Bad Girls Club
Seven unruly women live together in a mansion for three months.
Bad Girls Club is an American reality television series that premiered in 2006 on the Oxygen network, created by Jonathan Murray. The show follows seven aggressive and quarrelsome women, referred to as 'bad girls,' who live together in a mansion for three months while their interactions are recorded. Its fourth season became Oxygen's first series to average over one million viewers per episode, marking a breakthrough for the network.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Reality television
- Creator
- Mary-Ellis Bunim; Jonathan Murray
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 17
- Episodes
- 275
- Executive producers
- Jonathan Murray
- Gil Goldschein
- Maria Pepin
- Troy Vanderheyden
- Runtime
- 20–22 minutes (seasons 1–2); 40–43 minutes (seasons 3–17)
Facts from the source article.
Format
The first season of Bad Girls Club established a format that continued in subsequent seasons: each episode opens with the season's most intense physical altercation, then rewinds to show events leading up to it. This opening fight often indicates which cast member will be among the baddest in the house. The second season introduced major changes: the maximum age dropped from 31 to 28, and cast members were required to hold mandatory nonprofit jobs to build work ethic and teamwork skills. Quitting or failing to attend the job resulted in removal from the show. This was the only season to enforce this requirement and the last to air 30-minute episodes. Starting with season three, the Bad Girls Club creed was introduced. The bad girls typically form cliques, create havoc, book nightclub parties, and engage in sexual antics while trying to maintain their personal lives. They come from diverse backgrounds and earlier in the series attempt to adjust their behavior to become role models. Cast members interview in reality TV confessionals and are allowed to contact family via landline telephones and a computer connected to a large-screen television, but are prohibited from watching televised programming or using mobile phones. Violence or rule violations can lead to eviction, with security guards and production crew intervening in altercations. Departures also occur due to bullying, ostracism, alienation, home problems, or court proceedings. When a bad girl leaves early, a replacement typically arrives within one or two episodes and is commonly hazed.
Critical reception
The show drew attention for homophobic slurs and was emulated by adolescents. Mary Mitchell of Sun Times called it 'hazardous to the female psyche,' stating that teens try to emulate 'bad girls' in dress and behavior, and that the show gives a 'distorted picture' of living the good life, with cast members as 'wannabes' sleeping in a mansion they cannot pay for. She assessed the message as 'disturbing.' In 2016, The New York Times study of the 50 TV shows with the most Facebook Likes found Bad Girls Club especially popular in the south, with greatest popularity in Orangeburg, South Carolina. African-American viewers criticized the show, believing it does not represent what being a black woman is about. Mary Chase Breedlove of Reflector objected to programs devoted to acting 'as trashy and mean as possible.' The New York Daily News compared the show to professional wrestling. Kris De Leon of BuddyTV described it as 'crude, rude and pointless, but sort of addictive.' Brian Lowry of Variety thought producers made the 'wrong decision,' believing cast members auditioned for '15 minutes of fame' and that the show 'loses,' attracting viewers who get drunk at bars and make a scene. Anita Gates of The New York Times called it 'a great argument for bringing back programming with actors,' stating the 'average emotional age' appeared 15 and that 'unpleasant villains cancel one another out.' She compared it to The Jerry Springer Show. Kelly West of Cinemablend stated it is 'so much fun to watch.'
Controversies
In the fourth season's first episode 'Off the Wall,' Natalie Nunn told Annie Andersen that Chris Brown was at a night club she wanted to attend. Brown reportedly said he did not know who Nunn was. During the reunion, host Perez Hilton asked if Rihanna had confronted Nunn; Nunn said yes, claiming they argued at a dinner party in New York City. Nunn also claimed to have had a 'fling' with Brown before the show and later apologized, saying she did not condone domestic violence. In the episode 'The Wicked Witch of Key West,' a stranger spiked drinks with PCP hallucinogenic pills; Kristen Guinane became intoxicated and claimed bruises from the man grabbing her. She blamed the drug for hitting cast member Lea Beaulieu in the face. After season five, Catya Washington was sentenced to jail for possession of a concealed weapon and illegal use of drugs.
Spin-offs
Love Games: Bad Girls Need Love Too premiered March 16, 2010, following three past bad girls searching for true love. The first season featured Amber Meade and Sarah Michaels from season three and Kendra Jones from season four. A second season had Tanisha Thomas as host, with Natalie Nunn, Amber Buell, and Lea Beaulieu competing. The third season aired December 5, 2011, with Thomas as host and Kori Koether, Sydney Steinfeldt, and Judi Jai as cast members. Season four aired November 5, 2012, with Thomas hosting again, featuring Danielle 'Danni' Victor, Amy Cieslowski, and Camilla Poindexter. Bad Girls All-Star Battle premiered May 21, 2013, hosted by Ray J, with bad girls competing for $100,000 and the title 'Baddest Bad Girl of All Time.' Season 10 alumnus Jenniffer 'Jenn' Hardwick won the first season; season 4 alumnus Florina 'Flo' Kaja was runner-up. The second season premiered January 7, 2014, with season 11 alumnus Tiana Small winning and Sarah Oliver as runner-up. Bad Girls Road Trip premiered June 12, 2007, featuring season one cast members Zara Sprankle, Aimee Landi, and Leslie Ramsue touring their hometowns to find casting opportunities for season two and visiting former housemates. Bad Girls Club: Flo Gets Married, a one-hour special about season-four cast member Florina 'Flo' Kaja's traditional Albanian wedding and pregnancy, aired February 28, 2011, watched by 859,000 viewers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created Bad Girls Club?
Bad Girls Club was created by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray.
How many episodes of Bad Girls Club are there?
Bad Girls Club has 275 episodes across 17 seasons.
When did Bad Girls Club end?
Bad Girls Club last aired on 2 May 2017.
More in Television Series by Bunim/Murray Productions
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