The Bravo hit Ladies of London first aired in 2014, back in the day when Happy by Pharrell Williams was number one and people were obsessed with Frozen. The drama series showcased the cultural differences between England and America in many respects. And let me tell you, there are some pretty funny ones. Even though we are allies in many ways, Brits and Americans are different in so many ways. This was highlighted by Caroline Stanbury often. The British stars had a stiff upper lip while the Americans showed way too much emotion for their liking. But fans couldn’t help but fall in love with the series.
Okay, so here is what I remember. I’m pretty sure Ladies of London never aired in the UK and was made solely for an American audience. So, after initially watching and then rewatching years later, it was interesting to learn that Caroline wasn’t a household name to the English. And even though Caprice Bourret was sold as an American in London’s high society, it just wouldn’t be the case because she was a D-list glamour model, an English version of a Playmate. But I can’t deny that the cast’s dynamic was great regardless of how famous these were beforehand. This leads me to believe that Bravo needs to bring back the series.
The ex-pats were everything
Living as an expat in another country isn’t always as glamorous as one thinks. While it may look like they are getting to live in an exotic location, there are privileges we give up. Watching Ladies of London was the perfect pick-me-up for those who also lived far from their homes in London. The show had American expats, including Juliet Angus and Marissa Hermer, who were shown enjoying a posh London lifestyle. But as we learned, you can take the girl out of the States, but you can’t take the States out of the girl. I really liked Juliet. She was sweet, and I loved her enthusiasm and naivety. Even though she might be out of her depths, she showed what it is to be a proud American.
I’d love to see a new batch of women, essentially a reboot. The update could show off the lives of Brits and Americans in London now. It would be interesting to show how inflation and the cost of a plane ticket now affect the cast. I would also be interested in their political thoughts since we have experienced a climate change in both countries.
Chin up
To say I lived for the Brits was an understatement. Their dry humor and sarcasm added to the show’s popularity because Americans don’t know how to act like that. There is no doubt that the mix of Americans and British just worked. It was an easy entry point for Americans to understand the cultural differences. The ladies were messy but entertaining. Caroline herself gave some epic oneliners, with my personal favorite being, “She was crying like the Titanic had taken her children.”
Even though Annabelle Neilson is no longer with us, she was also one heck of a cold Brit. Her inability to care about Americans’ mundane problems made her a standout character. It was also cool to learn about her being a muse for Alexander McQueen. Annabelle, like Caroline, are fierce women, and I don’t always get that vibe enough when watching some of The Housewives.
The show should rebrand
If I could choose one way to reignite the passion for Ladies of London, I would sell Bravo on a Real Housewives of London series. Seeing a mix of former and new cast members would be great. Even though Caroline is on the Real Housewives of Dubai, she could pop in as a “friend of” and help promote the new Real Housewives spinoff. The fact is the Real Housewives of Cheshire has been going on for over 12 seasons and takes place in a wealthy England town. So why not London? I feel like someone has dropped the ball at Bravo with this.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK LADIES OF LONDON SHOULD BE BROUGHT BACK?
