Bravo Renews Three Unscripted Hits and Bets on Its First Microdrama

Bravo has renewed three unscripted series and ordered two new ones, including its first scripted microdrama (short-form episodic drama built for mobile viewing), announced ahead of Bravo Fan Fest in Charleston, South Carolina, this weekend. The network confirmed pickups for "In the City," "Next Gen NYC" and "Southern Hospitality," plus series orders for "Next Gen Atlanta" and "Charmed by a Southern Monster," with the latter starring "Southern Charm" original cast member Craig Conover and launching Nov. 9 exclusively on the Peacock mobile app.

What's coming back?

"In the City," the spinoff of "Summer House" — which became a cultural sensation in its 10th season — gets a second season and has already started filming in New York City. No cast was announced for any returning show, but the Fan Fest panelist list does the hinting: "Summer House" stars Kyle Cooke and Lindsay Hubbard are both appearing, so a return is a safe bet.

Kyle's ex Amanda Batula is another matter. She hasn't been filming and isn't expected back as a full-time cast member, though she could eventually film scenes with Kyle. West Wilson, who is still dating Amanda, appeared on Season 1 of "In the City" before the relationship went public. He hasn't filmed either, having been recently cast in the Netflix competition series "Million Dollar Secret."

"Southern Hospitality," set in Charleston, finished airing its fourth season in June. Fans spent the summer worrying, since none of the castmates were posting selfies together during the show's traditional production window. The renewal settles the panic.

The cast, however, remains in flux. Leva Bonaparte — the "Southern Charm" alum whose Charleston restaurant Republic has served as the show's base of operations — said in an Instagram reply that she's "moving on to a new chapter in my life" and "appreciated my time there but it's no longer serving me." She and her husband Lamar Bonaparte are still listed as executive producers. The Fan Fest lineup may offer guidance: Joe Bradley, Maddi Reese, Michols Peña, Mia Alario, Bradley Carter and TJ Dinch are among the panelists.

"Next Gen NYC," a word-of-mouth hit over the summer in its second season, has also been renewed and started production. Gia Giudice and Ava Dash are appearing at Fan Fest, and most of the cast is expected to return.

What is 'Next Gen Atlanta'?

Bravo has deemed the "Next Gen" experiment a success. "Next Gen Atlanta" will follow the established pattern: children of Bravolebrities mixed with the offspring of well-known Atlantans. Per the logline, the show follows "a new generation of rising personalities" in a city where hip-hop, sports and entertainment shape the social scene. Blink 49 Studios produces, with Tara Long, Nadine Rajabi, Mark Ford, Ben Magargel, Salena Rochester, Shari Levine, Bianca Barnes-Williams, Tiffany Mills and Anne Swan as executive producers, and Lauren Nathan as co-executive producer.

Why does the microdrama matter?

"Charmed by a Southern Monster" is the real signal here. Conover — a lawyer as well as a reality star — plays Hunter Caldwell opposite Nicole Mattox, an actor well-known in the microdrama world, as Maeve Marchant. The plot: Maeve, a corporate fixer, is sent to seduce Hunter, a rumored murderer, into selling his family's estate, only to find the town's most feared man may be its most misunderstood — and the only person who can protect her from a dangerous ex-boyfriend. Family secrets and a billion-dollar development deal complicate the romance.

Micromaker and Haymaker East produce, with Aaron Rothman, Josh Halpert and Jesse Light as executive producers and Caroline Bomback as co-executive producer. Lyla Trilling writes; Yoraiia directs. The logline blends soapy romance, workplace rivalry and small-town mystery — the vertical-video melodrama formula, now with a Bravo badge on it.

"In the City" comes from Truly Original (a Banijay America company), with executive producers Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh, Lauren Eskelin, Jamie Jakimo, Nathan Palmer, Faith Gaskins, Maggie Langtry, Michaline Babich, Michelle Schiefen, Chaz Morgan, Shanae Humphrey, Michael Meinecke and others. "Next Gen NYC" shares the same production house.

Whether Conover can act remains an open question. The Nov. 9 Peacock launch answers it soon enough, and a successful microdrama would give Bravo a foothold in a format the streaming platforms have already claimed.