Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[NothinButAttitude]

Yikes.

I am on the fence with this. Yes, it'll provide good drama on the show and bring Alexis back, but I can see this getting drawn out and putting OC back into a slump again. 

I can foresee the first half of the season the women being pro-Alexis and telling Shannon to get over it, and then for TamRat to flip the script and lead an army against Alexis the second half as Shannon becomes wounded bird. 

I guess we'll see in upcoming weeks what happens as OC should start filming soon. 

[Cheap21]

I want the cast to be

Tamra

Heather

Shannon

Alexis

Vickie

Jen

I could tolerate Emily back but definitely not Gina except in a friend capacity so she can react to Shanon's DUI

[NothinButAttitude]

Shockingly, I want Gina back full-time this one season given how much dirt Shannon did to her last season. I think this might be the season that would define Gina as a mainstay for further seasons, OR it would clarify to Bravo that Gina's time ran up and needed to be let go. And this is coming from someone that isn't a Gina fan at all. 

I think we all think it is logical for Vicki to come back; however, that ship has sailed. I feel like her award at BravoCon was Andy's way of bidding her adieu. Andy/Bravo have never gotten over Vicki trying to sue the network. While they gave her a spot on two UGT spinoffs (even though the Moroccan one will NEVER see the light of day) and some episodes on the last OC season, you could just tell that award was to finally close the door on Vicki for the foreseeable future. Plus, it didn't help her case that last season was doing well much without her. 

I do wish that now that Alexis might be coming back that they'd eventually be open to the idea of Gretchen coming back. I think Gretchen would be smarter in how she plays the game. Plus, I want to see how she'd be with Tamra nowadays. I wanna see how her and Alexis would react to each other now. Her and Shannon had a chilly interaction on WWHL back in season 10. Would that change now that Tamra/Shannon have fallen out again? And she's already friends with Emily and Heather. And would she trauma bond with Jen over Tamra using their relationships as stories? 

Gretchen returning would open the door to my beloved Lizzie coming back. I always felt Lizzie deserved more seasons. She is the one woman besides Kelly to truly rattle Tamra. 

Lastly, Gretchen has somehow weasel her way into the wealthy Persian wives of OC community as she stays latched to Leyla Milani, Lily Ghalichi (formerly of Shahs of Sunset), etc. By bringing her back, that makes it easy to access and cast young, wealthy women in the OC that are dying to get on a reality show.

[Taoboi]

Uh...

[DRW50]

For some reason when I clicked on this thread it took me back to 2015. I saw mention of Cynthia kicking Porsha in the stomach and thought, "Again??"

[Antoyne]

Why was this topic moved from the main Primetime forum? It airs on Bravo even if NBC Universal owns the network. Peacock gets the replays. @Toups @Errol????

[Errol]

Not that I need to explain myself, but I am re-organizing the primetime forums because there's too much disorganization and it is hard to find a thread about any specific show, and there are duplicates in certain parts. The hope is to get things organized similar to how the Discuss the Soaps: Cancelled Soaps forum is organized.

Yes, this franchise airs on Bravo, which is an NBC | Peacock property. To help people find the thread in case they start worrying, I have implemented an informed re-direct for 30 days which is more than enough time to get people to find the thread within its proper home. 

Starting on Monday, January 1, there will be a link available listing all shows and the discussion threads attributed to them to better provide visitors with the ability to discuss anything about said show with people who also watch it as well. This will cut back on clutter and allow proper continuity for commentary.

[Antoyne]

Thanks

[Liberty City]

The re-organization, once understanding of what's been done, is brilliant.

[Gray Bunny]

Alrighty folks, let's get this Best & Worst of the Housewives 2023 party started!

As usual, some of the specifics of the first half of the year are blurry, so the more current shows are fresh in my mind. I'm sure I'll add and subtract as we go along

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  Also to note for my own list:  I do not watch Miami or Dubai.  My advance apologies if I went overboard on the categories this year. I was inspired by browsing through an old Best & Worst Digest of '96... (i.e. Best Shows: Y&R/DAYS/GH;  Most Disappointing Show: ATWT;  Worst Story: Roger's Gaslighting on GL;  Best Story: GH's Cassadine saga, etc... Good times). 

 

BEST RETURN: Tamra Judge, RHOC. From the moment she reclaimed her orange on Watch What Happens Live, we knew we were in for something good. And boy, did she deliver. Right out of the gate, she caused drama with old friends, made new enemies, and even managed to alienate the newbie that she brought on to the show! Yes, I will admit she went a tad overboard and could’ve held some of her cards for the next season, but she wanted everyone to remember why she makes for good reality TV. Welcome back Tamra [and welcome back Eddie, one of the finest Househusbands].

WORST RETURN: Kelly Bensimon, RHUGT: RHONY Legacy. If Kelly was hoping to repair her image and show the world she’s not “CRAZY KELLY,” she fell flat on that conquest. A mere three episodes in, and she has already shown us she has not changed one bit from her days of Scary Island, Chef. Vs. Cook, I’m Up Here / You’re Down Here, You Called Me Madonna, and other aloof, unintelligible, and contradictory remarks that make her so frustrating to watch.

BEST FRIEND-OF RETURN: Mary Cosby, RHOSLC.  She’s mean, she’s judgmental, she doesn’t want to participate in anything. Yet, she’s here and we’re here for it. Oh sure, not everyone is going to agree with me on this one, but her outspokenness is like listening to a 90-year-old woman with no filter, not giving a damn who she insults. It made for outrageous reality TV, which is what this franchise needed for the first half of the season.

BEST EXIT: Lisa Rinna, RHOBH. She’s gone and that’s what matters. On pause, on rest, temporarily fired, who cares what the spin may be. She’s out, which is what RHOBH needed to continue.

BEST NEWCOMER, Part I: Monica Garcia, RHOSLC. Without seeing the finale or reunion, she has thus far been a welcome addition to the Beehive State. Perhaps she is graded on a curve because RHOSLC was in desperate need of new blood and new alliances. Whatever the case may be, she has opened up more so than the majority of her cast members have given us in four years.

BEST NEWCOMER, Part II: Jennifer Pedranti, RHOC. OC has had trouble finding solid newcomers in recent years, so when Jennifer Pedranti was brought in as a friend of Tamra’s my initial thought was:  Another busty blonde named Jen; another one season wonder.  How delightful to see I was wrong. Jennifer has been a welcome addition to the cast and will hopefully forge new friendships with other cast members next season since her “friend” Tamra treated her like trailer trash (how ironic).

WORST NEWCOMER: Sai De Silva, RHONY.  When the OG of the original cast says you’re a dud, you’re a dud. I can see Bravo going either way: give her another year to try to endear herself to the audience, or Katie Rost her ass and bring in someone fabulous to replace her.

BEST TREND, Part I: Old Housewife, New City. (Taylor Armstrong, from BH to OC). We’ve seen cast crossovers in the past, but never in this capacity. From the moment we were re-introduced to our favorite girl from Oklahoma, she looked like she belonged in Orange County all along. She fit the show and the show fit her, so it is a shame to hear she will not be back next season. Our loss. However, let’s hope the door is not closed on potentially bringing back old faces in new territories. [How about a more permanent stay for Cynthia Bailey on RHOBH…?]  

BEST TREND, Part II: Guest Appearances.  We’ve seen many former housewives return at party functions all the time. But a guest appearance from a former Wife is extra delicious when it actually drives story. Charrisse’s return to the Potomac fold reignited an old feud between her and Karen Huger. Denise Richards popping back in on RHOBH has caused the old, ugly nasty demeanor of Erika Jayne to resurface. And the OG of them all, Vicki Gunvalson, returned to RHOC to reunite the Tres Amigas, for better or worse, and added layers of laughter and drama during the cast trip. [Plus, who doesn’t love the side comments of Camille Grammer and the morally corrupt Faye Resnick at dinner?]

WORST TREND, Part I: Producer Interference. Housewives have become improvisational soap operas. Set up the time, place, characters, and bullet point topics to discuss and GO!  From endless desperate attempts to recreate dinner parties from hell, to awkward conversations that real friends would never discuss in front of other people, the “realness” of Real Housewives has been sorely lacking for nearly a decade, with no signs of reverting back to the more simple days of Kim and Nene getting dressed for a party in a parking lot, or having on-the-fly talking head shots on a city sidewalk.

WORST TREND, PART II: Previews of Clips that Don’t Make It On Air.  You’re flat out lying to the audience with these bait and switch promo tactics. Show it or stop it.

WORST TREND, PART III: Not airing the opening themes. It is the most iconic aspect of the Housewives brand. Why keep it out of so many episodes?

MOST CRINGEWORTHY MOMENT: Drew Sidora singing to Ralph at the RHOA Reunion.  Drew and Ralph’s crumbling marriage was the frontburner story in the second half of the season, filled with rumors of cheating on both sides. Despite their impending divorce and whispers of Drew being with another woman, Ralph appeared at the reunion and Drew sang… directly to him… on camera… with everyone else watching.  Iconic. 

BEST NEW CATCHPHRASE: "Name 'em!" by Sutton Stracke, RHOBH.  An instant new Housewives classic meme. 

BEST FEUD: Heather vs. Everyone, RHOC.  The gang up on Heather Dubrow was unnecessary, yet the fabulous ice queen of the OC paid them dust every single time. Heather’s life, her solid marriage, her real estate porn, etc. automatically makes her a winner against the jealous “peasant” castmates. On the finale episode, Tamra was looking to create a moment, yet Heather shot her down flawlessly. It’s a pleasant surprise to hear Heather is returning next season, because she’d be a shoo-in as the next Wife to jump to another series (RHOBH). I can’t wait to see how she handles the heifers next year.

WORST FEUD: Teresa Guidice vs. Melissa Gorga, RHONJ. This has been exhausted to point that nobody’s a winner, including us viewers. Clearly, these family members hate one another. Hate. It’s no longer trainwreck TV. It’s just a cringy mess with no good outcome. I am legit surprised the entire cast is returning for 2024.  Runners up: Margaret vs. Jennifer, RHONJ. Same reason. Enough is enough.

BEST ALLIANCE: Garcelle and Sutton’s friendship, RHOBH. Rarely do we see a friendship where they truly have each other’s backs, even when one person is wrong, but these two are thick as thieves and will always support one another.  

WORST ALLIANCES: The cliques of Real Housewives of Potomac. This show is slipping into toxic territory. There is a clear line in the sand of who likes who and who wants the other one gone. Much like old-school RHONY where everyone is strategizing to ice out the outsider, this is another game where we the audience end up the losers.

BEST QUEEN OF THEIR CITY: Karen Huger, RHOP. The Grande Dame knows her role of the show, which is currently to be the bridge and peacemaker amongst the fighting, petty arguments, and all out hatred. Still, in the midst of being that proverbial fence, her humor and essence brings lightness and fun to a show that has lost some of its luster.  

BEST QUEEN OF THE FORMER OG’s: Luann de Lesseps, RHONY.  Sure, the original RHONY is likely to never return as we knew it, but we just can’t count out the Countess. Whether she’s reappearing on an Ultimate Girls Trip or being spun off to Crappie Lake, there’s always a home for Luann on Bravo in some capacity. Here’s to hoping she and Sonja get a second season of their Simple Life-like series.

BEST SHOW: Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.  Good or bad, they know who they are, and they own it… unless they’re at risk of getting booted off the show (Hi Dorit; Hi Erika). Just when we think they’re down, they come back swinging. Real drama in their lives (Hi Kyle & Mauricio!) always makes for excellent reality television, versus manufactured petty drama about something stupid like cheese. Bravo wisely cut their losses with their most toxic cast member (Rinna), got rid of some dead weight (Diana… who?), and truly lucked out when the messy Mo & Kyle separation made the headlines.

MOST IMPROVED SHOW: Real Housewives of Orange County. After some truly lackluster seasons, it felt like old home week with the return of Tamra Judge in the fold, immediately causing mayhem after mayhem, revitalizing the original Housewives show that started it all. Everyone stepped their game up this season, from Heather to Shannon, to perennial underdogs Gina and Emily. We even got another new Jen (Pedranti), who has legs to last another season.

MOST TOXIC SHOW: Real Housewives of New Jersey.  Guidice vs. Gorga; Margaret vs. Jennifer; newbies getting ugly right off the bat… With an endless family feud that has sunken to the point of no return, it’s hard to imagine they have filmed yet another season with the current cast intact. Surely, 2024 will be its final year showcasing them all. Right? Please say yes, Bravo.

MOST DISAPPOINTING SHOW: Real Housewives of Atlanta.  Once upon a time, RHOA was the bread and butter of Bravo, breaking Nielsen records left and right. Nowadays, it is a shell of its former self.  While we enjoy seeing familiar faces like Kandi, Kenya, and Sheree, nearly everything fell flat this year. The ensemble cast does not gel together as a cohesive group of friends, and newer faces like Drew and Sanya just aren’t enticing viewers to tune in. A major overhaul is expected and much needed. Could a much-missed blast from the past being returning to snatch her peach back…? Bloop!

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by Gray Bunny
Reason for edit: Name 'em.

[DaytimeFan]

Best & Worst of the Housewives 2023 

BEST RETURN: Tamra Judge, RHOC. Let's face it, love her or hate her, Tammy Sue is a bad person, a friend to no one, and a great Real Housewife. One caveat is Tamra's penchant for producing is going to be her downfall because nothing she does is organic and it's like she's forgotten how to exist in the RH universe. 

WORST RETURN: Kelly Bensimon, RHUGT: RHONY Legacy. Kelly is as insane and delusional as ever. If she thought a return to the Housewives would somehow alter the perception of the audience, or boost her business, she is sorely mistaken. Her attitude is nasty, entitled, and idiotic. 

BEST FRIEND OF: Jenn Fessler, RHONJ. Any woman who bursts onto her franchise candidly admitting to plastic surgery and having sex with James Gandolfini is good in my books. She is a hoot and added much needed levity to an otherwise increasingly toxic show. 

BEST EXIT: Lisa Rinna, RHOBH. Ding dong, the witch is gone. This latest season has proven that Rinna was surplus to requirements and is not missed in the slightest. Her exit paved the way for a revitalized Erika Girardi and the exposure of Kyle Richards for the vicious bitch many of us always knew she was. 

BEST NEWCOMER, Part I: Monica Garcia, RHOSLC. While we wait with baited breath to see the conclusion of SLC, and the ultimate fallout, there is no denying that Monica added drama to this season. Whether she burns hard and burns out is yet to be determined. 

WORST NEWCOMER: Annemarie Wiley, RHOBH. Sure, she's got the shoulders and jawline of Mike Tyson, but this recent addition fails to pack a punch. Flopmarie attempted to weaponize her medical background and dismiss Sutton's esophageal condition, but a tsunami of audience backlash, supported by Dr. Nicole of Miami and Dr. Moon of Dallas, crushed Flopmarie's accusations. While her husband might rate her a solid 8.5, Flopmarie should be a one and done and be relegated to Housewives history after the end of this season.

BEST TREND: Guest Appearances.  If we can't get back our faves as full time housewives, then we'll happily take the guest appearances that spread across most franchises this season. There are parallels to be drawn between the Housewives guest appearances we've been treated to this year, from Camille Grammar, Denise Richards, Kim Richards, and Faye Resnick on BH to guest returns on our soaps from a beloved vet. 

WORST TREND: Rebooting. I am not a fan of nuRHONY and I think rebooting a franchise has set a dangerous precedent and like the Frons years at ABC Daytime, has shown that Bravo is becoming youth obsessed and happy to dump their longstanding talent in pursuit of younger demographics. 

MOST CRINGEWORTHY MOMENT: Drew Sidora singing to Ralph at the RHOA Reunion.  While Ralph Pittman is, indeed, the pits, Drew's rendition of Throw Us Away, which had serious 1990s Vh1 Divas Live undertones, had reunion host Andy Cohen visibly uncomfortable. 

BEST FEUD: Heather vs. Everyone, RHOC.  As Heather offloaded her Newport Coast mansion for a massive windfall, the balance of the cast didn't seem to have a good word to say about her. But Mrs. Dubrow fought back and won over audiences, much to the surprise of Tamra Judge. 

WORST FEUD: Whitney vs. Everyone, RHSLC. Whitney Rose tried to drum up a feud with each and every one of her cast members in a desperate attempt to be relevant. Audiences weren't buying it and Whitney proved that she's no longer needed on the show and should probably face the chopping block.

BEST ALLIANCE: Garcelle and Sutton’s friendship, RHOBH. These two, a perhaps unlikely pairing, understand the meaning of friendship and I sincerely hope we never see them turn on each other. 

WORST ALLIANCES: The Green Eyed Bitches, RHOP. As RHOP teeters into toxic territory, there is a gruesome twosome, plus a sidekick, that are the root of the rot: Gizelle, Robyn, and Ashley are making this show less and less fun to watch as they stoke an ugly feud with new cast member Nneka with their foe, Wendy, that has left the newbie looking mean and petty. All three display a level of hypocrisy 

BEST QUEEN OF THEIR CITY: Karen Huger, RHOP. They don't call her The Grande Dame for nothing. Karen Huger stays funny, stays fearless, and stays fabulous. As she reached a milestone 60, Karen's proven that age looks good on her. 

BEST QUEEN OF THE FORMER OG’s: Luann de Lesseps, RHONY. The Countess cannot ever be counted out. From UGT to Crappie Lake, Luann is game for anything that Bravo wants her to be involved in and the audience is generally very happy to see her. She's evolved from a haughty, uptight Countess, to an evolved single girl who can laugh at herself. Honourable mention to Sonja Morgan, Luann's partner in crime for both Bravo ventures this year. I hope we see more of both of them in 2024. In Memoriam to Vicki Gunvalson's Bravo career - I believe the Wifetime Achievement Award she got at Bravocon was actually a goodbye present and Andy Cohen's attempt at closing the door on the OG of the OC. 

BEST SHOW: Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.  One of the most consistently watchable franchises, this year has been particularly satisfying for some viewers as Kyle Richards found herself in the hot seat and unable to wriggle out of her own admonition to "be honest!"

MOST IMPROVED SHOW: Real Housewives of Orange County. This show was likely close to the verge of cancellation during the Covid years when it seriously faltered and struggled to get casting right, but with newcomer Jenn and returning housewife Tamra, it was a return to form. If Alexis joins in 2024, expect fireworks. 

MOST TOXIC SHOW: Real Housewives of Potomac. This is the first time I have struggled to watch the show and get through episodes as the fights are not fun and never ending among most of the cast. Throw in grating individual scenes with admitted golddigger Mia and there's little to like about this franchise aside from Karen Huger. 

MOST DISAPPOINTING SHOW: Real Housewives of Atlanta.  This show is in desperate need of intervention. Not one memorable storyline in years. The fun shade is gone. The self producing cast members (cough, Kenya, Marlo, Drew, cough) have run amok, and the show feels like it's running on fumes. A major retool is needed. 

[Gray Bunny]

Great picks @DaytimeFan I agree about Jenn Fessler from NJ. 
 

And I cannot believe I forgot to include one that was on my mind all day: 

BEST NEW CATCHPHRASE: “Name ‘em!” as repeated by Sutton Stracke, RHOBH. An instant new Housewives classic. 

[Soaplovers]

Best & Worst of the Housewives 2023 

BEST RETURN: Tamra Judge, RHOC :  Tamra is a rat, but she's our rat and she does know how to stir a pot better then anyone else I've seen.

WORST RETURN: Dorinda  RHUGT.  There is a reason she was put on pause and her two seasons on the UGT really highlight that she's just a mean person.. rather she's sober or drunk.

BEST FRIEND OF: Jenn Fessler, RHONJ.  I wish I could have said Taylor Armstrong, but that wasn't to be.   Jenn was just quirky, wacky, and kind of had realistic responses to the drama surrounding her.

BEST EXIT (Tie): Lisa Rinna, RHOBH and the OG cast of RHONY: 

It was time for Lisa to go because she'd told her story and stirred the pot one too many times.  Sutton has nicely inherited the pot stirring duties and is doing beautifully thus far.   

It was time for the NY housewives to take a pause because it was tired and needed a rest... plus Leah/Eboni killed it.  I think just featuring the OG on UGT is a beautiful compromise.  

BEST NEWCOMER: Jenn RHOC.  I was so happy to see the franchise go back to basics when looking for a new housewife and cast a Lauri Waring lookalike.. only without her talent for finding a fat wallet.   She has her own Slade (Ryan), kids, an ex, and she was the latest blonde haired target of Tamra... yet she had a backbone and didn't let Tamra get the best of her.

WORST NEWCOMER: Annemarie Wiley, RHOBH. I nickname her Try Hard Marie because she's coming in too quickly before we have a chance to get to know her.  And the fact she's friends with Vyle Kyle and is acting like her bodyguard tells me all I need to know.

BEST TREND: Guest Appearances.  The OC used to do return visits from the housewives of the past.. and I hope they one day do that again (The season 4 finale party was the gold standard for guest appearances on a housewife show).   I did like Camille, Denise, and Kim coming back for visits and recreating the dinner from hell from season 1.

WORST TREND: Lack of cast replacement. When a cast combination doesn't work, you don't maintain that combination into a second season.   I think one of the things I love about the OC is that they've never had the same cast from season to season.. there is always a cast change here and there though I wish Gina/Emily would go from OC, Robyn/Mia would leave Potomac, and Marlo/Sanja would say bye bye on Atlanta.  They've given their audition and people have said 'time to go'.

MOST CRINGEWORTHY MOMENT: Kyle and Morgan RHOBH.  Kyle has always been second fiddle... she's the Robyn Dixon of BH.  Seeing her and Morgan together is just so cringe because we know Kyle will tire of Morgan and toss her aside when a shiny new person comes into view.

BEST FEUD: Tamra vs. Jenn, RHOC.  I was intrigued with this feud because Tamra always targets the new 'hottie" (Gretchen, Alexis, Lizzie) while the other girls would be driven to tears or be unable to fight back verbally.  Jenn was refreshing because she would push back and it led to a few meltdowns from Tamra and it made Jenn one of the better newbies in a long time on the OC.

WORST FEUD: Whitney vs. Everyone, RHSLC. Why is Whitney still on the show?  Her antics helped her hubby get fired from his job, and was put out when he actually found a new job... and she whines and makes a mountain out of a molehill.

BEST ALLIANCE: Garcelle and Sutton’s friendship, RHOBH. The Odd Couple comes to mind and I love it. 

WORST ALLIANCES: The Green Eyed Bitches, RHOP. I used to love Gizelle/Robyn in the earlier seasons when they were fun messy... but now they've become so mean.

BEST QUEEN OF THEIR CITY: No one. I prefer ensemble shows and I think having someone be 'queen' makes them immune to being replaced when sometimes replacing them might give a show a new lease on life.

BEST QUEEN OF THE FORMER OG’s: LVP, RHOBH. I do miss Jackie and Joan Collin's younger sister.. who made the first few seasons so funny with her quirkiness and bemusement at Americans in Beverly Hills... and could stir a few pots.

BEST SHOW: Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.  So far, this has been a good season.. and next season, I would cut loose Dorit or Ericka in order to keep the show from getting stale/toxic.

MOST IMPROVED SHOW: Real Housewives of Orange County. Dubrow becoming an anti-heroine, Tamra back to stirring trouble, and a newbie named Jenn has helped the show regain some lost ground after the disasters of Brownie, Elizabeth (who I liked), Jenn 1, and Noella.

MOST TOXIC SHOW: Real Housewives of Potomac.   h  I see people remark how this show has maintained 4 of their OGs (Gizelle, Robyn, Karen, and Ashley) and make it seem like a good thing.  It isn't a good thing because you need to change up a cast and Robyn/Ashley have worn out their welcome.. and Mia should have been fired for having Patricia Thomas (Peter Thomas) appear on Potomac and get involved in girl drama last season.

MOST DISAPPOINTING SHOW: Real Housewives of Atlanta.  Last season the cast combination did not work and fans were saying this.. but the producers decided to keep the same cast for a 2nd season and are surprised that the show is still not working.   Definition of insanity is doing the same thing twice and expecting a different outcome the 2nd time.

[Antoyne]

I actually agree with all of your picks except I would say RHOSLC has had the best season of any cast this year.

[Antoyne]

The most recent UGT RHONY was easily the best one this season. It was just such a fun light breezy episode with amazing flashbacks for the scavenger hunt. Again I’m reminded by the total lack of humor or fun on nuRHONY.