I know what you’re thinking. As Culture editor I am meant to be know what makes good and bad television. There’s just one trouble with that theory. I know that my addiction is bad and I know that admitting to not only being a fan of reality TV but watching multiple versions of the same formula in different cities but it still doesn’t stop me from loving The Real Housewives franchise.
Originally created by Bravo in America with Real Housewives of Orange County the franchise has had multiple spin-offs with every slightly rich state you can imagine and has even been imported across borders by Vancouver, Melbourne and most recently our very own Cheshire.
In terms of reality of course these shows are always a little far fetched but with an American franchise of reality show that’s always to be expected. Though of course this is part of the lure to this crazy addictive substance. The women and their husbands on these shows are completely bonkers. Fights get started over nothing and it seems by the end of the season for the reunion everybody swaps allegiances or falls out with everyone all over again. Though who wouldn’t love that? If anything this type of reality TV is essentially a soap opera with better funding, better parties and of course better outfits. I’m not shallow but for once it’s nice to have something to look at to go along with my drama.
The favourites of the shows will always be the loud brash characters like famous NeNe Leakes from Real Housewives of Atlanta or Ramona Singer from Real Housewives of New York. However sometimes there is that once woman who stands out as the only one who seems logical and the only one who actually makes any sense. Enter centre stage Lisa Vanderpump from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Tanya Bardsley from our very own Real Housewives of Cheshire. Of course these two are both British, who would have thought?
At the end of the day my addiction is all about needing a release and that is what this sometimes car crash TV does for me. I’m not ashamed and frankly i’d still choose to watch Real Housewives over certain ‘critically acclaimed’ shows anyway. Purely because I don’t want to have to think sometimes and that’s ok.
Real Housewives of Cheshire airs on ITVBe on Mondays at 10pm.
