Reality AF: 5 Reasons Why Family Karma Is Bravo’s Hidden Gem

Editor’s Note: Welcome to our Reality AF column, where Terry Terrones checks in on the state of reality TV in its many forms.

When Family Karma first debuted on March 8, 2020 I didn’t quite know what I was in for. All I understood from the promos was that the docuseries focused on a group of Indian-American friends living in Florida figuring out life, love, and work.

Not that I needed the promos to give the series a shot. Bravo is home to some of my favorite reality shows (Top Chef, Below Deck, Watch What Happens Live, and 3 of the 57 Real Housewives.) so I would certainly take a peek at this new show. I was instantly hooked.

The cast is fantastic! There’s Brian (30), the charming and handsome party boy who still lives with his parents. He wants to find Mrs. Right but still has some growing up to do. Brian used to date Monica (30), who’s considered the perfect Indian girl by her community. Happy and upbeat, she’s a software specialist and an aspiring Bollywood choreographer. Monica is dating Rish (28), a restaurateur who feels pressured to get married from both his friend group and large family.

Anisha (37), who is sometimes a pot stirrer, thinks she’s finally found her Mr. Right but her new relationship has forced her to move across the country causing tension within the group. Amrit (35), an attorney, is working to overcome the challenges of being the first person in his community to be planning an interracial same-sex marriage. Bali (47), a divorced mother, manages to tow the line between the young, hip crowd and the mothers of her friends, who are lovingly called Aunties.

Then there’s Vishal (35) and Richa (35). The pair have been dating for 10 years and have a rockier relationship than Ross and Rachel from Friends. They’ve been engaged three (3!) times and Richa’s mom (Auntie Lopa) isn’t much of a fan of Vishal or his mother Reshma. They’ve finally figured things out, however, and the new season of Family Karma begins with their elaborate, three-day, Bollywood themed wedding in Cancun with 225 people attending.

Now if you haven’t seen Family Karma what I just described likely sounds par for the reality course. You’re probably saying to yourself, “I get it. Drama, drinking, young people. It’ll work.” But this series does much more than work. I’d argue that Family Karma is one of the best shows on Bravo. Here’s why:

1. It’s damn funny.
One of the major differences between Family Karma and other Bravo series is a majority of the people on the cast have known each other since childhood. They all live in a close knit community so they were essentially forced to be friends. They are clearly comfortable with each other, which means they also know how to tease each other and it’s a riot.

For example, in the Season 3 premiere that aired Sunday, Brian is making moves on Avni (37), a friend of Richa’s. Brian’s sweet talking Avni and thinks he’s making a good impression so he goes in for a kiss, but she turns away and he kisses her cheek. Evidently this is called “curving.” It was funny to watch but even more hilarious when the next morning Amrit, who has clearly heard about it, goes to say hello to Avni with a kiss before HE turns away and they both laugh. Those kinds of subtle jokes can only land when everyone in the cast knows each other well.

2. It’s an immigrant story.
Because many Indian families live together, you’ll have three entire generations of one family all in one house. And they are tight. In most reality shows, confessionals are just done with one person. In Family Karma, they often include the parents and sometimes grandparents of the main cast. This keeps the young group in check but also offers insight into their friendships you’d never normally get.