Bravo’s The Real Housewives is a popular franchise that has generated years of entertaining reality television with various spin-offs, such as The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The franchise made its initial mark in 2008 with The Real Housewives of Orange County and since then, there have been a string of new series set in various locations across the United States of America, taking an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the lives of some of America’s most wealthy and successful women, including Bethenny Frankel, Nene Leakes and Lisa Vanderpump.
Out of all the spin-off series, some have been short-lived, like The Real Housewives of Dallas, and others, such as The Real Housewives of New York City, continue to go strong with over a dozen seasons. From the controversial single season of The Real Housewives of D.C. to the most recently spawned series, The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip, these are all 12 of the Real Housewives spin-off series, ranked!
12. ‘The Real Housewives of D.C.’ (2010)
Cast: Michaele Salahi, Mary Schmidt, and Catherine Ashley Ommanney
In August 2010, the franchise traveled to the nation’s capital with the spin-off series, The Real Housewives of D.C., which featured several successful ladies, including former model, Michaele Salahi, and entrepreneur, Stacie Turner. From hosting polo matches and extravagant events to more personal moments, such as Turner searching for her biological father and Salahi and her husband, Tareq Salahi, who caused controversy when they breached security to attend the White House state dinner.
Despite having the ingredients for a potential successful spin-off, the series was unfortunately canceled after its first season. According to TODAY, the show was cut due to poor viewership and Bravo didn’t think it was worth filming a second season, marking the franchise’s first failed spin-off. Bravo reunion host and executive producer, Andy Cohen, chimed in with his two cents about the cancelation, adding that Salahi and her husband’s incident at the state dinner didn’t help the series either.
11 .‘The Real Housewives of Dallas’ (2016)
Cast: Brandi Redmond, Stephanie Hollman, and Kameron Westcott
In 2016, the franchise flew down to the Lone Star state of Texas with The Real Housewives of Dallas, which ran for a total of 5 seasons before being canceled in 2021. The original cast consisted of former Miss Arizona USA 1989, LeeAnne Locken, nurse, Cary Deuber, fashion model and actress, Tiffany Hendra, podcast host, Stephanie Hollman, and former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, Brandi Redmond. By the series’ second season, the show added two more housewives: D’Andra Simmons and Kameron Westcott, and eventually, Kary Brittingham and Tiffany Moon joined the series in the fourth season.
The series got off to a positive start, featuring fabulous shopping outings and house hunting in Switzerland, as well as more relatable activities such as kids’ birthday parties and supporting local charities. Even though the series had decent ratings and plenty of drama for fans, The Real Housewives of Dallas had a sour fifth season and was canceled reportedly due to ongoing conflicts between several cast members and Moon.
10. ‘The Real Housewives of Miami’ (2011)
Cast: Adriana De Moura, Alexia Nepola, and Marysol Patton
The franchise brought the heat to the Sunshine State in February 2011 with The Real Housewives of Miami, which wrapped up its sixth season last year. Initially, the show was set to be its own series, Miami Social Club, which was supposed to be a reconstructed series of the network’s former show, Miami Social. Instead, Bravo decided to add it to their successful Housewives franchise, which was almost canceled after its third season.
The show’s original cast included philanthropist and entrepreneur, Lea Black, actress, Adriana de Moura, style and beauty expert, Alexia Nepola, fashion designer, Cristy Rice, and Larsa Pippen, who is the ex-wife of former NBA star, Scottie Pippen. Even though the fifth season had below-average ratings and viewership, The Real Housewives of Miami wrapped up their sixth season last November and is gearing up for a seventh season, which will hopefully air later this year.
9. ‘The Real Housewives of Orange County’ (2006)
Cast: Tamara Judge, Vicki Gunvalson, and Shannon Storms Beador
The Real Housewives of Orange County is the O.G. series, which spawned several successful spin-offs, creating one of the most successful reality television franchises in history. The first installment was originally intended to be filmed as a documentary titled, Behind the Gates, set in a single gated community in Coto de Caza, California. The show’s creator, Scott Dunlop, changed the title and decided to pull inspiration from scripted soap operas such as Peyton’s Place and Desperate Housewives, to create the series fans know and love today.
The original cast consisted of fitness fanatic, Kimberly Bryant, actress and content creator, Jo De La Rosa, businesswoman, Vicki Gunvalson, real estate broker, Jeana Keough, and model, Lauri Peterson. Since the first season, the show has included dozens of more housewives, including the latest cringe housewive, Tamara Judge, Heather Durbrow, and Emily Simpson, and with 17 seasons and counting, it is one of the longest-running Real Housewives series.
8. ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ (2008)
Cast: Kandi Burruss, Cynthia Bailey, and Kenya Moore
The Real Housewives of Atlanta is another one of the franchise’s longest-running series which originally starred actress, Nene Leakes, businesswoman and philanthropist, DeShawn Snow, designer and fitness enthusiast, Shereé Whitfield, screenwriter and actress, Lisa Wu, and singer, Kim Zolciak-Biermann. The show also featured friends of the housewives, including former Good Times star, Kim Fields, and Demetria McKinney, who is best known for her starring role in Tyler Perry‘s House of Payne.
Since originally airing in 2008, the series has seen dozens of housewives come and go….and come as some, like Leakes and Whitfield, took minor hiatuses before returning for later seasons. Like most of the Real Housewives series, The Real Housewives of Atlanta consists of personal growth and ambitions that add to the depth of the women’s power and success, notably Leakes, who went on to make her Broadway debut in Roger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella and even made a guest appearance on the popular series, Glee.
7. ‘The Real Housewives of Dubai’ (2022)
Cast: Chanel Ayan, Sara Al Madani, and Caroline Brooks
The franchise’s latest and eleventh spin-off, The Real Housewives of Dubai, takes place in a desert paradise in the Middle East with several women who expertly navigate their lavish lifestyle and business ventures through the backdrop of a billionaire’s playground. The show stars entrepreneur, Nina Ali, supermodel, Chanel Ayan, businesswoman, Caroline Brooks, prominent public figure, Sara al Madani, fashion designer, Lesa Milan, and former Ladies of London star, Caroline Stanbury.
The series gives audiences the same Real Housewives with a new, exotic location that is full of wealth and potential business opportunities that vary from the other traditional spin-offs, which is what makes The Real Housewives of Dubai a top contender. With its first season already under its belt, The Real Housewives of Dubai has been renewed for a second season which is scheduled to premiere sometime this year, adding singer, Taleen Marie to replace Ali who announced in January 2023 that she would not be returning for the next season.
6. ‘The Real Housewives of New York City’ (2008)
Cast: Ramona Singer, Luann de Lesseps, and Sonja Morgan
The Real Housewives of New York City was the franchise’s second spin-off series, which takes place in, of course, the fabulous Big Apple and originally starred entrepreneur and philanthropist, Bethenny Frankel, singer and model, Luann de Lesseps, psychologist, Alex McCord, author and businesswoman, Ramona Singer, and entrepreneur, Jill Zarin. Originally airing back in March 2008, fans have seen a string of women come and go from the RHONY cast, but after the series’ thirteenth season, the low viewership caused Bravo to replace the entire cast with new faces, marking the first time any of the spin-offs have had a whole cast makeover.
With a whole new group, the series returned as a reboot for its fourteenth season in June 2023 and spawned a couple of additional spin-offs of its own featuring veteran cast members such as Frankel and de Lesseps. Even though the series has had its turbulent moments on and off camera, RHONY still reigns as one of the franchise’s top-notch shows that made the best of a series of messy situations, making it one of the franchise’s best spin-offs.
5. ‘The Real Housewives of New Jersey’ (2009)
Cast: Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, and Joe Gorga
The fourth installment in the franchise, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, focuses on the glamorous personal and professional lives of several women living in the Garden State, including best-selling author, Teresa Giudice, activist, Jacqueline Laurita, entrepreneur, Caroline Manzo, businesswoman, Dina Manzo, and philanthropist, Danielle Staub, making up the original cast. With a total of thirteen seasons and counting, the show’s success has resulted in the popular spin-off series, Teresa Checks In and Manzo’d With Children.
Between Botox parties, the legal drama involving Giudice and her now ex-husband, Joe, and the unique array of women who have come and gone throughout the show’s long-time run, RHONJ is without a doubt one of the best franchise spin-offs. That being said, there are some who think the cast needs to be shaken up a bit, including Collider’s Michael Block, who presents the question; does the series need to step away from the ongoing focus of family feuds?
4. ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ (2010)
Cast: Kyle Richards, Camille Grammer, and Adrienne Maloof
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is the sixth installment of the franchise and follows the lives of women living in or around the fabulous Beverly Hills of California. The original cast consisted of philanthropist, Taylor Armstrong, former wife of actor, Kelsey Grammer, Camille Grammer, socialite sisters, Kim Richards and Kyle Richards, and entrepreneur and restaurateur, Lisa Vanderpump. Out of the entire original cast members, Kyle Richards is the only one who remains, adding more high-profile names throughout the show’s thirteen seasons, including Denise Richards, Days of Our Lives star, Lisa Rinna, and Kathy Hilton, who appears on occasion as a guest.
While other Real Housewives series have led to other successful spin-offs, RHOBH takes the cake with the ever chaotic and drama-filled series, Vanderpump Rules, which centers around the staff of Vanderpump’s restaurants and bars. The RHOBH continues to go strong and with the gorgeous setting of Southern California serving as the backdrop to a nice balance of modern luxury plus its juicy spin-offs, it definitely ranks as one of the top series of the franchise.
3. ‘The Real Housewives of Potomac’ (2016)
Cast: Gizelle Bryant, Robin Dixon, and Karen Huger
The Real Housewives of Potomac is another spin-off that was initially intended to be a separate series called Potomac Ensemble, but after the failure of The Real Housewives of D.C., the network decided to change the name and add the series to the franchise. The eighth installment premiered in January 2016 starring model and author, Gizelle Bryant, yoga enthusiast, Ashely Darby, actress, Robyn Dixon, socialite and businesswoman, Karen Huger, model, Katie Rost, and Charrissee Jackson-Jordan, who is married to former NBA player and coach, Eddie Jordan.
The show’s first episode became the highest-rated premiere episode of any Real Housewives series and its first season even knocked RHOBH out of its top spot as the most watched series since 2010. The RHOP received positive reviews and, per The Hollywood Reporter, provides audiences with an entertaining escape from the comfort of their living rooms and was praised for its diverse cast and outrageous shenanigans.
2. ‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ (2020)
Cast: Lisa Barlow, Whitney Rose, and Meredith Marks
Bravo takes fans to another hot spot out west with the franchise’s tenth installment, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, which originally aired in November 2020 starring businesswoman, Lisa Barlow, entrepreneur and event specialist, Mary Cosby, jewelry designer, Meredith Marks, entrepreneur, Whitney Rose, former CEO, Jen Shah, author and businesswoman, Heather Gay, who Luisa Marta with Collider believes is the series’ best ingredient.
With four seasons and counting, RHOSLC is currently one of the highest-rated spin-offs in the Real Housewives franchise and, in the middle of the second season, the series made major headlines with the arrest of Shah. After pleading guilty to money laundering and wire fraud, Shah was fired from the series and is currently serving her sentence behind bars. While other spin-offs have had their own share of legal issues, this was a shock to cast members and fans, but thankfully, the incident didn’t hurt the series and by the fourth season, viewership had increased by 20 percent.
1. The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip’ (2021)
Cast: Dorinda Medley, Luann De Lesseps, and Ramona Singer
In November 2021, Bravo decided to add another spin-off series to the franchise, but instead of picking a new place and faces, they opted to go the nostalgic route, creating The Real Housewives Girls Trip, which follows former cast members as they jet off to vacation hot spots. The show’s first season starred an assortment of women, including RHOA, Cynthia Bailey and Kenya Moore, RHONJ, Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorda, RHONY, Luann de Lesseps and Ramona Singer, and RHOBH star, Kyle Richards.
While every spin-off has its own signature quality, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip is the franchise’s best spin-off as it rekindles relationships and reintroduces familiar faces who originally put the franchise on the map. Unlike the others, the most recent spin-off keeps fans on their toes with new getaways and juicy drama each season, making it an unpredictable and satisfying segment of reality television.
