13. Season 13
Is this one of the worst seasons of Housewives of all time? You're damn right it is. The season is just a mess, and it is one of the many reasons that the show's production team is abysmal at their jobs. The season needed 9 weeks to finally get started after many filler scenes and unbalanced editing kept it from coming together. Porsha is protected by the edit the whole season after her behind the scenes stunts that I will not even bother discussing here. Please google this season if you are unsure of what I am referring to.
The stripper episode is by-far one of the best episodes of Housewives in 2021. It is just a shame that the scandal was talked about the rest of the season, proving once again how the producers continue to fail us after 4 seasons. The women had no content to talk about due to them not giving a damn about one another which was not the case back in the glory days of the show. The season also brought us the additions of Drew and Latoya. Drew is by far one of the biggest liars I have ever witnessed in my life. The girl was straight up delusional and a professional gas lighter. Latoya proved to be a new pot stirrer who is reminiscent of an Internet troll. They both do deserve another season, though.
Overall, the season had no substance to it due to Porsha not willing to engage in the drama and most of the other women being past their expiration date on the show. Thank god Kenya at least tried to give us things to talk about rather than sitting back and taking up space like Cynthia and Kandi. However, even Kenya's antics couldn't raise this season higher in the rankings, so it ranks dead last...where it belongs.
12. Season 11
If I am being totally honest here, I have barely any recollection of this season. That is not a good sign. However, I do remember Eva reading Marlo for 45 minutes straight on the bus in Tokyo, and Nene assaulting a cameraman. I vaguely remember this season being tedious to get through as I did not really care about the drama or the cast dynamics that were being explored throughout the season.
This was the season where I became tired of Nene's shenanigans. It was sad to see her go from this iconic, household name to just a shadow of herself. There was nothing pleasant about her in this season or the following season. The other cast members barely pulled their weight during this season, either. A show should not have to resort to the recurring cast members for drama. It should be the main cast, and this season proved just how stale the cast had become at this point. It wasn't really until the finale where Kenya made her guest appearance that things finally started to get appealing. When the finale is the high point of the season, you know the show has seen better days.
Overall, though, this season is better than season 13 due to the two memorable moments I listed above, but it is only a slight improvement. Moving onto the 11th "best" season of the series.
11. Season 12
Season 12 had the potential to be an excellent season, but it fell flat on its face. The group drama was interesting, but most of the drama was instigated behind the scenes, so the audience could not really gauge an opinion on most of it since there was an array of missing pieces. The season really suffered from its overbearing amount of solo scenes that made the last half of the season feel like a slog. (Remember that one episode where Nene's chapter was her preparing to have sex with her husband? Yes, that is what I am talking about with regards to the solo scenes diminishing the quality of the season.)
Kenya made her full-time return this season, and I am so thankful that she did because that "Kenya Moore Hair Care" stunt she pulled truly made me roll on the floor. They needed her back to at least cause some type of mess because season 11 barely served us anything. Nene continued her downward spiral of being the totally unrecognizable funny and quick-witted Nene we saw in those first 6ish seasons. It was definitely her time to go after this season due to her walking off multiple times in the reunion and not returning.
Speaking of the reunion, I actually think that it was a high point in the season. I am not a fan of Porsha at all, but she got Eva together real quick by reading her boob job. I may have snickered, but don't tell Porsha that. Kenya also put the final nail in Nene's coffin by basically telling her that her kids were ugly by comparing their looks to hers. Classic Kenya always has a spot in my heart.
Other than some drama, season 12 is another subpar chapter in the RHOA series as the filler episodes consumed the storytelling, overall flow, and narratives that the season was desperately trying to craft in the first half. What will be the next season I talk about? Scroll down to see!
10. Season 10
How would I describe this season? I would describe it as "bad fan-fiction." Ok. The season isn't necessarily bad, but it isn't great either. What I mean by bad fan-fiction is that it seems like a die-hard fan of the show had all of these amazing ideas such as Nene and Kim coming back and fighting again, and Kenya having a season-long feud with Kim. Unfortunately, these ideas are great on paper, but people failed to realize that it had been a decade since the show started. People change. Kim was no longer the delusional mess we loved to hate in season 1. She was such a shadow of herself as she was a caricature of a caricature of herself. Same goes with Nene as I have previously stated. The reunion spat with the two of them was entertaining, but it was just so sad to see these two women be unrecognizable.
I said before that Kenya and Kim fighting would be expected to be a season-long arc, but it didn't pan out that way. We had that incredible moment in the premiere where Kenya accuses Kim of pimping her daughter out for John Legend tickets, but that was it. The producers were furious at Kenya for getting married off screen, so they sliced her camera time, and she seemed over the show at that point.
Something I did like about this season was Porsha and Nene not getting along. (The door is closed!) That was one of only a few factors that this season had going for it. This was the last season where we caught glimpses of the Nene we knew and loved, and it showed in her arguments with Porsha. Other than that, Nene was past her prime and was better off staying off the show entirely.
As you can see, the season had a few positives, but it could have been an all star season had production cared about their product more. Season 10 marked the last decent season of the show. Every installment that succeeded it proved to be feckless on the Housewives franchise as evinced by my ranking. Next case.
9. Season 1
I would like to start off by reciting a verse from the Housewives Bible: "I can't believe the sh*t you talked about me. You have no class. You are so evil. Don't ever call me again. You are a low budget bitch." If you couldn't tell by my enthusiasm, I think this is a strong first season of the show. While it is a shorter season, the women get down and dirty right away as Sheree "mistakenly" leaves Nene's name off of her guest list, revealing how unhinged Nene is when people step to her. The special dynamic relationships between the women are established as Nene and Kim's friendship slowly but surely falls apart as the season progresses, leading to Nene's iconic "Close your legs to married men" quote. This is one of if not the best Housewives' feuds ever, and it does not get trite for five seasons.
The Nene that we fell in love with is clearly seen in this season. Her sharp tongue and iconic one-liners prove to be reality television gold. Kim Zolciak is a love to hate personality as we see her smoke cigarettes with a glass of wine in her hand while wearing bad wigs. We see her be this sort of repulsive, yet charming character who has older men pay for her things all the while being delusional and privileged. This is what we were missing out on when she returned in season 10.
Honestly, there was not a bad season of RHOA for the first nine seasons, but one of those seasons has to be "the weakest." Season 1 is a peek inside the craziness of these women's minds, and it only foreshadows the calamities that succeed it. Now onto the number eighth slot.
8. Season 2
Season 2 saw the addition of RHOA staple Kandi Burruss from Xscape. She was a worthy replacement of DeShawn (though anyone would have been a worthy replacement of DeShawn). Kandi and Nene's tension began in this season, and ever since, it felt like Nene was jealous of Kandi's accomplishments as she was mad at Kandi for not including her in a song with Kim. Kandi may have overstayed her welcome in the long-run, but she made for a fascinating housewife when she first appeared eleven years ago.
How can anyone not love that moment where Sheree "shifts" Kim's wig while Nene runs after "Lindsay Lohan's daddy?" I think this scene was the first in all of Housewives that made me non-stop laugh every time I witness it. Another underrated moment I feel is not talked about enough is when Kim and Nene have a rendezvous at Kim's house after Nene allegedly strangled her in a Target. When these two were good, they were GOOD.
Though the reunion was not anything to write home about due to the women boycotting the network for not paying them enough, the gumption that Kim had to go up on stage to perform live in front of her castmates is highly coveted by me. Once a week I watch Sheree shading Kim's song by saying, "I thought it was fun...I liked the beat." Writing this makes me wish Sheree even more. I hope the rumors are true, and she makes her third full-time appearance on this upcoming RHOA season. Onto number 7!
7. Season 3
Before the wild RHOC season 11 bus ride from hell came the highly quotable and chaotic RHOA season 3 bus ride from hell. After making up at the end of the previous season, Nene and Kim's feud was reignited after Nene felt that Kim disrespected her assistant/friend Sweetie. Poor Kandi was trapped in that bus and had to endure the threats and insults that the two were throwing at each other. This fight was definitely the nadir of Nene and Kim's relationship as they never truly recovered from this spar on the show for the rest of their tenures. "This is not Sweetie, ok?
Season 3 marked the first appearances of series regulars Cynthia and Phaedra. While Cynthia never really popped off screen (in terms of entertainment as her beauty was quite noticeable), she did have her disaster of a wedding where her family debated hiding her marriage license. Cynthia definitely grew as the seasons went on. As for Phaedra, the woman was a liar the minute she stepped on the show. She lied about not knowing when she got pregnant, something so trivial that she had no business lying about. Though she is a horrible person, she made for a solid addition to the show.
This season added onto the excellence that seasons 1 and 2 left in the reality television universe, and it did so spectacularly. We got to see Nene and Kim at their peaks of grandeur and delusion where they shined every time they were on screen together. Moving on.
6. Season 7
I am pretty sure that when this season was airing, it was considered to be the worst RHOA season. (Just goes to show how good the show was in its heyday.) I happened to really enjoy this season when I watched it. After season four, this season was heavily divided between Nene's clique and Kenya's clique. Among Kenya's clique was the severely underrated Claudia Jordan. When I tell you this woman was robbed by Bravo, I mean that she was ROBBED by Bravo. She came into the season and read Nene to filth. I have never seen Nene so out of her element in all of her 10 seasons. Claudia got her together real quick. How Claudia couldn't get another full-time season when people like Erika from RHOBH can get 6 seasons is baffling.
I was a huge fan of Cynthia in this season as she finally stopped accepting the lies and manipulation that she was put through by Nene and Phaedra. Who can forget Cynthia telling Phaedra to "win a case" at the reunion? It was very shocking to see Cynthia transform into someone who could hold their own in an argument.
Season 7 is Nene at her worst in my opinion. From running away from conversations to calling Claudia a "half breed," she really was frustrating to watch. She never really recovered from her performance this season. If her head had not gotten so big due to other opportunities, she may have had more longevity on the show. It was so satisfying to run away at the reunion by claiming that she didn't like the ladies talking about her mother when it was really because she was getting called out for her tactics by the other couch. For that reason alone, season 7 ranks in the top 6 seasons. Next!
This is such an underrated season. I probably hold this season in higher regard than most, but it's just so bonkers. Yes, Kim Fields was a horrible (and I mean HORRIBLE) casting decision, but the drama with her put a wedge between Kenya and Cynthia's friendship, even if it was only short-lived. Regarding Kenya, this was definitely her worst season, and I did not agree with most of her choices this season; however, I am proud that she has since apologized to Kim for her antics toward her.
The legendary Sheree Whitfield returned to the show after a three-season hiatus where she immediately clashed with Kenya over her home renovation situation. This started the highly amusing feud between the two that continued into the next season. More on that later. Sheree's presence was needed for this season as it gave Kenya a more suitable opponent than Kim Fields.
I think my favorite moment maybe ever from RHOA comes from the Miami trip. Tammy, who came out of the middle of nowhere, brought her nephew back to the cast house to where Kenya asked him to leave after feeling uncomfortable around him. His response to this is to begin to charge at her while pushing his aunt, causing complete bedlam between the cast and production. It was an extremely dire situation; however, the aftermath was comedy gold as Tammy showed up like a ghost at some of the women's door, still in her hospital gown. I wish we still got these unintentional hilarious moments in modern Housewives, but we really don't anymore because Bravo hates us apparently. I love this season, but I love the number 4 spot a little bit more!
4. Season 4
I would consider season 4 to be the last season of the beginning era of RHOA. It marked the first departure of Sheree, and it may as well been the departure of Kim because she had no business returning for season 5 as she was clearly over the show. The season did an excellent job of closing out the show's first era as the drama and storylines really came to a head.
The South Africa trip is one of the best trips of Housewives ever. The "talls" versus the "smalls" is such an underrated feud. I was obviously on the "smalls" side due to my favorites being on that side, but looking back, I like both alliances. Who can forget Sheree and new friend of the show Marlo fighting by making random noises at each other? Or when the ladies bought food and supplies for the poor people of Africa? I always love when a Housewives vacation can mix pettiness with good-heartedness.
The season 4 premiere is one of the best opening episodes of the franchise and has probably the most quotable exchanges in RHOA. Bless Sheree and Nene for giving us grade A content that involves dental surgery, car repossession, and Trump checks. Those two women really hated each other, and it showed during that heated argument. Cheers to the closing chapter of Atlanta's first era!
3. Season 5
As season four closed one era of the show, season five began a new era of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Newcomers Kenya and Porsha made their debuts on this season, and they did not come to play. The two women were at each other's throats from day one as Porsha mistakenly called Kenya "Miss America" instead of "Miss USA." Their feud has continued ever since, becoming uglier as the seasons go on.
Kenya is without a doubt one of the best additions of any Housewives cast. She went after whoever she felt like going after without a blink of an eye. If she didn't like you interrupting her during a modeling audition, she would go after you. If she didn't like you miscalling her pageant name, she would go after your sham marriage. She woke these viewers up if they by any chance weren't already. You cannot deny that people were glued to their screens by the sheer amount of craziness that this woman caused. She breathed life into a franchise that could have gone south if she had not been there.
Honestly this whole season was carried by Kenya since Nene, in a way, took a season off after losing her enemies in only a few episodes (Kim and Sheree). Kenya and Phaedra's feud was so petty, yet so deep. Phaedra never had a real feud with anyone before, so it was fun to see Kenya give Phaedra some substance with the workout video drama.
TLDR: Kenya is a star. Onto the next one!
2. Season 9
How is this season not scripted? It feels like a dark mystery story where the answers to all of our questions are right under our noses the whole time. Can we touch on that word again? Dark? Because this season is definitely dark. However, the drama that came with it was so juicy, officially making it the last great season of RHOA.
Let's start off with the light, yet hilarious aspects of the season. Sheree and Kenya's house war had us on our bellies. Talk about two housewives working for their paychecks. The feud was a continuation of season 8, but it was ramped up to an 11 since both of the women's homes were now complete. Sheree dragging Kenya's house is reality television at its best, leading to her famous "Oh oh oh" gif when Phaedra and Porsha crash Kenya's party. Put that in TV Guide's "Best 100 Episodes of All Time." Another fantastic moment is when the two are arguing to which Kenya brings up Kandi's mother's wig. Anyone that can get Kandi to get engage is always on my good side...well almost everyone, which brings me to the twisted features of the season.
The season brings us one of the most uncomfortable, yet extremely engaging storylines in all of Housewives: Did Kandi try to take advantage of Porsha? Obviously the answer is no; however, the audience wanted to know how these salacious rumors were started. Now, allegedly, the executive producer at the time planted the bug in Phaedra's ear, but it does not matter. Phaedra was the one who started the rumors. This is honestly one of the most heinous acts ever committed by someone on a reality show, so Phaedra getting fired was well deserved. If only Porsha went with her. (I'm not gonna bad-mouth Porsha anymore I swear.) Though these slanderous claims were horrible, the season ended with the only 4-part reunion that led to the shocking revelation that Phaedra was the one responsible for the rumors being spread. I particularly liked it because Porsha and Phaedra were finally exposed after going seasons being manipulative and crafty in order to spin their narratives.
You would think season 9 would be a movie plot, but it was just reality television, showing that reality television is not what you think it is. There will never be another season of RHOA that is this jaw-dropping and unprecedented ever again.
1. Season 6
Ah, season 6. The days when Nene still was iconic, Kandi still worked for her check, Kenya and Porsha's feud wasn't tired, the husbands got in on the drama, etc. Seriously, this season has it all, and everyone made sure that they delivered quality television to their viewers. The season was so spectacular that Bravo tried to stretched the it out longer due to the high ratings that it received. I never say that strong ratings correlate with strong quality; however, for this season, I will make an exception.
Can we talk about how Kenya took everyone on in this season? Yes, Cynthia eventually teamed up with her, but Kenya really is that bitch. She orchestrated almost every argument this season, and she got the women to engage with her. Pillow Talk is a prime example. That moment is just beyond ludicrous. Kandi never got that upset before, so it was surprising to see. How Kenya was blamed for that fight still continues to baffle me. Nene had no reason to feel threatened by Kenya, yet she allowed her disdain for her to cloud her judgment and her future on the show.
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| Nene said what she said. |
The season ends on an unsettling, yet memorable altercation between Kenya and Porsha that has Porsha sent home. Kenya blasts a bullhorn near Porsha's face to which Porsha proceeds to drag Kenya by her hair. It was the first time that I had seen someone get violent on a Housewives show before. It just goes to show how real and raw the ladies can get towards each other and that reality television may produce some things, but real emotion always bleeds through. Season 6 will always be the best season of the show. Hell. It could even be the best season of Housewives of all time.
Thank you for reading my ranking of the RHOA seasons. I will forever love this show even though it has seen better days. Let me know what your rankings are in the comments. Be nice and kind to one another!
