Manzo’d With Children, Bravo’s new spinoff slash companion series of The Real Housewives of New Jersey starring Caroline Manzo, is a different creature.
As Manzo’d With Children Season 1 Episode 3 showed us again last night, this is half, if not more than half family sitcom and the rest reality show.
This week, kids Chris and Albie get their own plot line (it was plotted, so we use the term literally), revolving around their restaurant venture in the Meadowlands.
Of course, their "restaurant" is more of a beer truck. Nice landscaping, though.
The Meadowlands Racetrack establishment ultimately looks like a success, and even though it was likely never in doubt, it was nice to see it come together.
Albie can always count on mom for support in business, but when it comes to romance? That’s a different story when you watch Manzo’d With Children online.
Britney, his latest paramour, does not exactly rub his family the right way.
To say she dresses to show off her killer body is an understatement, and Caroline and company can’t help but comment on how she doesn’t fit their family.
No one’s talking about them getting married, mind you.
Meanwhile, Lauren and Albie get into a fight that starts with a passive aggressive comment and escalates into a feud that gets more than a little personal.
On this note, the show hits the nail on the head more than any episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, since this is a classic family argument.
If you took away the Manzos’ money and quasi-fame?
This could be any suburban family anywhere, with laughs, love, conflict and resolution that don’t have to be staged. It’s very real, for better or for worse.
Sure, they’re fiery-tempered and things get inflammatory, but if it were any other way, it wouldn’t be as authentic and entertaining to watch.
Yes, we’re saying that about a Bravo show.