‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation’ Promo Image Teases Mike ‘The Situation’ Becoming the Villain in New Season

Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino could get a new nickname in the second half of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation Season 5. A promotional image for the new episodes might have dropped a major clue about Mike’s “character” this season. Here’s what we know. 

‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation’ returns with a new season on June 23 

The first half of season 5 debuted on Jan. 6, 2022 with “Deliveries and Deadlines.” New episodes continued until the mid-season finale on Mar. 24, 2022 — “The Lie Detector Test.” 

On June 23, the cast of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation will return at 8 p.m. ET with new episodes. Based on previous seasons of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, fans can expect 12 to 14 episodes in season 5B. 

This time, the cast took their family vacation to San Diego with the kids in tow. As Pauly DelVecchio told us in April 2022: “I love doing the family vacations. I get to see everybody and keep up with them. They all got so much going on, [so] it’s really fun to catch up with them.” 

He also teased the trip to El Paso he planned for his roommates. “I had a show in Texas,” Pauly told Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “Everybody had some time off and I was like, ‘Why not make a trip out of that?” 

Mike ‘The Situation’ labeled ‘The Instigator’ in promos for the new season of ‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation’

In the promotional image for the newest season of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Pauly, Angelina Pivarnick, Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Vinny Guadagnino, and Deena Cortese stand behind Mike amid flames. Mike is front and center of the group with a gas can labeled “Mike The Instigator.”  

Could this mean “The Situation” will become “The Instigation” in the second half of season 5? What’s more, Vinny is holding a fire extinguisher in the background of the image — will he be the one to keep the peace this time around? 

Of course, the show is edited in a way that’s entertaining to watch. The events that take place in any given episode of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation aren’t exactly how they might have happened in real life. But as Mike mentioned on the Here’s the Sitch podcast, he’s been doing this for 14 years and knows how to entertain. 

‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation’ has given Mike Sorrentino several nicknames 

Mike started his Jersey Shore journey as “The Situation” when he was “shredded and trying to fitness model.” As explained during the “Do You Love Yourself?” episode of the Here’s the Sitch podcast: 

“I was hyped as hell for that at that time period, so I went to the club to celebrate. I was walking around probably with no shirt on and a couple walked by me and the female said, ‘Oh my God honey look at that!’ and she pointed at my abs. She was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s a situation!'” 

Mike Sorrentino, Here’s the Sitch

Since then, Mike has been referred to as “The Mediation,” “The Investigation,” and “The Blessification” on Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. In May 2021, Mike officially became “Big Daddy Sitch” when his son, Romeo, was born. 

Will Mike become “The Instigator” in new episodes? Tune in on June 23 to Jersey Shore: Family Vacation on MTV.