Next Gen NYC Series-Premiere Recap: The Kids Are Alright

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Time seems to fly by, and it’s amazing how quickly the children we used to see dancing or having emotional moments in the background of their mom’s title cards on Real Housewives have grown up. Before you realize it, they are now the stars of their own reality shows! This is essentially the concept behind Next Gen NYC – a show focusing on a group of affluent, well-connected young adults exploring Manhattan with their friends, having first met at BravoCon. The atmosphere is similar to a blend of the Gossip Girl reboot and The City, and it often feels like Kelly Cutrone might suddenly appear to scold these youngsters.

Fun fact, the first youngster we encounter isn’t Tate McRae, as it may initially appear (one sings about a sports car while the other experiences crashing them). Instead, it’s Ariana Biermann, daughter of Kim Zolciak, a former cast member on The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Interestingly, she seems to be a new face in the show, as her scenes in the premiere are distinctly separate from the rest of the group. Throughout the entire episode, she embarks on an apartment hunt, which involves strolling the streets, having elderly Italian women guide her to vacant apartments, and randomly checking out addresses on Zillow.

I’ve moved to the city with my partner Hudson, seeking a fresh start, and it turns out that managing finances isn’t as simple as we thought. It wasn’t just the high rent eating away at our budget; it also emerged that Kim had been taking money earned by Ariana during her minor years and continues to depend on her financially. That puts Ariana in a position of financial power, doesn’t it? Given her investment in wigs, I hope Kim’s new show finds success to avoid any potential monetary troubles.

Although Ariana is initially introduced, it’s Brooks Marks, the globally recognized tracksuit designer, who serves as the primary focus of the series. Caught up in a photoshoot with his mother, Meredith Marks from RHOSLC, Brooks and his distinctive voice dominate the show. He connects the Bravo offspring with his city friends, such as Charlie Zakkour and Ava Dash, whom we encounter during the photoshoot. Ava is the daughter of Damon Dash and Rachel Roy, known for her post about “good hair don’t care” following rumors she was “Becky” in Beyoncé’s Lemonade. Charlie, on the other hand, leverages his father’s wealth to trade cryptocurrencies. His occupation alone might give off a sinister vibe, and you may have heard about him recently due to his presence at the Soho townhouse during the arrest associated with a cryptocurrency extortion and kidnapping case.

Charlie, as described by Brooks, is reminiscent of Scott Disick in Barry Manilow’s physique, serving as the show’s primary character portraying a troublesome playboy. Similar to his womanizing counterpart from Bravo, Jax Taylor, he even claims a relationship with Lindsay Lohan. However, unlike the fictitious investments he squanders his father’s money on, he consistently maintains this persona. Though he often appears as an insensitive individual sitting in chairs, his soft facial features suggest he may shed tears frequently, making him less intimidating than intended by the show. Nevertheless, his pursuit of Brooks’ sister Chloe adds just the right amount of drama to launch the series effectively.

Charlie introduces us to Georgia McCann, the show’s hidden gem. She’s a strategic whiz in branding and events, often holding a glass of red wine as if it were a permanent accessory. Intriguingly, she uses a fork to comb her hair, reminiscent of Ariel from The Little Mermaid. I can’t help but be captivated by this enigma. Unlike most of the cast, Georgia shares that she was brought up in a socio-economic limbo between poverty and the middle class, driven primarily by anxiety. She frequently references When Harry Met Sally, a nod that leaves everyone around her utterly puzzled. Notably, one of her notable achievements includes organizing a party at Katz’s that Diplo DJed, and she was also behind Anna Delvey’s “Club House Arrest” event. Could we soon see Anna Delvey make an appearance on the show?

While in the interim, Brooks catches up with Riley Burruss (a friend and NYU classmate of his, who also happens to be the daughter of RHOA‘s Kandi Burruss) for a shopping spree for Emira’s fashion show. During their outing, Brooks fills Riley in on a recent development: his sister’s date with Charlie. The date itself was uneventful, but what concerns Brooks isn’t just the date; it’s the text he received from Charlie suggesting they meet up later unless his sister, Chloe, is already back at Charlie’s place by then. To put it simply, Brooks found this suggestion “off-putting.

Since it’s a reality show, it’s expected that Brooks will need to address his issues with Charlie. However, Brooks dislikes confrontation, which might make him an unusual participant for such a show. It’s like discovering your doctor is uncomfortable with blood. Still, I’m intrigued to see how he manages in this setting as the season progresses. Fortunately, he’s being mentored by Riley and Gia Guidice (daughter of RHONJ‘s Teresa Guidice). They have more experience in this world than Brooks does, having been part of it for a longer time. Gia is traveling from Jersey to the city specifically for this show, symbolizing those who mistakenly believe that living in New Jersey is similar to residing in the city.

However, Bravo should continue to pay for her E-ZPass, as she doesn’t waste any time encouraging Brooks to discuss his problem with Charlie at the bar they all gather at following Emira’s fashion show. But before this, something even more astonishing transpires. Upon Ava’s arrival and display of her Manolo Blahniks, the outspoken Georgia — who I firmly believe Cecily Strong modeled her Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party character on — reaches out to gently stroke the shoe’s base. This action leaves everyone in the room uneasy. Yet, Georgia remains unfazed; she’s too preoccupied with promptly touching her eyes with the same hand.

Brooks must deal with Charlie first, before they all fall victim to pink eye. With Gia and Riley helping him through his reality TV birth process, he asserts that the text message was out of line. Charlie attempts to refute having sent it, but the messages don’t lie, so after initially resisting Gia’s meddling, he offers a half-hearted apology for the text, at best conceding that it was indeed sent.

Initially, it’s a rather mild setup, perhaps intentionally designed for drama, to help everyone adjust and start the events in motion. Once resolved, though, something truly amazing unfolds. Accompanied by Riley and Gia to the restroom, Georgia causes quite a stir when they discover she doesn’t wash her hands. Not just that, but she boasts about being germ-friendly. “I was like the kid in New York City eating candy off the street,” she says, claiming this is why she never falls ill. The entire group reacts with shock. Riley refuses to let Georgia hug her goodbye with dirty hands. “What happened to my body, my choice?” Georgia questions.

Allow me to clarify further – what she’s doing on this show is absolutely appalling…yet incredibly amusing! Among the cast members, Georgia stands out as the one providing the most captivating content straight from the beginning. If her uninhibited foolishness serves as a sign of the show’s direction, I’m all for it. And I believe she would make an exceptional mayor.

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2025-06-04 05:54