was only a “friend of” this season on RHOBH, she is the one that has shown the most poise and the most promise — and is likely the key to this show getting its groove back. And though ratings have been strong, discourse around the show has felt frustrated at best.

RHOBH premiered on Bravo in April, when we were still disillusioned about just how terrible this year would be. It started off as a nice distraction, but quickly became a parallel to the world. Just as our president can tell blatant lies and still have his supporters, so can two women on reality television. It’s a time where it feels like the truth doesn’t matter and that we’re just choosing the side we want to, maybe even a little blindly, just because it’s how we want to identify. If we weren’t divided as a country enough, then came #TeamBrandi and #TeamDenise, debated via Zoom calls and tweets all summer long as we watched a group of rich women demand the truth from another rich woman on the brink of tears about a potential same-sex hookup as they dined at a fancy restaurant in Rome. Doesn’t get more 2020 for ya!

And while we may never get the real truth from Brandi Glanville or Denise Richards or certainly our president (though I bet he’s Team Brandi), we do get the truth from Sutton. The single moment where Sutton shined the most was perhaps a subtle one, but it’s when she confessed that she had also heard the rumors about Brandi and Denise hooking up, but she didn’t say anything because she knew it was best (and politest) to mind her own business. This tells us everything we need to know about Sutton: yes, she’s in the right places and friend groups to be hearing exclusive and exciting gossip, but she’s not going to be the one to be spreading such damaging thoughts or starting unnecessary drama.

That’s because she’s too busy being fabulous, one of the elements RHOBH has lost along its 10 years on the air. Remember the times we would watch this show to see the pure, disgusting, intriguing opulence? Whether it was Lisa Vanderpump’s home or Erika Jayne’s wardrobe or any of the women just plain bragging about how much money and clothes and cars and luxury items they had in their lives? I miss that. But I believe Sutton is the key to bringing that back.

Her exclusive private shopping spree for the ladies in Rome was so exciting. She was letting us into an extravagant part of her life that most of us will never experience. And she still knew how to keep some mystery by saying she would not be trying items on at the store but would have them delivered to her hotel room (even fancier!) where she could drape herself in gorgeous clothes and make a decision about them in privacy. It’s a method I can fully get behind as I’m not much of a “fashion show at lunch” gal myself.

That’s not to say she didn’t make herself vulnerable at other points throughout the season. When she was trying her best with the boxing at Teddi’s retreat, or squirming at Garcelle’s questions about sex and money over lunch, guess what? That’s us. We all would’ve reacted and looked the same way. Plus, it was Sutton who said what we were all thinking about Teddi (that she might be boring). There comes the truth again, and seemingly only from this woman.

Now, it would be a bit of a stretch to call her relatable, as her bank account will never allow for that. But thank god someone showed up to teach Kyle about yacht rock (and any Harry Styles fan is okay in my book). It’s Sutton’s Southern roots and strict adherence to manners that make her an essential part of this group. She’s contributing a grace and class that we’re not always seeing on this show especially after a season when the sentence “I sucked on her cl*t” had to be bleeped out (not shaming the activity if it’s true, congrats to Brandi and Denise for what sounds like a great time and congrats to Sutton for not fainting at hearing that). Of course, I’d love to see her with both a diamond and a healthy pour of wine next season as I think a drunk and official cast member Sutton would be really fun to watch.

The comparisons to Leah McSweeney’s debut season on The Real Housewives of New York this year make sense too. Both brought a realness, a bullshit-calling quality to their respective groups when they need it most. But while Leah’s loudness works, and is necessary, in New York, it’s Sutton’s low-key style that makes her a perfect fit in Beverly Hills. It’s the way she doesn’t want to blow things out of proportion and does want to keep things moving along that is what this show requires. Sutton is the answer to keeping the drama short and saucy, without dragging pseudo-issues out for an entire season only to end with a shrug. Sutton is everything a Beverly Hills Housewife should be (and needs to be), and it’s up to Bravo to make that official next season.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesday at 9pm ET/PT on Bravo. 

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