Honestly, the whole rollout of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Season 4 was a mess from the start. Not a "good TV" mess, but a "legal nightmare and corporate headache" mess. Usually, when Peacock announces a new season of RHUGT, the fandom goes into a frenzy of dream-casting and outfit-tracking. This time? It felt different. Because it was different.
You’ve probably heard the rumors. Or maybe you saw the blurry paparazzi shots from Marrakech. But what actually happened during the filming of RHUGT Season 4—which the network eventually rebranded as RHUGT: RHONY Legacy—is a case study in how reality TV can go sideways fast.
The Marrakech Incident That Changed Everything
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. The original plan for The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Season 4 was a "Ex-Wives Club" part two, set in Morocco. It featured a heavy-hitting cast: Brandi Glanville, Caroline Manzo, Camille Meyer, Alex McCord, Eva Marcille, Butta-smooth Phaedra Parks, Gretchen Rossi, and Vicki Gunvalson.
Then everything stopped.
Reports began leaking out about an incident between Brandi Glanville and Caroline Manzo. It wasn't just a standard "you stole my husband" argument. It was serious. Allegations of unwanted physical contact led to both women leaving the trip early. The repercussions were massive. Caroline Manzo eventually filed a lawsuit against Bravo, NBCUniversal, and the production companies involved.
Because of the legal sensitivity, the Morocco footage was essentially shelved. Fans started wondering if they’d ever see the season at all. For a while, it looked like the fourth installment of the franchise was just gone. Poof. Dead in the water.
How RHONY Saved the Slot
So, what did Peacock do? They pivoted. Hard.
They had already filmed a different trip with the "OG" New York cast—Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Luann de Lesseps, Dorinda Medley, Sonja Morgan, Ramona Singer, and Kristen Taekman. They took that footage, which was technically filmed after the Morocco disaster, and slapped the "Season 4" label on it.
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It was a smart move. Fans were already starving for a New York reunion after the main series was rebooted with a totally new cast. Seeing the ladies back at St. Barts—the site of the infamous "Pirate" incident—felt like coming home.
Why the RHONY Legacy Cast Worked (and Why It Didn't)
Watching The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Season 4 (the Legacy version) felt like a fever dream. You had Ramona Singer being, well, Ramona. She’s still demanding the best room. She’s still insulting people while thinking she’s giving them a compliment.
But there was a weird tension.
Kristen Taekman, who hadn't been on our screens in years, was suddenly the voice of reason. It’s funny how time changes your perspective on these women. Back in her original run, Kristen was often overshadowed by the "Tall Dog" energy of Bethenny Frankel. In St. Barts, she was the only one who seemed to have a grip on reality.
Luann and Sonja? They’re a comedy duo at this point. After their spin-off Welcome to Crappie Lake, they have this shorthand that is genuinely funny. They don't need the drama to be entertaining. They just need a drink and a target.
The Ghost of Bethenny Frankel
Even though she wasn't there, Bethenny’s presence loomed over the whole season. This was right around the time she started her "Reality Reckoning" campaign, urging performers to unionize and calling out the industry's darker side.
The ladies on the trip clearly had feelings about it. Some stayed loyal to the "Hand that feeds them," while others seemed a bit more cautious. It added a layer of meta-commentary that you don't usually get on a show about women screaming over appetizers.
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Comparing the Different "Girls Trip" Vibes
If you look at the trajectory of this franchise, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Season 4 represents a turning point.
- Season 1 (Turks and Caicos): Pure fluff. Everyone was just happy to be there.
- Season 2 (Blue Stone Manor): Chaos. Pure, unadulterated chaos thanks to Dorinda’s "Make it nice" rules.
- Season 3 (Thailand): A bit of a slog. The Porsha vs. Candiace dynamic was heavy.
- Season 4 (St. Barts/Legacy): Pure nostalgia.
The Legacy season wasn't trying to reinvent the wheel. It was a victory lap. They went back to the "Scary Island" roots but without the genuine mental health crisis that made the original trip so uncomfortable to watch.
The Production Reality Nobody Tells You
Producing a show like this is a logistical nightmare. You aren't just managing personalities; you're managing egos that have been inflated by a decade of fame. In The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Season 4, you can see the cracks.
The "fourth wall" is thinner than ever. The ladies talk about their social media followers. They talk about "edits." They know exactly what the audience wants, which sometimes makes the drama feel a bit performative.
Kelly Bensimon is a great example. She spent most of the trip trying to prove she was "zen" and over the "Scary Island" trauma. But the minute someone poked the bear, the old Kelly came right back out. It's fascinating. You can't outrun your own personality, especially not when the cameras are rolling 24/7 and the tequila is flowing.
The Wardrobe and the Flex
Let’s be real: we watch for the fashion as much as the fights. The St. Barts backdrop provided some top-tier "rich lady on vacation" looks.
- Luann: Still the queen of statement necklaces.
- Sonja: Half the time she looks like a high-fashion model, the other half she looks like she rolled out of a dumpster in the best way possible.
- Ramona: A lot of white lace. A lot of "I’m 60 but look 40" energy.
What Happened to the "Original" Season 4?
For those still curious about the Morocco footage—the true The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Season 4—it remains in a legal vault.
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There have been rumors that some of the "less controversial" footage might be leaked or used in a future documentary-style special, but don't hold your breath. The allegations made by Caroline Manzo are far too serious for Bravo to treat as "entertainment." It’s a somber reminder that behind the "Glams" and the "Taglines," these are real people in real situations that can turn ugly.
The legal filings revealed that production allegedly encouraged certain behaviors to "spice up" the show. This has led to a massive shift in how Bravo handles filming. You’ll notice in newer seasons across the franchise, there are more disclaimers and seemingly stricter boundaries.
Is the Franchise Over?
People keep asking if Ultimate Girls Trip is done. After the Season 4 shakeup, Peacock took a long break.
The problem is the "casting pool." There are only so many iconic Housewives willing to do this. You have to find women who are currently "unemployed" by the main show but still have enough of a fan base to draw viewers.
The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Season 4 proved that nostalgia is the strongest currency Bravo has. Fans don't necessarily want new drama; they want to see their old favorites bickering like sisters.
Taking the "Legacy" Energy Into 2026
As we look at the state of reality TV today, the Legacy trip was a blueprint. It showed that you don't need a sprawling 20-episode season to tell a story. Sometimes, five or six episodes of high-intensity interaction is enough.
It also served as a "testing ground." We saw who still "has it" and who has moved on. For Ramona, it was likely her swan song. For Kristen, it was a re-introduction that had fans begging for her to return to a full-time role.
Actionable Steps for the Discerning Bravo Fan
If you're looking to dive back into this specific era of the franchise, here’s how to do it right:
- Watch the "Pirate" Episode First: Go back to RHONY Season 5. Watch the original St. Barts trip. It makes the callbacks in UGT Season 4 so much funnier.
- Follow the Court Cases: If you want the real tea on the Morocco trip, stop looking at gossip blogs and start looking at the actual legal filings. The "Manzo v. NBC" documents provide a chilling look at what goes on behind the scenes.
- Pay Attention to the Editing: In the Legacy season, notice how the editors use old footage to contradict what the women are saying in the present. It’s a masterclass in "shady editing" that makes the show worth a re-watch.
- Check the Podcasts: To get the unfiltered thoughts of the cast, listen to Kristen Taekman’s guest appearances on various Bravo-centric podcasts. She’s been surprisingly candid about who she actually likes (and who she doesn't) after the cameras stopped rolling.
The era of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Season 4 was the end of an old way of doing things. It was the moment Bravo realized they couldn't just throw people in a house and hope for the best without serious guardrails. Whether that makes for better or worse TV is up to you. But as a piece of pop culture history? It’s absolutely fascinating.