For almost two decades, The Real Housewives franchise has graced our airwaves with a never-ending onslaught of petty feuds, high-stakes melodrama and luxurious, eye-watering escapism.
The crown jewel of the Bravo network, The Real Housewives has sustained its loud-mouthed run by offering an insight into the lives of ladies who lunch from regions all across the country, be it the glitz and glamor of Beverly Hills or the frosty mountains of Salt Lake City.
Spawning countless catchphrases that have seeped into the pop culture vocabulary and creating a universe on par with (or even better than) Marvel’s, The Real Housewives is a touchstone of reality television and society writ large.
In celebration of this beloved franchise (can you tell I’m a fan?), we’re sorting through all the staple iterations of The Real Housewives, ranked from worst to best.
9. The Real Housewives of Dubai
Given that it is the most recently-launched iteration, RHOD needs some time to establish itself before it can reach the heights of its peers. The first season was entertaining enough, and heralded a bonafide star in the form of castmate Chanel Ayan, but we need to let the friendships develop before anything truly jaw-dropping can occur.
8. The Real Housewives of Potomac
In its heyday, RHOP certainly would’ve been higher on this list. Seasons one to five are top-tier, and established the ladies of Potomac as somewhat novel given the relative obscurity of their hometown. However, even the most diehard of fans will admit that the last few seasons of this once-beloved show have been lacklustre, thanks in large part to an assortment of women who simply refuse to move past their issues (ahem, Gizelle). Bravo’s recent cast shake-up might help this fan favorite franchise rise the ranks once more.
7. The Real Housewives of New Jersey
I’ll admit that having RHNJ so far down the list is bound to ruffle a few feathers, especially given that this iteration is home perhaps the most iconic moment across the entire franchise (Theresa Guidice’s table-flip). But, like RHOP before it, the ladies of New Jersey are suffering from a stalemate that has slowed the momentum of the show, forcing tired storylines to continue without resolution. We hope the most recent season’s lack of a reunion isn’t the final nail in the coffin.
6. The Real Housewives of Orange County
It’s the franchise that started it all, but it’s also the franchise that suffers from a lack of consistency. RHOC has certainly had its golden years (who can forget the Cancer-gate scandal that rocked the reality TV universe?), but it languished during the pandemic, and its rotating door of castmates in recent years (good riddance, Kelly Dodd) has left it feeling untethered. The return of staples like Heather Dubrow and Tamra Judge, however, has made it feel as though things are looking up.
5. The Real Housewives of Atlanta
This is again a case of the near-perfect earlier seasons making up for the more recent dull ones. RHOA is undoubtedly the funniest of all Housewives franchises, and is home to quotable moments that are surprisingly applicable in everyday life (“gone with the wind fabulous”), but the departure of Bravo icons like NeNe Leakes, Kenya Moore, and Kandi Burruss has left RHOA struggling to rediscover its footing.
4. The Real Housewives of New York City
Seasons one to ten of RHONY should be studied and hung in the Louvre, but even that isn’t enough of a tribute to the sheer brilliance of this show from 2008 to 2018. Every single Housewife was perfectly cast, delivered hilarious antics, and kept the drama consistently engaging. It also boasted the franchise’s best backdrop in the Big Apple, and created household names like Bethenney Frankel.
Unfortunately, the declining quality of this unanimously adored franchise saw Bravo’s biggest fall from grace, resulting in a recent reboot with an entirely new cast. While they have Herman Munster-sized shoes to fill, the new ladies of NYC show lots of promise, so here’s hoping those glory days return soon enough.
3. The Real Housewives of Miami
RHOM came back from a years-long hiatus firing on all cylinders. Since its return to screens in 2021, the show has not faltered, somehow outdoing itself with consistently captivating seasons. The cast is pitch-perfect, the drama is enticing, and the Miami lifestyle is fabulously enviable. It’s an underrated iteration, but it deserves all the flowers and then some.
2. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City
Housewives fans should stop and take stock, because we are currently in the midst of RHOSLC’s glory days and we need to savour every minute. Despite entering the Housewives universe somewhat recently, the ladies of Salt Lake City have not yet put a foot wrong. It is undoubtedly the most outlandish franchise — with a cast that feels like a parody or caricature of what it means to be a Housewife — but that’s what makes it so fun.
Oh, it’s also home to the franchise’s most juicy storylines. Jail time for federal crimes, alleged religious cults, and running troll social media accounts are all just par for the course in Salt Lake City.
1. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
I will concede that RHOB might not be the most jaw-droppingly dramatic Housewives franchise, but something about it is consistently engaging, to the point where each new season maintains, or sometimes supersedes, the quality of its predecessor.
It gets points for having the starriest and richest cast, from child actors to Bond girls and restaurateurs, as well as for boasting the franchise’s best ratings. When someone wants to start the Herculean task of watching Housewives for the first time, you probably suggest RHOB — and for good reason.