Shahs of Sunset first aired in March 2012. The Bravo series was the first of its kind, as it shined a spotlight on Persian culture. The group of well-off friends, who were all living in Beverly Hills, were filmed trying to manage their careers, social standings, and traditions while embracing the American dream. Viewers enjoyed watching the young adults interact with their strict parents who only wanted the best for them. However, to viewers’ disappointment, in 2021, the show was canceled.
1. Culturally, it’s the perfect time for a Shahs of Sunset reboot
The OG series was iconic, like Mount Rushmore, and showed viewers a culture many might not have become familiar with otherwise. Fans learned that there were two main religions. Many of the cast were Muslims, and a few were Iranian Jews. History was slowly weaved into the plot as it was explained that in 1979, Jewish emigration from Iran increased dramatically in light of the country’s Islamic Revolution. The gang traveled to Turkey as well for a cast trip. The episode showed them staring across the border into Iran and lamenting about their homeland.
Mike Shouhed, one of the group’s practicing Jews, took the group to Israel too. Both the trips were emotional and once again explained to viewers the depth of the conflict for these Persian-American reality TV stars. With a Shahs of Sunset reboot, I’d like to see the series become even more culturally focused and have a tiny bit of drama weaved in. A perfect example of a template would be Family Karma. If the cast can achieve this feeling, it would really bring Persian culture to the small screen more than we’ve ever seen. Now, more than ever, we need to understand as many cultures as possible.
2. The core Shahs of Sunset group are still friends
No one wants to have a failed Shahs of Sunset reboot on their hands. A lot of what worked in the early seasons may be gone, but I think Bravo is still capable of reigniting the spark. Recently, Reza Farahan, Golnesa Gharachedaghi, and MJ Javid shared that they were in talks with the network about returning. The saving grace is that these three are still organic friends. For years, the threesome has been posting updates together. However, Bravo will have to find fresh, new faces that match up perfectly to have a successful reboot.
Reza did note that the cast would be a mix of old faces and younger “hotter” ones. Even though Destiny Rose became a fan favorite, she was just plucked from Bravo’s The People’s Couch and thrown into a group of friends with whom she didn’t have a connection. The mock friendships just didn’t work. To work, the reboot will have to have people who have a history with one another, so the show can keep an authentic feel.
3. The Shahs of Sunset cast has evolved
Nothing makes a series better than watching most of the cast evolve. Think Jersey Shore morphing into Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. The same can be said for the cast of Shahs of Sunset. The early years showed the group struggling to achieve their goals while navigating some pretty toxic drama. But if the reboot is done correctly, fans will be able to see their favorite OGs thriving. GG has done extremely well in recent years and seems to have a great life outside of the show. And let’s be honest, the girl has always been interesting. The same can be said for MJ. She embraced motherhood but recently made a comeback with her appearance on The Traitors. If her casting were to test the waters, the reaction from fans would be off the charts.
But what might make the reboot a true winner is the show’s built-in cult following. Bravo fans are made of something special, and when we love a show, we love it hard. To this day, there are still calls for Shahs of Sunset to make a triumphant return. The reboot could even be soft-launched on Peacock just like the network did with the Real Housewives of Miami. So bring on the reboot, Bravo! We are ready.
Shahs of Sunset episodes can be streamed on Peacock.
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