Soon there will be "Real Housewives" all across America (for better or worse), as Bravo expands its successful franchise into Beverly Hills. Cameras follow affluent women (some regulars, others who recur) as they enjoy the lavish lifestyle only Beverly Hills can offer. The ladies change through the seasons and over time the cast has included former child actresses Kim and Kyle Richards, heiress Adrienne Maloof, restaurateur Lisa Vanderpump, philanthropist and business owner Taylor Armstrong and the one-time Mrs. Kelsey Grammer, Camille Donatacci (who alternates between a regular member of the cast and a recurring role during her time on the show).
Bravo heads to the Garden State for this installment of the "Housewives" franchise, focusing on affluent Jersey girls who are more than just friends: The cast has changed through the seasons but the featured housewives through the years have included Caroline Manzo, a devoted wife and mother of three adult children; former Las Vegas cosmetologist Jacqueline Laurita, who is now a full-time housewife; and Teresa Giudice, a mother of four who runs her household without help from a nanny or personal assistant.
The Atlanta housewives continue to live their fabulous lives in Georgia's capital city in this incarnation of the popular reality TV franchise. Relationships, a staple of the "Real Housewives" shows, take center stage as usual as the ladies' love lives experience ups and downs. The sassy women's entrepreneurial spirits are also in full bloom as they juggle their personal and professional lives, along with their busy personal calendars.
They may live in the lap of luxury, but life isn't always perfect for the women who reside in one of the wealthiest enclaves of the U.S. They continue to focus on living large; plastic surgery, working out, shopping, drinking, dancing, and dining out top their agendas. Ladies come and go through the show's run, with entrepreneur Vicki Gunvalson having been a series regular for each season. Other ladies who have been featured for multiple seasons include Tamra Judge -- previously known as Tamra Barney -- and Heather Dubrow.
Dallas is the setting for the first "Real Housewives" show that calls Texas home. People who live in the Lone Star State are full of Texas pride, and these housewives are no different. People warn others not to mess with Texas, and that is especially true when dealing with the state's socialites featured on the show. Connecticut native Cary Deuber is a certified nurse who has led a number of medical missions worldwide; "girl next door" Stephanie Hollman is actively involved in charities and is unafraid to speak her mind; former beauty queen LeeAnne Locken has made a career out of charity work but is also known for ruffling feathers; and former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Brandi Redmond, a full-time mother who sometimes rubs the other ladies the wrong way.
The "Real Housewives" franchise continues to expand across America, with this edition landing in Potomac, Md., a community of rolling hills and gated mansions just up the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. As is standard for the franchise, the reality show follows several well-to-do women who are part of the exclusive society. The featured women include former Miss District of Columbia Pageant winner Ashley Darby, who became a stepmother to a 21-year-old and a 24-year old after getting married at the age of 22; socialite Charrisse Jackson Jordan, who is married to NBA player Eddie Jordan; model Katie Rost, who is ready to give matrimony another shot with her current beau following a short-lived marriage to her college sweetheart; and philanthropist Gizelle Bryant, a single mother of three who is getting ready to launch a makeup line geared toward women of color.
Lisa Vanderpump first gained fame as a cast member on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," but her full-time job is as co-owner and boss at West Hollywood, Calif., restaurant SUR, which stands for Sexy Unique Restaurant. Vanderpump balances her motherly instinct with her shrewd business sense to maintain control over the restaurant's wild group of employees who are working at the eatery while pursuing their dreams. Drama seems to be part of the job for the employees at SUR, who tend to date -- and, in most cases, subsequently break up with -- their fellow co-workers.
There are cultural differences between England and America in many respects. But that doesn't stop British socialites like Caroline Stanbury from running in similar social circles with American expats, including Juliet Angus and Marissa Hermer, who enjoy a posh London lifestyle. The women adhere to the city's unwritten rules that one's reputation is everything and respect is not easily earned. Also featured on the docuseries is Julie Montagu, an Illinois native who is married to the heir to the Earl of Sandwich.
