It’s Time For Julia to Go

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Let’s be honest: this season of The Real Housewives of Miami was the weakest since the show came back in 2021. The drama felt forced, with Lisa Hochstein and Larsa Pippen stuck in a pointless feud, Alexia Nepola acting inconsistently about her relationship, and Guerdy Abraira unfairly punished for speaking out about an assault. Newcomer Stephanie Shojaee mostly talked about her private plane, and seemed to only align with Larsa for that reason. But the biggest problem was that none of the women seemed to be enjoying themselves. After four seasons with almost the same group – Stephanie replaced Nicole Martin this season – things have become stale. It’s time for a cast shake-up to bring in fresh faces and some much-needed fun. To do that, one person needs to go: Julia Lemigova. She’s overstayed her welcome, consistently brings negativity, and has lost the support of viewers.

Frustration with Julia has been building for a while, even before her recent attempt to create drama by revealing a past relationship with Adriana de Moura. A major complaint now centers on her wife, Martina Navratilova, and some viewers are calling for Julia to be fired because of Martina’s controversial views on transgender athletes and surrogacy – views that even Andy Cohen criticized as misinformed. While it’s understandable that people might dislike Martina’s opinions, punishing Julia for the actions of her spouse could lead to many cast members losing their jobs.

Julia faced criticism this season because of her behavior, specifically dumping a glass of water on Guerdy at Marysol’s wedding. Past footage resurfaced showing Julia throwing things – an ice bucket in season four and a chair at a party in season six – confirming this isn’t a new habit. While the show is known for dramatic outbursts, the issue wasn’t just the water itself, but what happened afterward. When the other cast members didn’t fully acknowledge Guerdy’s reaction, she publicly shared their private text messages at her event, effectively isolating her for the rest of the season.

The drama surrounding the water-throwing incident actually points to the real reason Julia’s time on the show is likely ending: her storyline has simply played out. Like several Housewives before her – think Victoria Gunvalson towards the end of her run, Danielle Staub during her comeback, or Dorinda Medley at her most difficult – Julia has become a source of negativity and is no longer a positive addition to the group. When she first joined the show, Julia was a fun, quirky friend to Adriana, even playfully proposing a lifelong bestie pact. She seemed more focused on her farm life than on creating conflict with the other, more seasoned reality stars. She was unique and a different type of self-absorbed personality compared to the glamorous women of South Florida. But over time, she’s transformed into a diva who seems just as preoccupied with her appearance as she is with her farm.

I’m not opposed to the Housewives franchise changing, but Julia’s recent behavior seems to be happening at the same time the show is feeling a bit stale this season. RHOM came back strong with tension between the original cast – Marysol, Alexia, Lisa, and Larsa – and the new additions, Guerdy, Dr. Nicole, and Julia, who they weren’t immediately welcoming. Adriana’s return was also conditional; she needed to bring Julia on board after damaging her relationships with everyone during her first stint on the show. Because she’ll never make amends with Marysol (and therefore Alexia), she sided with the newcomers. Julia and Adriana ended up as a counterpoint to Alexia and Marysol, similar to how Adriana and Lea Black positioned themselves in the show’s early days. While Alexia and Marysol acted superior and tried to control the narrative, Julia and Adriana were the unpredictable outsiders challenging the status quo. Even when they were in the wrong – like when Adriana made a hurtful comment about Alexia’s son – they were a force for change and worth supporting.

This season, Julia has unexpectedly aligned herself with Alexia and Marysol, which has increased the conflict between Alexia and Stephanie. She’s now positioned as an opponent to her old friends, Guerdy and Adriana. This shift happened while Dr. Nicole decided not to participate in filming—linked to issues with Marysol—and Guerdy was unfairly excluded. As a result, the group who previously opposed Alexia and Marysol has fallen apart. Just like Adriana’s falling out with Lea helped Alexia and Marysol win after season three, her current conflict with Julia has given them the upper hand again. It seems history is repeating itself. Following the season reunion, Stephanie is also friendly with Alexia and Marysol, and Guerdy appears unwilling to accept help from Adriana in dealing with her conflicts.

Next season is shaping up to have really difficult group interactions. Guerdy became quiet towards the end of the last season and doesn’t seem willing to confront others unless she has support – especially after the cast ganged up on her at the reunion and dismissed her feelings. Adriana is still just a “friend of” the show, and with no real allies left in the cast, it’s unclear who would even film with her. Stephanie might be her only option, but even that could disappear if Stephanie continues to get along with the other two cast members.

I think the reason they’re letting Julia go is pretty clear: they want to bring in some new personalities to really stir things up, just like Stephanie did when she clashed with Alexia and Marysol. Honestly, Guerdy really needs someone on her side, a true ally to help her navigate all the drama. I’m secretly hoping it’s Dr. Nicole – imagine that! – but it might be too late for that. And Stephanie? She could really use a friend, someone to help her unpack all those feelings she has about Marysol. What the show doesn’t need is another person who automatically takes Alexia’s side. And right now, that’s exactly what Julia brings to the table, so I get why she’s being let go.

The problem with letting Julia go is that it likely means Adriana will be cut too, despite being a popular cast member. Without Julia, Adriana doesn’t really have a purpose – she won’t change her views on Alexia and Marysol, Larsa doesn’t trust her, and even Lisa seems distant. (And Adriana is known for being a tough, relentless competitor.) It doesn’t make sense to keep one without the other, but keeping both will just lead to constant conflict. Neither Adriana nor Julia are quick to forgive, and after Julia revealed their affair and Adriana’s memorable Halloween costume reveal, a future season with just them would be filled with arguments. Adriana will likely try to provoke Julia, and Julia will retaliate, probably escalating things physically, just like we’ve seen with Larsa and Lisa this season. It’ll be a never-ending cycle of drama.

The Real Housewives of Miami has enjoyed a successful return, but this season showed the need for new cast members to keep things interesting. The current dynamic has become stale, and introducing fresh faces is crucial for the show’s long-term success. Since attempts to challenge the established group haven’t worked, it’s time for a new source of conflict – ideally, newcomers whose partners aren’t involved in drama or prone to outbursts.

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2025-10-31 22:58