Lisa Barlow Teases Upcoming “RHOSLC” Season as 'Most Iconic Ever': 'We're Going to Blow Everyone Away' (Exclusive)
"I feel like this year might be our best year ever, just based on what I've seen and heard and how things are going so far," 'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' star exclusively tells PEOPLE
The fourth season of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City may have ended with a bombshell, but according to Lisa Barlow, fans are in for an even better season 5.
“I feel like this year might be our best year ever, just based on what I've seen and heard and how things are going so far,” shares Barlow, 49, while speaking with PEOPLE about her partnership with Clorox. “I actually think it's going to be the most iconic season ever.”
The entrepreneur also addresses any skepticism that the show wouldn’t be as engrossing as it was in season 4 when Monica Garcia was revealed to be part of the team behind the Reality Von Tease Instagram. She says, “I feel like every season everyone's like, ‘They're not going to be able to top that. That's never getting top. That was it. That's like their peak. They're done.’ And every single year we bring it.”
The Vida Tequila co-owner even offers a tease at what fans can expect in the coming episodes, alluding to a new addition to the cast while mentioning that “Utah is home to so many interesting dynamic people,” whether they’re natives or transplants.
“I think what makes a show so good is when you stay vulnerable, the issues are still real,” the LUXE Marketing founder adds.
“We always have someone new coming to mix things up, but then there's still other issues that surface from the year prior that you have to address,” she continues. “So I feel like just based on what I've experienced, I think the season's going to be, ‘Wow,’ in a totally different way.”
According to Barlow, the forthcoming installment is “wow” in a “non-dark” and “fun, funny” way, comparing the tone to castmate Meredith Marks’ infamous bathtub drama.
“I just feel like we're going to blow everybody away again. And I think, just like with Salt Lake, I think just when you think you've seen everything, there's always more,” she teases.
Related: Jen Shah Responds to Heather Gay's Claim That She Gave Her a Black Eye During RHOSLC Finale
While Barlow admits that she and her fellow Salt Lake City costars “need closure” from the events of last season, she shares that season 5 may see them all begin to move forward from even the lingering hurt caused by Jen Shah.
“The [season 4] reunion gave us some closure where we're like, ‘OK, this is what it's like to film with Monica.’ So now the world saw it. She yells out these jeers, says insults and then gets quiet and then makes herself the victim,” Barlow says.
Because the reality star believes Garcia, 40, “learned from Jen and Jen’s tactics,” she feels as though she and the rest of the cast never felt “reprieve” or “got to just move forward” amid Shah's nebulous departure from the show. (Shah, 50, was sentenced to prison for her role in a large-scale fraud scheme just days after the season 3 reunion finale.)
“I feel like this is the season where we're going to get to really elevate and be free of that point in our life that we really want to move on from,” Barlow says. “I don't want to think about the Feds, Homeland Security and PD showing up anymore. It's not interesting anymore. We've been there, did that.”
In late January, PEOPLE reported exclusively that Garcia would not be joining Barlow, Marks, Heather Gay, Angie Katsanevas and Whitney Rose when filming resumed on the reality series for season 5.
The season 4 breakout explained to The Cutf in an interview that the exit was not her choice. "That would be a cast and Bravo decision," she revealed. "It would not have been my decision."
Shortly after the news broke, a source confirmed to PEOPLE that the door is not fully closed on Garcia's role on the show, noting that she could still "make a return down the line" if something shifts within the group dynamic.
"This is a show about friendships and ultimately, if you don't have a friendship with anyone else on the cast, it's hard to have you there," the insider said. "If the women can find it in their hearts to forgive Monica one day, then it would only be natural to see her there. But right now, there's no resolution."
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The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City can be streamed in full on Peacock, and more details about Barlow's Glam Getaway partnership with Clorox can be found here.
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Read the original article on People.