Aspirational black women take centre stage in Netflix’s new Selling Sunset spin-off. It’s time British reality shows followed suit
Netflix’s Selling Sunset is clearly doing well, given that it’s expanding its universe with a series of spin-offs. And the follow-up that has piqued my interest in particular? Selling Tampa, which follows the lives of the all-female, all black agents of Florida-based Allure Realty.
As with Selling Sunset, there is plenty of cattiness and consumerism off the bat. Cast-mates preen and casually discuss “lucky Chanel handbags” on all-expenses-paid trips to Miami. It’s set against a backdrop of impractically large, undeniably impressive mansions. But while Selling Sunset focuses on a luxury real estate agency whose glamorous, all-female agents are employed by the two brothers who rule the roost – giving it a Playboy mansion feel at times – it’s female boss Sharelle Rosado at the helm of Allure. She is often a shoulder to cry on (even if some of her own clapbacks are enough to cause tears themselves). Compared with the established company run by the Oppenheim brothers in Selling Sunset, Allure Realty is essentially a startup, so the stakes feel even higher.