Many fans of The Real Housewives franchise love the older seasons. They believe it had more authenticity, realism, and relatable storylines.
Time and advancements in technology and society, in general, have meant The Real Housewives franchise has grown and changed over the years. Cast members have also become more wealthy, and the drama has only become more intense over the years. However, some fans prefer the seasons from back in the day.
The Real Housewives began in 2006, a time before iPhones, Facebook, and the rise of the internet. Things were a lot simpler, and Bravo had just begun to figure out what worked and what didn’t work on this brand-new franchise. The focus was mainly on the families of the housewives and was very similar to Keeping Up With The Kardashians but with the addition of a friend group.
There are a number of reasons fans miss how The Real Housewives used to be filmed. Some changes are less to do with the format of the show and more to do with the cast. Reddit user alpacaapicnic summed it up perfectly, as they believe older Real Housewives episodes were more about the women living their lives instead of creating drama for the camera.
More Realistic
Some fans believe the older seasons of The Real Housewives felt more realistic. With less demand and a smaller fan base, it felt more like the cast were just being themselves without any outside pressure with the cameras following around real personalities. There were fewer moments that felt forced or put on. A good example of this was when Tamra Judge from The Real Housewives of Orange County and now ex-husband Simon Barney had a huge blowout fight in the limo, with Tamra screaming, “I want a divorce.”
Less Dramatic
While drama is part of the recipe that makes The Real Housewives so iconic, fans have also noted that much of the drama in recent seasons feels more scripted and heightened for entertainment. While there is still real-life drama that sometimes arises, such as family breakdowns; (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills‘ Kim and Kyle Richards’ sisterhood is always captivating), viewers believe a lot of the petty drama between The Real Housewives goes on for too long. In earlier seasons, with the focus less on the tension between the women, cast members were able to move on quicker from situations.
More Relatable
In the same vein as realism, The Real Housewives have also become less relatable over time. Fans miss the down-to-earth nature of the cast members, and while the franchise’s casts have always consisted of women in the upper class, some of the issues they faced were more relatable than they are today. For example, viewers enjoyed watching how Vicki Gunvalson had to deal with her daughter marrying a man she wasn’t overly fond of during RHOC season 7.
While the escapism levels have risen in The Real Housewives franchise, fans sometimes wish the series kept that essence of relatability and realism from its earlier days. The over-the-top houses and constant trips overseas are fun to watch, and the drama is a constant source of entertainment, but some viewers believe it’s a little overdone. The franchise’s roots in following relatively regular, unknown families around was where many believe the franchise thrived the most.
Source: alpacaapicnic/ Reddit
