“Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard” is back, and theGrio caught up with returning stars Nick Arrington and Preston Mitchum to break down their experience on reality television so far and discuss what sets this season apart.
As theGrio previously reported, “SH: MV” is in its second season on Bravo, swapping the Hamptons location in the main “Summer House” series for “Martha’s Vineyard.” Boasting an impressive all-Black cast, the series has been a hit online with fans, trending every Sunday when it airs.
Going into their show’s sophomore season, Arrington and Mitchum spoke to us about the past year and their newfound fame.
“I mean, I don’t think I’ll ever [get used to it]. Maybe I will,” Mitchum said. “I imagine many people on TV do. It’s just an interesting feeling walking down the street and folks recognizing you.”
Arrington spoke about getting used to the online chatter surrounding the show, saying he learned to have “fun with it.”
“You [have to] take it in stride, you know, and the fact that people are talking about us, I think, goes to show that they’re actually watching,” he said.
Having one full season of reality TV under their belts offered an opportunity for the men to enter their second with new intentions. For Arrington, this meant being more vulnerable — to “let go … let the people see me for who I am,” he explained.
“I think there’s beauty in all of us – that we’re all individuals, you know?” he said. “So I think that just being more comfortable with being vulnerable is how I approached Season Two.”
For Mitchum, his approach was a bit more practical: “I needed to bring more clothes,” he quipped. “Even though people were complimenting me, I said, ‘Mmm, I can do much better.’ I know myself, and I can do much better!”
On a more serious note, Mitchum did experience a familial loss at the start of the trip, which viewers see him actively working through this season.
“In many ways, I wasn’t even thinking about coming because I just could not figure out my own mindset around it,” he shared. “Thankfully, after talking to a few of them … I just knew there was gonna be a good amount of support there. So, it forced vulnerability in ways… I actually really love vulnerability, but I just wasn’t expecting that.”
According to Mitchum, as with most reality shows, the second “Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard” season sees some shifting friendship dynamics throughout the entire cast.
“While you want to make time for everyone, you can’t, he added, “and you end up being pretty favorable to the people who you feel like you have more in common with. That happens all the time.”
As for what surprised them the most during the season, Arrington teased “brutal honesty” within the group.
“We’re just going to say it like it is!” he promised. “We’re not going to hold back. I’m not going to second-guess it. There’s a lot of blurt out moments!”
“Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard” airs Sundays on Bravo, with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.