A Guide To Delving Into Real Housewives If Yr Keen For Chaos But Have No Clue Where To Start

After a long hard slog at work, it’s nice to tune out with some mindless viewing and for that, I’ve found there’s nothing more comforting than The Real Housewives.

The spicy reality series documents the lives of a select few wealthy women in various cities. You see their opulent homes, their family scandals, and their wild interactions with the other women on their respective cast.

In the past I’d dabbled in The Real Housewives here and there, but I didn’t fully immerse myself in the reality telly world until lockdown. And believe me when I say it legit got me through the first locky-d (and all the ones after that).

Since becoming a Real Housewives stan is such a massive undertaking, what with all the different cities, seasons and Housewives to keep up with, here’s a guide to help you get started.

Below, I’ve listed the various franchises in the order in which you should watch them. You’re welcome.

The Real Housewives of New York City

RHONY is the big, bright, shining jewel in the Real Housewives crown.

It may not be the one that started it all, but most fans will agree that it was the one that put the entire series on the map (soz Vicki Gunvalson).

This is the perfect show to start with as it showcases the evolution of The Real Housewives, starting way back in 2008 and clocking 13 seasons so far.

In my opinion, RHONY is all killer no filler. This will have you HOOKED on the franchise and wanting more.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

After the quick pace of RHONY, sink your teeth into the slower paced but more grandiose Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

The series is definitely one of the most iconic of all the franchises, charting the lives of Kyle and Kim Richards (AKA the aunts of Paris Hilton) and later Kathy Hilton herself (Paris’ mum), as well as their many rich mates.

The show recently made headlines when one of its cast members Erika Jayne became embroiled in a public legal scandal after her estranged husband, Tom Girardi, was accused of allegedly embezzling money that was intended for the families of plane crash victims and funnelling it into Erika’s entertainment business.

And guess what? The whole thing is documented on the most recent season of RHOBH! We love to see it.

There’s a new season coming in May so gird your loins!

The Real Housewives of Orange County

In terms of pace, lifestyle, and luxury, Orange County has a similar vibe to RHOBH so this will be smooth transition for you.

RHOC was the first-ever Real Housewives, so this is essential viewing.

The first few seasons in particular are very budget and clunky but in the absolute BEST way. It’s golden reality TV and watching the show evolve over time is bloody fascinating.

New eps of RHOC are currently airing on Hayu with new ones dropping weekly.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Speaking of iconic, no one on this planet is more iconic than the queen of Atlanta, Nene Leakes.

Not only has the show delivered some of the greatest moments and one-liners of any reality show I’ve ever seen, but it’s also given us some pretty glorious GIFs that I use regularly:

Here’s just a few:

The series is still going strong, with the latest season set to drop in May, so ya better get started ASAP so you’re ready to roll!

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

I know I said Real Housewives of New York put Housewives on the map, but if I had to pick out a single scene that the whole thing is known for, it would most definitely be the infamous Teresa Giudice table-flip.

RHONJ follows two families of Italians, showcasing the wild beef that goes on between them (and I don’t mean the beef in their spaghetti bolognese).

Another reason why you may have already heard of this one is because Teresa and her husband Joe Giudice were incarcerated on charges of mail, wire, and bankruptcy fraud.

Just like the Erika Jayne case, the whole thing is documented on the show, along with many other chaotic family dramas.

In fact, it’s current season is currently airing on Hayu with new eps dropping weekly.

The Real Housewives of Dallas

Now that you’re deep in the trenches of The Real Housewives, so let’s explore some of the more recent seasons.

The Real Housewives of Dallas is a rootin’ tootin’ good time, charting the lifestyles of the rich and shameless in the Southern state.

Don’t let the fact that the plug was pulled on RHOD after five seasons deter you from giving it a crack. It’s a bloody hoot and a half!

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Another recent addition to the franchise, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City follows the fabulous Mormon women of Utah.

There are some v. interesting characters on this cast, including Jen Shah, who was recently criminally charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud.

Much like RHONJ and RHOBH, RHOSLC documents the rise and fall of Jen Shah, including the moment the feds descended on the cast during filming to arrest her.

It’s by far the most chaotic shit I’ve ever seen on a reality show EVER.

The Real Housewives of Potomac

Premiering in 2016 and spanning six scenes of gloriousness, The Real Housewives of Potomac is a hidden gem in The Real Housewives world.

Although it’s not quite as iconic as the other shows as it starting later on in the piece, die-hard Real Housewives stans often say that you simply cannot call yourself a fellow stan unless you’ve delved into Potomac.

The series is still kicking and the drama’s only heating up, so defs hit this one!

The Real Housewives of Miami

So now that you’re a Real Housewives aficionado, let’s end things on the recently revived Real Housewives of Miami.

The series kicked off in 2010 and ran for three seasons before being pulled, but it’s back by popular demand with a new season and it is absolutely KILLER.

The location is stunning, the ladies are bonkers, and there’s heaps of reality TV gold in there.

Every Real Housewives franchise mentioned here is now streaming on Hayu so now that you have your handy guide, go ahead and dive in!

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