Review: Binge or Cringe? ‘House Of Ho’ Season Two Is A Reintroduction To Houston’s Lavish Reality TV Family

House of Ho is back for season two after the first season premiered on HBO Max in December 2020. The long wait between seasons was likely pandemic related, but the series picks up with the elite Houston-based family right where it left off. The series follows a wealthy multigenerational Vietnamese American family navigating issues like relationships, careers, identity, and traditional and parental expectations. The reality docusoap series markets itself as a mix between Crazy Rich Asians and Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

The last time we saw this family, Patriarch Binh called off his retirement, Washington called off drinking, Nate proposed to Judy, and Binh and Hue were not enthusiastic about the ordeal. Season two explores the aftermath and introduces more Ho’s along the way— And with more Ho’s means more drama.

Re-Meet the Ho’s

HBO Max’s newest season expands the Ho household after a two-year break. All the Ho’s from the first season come back, and this season introduces new family members along the way.  

In season one, we learned Binh and Hue immigrated to the US from Vietnam in 1975. The couple started a new life in Texas by working at gas stations and grocery stores. Eventually, Binh began working in insurance and invested his money in his banking business, finding enormous success. The couple provided an extravagant life for their children in Texas while upholding many traditional Vietnamese and Catholic values. As big patriots, the couple named their children (except Judy) after US Presidents, a tradition continued by Judy and Washington. In the last episode of season one, the parental figures were disappointed when Nate proposed without first consulting Bihn, and Judy’s decision to get engaged quickly after her divorce. This season shows Binh and Hue understanding Judy and Nate’s relationship more. Binh and Hue have very traditional morals from their home country of Vietnam, and many with immigrant relatives can relate to their dynamic with their children (minus the private jet).  

Judy Ho is a very successful Texas lawyer and the oldest child of the Ho clan. In season one, after her divorce, she began dating Nate but kept him away from her family, fearing they’d scare him off. Nate proposes in the season one finale, but they place the engagement on hold as they deal with respecting the parents’ traditional ways. We see their relationship fully blossoms in season two as the two families blend and expand, with Judy sharing her pregnancy journey along the way.

Washington Ho is the younger brother of Judy, heir to the Ho fortune-making business, and a self-proclaimed spoiled rich kid. Season one saw him go through some maturity growth after Binh put off his retirement, stating Washington was unprepared to take on the family business. Much of season two saw Washington dealing with his sobriety, working on his marriage with Lesley, and beginning his rap music career.  

Lesley Ho is the wife of Washington and married into the Ho family. Lesley’s has more humble roots than her husband, making her relatable. She comes across as much more down-to-earth than her in-laws but is not afraid to stick up for herself when needed. This season shows Lesley stepping up as a significant plot player. Her confrontation with Cousin Sammy while on vacation about Sammy’s unreliableness was a season-stealing moment.  

This season also introduces Bella and Kim as the younger cousins of Judy and Washington, who provide a fresher perspective for the show. A significant story plot this season revolved around Bella’s strained relationship with her mother. Meanwhile, as Judy and Nate’s relationship strengthens, we get to know Nate’s family more. His sisters Vanessa and Tammy have an ongoing storyline, with Vanessa expressing her concerns over Tammy’s new much-younger girlfriend after purchasing her a car and house.

Was it a binge or a cringe?

Thanks to Lesley and Bella, the season is a soft-binge, but there is no shortage of cringe-worthy moments— like Washington’s “King of the Ho’s” music project or when Binh and Hue have an uncomfortably tight grip on their adult children’s lives. The latter issue is touched on mildly about how authoritarian the parents can be, but little is shown addressing it. The show could benefit from possibly digging deeper into the multigenerational aspect of being a modern American Dream success story and all the following pressures. Still, they seem to only touch on it on a surface level and dive deeper into their extravagant vacation.  

At times the Ho’s can come across as disconnected from the real world and tuned in solely to their cosmopolitan designer universe where everyone wears sunglasses indoors. We rarely see the family outside their luxurious houses, shopping, or fine dining, and the show could benefit from displaying them in more relatable settings— like work. While they talk a lot about work (Binh is the head of the business, Judy is a lawyer, and Lesley is a pharmacist), they are rarely seen actually working. What is shown is plenty of shopping, dinners, and heartwarming family moments that remind you the Ho’s are all about family first. A lot of the problems the family deal with are all issues ordinary people can relate to— only they do it while looking glamorous in mansions and eating caviar.  

Who will like it:

Reality TV and its specific obsession with wealthy families is a form of escapism for many—a way to look curiously into the lives of the upper-upper class safely from the comfort of home. Shows like House of Ho are great for daytime watch as a break from a stressful day to forget any issues and focus on someone else’s. Aside from the day-to-day drama and glamour, the ongoing insight into Vietnamese culture throughout the season is a refreshing take on the Reality TV formula.  

Season two of House of Ho sets the stage for future possibilities. While there has been no official confirmation of a third season, the next installment would likely be available to stream by the second half of 2023. Chambers Entertainment and Lionsgate Television produce the reality docusoap series, and all ten episodes of season two are now streaming on HBO Max.