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No one in The Real Housewives franchise has done more to change their perception on TV than Mary Cosby of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. Mary quickly became known in the Bravo-sphere for her relentless nature in the Pentecostal church, and for her unique family dynamic where she married her late grandmother’s second husband.
Mary’s abnormal background didn’t help her with the audience when she had a falling out with most of the cast, leading to her leaving the series in season 3. The mother of one returned to RHOSLC as a friend in the following season, before being reinstated as a Housewife for season 5. And now, she’s surprisingly one of the most adored Housewives.
From calling Heather Gay “inbred” to having a loving conversation with her son about addiction, Mary Cosby has done a complete 180.
Mary Cosby Was Once One Of The Cruelest Housewives, And Now, A Household Favorite
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City quickly became one of Bravo’s best reality TV shows for its unique link to religion and the rules and pressure the women had to live with because of their ties to the church. At the start, Mary Cosby was an interesting casting choice because she was the head of her family’s church, Faith Temple Pentecostal Church.
However, in season 1, Mary was anything but a positive and uplifting Housewife with religious intent. Mary instantly butted heads with former Housewife Jen Shah over comments about Jen smelling like a hospital. She accused Heather Gay of being two-faced and insinuated that Whitney Rose was young and a racist.
In the early seasons, there weren’t many women Mary could trust or rely on, and it showed. By season 2, the cracks in her home life were shown, leading to her husband moving from Salt Lake City to Florida, where they’d continue to stay married while living separately.
Along with her marriage being questioned, Mary’s church was also in hot water. Former members of her congregation came forward on social media and to other Housewives, where they claimed Mary was greedy and created a cult-like atmosphere.
It wasn’t a surprise to Bravo fans when Mary skipped the season 2 reunion, considering she had few friends in the cast and her personal life was being questioned by millions of viewers.
What was a surprise, however, was when she decided to return to the season as a friend in season 4. When production asked Mary why she returned to the series, she replied, “To help you all out.” From there, the floodgates opened, and Mary was a different person on TV from how viewers saw her in season 1.
She was witty, funny, patient, and forgiving, all with a touch of sass. Mary soon became a fan-favorite after being one of the most controversial.
The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City Fans Are Rooting For Mary
Things really changed for Mary Cosby on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City in season 5. She slowly shared that things were tricky with her son, Robert Jr.
He lacked motivation and drive, leading Mary to look deeper at the problem. In one of the most heartbreaking and honest scenes ever shown in the franchise, Mary and her son had an open dialogue about his struggles with addiction. Mary admitted she ignored Robert’s issues in the hope they would go away, but it only worsened.
Robert shared with his mom that he would take Adderall and Xanax to “balance” his emotions, but he soon combined his prescriptions with other drugs. The heartbreaking conversation was groundbreaking television and a beautiful moment for the mother and son, who soon got Robert the help he needed. Her transparency about her son’s struggles was applauded, as fans rooted for Mary’s family.
Now, in season 6 of RHOSLC, Mary is taking things with her son one day at a time. All the while, she’s compassionate, humorous, and a good listener to her fellow Housewives. It’s hard to argue that Mary’s transformation isn’t the most inspiring out of everyone on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.