Nothing is more enthralling to watch than clusters of middle-aged, wealthy women getting paid to bicker with one another. The Real Housewives franchise is home to the most entertaining reality TV for this very reason.
While we might feel pressure to intellectualize our interests and utilize all our time in productive ways, the reality is that most of our life pursuits amount to nothing, which is why I enjoy revelling in the nothingness via mindless consumption of reality television.
Fans of Bravo’s hit franchise know not all Real Housewives are made equal. A good housewife is captivating, glamorous, and willing to stir the pot. So, without further ado, here is my definitive ranking of the most iconic housewives across the franchise.
10. Caroline Manzo (RHONJ)
A mark of a great housewife lies in her ability to have her name and dramas mentioned long after she exits her series. Caroline’s lasting impact on RHONJ is palpable long after she departs from the show. No one loves their “fambly” more than Caroline. The self-declared “straight-shooter” thrives because the family-driven plot of RHONJ allows her to instigate and insert herself in countless iconic feuds that make for some excellent television drama. Her involvement in RHONJ is the basis for rumours circulating about financial schemes, mob violence, family betrayals, friendship trouble, and infidelity entangling the entire cast. Caroline is the string that ties together much of the drama that RHONJ relies on for success.
9. Vicki Gunvalson: (RHOC)
“The O.G. of the O.C.” is undoubtedly the most iconic housewife to grace the very first Bravo RH series. Vicki invites RHOC viewers to watch as her life, filled with drama and shockingly wild junctures, unfolds throughout her fourteen-season tenure on the show. Her magical ability to incite chaos wherever she went raised the profile of RH. Her contributions to the franchise are commendable.
8. Danielle Staub (RHONJ)
Danielle’s impact-to-air-time ratio is one for the books. During her three-season run, her penchant for constructing narratives pitted her against her castmates. Danielle’s feuds provoked many of the insane physical altercations the show is known for now. The revelation of her tumultuous past is the catalyst for RHONJ’s most infamous moment: the iconic Teresa table-flipping scene. Whether you love Danielle or hate her, it’s undeniable that her unhinged antics enhanced the show’s quality.
7. Kyle Richards (RHOBH)
Kyle is the glue that holds the most popular RH series together. It’s hard not to love Kyle, even when she’s annoying in her typically Kyle ways. Although she lacks innate star power, she makes up for it with positivity, glamour, and a willingness to play ball with some of the more dramatic Housewives. Kyle’s feuds with sisters Kathy Hilton and Kim Richards engrosses viewers as it depicts the realities of strained family relationships in the public eye. As of Season 13 of RHOBH, her widely-admired marriage to her husband Mauricio is currently on the rocks. However, Kyle’s blended family remains a fan-favourite feature of the show.
6. Karen Huger (RHOP)
Karen is the undisputed RHOP MVP. ‘The Grande Dame’ is an O.G. of the series. Her big-sister energy and hilarious commentary contrast her petty rivalries with other cast members. Even as viewers watch Karen’s fights, failures, and flaws unfold, her endearing personality shines through. Notable Karen bits and moments make for some of Potomac’s funniest content. Karen’s alter-ego, Shaka, her endless wigs and their matching personalities, plus her financial scandals, all contribute to her gold-standard housewife status.
5. Brandi Glanville (RHOBH)
Brandi is the perfect example of what Housewives should aim to accomplish in their respective series. Her ability to poke and prod at other Housewives’ sore spots, create a spectacle in public settings, and drum up situations out of thin air make her appearances on RHOBH consistently entertaining. Brandi will go down in Bravo history as one of the most naturally chaotic Housewives. The absence of her captivating presence is felt in the later seasons of RHOBH.
4. Kenya Moore (RHOA)
Kenya brings the shade and theatrics like nobody’s business. Viewers can always count on Kenya to travel lengths to make a point, stand out amongst her castmates, and read her rivals to filth. Kenya’s celebrity status before joining RHOA adds to her star power. However, her wit and fearlessness are the qualities that truly make her a contender for the most iconic housewife of all time. Somehow, Kenya has gone from a widely disliked housewife to a fan favourite, a difficult feat for franchise cast members.
3. Lisa Vanderpump (RHOBH)
RHOBH wouldn’t be the series it is today without everyone’s favourite Bravo Brit and her contributions to the show. LVP brought charm, glitz, and glamour as she showcased her lavish property, restaurants, and friends in high places. Her philanthropic heart and compassion for others, scarcely seen qualities in Housewives, never negated her capacity to add entertainment value to RHOBH. The show followed as LVP maneuvered through friendship breakups and mendings, armed with a sense of humour and grace. At times, viewers witnessed her ruthlessness and arguably juvenile methods of dealing with conflict. RHOBH thrived off Kyle and Lisa’s frenemy relationship, which is why the show hasn’t been the same since LVP left.
2. Nene Leakes (RHOA)
Nene is the funniest RH of all time. Period. Her perfect comedic delivery and timing, and her endless wit birthed some of the most hysterical reality television to date. Her influence on pop culture is unmatched by any other housewife. Nene’s larger-than-life persona invigorated the evolution of her career that now transcends the show. Her personal and professional growth over ten seasons of RHOA makes her a fan-favourite across all RH series.
1.Teresa Giudice (RHONJ)
Name another housewife who shoved Andy Cohen while filming a reunion episode… and remained on the show….. unscathed… not even reprimanded by HR… I’ll wait.
As the driving force behind the drama of the most dramatic Housewives series, Teresa wears the crown for the most entertaining Housewife in a well-rounded sense. Her story surpassed the bounds of the RHONJ fanbase and captured the world’s attention after a 39-count indictment against her and her former husband, Joe Guidice. Teresa’s journey following those legal troubles turned her from an unhinged housewife to an unhinged housewife with a story onlookers can’t look away from. Viewers get the pleasure of witnessing Teresa’s hilarious, heartbreaking, and often enraging journey as she raises her kids amidst uncommon circumstances for a housewife. She might be a polarizing figure, but everyone knows that no one noteworthy is universally loved. Teresa was made to be a New Jersey housewife.