Bad Girls Club (abbreviated BGC) is a 2006 American reality television series created by Jonathan Murray for the Oxygen network in the United States. The show focused on the altercations and physical confrontations of seven aggressive, quarrelsome, unruly women. They were featured on the show as "charismatic tough chicks." The cast, deemed "bad girls," enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle in a mansion for three months, during which they obeyed specified rules. Their lives inside and outside the house were recorded by a production team.
Bad Girls Club aired on at least seven networks in other countries: Sky Living in the United Kingdom and Ireland, MTV in Australia, New Zealand and Russia, RTL 5 in the Netherlands, TV11 in Sweden, SIC Radical in Portugal, Velvet in the Philippines, and Channel [V] in Southeast Asia. If a cast member violated production rules, she was evicted from the show and often replaced. The fourth season was the series' "breakthrough season" as Oxygen's first series to average over one million viewers per episode.
There were four spin-offs, including Bad Girls Road Trip, Tanisha Gets Married, Love Games: Bad Girls Need Love Too, and Bad Girls All-Star Battle. In late 2016, Bad Girls Club was renewed for a 17th season, Bad Girls Club: East Meets West. In February 2017, the series' future was put in limbo with the network's announcement that it would convert to a true crime programming format, which was instituted in July 2017. Of the series' future, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Lifestyle Networks president Frances Berwick said, "Bad Girls Club, at this stage, I don't see it on Oxygen linear," suggesting that it could air in a non-linear media form. "Beyond that, we haven't figured it out yet."
Format The format of the first season of Bad Girls Club differs from subsequent seasons, but its rules apply in all subsequent seasons. One feature continued from season one was the way the show opened: viewers were shown the biggest and most intense physical altercation of the season, and the program then went back to a time before it happened. This fight usually gives the viewer an idea of who is going to be the baddest, or one of the baddest, girls in the house. This altercation draws in many viewers and keeps them wondering what will happen next.
In the second season, the show's format changed drastically. The maximum age dropped from 31 to 28. The cast of season two were given mandatory nonprofit jobs to help them build a work ethic and experience the stabilizing effect of being interdependent with others, for example in teamwork and commitment, to equip them for success in later life. Quitting the job or failure to attend resulted in removal from the show. The girls were given the jobs of planning, decision making, and building cooperation. Season two was the first and only season of the Bad Girls Club to do this, and also the last to air 30-minute episodes.
The Bad Girls Club creed, introduced in season three, is:
The bad girls typically form cliques, create havoc, book parties in night clubs, and engage in sexual antics while attempting to maintain their personal lives. They come from different backgrounds. Earlier in the series, they try to cope and adjust their behavior to become role models for young women. Some cast members try to accomplish specific goals. Throughout, the bad girls must adapt to their housemates' moods and behavioral changes. They interview in reality TV confessionals. They are allowed to contact their families and friends on landline telephones and a computer connected to a large-screen television, but prohibited from watching nationally and locally televised programming or using mobile phones. If cast members engage in violence or break other rules, they are considered for eviction under the show's policy, which is enforced by the producers. Security guards and production crew members intervene in violent altercations. Other reasons for departure include bullying, ostracism, alienation from other housemates, problems at home, or court proceedings. Multiple bad girls leave in every season. If a bad girl departs early in the season, a replacement arrives within one or two episodes. Replacement housemates are commonly hazed.
On August 3, 2010, during the OxygenLive TV recap episode, the show combined Facebook and Twitter with a live broadcast. Fans submitted opinions and comments about the show and its cast, which aired during the 10 pm hour. In January 2011, Oxygen released OxygenLive!, an online talk show hosted by Tanisha Thomas, one of the bad girls of season two. It was broadcast after season six debuted on Oxygen, and focused on the cast of season six, occasionally bringing in bad girls from earlier seasons. Thomas asked the girls several questions to prompt rumors and confessions.
List of cast members Indicates replacement bad girl Season Name Nickname Age Hometown 1 rowspan="18" 24 South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 23 Watertown, Massachusetts 29 Columbia, Maryland 31 Nashville, Tennessee 24 Atlanta, Georgia 25 Alpharetta, Georgia 22 Cicero, New York 24 McKinney, Texas 23 Sacramento, California 26 High Point, North Carolina 2 22 Wallingford, Connecticut 24 Austin, Texas 22 Brooklyn, New York 26 Las Vegas, Nevada 22 Phoenix, Arizona 24 Portland, Oregon 21 Flatbush, New York 22 Portland, Oregon 3 21 Buford, Georgia 23 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 25 Montevideo, Minnesota 23 Compton, California 23 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 24 Chicago, Illinois 21 Boston, Massachusetts 21 Seattle, Washington 4 23 Morgantown, West Virginia 25 Los Angeles, California 26 New Dorp, New York 23 Gloucester, Massachusetts 22 Charlotte, North Carolina 24 Oakland, California 24 Kansas City, Missouri 21 Belleville, Illinois 5 26 Inglewood, California 24 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 21 Massapequa, New York 25 Anaheim, California 23 Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts 22 South Beach, Florida 21 Miami Beach, Florida 22 San Diego, California 21 Houston, Texas Agent Orange 22 Richmondtown, New York 6 27 Chicago, Illinois 22 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 22 Chicago, Illinois Botox Barbie 21 Phoenix, Arizona 21 Lexington, Kentucky 22 Annandale, New Jersey 21 Dallas, Texas 21 Norfolk, Virginia 21 Fair Lawn, New Jersey Rough Rider 27 Passaic, New Jersey 7 21 South Bronx, New York 21 Olympia Fields, Illinois 23 Huntington Beach, California 25 New Springville, New York 23 Wentzville, Missouri 23 Miami, Florida 22 Gary, Indiana 22 Round Rock, Texas 8 23 Chicago, Illinois 23 Methuen, Massachusetts 25 Miami, Florida 23 Atlanta, Georgia 23 Methuen, Massachusetts 22 Newark, Delaware 24 Wantagh, New York 24 Miami, Florida 23 Nashville, Tennessee 24 Long Beach, California 9 21 Bartlett, Illinois 21 Jersey City, New Jersey 23 Chicago, Illinois 25 Fairfax, Virginia 23 Boston, Massachusetts 21 Texas City, Texas 22 Chicago, Illinois 27 Bethpage, New York 28 Tampa, Florida 21 Monroe, New York 10 Ms. Chi-Fly 24 Bolingbrook, Illinois 23 Houston, Texas 22 Fort Lee, New Jersey Hell On Heels 26 Chicago, Illinois Buff Barbie 26 Hillsboro, Oregon 21 Harlem, New York 22 Hyattsville, Maryland 21 San Bernardino, California 21 Pine Grove, California 22 Memphis, Tennessee 11 22 Glendale, California 24 Los Angeles, California Sarah Oliver 27 Riverdale, Georgia 21 New Haven, Connecticut 22 Newark, Ohio 21 Louisville, Kentucky 21 Harlem, New York 23 Brooklyn, New York 21 Atlanta, Georgia 22 Houston, Texas 21 Wichita, Kansas 24 Brooklyn, New York 21 Spring, Texas 12 22 Sherwood, Wisconsin 24 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 24 Louisville, Kentucky 28 Queens, New York Jonica "Blu" Booth 25 St. Louis, Missouri 21 Brooklyn, New York 23 Mobile, Alabama 22 Klein, Texas 26 Chicago, Illinois 23 Mobile, Alabama 13 rowspan="10" 24 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 27 Long Beach, California 26 Methuen, Massachusetts 28 Queens, New York 25 Olympia Fields, Illinois 25 Boston, Massachucetts 29 Oakland, California 23 Pine Grove, California 29 Riverdale, Georgia 24 Chicago, Illinois 14 23 Queens, New York 21 Chicago, Illinois 25 Houston, Texas 24 Zion, Illinois 23 Covington, Georgia 20 Montclair, New Jersey 20 Montclair, New Jersey 22 Albany, New York 21 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 21 Yonkers, New York 22 Atlanta, Georgia 15 26 Houston, Texas 25 Clifton, New Jersey 23 Arden Heights, New York 24 Brooklyn, New York 23 Harlem, New York 23 Arden Heights, New York 22 Clifton, New Jersey 26 Allentown, Pennsylvania rowspan="2" 28 Guttenberg, New Jersey 28 Guttenberg, New Jersey 22 Miami, Florida 21 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 24 Las Vegas, Nevada 27 Las Vegas, Nevada 24 Covina, California 26 Covina, California 16 23 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 22 Washington, D.C. 25 Dallas, Texas 22 Richmond, California 21 Allenstown, New Hampshire Tabatha Robinson 23 The Bronx, New York 24 San Jose, California 27 Orlando, Florida 24 Riverdale, Illinois 23 Chicago, Illinois 26 Memphis, Tennessee 17 22 Norfolk, Virginia 22 Torrington, Connecticut 26 Compton, California 23 Brooklyn, New York 21 Northridge, California 21 Fort Washington, Maryland 21 Lynnwood, Washington Briana Walker The High-Rolling Hustler 23 Las Vegas, Nevada
Critical reception Homophobic slurs caught the attention of media outlets. Adolescents emulated The Bad Girls Club. Mary Mitchell of Sun Times stated that the show was "hazardous to the female psyche" and wrote, "Just like some teens try to emulate rappers in their dress and behavior, the same is true for 'bad girls'." She also commented that the show gives a "distorted picture" of how to live the good life, calling the cast "wannabes" who are "sleeping in a mansion they can't pay for". Mitchell believes that most people know the cast are living "a bogus lifestyle", and assesses the message of the Bad Girls Club as "disturbing".
In 2016, The New York Times released a study of the 50 TV shows with the most Facebook Likes, finding that Bad Girls Club was especially popular in the south, with the greatest popularity in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The show has received negative criticism from African-American viewers, believing that it is "not what being a black woman is all about." Mary Chase Breedlove of Reflector objected that "there are several TV programs devoted to acting as trashy and mean as possible ('Bad Girls' Club, ' ...)". The New York Daily News suggested that Bad Girls Club was the equivalent of professional wrestling. Kris De Leon of BuddyTV described the show as "crude, rude and pointless, but sort of addictive to some people."
Brian Lowry of Variety thought that the producers made the "wrong decision" when they created the show. He believed that the cast of Bad Girls Club auditioned for the show for their "15 minutes of fame". He said that Bad Girls Club "arrived a little late in this game, on a channel lacking the kind of exposure or public footprint to qualify the show even as the stuff guilty pleasures are made of". Lowry believed that the show "loses" and that Oxygen attracts viewers who generally get drunk at bars and make a scene. He also suggested that "maybe it's time to 'BAG' these bad-attitude girls and beat a hasty retreat back to the real world".
Anita Gates of The New York Times referred to Bad Girls Club as "a great argument for bringing back programming with actors". She believed that the "average emotional age" appeared to be 15, in contrast to the girls' real ages. She stated that the "unpleasant villains cancel one another out and actually make badness uninteresting", commenting that their behavior might not be "bad enough". Gates concluded by suggesting that Bad Girls Club is the on-location equivalent of The Jerry Springer Show. Kelly West of Cinemablend stated that Bad Girls Club is "so much fun to watch".
Controversies
Season 4