An all Black cast of millennial professionals will bring some extra drama to the Island with Bravo’s new series ‘Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard.”
A spinoff of Bravo’s original Hamptons-based reunion-style series ‘Summer House,’ the new show documents a newlywed couple’s idyllic summer on the Island with a cast of friends staying in a luxury beach house in Oak Bluffs.
The production airs May 7.
The Vineyard spinoff was filmed late last summer 2022, at a large waterfront multi-bedroom private residence with a pool, located on a stretch of beach between Edgartown and Oak Bluffs.
According to Bravo’s website, “For more than 100 years, Black vacationers have flocked to Martha’s Vineyard, an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and one of the first beach destinations where African Americans could vacation and purchase property.
“Known for its natural beauty with pristine beaches, romantic sailboats, colorful gingerbread cottages, and cultural identity, this summertime sanctuary has become a favorite escape for the rich, famous, and politically connected,” writes Bravo.
With Massachusetts being one of the first states to abolish slavery, Oak Bluffs offered safe haven as a remote part of the underground railroad network. The town and Island eventually become a safe haven for Black families.
“If you don’t know, Black excellence is Martha’s Vineyard, and Marths’s Vineyard is Black excellence,” says cast member Jasmine Ellis Cooper in a trailer for the show.
Ellis Cooper’s husband and cast member Silas Cooper says that he has a personal connection to the Island, captioning an Instagram post promoting the series, “Every Summer spent on Martha’s Vineyard has been a movie, this one was actually televised.”
In a brief conversation with the Times over Instagram, Cooper explained he had been vacationing on the island for the past 7 years. Shortly after he and wife Ellis Cooper met, they took a “leap of faith” to spend a weekend in Oak Bluffs together.
“The Vineyard is the place where our love story began,” said Cooper, “Returning to the Vineyard two years later, now married, feels full circle. We intend to bring our future children and grandchildren to the Vineyard. This place is special.”
Aside from the Coopers, the cast consists of Amir Lancaster, Jordan Emanuel, Preston Mitchum, Bria Fleming, Alex Tyree, Shanice Henderson, Jason Lyke, Summer Marie Thomas, Nicholas “Nick” Arrington, and Mariah Torres.
In the vein of many a reality TV show, the cast is a combination of big personalities who like to enjoy vacations to the fullest and aren’t afraid to speak their minds.
“Friendships and marriage are gonna butt heads,” says one cast member in Bravo’s trailer.
“You know what happens when you share a house,” says another. “Personalities blend, or don’t.”
‘Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard’ premieres May 7th at 9pm EST on Bravo and Peacock streaming service.
Not again, ugh!
The house is located in Edgartown.
That is funny does anyone know what house? Is it the big one you see just about into Edgartown on the Sengekontacket pond side that rents for $40,000 a week.
That’s the one
The Jerseyshoreafication of Martha’s Vineyard continues…
You figured they’d learn from the flop of the first series, another series that’ll put the Vineyard on blast..
God, that thing was horrible. Just one big Black Dog commercial.
Have you seen the trailer? It’s about as distant from what MV is as you can get. How often do you see summer people prancing around town in designer gowns as if they are on the red carpet for a movie premiere. Anyhow, it looks like it will have a very short run.
So true!
Filming of shows or movies serves no useful island purpose especially during busy summer seasonal months. Island towns should levy significant “location” taxes on production companies like they do in most California towns, New York City, and many municipalities in New Jersey, amongst other states.While some places many relish the notoriety and publicity our Vineyard does not need it.
You’ve made a solid point, the funny thing is that Vineyard Haven is the most expensive town to live in the US. I don’t see the show lasting a full season..
James, I did some research. Vineyard Haven is far from the most expensive town to live in in the US. It is the most expensive town to buy a house in though, so I’ll give you half credit…
This wasn’t to start an argument, I suggest you research a bit more. Just google, “What’s the most expensive small town to live in, in the US” and it it’ll compile a list and Vineyard Haven is number one.
My point for stating this, is that most people who’ve been to MV. Just assume that Edgartown is the most expensive town, due to its aesthetics in town. In reality, with research backing this up, that Vineyard Haven has that title on the island and in the US. Which was also surprising to me, when someone mentioned this to me.
Unfortunately, before I knew that it would turn out to be this type of show, I participated in one of the scenes. Small part in an episode but I had spoken to the production team and they assured me it would be different…. It’s not.
As a photographer and film maker on this island, I’d love to create something authentic to what island life is really about. So done with this exploitation and stereotypical points of view about MV.
Aw come on, can’t we relax a little??!! ….
An island that embraces Beach Road Weekend, as most on the island have, totally deserves this… and more. Are islanders pretending to have taste, standards, and good sense when they don’t stand to make a buck for themselves? The complaints are laughable.
At Mr. Axel’s suggestion, I watched the trailer.
As a person who has lived on this island for 36 years, I am embarrassed.
As an American citizen for almost 71 years, I am even more embarrassed.
My condolences to Kye Howell. Sorry that happened to you.
That’s the one. This is also the house that illegally encroached on Sengekontacket pond and was issued an order by the Massachusetts Coastal Zone management folks. Probably so they would have room for that swimming pool.
I was surprised to learn that a cast member had actually set foot on MV prior to filming. I watched the trailer and had the impression that none had ever been here before. Even that one person is a relative newcomer, and just a summer visitor.
You can bet they will queue up at Backdoor Donuts in their Vineyard Vines and Black Dog attire in at least one episode.
It looks like what I was expecting since I knew it’s a spinoff from the show set in the Hamptons. I tried watching that one and lasted maybe ten minutes. Obnoxious city people and interpersonal drama. Boring.