'Shahs of Sunset' Season 8: Release date, plot, cast, trailer and everything else about Bravo's reality show
‘Shahs of Sunset’, the American reality television series is soon to be back for season 8. The series that debuted in 2012, follows a group of Iranian-American friends living in Beverly Hills. From what is going on in their lives, to what is going on with their work, from clashes between friends to their culture and traditions, this reality TV show is quite the package. And season 8 is all set to be a very wild ride.
Release date:
‘Shahs of Sunset’ season 8 is slated to premiere February 9 at 9 p.m. PST on Bravo.
Plot:
According to Reza Farahan, one of the protagonists of the reality show, ‘Shahs of Sunset’ fans are in for a treat this season. Speaking to Life & Style, Farahan said, “It’s not the juiciest season yet, I think it’s going to be the juiciest season of any show on Bravo ever. Period. It’s insanity!”
He added, “Oh my God. Literally, this was the hardest summer of my entire life. There were so many fires and explosions. I cried, screamed, I literally — lunatic status. It was insanity and I don’t ever want to go through it again, but it’s been memorialized, I understand, on film.” Farahan further said, “Literally like take it back old school and set it on fire is actually what it is now.”
This season will witness the relationship strain between former best friends Farahan and Mercedes ‘MJ’ Javid, as well as her husband, Tommy Feight. Reportedly, R. Kelly, the R&B singer who has been charged with multiple rapes and sexual assault allegations, is loosely connected to the season 8 through one of his ex-girlfriends, Sara Jeihooni.
Cast:
Reza Farahan and Adam Neely
Born in Tehran, Iran, and raised in Beverly Hills, 47-year-old Farahan is a real estate agent in Los Angeles. He is openly gay and married to Adam Neely. Reportedly, the reason Farahan wanted to participate in the show was to help portray a positive image for both the LGBTQIA+ community and folks from the middle east.
In season 7, it looked as if the married couple was headed for divorce. Neely explained at the season 7 reunion that, “[Reza] wasn’t feeling appreciated, and I was so focused on myself and doing work that I forgot that I have a husband and he needs attention as well. And I wasn’t giving that to him, and I also wasn’t acknowledging the amazing things that he was doing for both of us.”
Farahan said, “That just started this downward spiral for me, and I said I wanted a divorce.” But for the time being, the two seemed to have mended fences.
Mercedes ‘MJ’ Javid
48-year-old Javid is also a real estate agent. A resident of Hollywood Hills, MJ and her mother share a rather difficult relationship. On April 21, 2018, MJ married Tommy Feight, and the following year, on April 17, 2019, she gave birth to a son, Shams Francis Feight.
Trailer:
The first look of the new season that dropped on January 18 has a lot going on, and it is a good indication of how explosive this season is going to be. In the trailer, moments after a flashback of Farahan telling MJ that the two were always going to be close -- “Nothing can ever get between this bond” -- we see an angry MJ throwing a drink in Farahan’s face during what looks like a tense argument. “Tragic was the death of our friendship,” says Farahan.
It is no secret that Farahan and MJ have had a rocky relationship for some time now. If you ask Farahan, his reason is MJ supposedly spreading rumors about the instability of his marriage. And if you ask MJ why, she claims that Farahan abandoned her after the birth of her son, and allegedly did not even visit her in the hospital.
The trailer also addresses the incident of vandalism by MJ’s husband Feight at Farahan’s home. Last year, Farahan got a restraining order against Feight that requires Feight to stay at least 100 yards away from Farahan, his home, his job, his vehicle and his husband. The order came after Feight allegedly threatened to kill Farahan.
“At 2:18 p.m. on 5/19 he called and threatened my life by phone and at 2:34 p.m. he vandalized our home,” Farahan claimed. “At 2:18 p.m. he called and said he was going to kill me. At 2:34 p.m. he was caught on video vandalizing my home.” Neely was allegedly with him at that time.
In the trailer for season 8, we see a visibly-angry Feight saying, “I broke a plant. I wanted to break his legs.” The trailer also carries footage of the incident of vandalism.
Then there is the R. Kelly bit. In the trailer, Sara Jeihooni joins the cast. Referred to as “a big ball of positivity” in a voiceover, we soon witness something disturbing. Sara, sitting with Farahan, hands him a piece of paper and says, “It’s a subpoena. It’s gotta be about my ex.” A surprised Farahan says, “R. Kelly?”
If you like ‘Shahs of Sunset’, you will also like:
‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’, ‘Love & Hip Hop: New York’, ‘The Hills’, ‘Jersey Shore’, and ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’.