I have a master’s degree and I have watched approximately every season of Real Housewives of New York, New Jersey, Salt Lake City, and Potomac, and these two facts coexist peacefully inside me.
If you’ve never understood the appeal, let me explain it in a way that doesn’t sound defensive — though, honestly, I’m not even a little defensive about this anymore.
Real Housewives is not just reality TV. It is a study in human behavior, conflict, emotional intelligence (and lack thereof), friendship, betrayal, money, marriage, and the very specific kind of chaos that happens when ambitious, strong-willed women are put in close proximity.
As a mom — especially a mom who spent years pouring herself into everyone else — there is something deeply satisfying about watching women who take up enormous space. Who have opinions and feelings and conflicts and express them loudly, in restaurants, on boats, occasionally at tables that get flipped.
“Is it aspirational? Sometimes. A cautionary tale? Also sometimes. Genuinely entertaining television that makes me laugh out loud? Always.”
My current takes, for those who want them: the new RHONY is finding its footing and Erin Lichy is underrated. New Jersey needs an intervention (the show, possibly also some of the cast). Salt Lake City remains the most dramatic zip code on television and I will not be accepting criticism. Potomac has never missed.
If you’re a Bravo girlie, you’re my people. I’ll be doing regular pop culture check-ins here — because moms deserve to have opinions about Bravo and nobody should make us feel guilty about it.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a reunion to watch.
— Christa, Founder of Mommish
