The decision to start watching Bravo’s “The Real Housewives” can feel like an overwhelming task for even the most seasoned reality TV viewer. It’s hard to know where to begin watching when there’s seven cities, tons of seasons, and countless iconic moments you don’t want to miss out on. Luckily, this guide breaks down every franchise so that you can (hopefully) unlock a new world of reality TV goodness perfect for fall and winter.
“The Real Housewives of Orange County”
Number of Seasons: 15
Where to start watching: Season seven
RHOC was the first of all the franchises and with 15 seasons to stream, it can feel like a huge undertaking to start. Watching from the very beginning is interesting, but not required to enjoy the franchise. The early episodes feel more like a documentary about what it was like to be rich in the early 2000s and the drama is mostly based around the women’s children and romantic relationships as opposed to their relationships with each other.
If you don’t want to watch all the way from the beginning, I personally recommend starting on or around season seven. Some of the more dynamic and long-lasting housewives are introduced at this point but you also get a taste of some of the more iconic early cast members. No matter where you start, the women are never afraid to bring their personal lives onto the show. You’ll see messy divorces, estranged children, business ventures, screaming matches, and even a cancer-faking boyfriend.
“The Real Housewives of New York”
Number of seasons: 12
Where to start watching: Season one
One of (if not the) strongest franchise, RHONY is a great series to begin your journey with. Unlike some of the other franchises, it’s worth starting from the beginning and watching all the way through because so many of the original cast members are still part of the show. The original concept for RHONY was a show about parents navigating the elite private school system in New York City and even though that idea was abandoned, you still get to feel like you’re experiencing life as a wealthy New Yorker. The first few seasons center around summers in the Hamptons, Fashion Week and charity events. Eventually, the show moves on to focus more on the women’s business ventures and personal lives, but it never gets boring. This series has everything: divorce, addiction, financial problems, tabloid scandals and more.
What makes RHONY so great and worth watching in full is that there’s really not a bad season or a bad cast. The drama is always consistent and in almost all the iterations of the cast, every woman holds her own. These women are dynamic, business-savvy and somehow relatable too. If you enjoy watching insults fly and no-holds barred drama, you’re in for a dream come true.
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”
Number of seasons: 11
Where to start watching: Season one
If you’re hoping to see excessive wealth, sprawling mansions, and celebrity cameos, Beverly Hills has all this and more. What can be fun about Beverly Hills is that the first seasons start off really strong and cover a lot of compelling drama. There’s a lot of glamour and fabulous social events on Beverly Hills but the show also captures a lot of dark moments too. In the first few seasons alone, there’s divorce, alcoholism, a family feud, domestic abuse and more.
Because of the location, many of the cast members are actors or former actors which adds an extra level of celebrity to the show. In the most recent seasons, the show has gotten a little stale and the narrative is a little too controlled. However, the addition of first black cast member Garcelle Beauvais is a welcome change to the franchise and hopefully the show can get back to what it once was.
“The Real Housewives of Potomac”
Number of Seasons: five (Season five is airing now)
Where to start: Season one or two
If you’re looking to start housewives but aren’t ready for the commitment of a large backlog of seasons, Potomac will not disappoint. Potomac is the second all-black housewives ensemble and its relatively unknown location and slightly dull first season has led to it going unwatched by many diehard housewives fans.
Potomac is a great franchise because like New York, all the women can hold their own. The cast has remained mostly unchanged since the beginning and because of this, the women have real relationships and real drama with each other. They also aren’t afraid to call each other out on sketchy marriages, financial scandals, and more. Unlike some of the older franchises, Potomac has only gotten better with time and their most recent season is their best yet. It’s a series worth sticking with and it’s only getting better.
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta”
Number of Seasons: 12
Where to start watching: Season one
If you’re ready to immerse yourself in the world of Housewives, Atlanta is mandatory viewing. Atlanta was the first ensemble to cast women of color and it quickly became the most talked about franchise within seasons of being on air.
While the older episodes of RHOA can feel a little clunky, it’s hard to justify skipping ahead because there are so many iconic moments. The Atlanta women are known for their shade, epic one-liners and unforgettable moments. But while the show has plenty of drama and arguments, you also get to see extravagant wealth, scandals and much more. It’s a must watch for any housewives fan and it’s a genuinely enjoyable experience too. Similar to Beverly Hills, the later seasons don’t always match up to the earlier ones, but this franchise still has a lot to offer.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey
Number of Seasons: 10 Where to start: Season one, skip seasons five and six, and start again at season seven
Even if you’ve never watched the show, you’ve probably heard about the drama that happens on RHONJ, namely the scandal and subsequent arrest of original cast member Theresa Giudice. While this is an interesting and shocking story on its own, it’s even more crazy to watch it play out on TV.
The first few seasons of RHONJ are truly reality TV gold and will not disappoint. The New Jersey women might not bring the class of New York or the glamour of Beverly Hills, but they do bring some of the most entertaining family drama of any franchise. You’ll find yourself unable to stop watching and repeatedly trying to figure out which families have ties to the mob. The middle seasons (especially season 6) are pretty rough and you can either just the watch the reunions or skip them entirely. Either way, things have picked up again in recent seasons and the show is considered a classic for a reason.
“The Real Housewives of Dallas”
Number of Seasons: four
Where to start watching: Season one or two
Just like Potomac, Dallas hasn’t been around that long and it’s a good franchise to watch if you’re looking for a low-commitment housewives experience. Season 1 is decent, but Season 2 is better, and you probably won’t feel like you missed much if you decide to start from there.
Dallas hasn’t had a lot of iconic must-watch moments so far, but it is still a solid franchise to get into. The women are extremely wealthy, and you’ll get see some of the most fabulous houses and lifestyles of all time. Besides this, the women have genuine relationships and drama with each other which can be highly entertaining to watch. It’s a lot of classic housewives elements all in one show and a few seasons that are worth the watch!
Overall, you can’t really go wrong. No matter what city you start watching, you’re in for drama, glamour, and an escape from the craziness of 2020.