We, as reality television consumers, have astronomically high expectations. We have been spoiled with such exceptional series that when they don’t feel like they’re reaching the point of their heyday, we feel let down. Such is the case for The Real Housewives. The early seasons of the OG franchises have an important place in reality television. If you refer to a table flip or Scary Island or that cat meme, it’s because of the impact the Bravo shows have had on pop culture.
One reason they had such longevity is because of the ability to swap cast members in and out. The show would constantly shift as new friendships and rivalries emerged. And for a long period of time, we’ve used it as a band-aid. When we didn’t like a cast or recognized a show was falling off a cliff when certain cast members refused to film together, we’d beg Andy Cohen and Bravo for a reboot or recast. And now, it seems the call for change occurs after every season now. It’s a dark timeline for The Real Housewives Cinematic Universe as we learn that there may be an expiration date for these franchises.
How You Know ‘The Real Housewives’ Is in Trouble
Since 2006, The Real Housewives has changed the face of reality television. As each new addition joined the family, they simply took off. They had a similar formula but showcased a different region of the country, and thus different stories. Some of the series were groundbreaking for the women they featured, such as The Real Housewives of Atlanta, or for their pop culture impact, like The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Others just couldn’t find their footing, like The Real Housewives of D.C. But in the end, the demand for more has always been at the top of Bravo’s priority list. Unlike a fine wine, The Real Housewives doesn’t age beautifully. And that’s partially our fault.
Unless you’re a flat-out cancellation, fans demand a reset when they believe their favorite series aren’t working. But when you do it so often, is it really helping or hurting? Cast swaps help with longevity, but is there actually a sell-by date on The Real Housewives? The shows have shifted from their original mission statement to prioritize highlighting drama at every turn, rather than showcasing the average wife and mother. You know, the reality television tropes. We don’t want to see the shows go away, but have certain franchises reached the end of their rope?
Perhaps the biggest sign that The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is in trouble was the addition of Rachel Zoe as a diamond holder. Her casting is a major move for Bravo as it marks her triumphant return to reality television, but to drop her into the turmoil currently embroiling the women of 90210 seems like a last-ditch method to fix the bigger problems the series is facing. If you have Rachel Zoe to distract, then you don’t have to force Kyle Richards to talk about her personal life! it all seems calculated, which is ironic. That’s how certain storylines have played out.
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The Various Ways ‘The Real Housewives’ Tried to Reinvent Itself
The Real Housewives of New York City has always been a top-tier series. But after Season 13’s negative reception, Bravo opted to start from scratch, recast the series, and reboot RHONY. Two seasons into the experiment, RHONY has a new set of woes. And it’s the same issue every other franchise has experienced. Something’s not working. And thus, the show is in that infamous Bravo “pause.” Across the Hudson River, The Real Housewives of New Jersey is facing its own limbo. Because Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga refuse to film together, causing a rift within the rest of the cast, the show is currently chemistry testing as Dolores Catania is spending the summer with a new Italian-American friend group, as a new East Coast-centric series is on its heels. Does it mean there’s a chance these shows could be kaput? With RHONY failing the reboot test, will other shows be unable to attempt the reboot theory?
If it’s too hard to completely gut a show, there have been ways to fix the chemistry with old faces. The Real Housewives of Atlanta was facing a massive cast drop before Season 16, so they brought back Porsha Williams in hopes it would soften the uncertainty of the three new cast members. We’ve clearly learned that the Brit Eady experiment bombed. Right now, the only way to save RHOA is to convince NeNe Leakes to come back and shake things up. There’s always the opportunity to invite someone who has left and give them less work as a “Friend Of,” like Cynthia Bailey on RHOA or Taylor Armstrong, jumping from RHOBH to RHOC. The 19th Season of RHOC is trying to bring an old friend back, Gretchen Rossi, back to the fold, but after watching the new trailer, it’s hard to wonder if the sell-by date has arrived. When the trailer features a lie detector test to fill the 3-minute-long trailer, is it fluff or storytelling?
There will never be a time on the Bravo lineup when there won’t be at least one episode of The Real Housewives airing each week. It’s just a matter of which franchises will last long enough. We will be shattered if we lose our shows, so should we expect less and stop complaining about every little thing? Maybe! Right now, all we can hope for is that The Real Housewives of Rhode Island has more success than the last new addition, The Real Housewives of Dubai, which really should return. At least The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is thriving! Don’t touch that one Bravo. It’s perfect as it is.
