Nathan Is a Fugitive, Carole's Back, and MomTok Is On Fire

Below Deck Mediterranean bosun Nathan Gallagher was convicted on three counts of domestic violence on September 1 after failing to appear at Burwood Local Court in Sydney, Australia. The charges — including intentionally choking his former partner and co-star Gael Cameron in front of their baby — were found proven in absentia, and an arrest warrant was issued. Bravo has since confirmed it will not work with Nathan in the future, though his Season 11 footage will air through the end of the season since it was filmed before his December 2025 arrest. He is now believed to be overseas and wanted in both Australia and Ireland.

All five episodes of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 5 dropped on Hulu on September 10, and the drama is absolutely unhinged. The shortened season — down from 10 episodes — is due to a production halt in March 2026 tied to a domestic violence investigation involving Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex Dakota Mortensen. The same scandal caused ABC to abruptly cancel Taylor's Bachelorette season just days before its scheduled premiere. Taylor appears in Season 5 in limited capacity, and Whitney Leavitt confirmed this will be her final season after her Broadway run.

Survivor 51 premieres Wednesday, September 23 on CBS with a two-hour episode, kicking off what host Jeff Probst is calling 'The Open Era.' The brand-new cast of 21 castaways — including a former WWE superstar, a Navy attorney, and a Grey's Anatomy alum — will face a game where every twist and advantage from Survivor history could appear at any time, in any order, without warning. CBS renewed the series ahead of the Season 50 finale, and the Season 51 sneak peek debuted to massive buzz at that live finale event.

RHONY Season 16 is officially underway on Bravo, airing Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET. The season marks the return of Carole Radziwill, who left the show after Season 10 in 2018 and had a very public feud with Andy Cohen. This week's episode dug into the big storylines set up in the premiere — including Sai De Silva navigating a divorce, Erika Hammond's fertility struggles, and Carole being directly confronted about her name appearing in the Epstein files. Drama doesn't sleep in New York City.

Alan Cumming took home his THIRD consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmys, cementing The Traitors as the dominant force in unscripted TV. The show is also up for Outstanding Reality Competition Program for the third straight year, with the Primetime ceremony airing Sunday September 14 on NBC. As if that's not enough, the civilian spinoff The Traitors: New Blood — with 22 everyday Americans selected from 80,000+ applicants — premieres Thursday, September 17 on NBC, with next-day streaming on Peacock.

ABC dropped the full Dancing with the Stars Season 35 cast this week, and the lineup is giving us everything. Competing this season are Julia Stiles, Tyler Cameron, Jenna Dewan, Giada De Laurentiis, Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn, Paralympian Ezra Frech, Tatyana Ali, Harry Shum Jr., and Taylor Hanson, among others. The two-night premiere kicks off Tuesday, September 15 and Wednesday, September 16, airing live on ABC and Disney+. Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough are back as co-hosts, with judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli returning.

This week's Below Deck Mediterranean (airing before the bombshell news of Nathan's firing broke) featured Nathan and Joe's feud boiling over even further after Joe was named acting bosun during Nathan's absence. Captain Sandy had to step in to manage the chaos with three charters remaining. The episode, which aired September 7, has taken on a very different context now that Bravo has confirmed Nathan won't return to the franchise — making every moment of his screen time feel like a ticking clock.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 7 is right around the corner, premiering Wednesday, September 16 on Bravo at 8 p.m. ET. The trailer already has us spiraling: Angie Katsanevas and Whitney Rose are both dealing with unexpected issues in their marriages, while Bronwyn Newport continues navigating the aftermath of her separation. There are new boyfriends, a cast trip to San Francisco for St. Patrick's Day, sunshine in Hawaii, and of course — drama that never quits. Newcomer Ashley Quai joins the group alongside returning fan favorites.

Two long-running reality franchises are meeting their makers in 2026. Jersey Shore Family Vacation has been canceled after a multi-season run on MTV, joining a wave of nine reality cancellations in the first half of the year. Meanwhile, Love & Hip Hop won't go quietly — VH1 is sending it off with Love & Hip Hop: The Final Chapter, a six-part limited series set to air in fall 2026. The reality TV landscape is officially reshuffling as networks clear space for new fall offerings.