Next Gen NYC: Somebody Please Explain This Show Because Charlie Is NOT the Whole Story!

By Spencer Whitelow

Okay, I have a confession to make.

I have been watching Next Gen NYC, and at some point I had to sit back, grab my imaginary reading glasses, and say:

“Wait… WHAT is going on?” 😂

Now before anybody comes for me, let me explain myself.

Yes, I know I’m older than most of these people.

Yes, I understand that young people have complicated friendships, dating situations, careers, parties, trips, hookups, breakups, and enough group-chat drama to fill a 900-page novel.

And yes, I understand they are young and having fun.

BUT SOMEBODY PLEASE EXPLAIN THE SHOW TO ME!

Because every time I think I understand one storyline, somebody walks into the room with a completely different problem.

Then somebody is dating somebody.

Then somebody used to date somebody.

Then somebody is mad because somebody didn't invite them somewhere.

Then somebody says, “I supported you.”

Then somebody says, “You never supported me!”

Then somebody brings up something that happened three episodes ago.

And before I can catch up, everybody is in the Bahamas.

Chile.

I need a program.

I need a chart.

I need name tags.

I need a PowerPoint presentation.

Because this isn't just the Charlie and Georgia Show, although the reunion sure is making it feel like it!

Charlie, PUT THE MIC DOWN!

Let's start with Charlie because, apparently, Charlie has decided that this reunion is his personal courtroom.

Charlie wants Georgia to support him.

Not just regular support.

I'm talking about support him in every crazy way that he believes she should.

And when Georgia doesn't give him the loyalty he expects, Charlie basically pulls out the receipts and says:

“I brought you on this show!”

Ohhhhhh.

Not the “I made you” speech!

And then he reminds everybody that Georgia was a rugby player.

Sir.

What does rugby have to do with the emotional breakdown happening in this room?

😂😂😂

This is where I started looking at the television like, “Did I miss an episode?”

Because Charlie clearly believes there is a history between them that explains why he feels Georgia owes him loyalty.

Georgia, however, doesn't appear to be interested in simply nodding her head and saying, “Yes, Charlie, you're right.”

And THAT is where the friendship starts looking less like friendship and more like a business contract nobody remembers signing.

And then came the Bahamas!

Now THIS is where the situation gets even messier.

The group went to the Bahamas.

AND LEFT GEORGIA OUT!

😂😂😂

Excuse me?

Y'all packed bathing suits, sunglasses, passports, sandals, vacation outfits, and apparently left one person off the guest list?

That's not a vacation.

That's a social statement.

Imagine seeing Instagram pictures from your friends in the Bahamas while you're sitting somewhere thinking:

“Oh. So we're doing trips now?”

Girl!

That's when you know the friendship has entered dangerous territory.

Because there is a difference between:

“We forgot to invite you.”

and

“We deliberately planned a vacation without you.”

And if Georgia believes she was intentionally excluded, you already know that's going to become another reunion conversation.

But WAIT — Ariana has her own story!

This is another reason I don't want everybody to think this show is just Charlie and Georgia.

Ariana Biermann has her own complicated romantic situation.

Ariana's storyline involves relationships, breakups, reconnecting with people, and figuring out what she actually wants.

And then we have Hudson.

And Liam.

And Charlie.

And suddenly Ariana's love life starts looking like an airport departure board.

Delayed. Canceled. Gate changed. Please see customer service.

😂

Ariana and Hudson have history.

That's important.

Because exes are never really just exes on reality television.

They can be exes in real life.

But on Bravo?

An ex is a recurring character.

Hudson returns, feelings come back into the picture, and suddenly everybody has an opinion.

Then Liam enters the equation.

And now we have another romantic connection developing.

And whenever a new person enters an already complicated relationship situation, you know Bravo producers are somewhere smiling.

Hudson: The Ex Who Won't Stay in the Past

Hudson's role in this season is interesting because he isn't simply standing outside the drama.

He's connected to Ariana.

He's connected to Liam.

And he has his own issues with Charlie.

So now you've got men who might not necessarily be fighting over the same thing, but they somehow keep ending up in the same conversation.

That's how this cast works.

Nobody is more than two friendships away from an argument.

😂

Hudson also seems to be navigating what it means to reconnect with Ariana while realizing that moving forward might be harder than simply saying, “We're good.”

And let's be honest.

When somebody says:

“We're good.”

on a reality show?

They're NOT good.

Liam walked into a whole situation!

Then we have Liam.

Poor Liam.

This man walked into the group and somehow ended up standing in the middle of a romantic and friendship minefield.

He develops a connection with Ariana.

He's also connected to Hudson.

And then Charlie is somewhere in the background.

Sir, you didn't join a friend group.

You joined a Bravo obstacle course.

😂

Liam and Hudson developing a friendship is actually one of those unexpected parts of the show that makes sense once you understand the relationships.

They have something in common:

Charlie.

And when two people discover they have the same problem, suddenly they're best friends at brunch.

That's reality television mathematics.

Riley Burruss: Girl, Where Do You Stand?

Then there is Riley.

Riley has her own career, friendships and relationship issues, but her biggest contribution to the group drama is showing us just how complicated these friendships can become.

Her relationship with Ariana gets strained.

There are disagreements.

There are hurt feelings.

There are moments where you can tell these friendships are being tested.

And this is something I actually think viewers need to pay attention to.

Because the show isn't necessarily about one big scandal.

It's about friendships changing.

People grow.

People move.

People date different people.

People become closer to somebody they didn't expect to become close to.

And sometimes you look around and realize:

“Wait… we aren't friends like we used to be.”

That's actually a pretty relatable reality-TV storyline.

Ava Dash Is Doing Her Own Thing Too

Ava Dash is another person who can easily get lost when everybody starts screaming about Charlie.

But Ava has her own story.

She's pursuing modeling and navigating her relationships and friendships.

There are also tensions involving Gia.

And then there is Shai.

Again…

Another relationship!

😂

At this point, I don't need popcorn.

I need a spreadsheet.

Ava and Shai's relationship doesn't work out, which adds another layer to the social dynamics.

Because once a relationship ends inside a friend group, the breakup doesn't necessarily end the storyline.

Now everybody has to decide:

“Whose side are you on?”

And THAT is when friendships get dangerous.

Gia Giudice Is Trying to Keep the Peace

Gia Giudice is interesting because she often feels like the person standing in the middle watching everybody else lose their minds.

She has her own career ambitions and personal life.

She's also dealing with the expectations that come from being connected to a famous family.

But when the group gets messy, Gia can sometimes feel like the person trying to understand why everybody is fighting in the first place.

And honestly?

Gia, I need your notes.

😂

Because if Gia has figured out what's happening, somebody please send me her notebook.

Emira D'Spain: Don't Forget About Her!

Emira also has her own issues with Charlie.

And this is important because it shows that the Charlie drama isn't just Georgia's problem.

There are other people in the group who have questioned Charlie's behavior and his relationships with them.

So when Charlie walks into the reunion and suddenly everybody has something to say?

That's not coming out of nowhere.

There has been buildup.

There have been disagreements.

There have been questions about loyalty.

And there have been people who apparently feel Charlie has expectations of them that they aren't willing to meet.

That's where the reunion becomes interesting.

Because Charlie seems to be saying:

“You should have supported me.”

And other people seem to be saying:

“Why should we?”

Now THAT is a conversation.

Brooks Marks Has Entered the Chat

Brooks is another cast member who can get overshadowed by the bigger arguments.

She's navigating her own career and relationships while dealing with the larger social group.

And that's something I think viewers should remember:

Not everybody on a reality show needs to be screaming every five minutes to have a storyline.

Sometimes the people watching from the sidelines know EXACTLY what's happening.

They're sitting there drinking their beverage like:

“I'm not getting involved in that.”

And honestly?

That's survival.

Shai Is Another Piece of the Puzzle

Shai's storyline connects several people.

He has the Ava relationship.

Then friendships change.

Then Ariana and Liam become more important in the group dynamic.

And suddenly Shai isn't just a romantic storyline.

He's part of the larger web.

That's the problem with this show.

Everybody is connected!

You can't understand one person's story without understanding three other people's stories.

Georgia Has More Going On Than Charlie

And THIS is what I want people to remember.

Georgia is not just Charlie's former friend or the woman who got left off the Bahamas trip.

She has her own ambitions.

She's working on her career and her creative projects.

She's also dealing with friendships that aren't working the way they used to.

And then Charlie comes along with:

“I brought you on this show.”

Now Georgia has to defend herself.

And suddenly her entire storyline becomes about Charlie.

That's where I understand the frustration.

Because imagine building your own identity and then somebody keeps reminding everyone:

“But I brought you here.”

Girl, eventually you're going to say:

“And I thank you. Now move!”

😂😂😂

Rowan and Kendall Are Still Finding Their Place

Then we have newcomers Rowan Henchy and Kendall White.

And honestly, I think this is part of what makes the show harder to follow.

We're meeting new people while also trying to remember everybody's existing relationships.

Rowan is finding her place in the group.

Kendall brings her own history and connections, including her longtime friendship with Liam.

And this is actually important because the newcomers give us another perspective on the group.

They're walking into a social circle where the relationships were already complicated.

Imagine joining a friend group where everyone says:

“Don't worry, you'll get used to it.”

Then three people start arguing at dinner.

😂

I'd be asking for the Uber.

So What Is This Show REALLY About?

After watching all of this, I think I finally understand.

Next Gen NYC isn't really about one storyline.

It's about a group of young people trying to figure out adulthood while their friendships, relationships, careers and social lives collide.

That's it.

That's the show.

It's not:

“Who committed the biggest crime?”

It's more:

“Why did you stop talking to me?”

“Why did you invite her but not me?”

“Why are you dating him?”

“Why didn't you support me?”

“Why are you friends with her?”

“Why did you tell her what I said?”

And then everybody goes on vacation together.

😂

My Review: 7/10 — But Somebody Give Me a Flow Chart!

I'm going to be honest.

I understand why younger viewers may connect with this show.

The cast is dealing with situations that come with being young, social and ambitious in New York.

But as a viewer, sometimes I need the show to slow down and explain the relationships.

Because one minute I'm following Ariana.

Then we're talking about Charlie.

Then Georgia.

Then Hudson.

Then Liam.

Then Ava.

Then Riley.

Then somebody is crying.

Then somebody is going to the Bahamas.

Then Georgia wasn't invited.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!

😂😂😂

And that's my biggest issue with the show.

The drama is there.

The personalities are there.

The relationships are there.

But sometimes the storytelling gets buried underneath the sheer number of connections.

I don't necessarily need everybody fighting.

I need to understand WHY everybody is fighting.

And That Reunion...

The reunion is where everything finally starts coming together.

Charlie is getting confronted.

Georgia is defending herself.

Other cast members have their own issues with Charlie.

Ariana's romantic situation is still part of the conversation.

Friendships are being questioned.

Old arguments are being resurrected.

And everybody has receipts.

This is exactly what reunions are supposed to do.

Except this one has me sitting on the couch like:

“Can we put the relationship chart on the screen?”

😂🍿

Because at this point, I don't want subtitles.

I want a family tree.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Look, I may be older than this cast, but that doesn't mean I don't understand drama.

I LOVE drama.

I have watched enough reality television to know when somebody is lying, when somebody is deflecting and when somebody suddenly remembers an argument from eight episodes ago.

😂

But Next Gen NYC requires WORK.

You have to pay attention.

Because today's best friend might be tomorrow's enemy.

Today's boyfriend might be tomorrow's ex.

Today's vacation buddy might be tomorrow's person who blocked you.

And today's ally might be tomorrow's person sitting across the reunion couch saying:

“Let me tell you what REALLY happened.”

That's the messy part.

And maybe that's exactly what Bravo wants.

Because we're still watching.

We're still talking.

We're still trying to figure it out.

And I'm STILL sitting here asking:

“Where was Georgia when everybody went to the Bahamas?”

😂😂😂

Bravo, next season, please give us a relationship map in Episode 1.

Put everybody's name on the screen.

Draw the lines.

Use different colors.

Put a little heart next to the couples.

Put a broken heart next to the exes.

Put a warning sign next to Charlie.

I'M KIDDING!

Mostly. 😂

But seriously, what do YOU think about Next Gen NYC?

Are you following all these friendships and relationships, or are you watching just as confused as I am?

Drop your thoughts in the comments!

Who do you think has the most interesting storyline?

Who needs to stop talking?

Who needs to start talking?

And most importantly…

WHO ELSE NEEDS A FLOW CHART TO WATCH THIS SHOW?! 😂🍿

Follow Reality Rundown for more reality-TV recaps, opinions, drama, gossip and messy conversations.

Until next time, I'm Spencer from Chicago — and I'm still trying to figure out who is friends with whom! 😂