“Selling Sunset” is a reality TV drama focused on the day-to-day life of the Oppenheim Group, the most successful brokerage firm in West Hollywood. The firm, which was started by twin brothers Brett and Jason Oppenheim, acquires the most exclusive homes in Hollywood and represents some of the wealthiest clients in the world.
So why is a show about real estate so interesting? One word: drama. From fights at brunch to arguments at weddings, “Selling Sunset” allows those of us who live for the drama to experience it without being in the middle of it.
Here are a few reasons why you should watch “Selling Sunset,” like, right now.
The Strong Female Leads
According to the National Association of Realtors, in 2017, 64% of sales agents who worked 40 or more hours a week were female, so it’s not surprising that all of the agents featured on “Selling Sunset” are fiercely independent women.
The show follows the stories of seven women: Mary Fitzgerald, Christine Quinn, Chrishell Stause, Maya Vander, Heather Rae Young, Davina Potratz and Amanza Smith. The cameras follow them as they juggle their work life, personal life and of course, drama.
Each woman is a superstar in her own right, but together, they make an even more powerful team.
In the first season, Chrishell Stause, the former wife of “This Is Us” star Justin Hartley, navigates her way through the Oppenheim Group as the newest sales agent. I don’t want to spoil too much for you, but Chrishell, through a series of beefs with her co-workers, finds her true friends in a sea of “fake” ones.
Former Playboy model Heather Rae Young also holds celebrity status outside of her role on “Selling Sunset.” The Oppenheim Group agent is engaged to HGTV’s “Flip or Flop” star Tarek El Moussa. Even though Tarek doesn’t make a guest appearance on the show, for those of us who love HGTV, this is a power couple.
Young, who at the beginning of the show was in a long-term relationship with a famous hockey player, learns through hard situations that she wants to have the best of both worlds: a career and love. Even though her athlete ex-boyfriend was restricting her, her family at the Oppenheim Group opened her eyes to a world of opportunities.
The Glam
If you have ever been to Los Angeles or watched a reality TV show, you know that a lot of Angelenos love glam — fancy cars parked everywhere you can imagine, with everyday people carrying bags that cost upward of $1,000.
“Selling Sunset” is no exception. Christine Quinn, one of the most successful agents in the business, always serves. While decked in full Balenciaga, Christine can sell your house in a matter of days. As the most flamboyant of the bunch and with the wealthiest husband, she loves to wear designer, and you probably won’t see her without it on the show.
Don’t get me started on Mary Fitzgerald. As one of the first and most successful at the firm, Mary has the best outfits. Not everyone in LA dresses as splashy as Christine does, but Mary is always wearing heels, no matter the outfit or occasion, and she is always dressed modern but chic. Frugal with her million-dollar commissions, this former girlfriend of Jason Oppenheim doesn’t have the biggest house on the show, but she does have the biggest heart.
And then there is Amanza Smith. We meet the Hollywood interior designer in the second season as the former wife of NFL football player Ralph Brown. Think of any wig, and Amanza has rocked it. Very much like Mary, Amanza dresses well, but doesn’t wear designers that have their logos branded all over their clothes; she wears a working mom look that many viewers can relate to.
The Drama
Would it be a reality TV show if there wasn’t spicy drama? Of course not. If you are looking for the tea in every episode, as well as constant gossip, this is the show for you.
So where do I even start? One of the first bits of dramas on the show is a fight between Christine and Chrishell. You will find out in the show that Christine is always in the middle of something. I won’t spoil it for you, but watch the first three episodes and then you will get what I’m talking about.
One fight that still gets me heated to this day, to the point that I scream at the TV, is a situation between Mary, Mary’s boyfriend and Davina Potratz.
In the first season, Mary becomes greatly upset with her boyfriend, Romain, after she starts to talk about their future together and he brushes her off. Of course, the normal reaction on the show is to tell all of your co-workers about your love life — that’s reality TV for you.
Mary tells the entire office she is scared about how Romain acted, and she is conflicted about staying with him. That’s where the disdain for Romain starts in the office, and the girls start to question him over his intentions with Mary when they’re all at a party.
We find out later that Romain acted that way to conceal his intentions to propose to Mary, who, of course, says “yes” with excitement. Davina immediately critiques Mary’s ring when she shows the office, and she questions why Romain wasn’t “man enough” to buy her a real diamond.
Throughout the series, Mary tells Romain about Davina and her views, and the conflict between the three of them gets bigger and bigger.
As we clutch the few remaining moments of summer, consider letting loose and watching “Selling Sunset.” You may stay for the million-dollar listings, the drama or the extravagant parties, but one thing is for sure: Women who dominate the real estate industry aren’t going anywhere.
