Bravo completely delivers when it comes to guilty pleasure reality television. The Real Housewives franchise began in 2006 with Real Housewives Of Orange County and it’s definitely still going strong, bringing us tons of dramatic moments from various cities.
One of the best entries in the franchise has got to be New York City. After 11 seasons, fans have gotten to know several wealthy women who have fought with one another, done some seriously expensive shopping, and gone on awe-inspiring vacations. But some of the cast seem more deserving of being on the series than others. Here are some of the cast members of Real Housewives Of New York, ranked.
Tinsley Mortimer
Tinsley Mortimer has been on RHONY for seasons 9, 10, and 11. While it’s exciting to have a socialite on the show, she’s ranked last at number 10 on our list as she doesn’t bring anything super exciting to the reality table.
The trouble with Tinsley is that her storylines revolve around how desperately she wants to get married and have kids. Because she’s over the age of 40, it’s a stressful time, and she keeps breaking up with her boyfriend Scott (and getting back together… and breaking up again…). She seems to only be on the show to get mad at the other ladies for asking what the real deal is with her relationship and her future plans.
Heather Thomson
Next on the list is Heather Thomson, who is no longer on the reality show. She’s ranked number 9 because her sole purpose seemed to be an aggressive personality who always got annoyed at the other cast members.
Heather has shown up in more recent episodes of the series to hang out with some of the cast, and honestly, she’s kind of dull. It makes sense that she would leave the show to focus on her family and businesses. Reality TV isn’t for everyone and she never seemed to be having any fun while filming the show.
Kelly Killoren Bensimon
No fan of Real Housewives Of New York can forget about Kelly Killoren Bensimon. Yes, she brought wild amounts of drama and her storylines were always incredibly interesting. But she was so mean to Bethenny Frankel that we couldn’t possibly put her higher up on the list of RHONY cast members. It was impossible not to gasp aloud when she told Bethenny she was higher up than her. Yikes…
In the third season, Kelly and the rest of the cast go on vacation and everyone calls it “Scary Island.” Whether it’s a nervous breakdown or something more serious is unclear, but Kelly definitely gets pissed off and loud and starts acting really strangely. Her time on the show was downright confusing, and it seems right that she didn’t last on it forever.
Jill Zarin
Do we miss Jill Zarin? The answer is probably yes and no. She was an OG member of the cast of Real Housewives Of New York and appeared in the first four seasons. She and Bethenny were the best of friends until they were sworn enemies.
At times, Jill was hilarious, and she and Bethenny brought a lot of drama as they worked through problems in their friendship, which is always a great part of a reality show like this one. But other times, Jill seemed pretty mean and harsh. Rumors are flying that she’ll be in season 12 of the show instead of Bethenny, so we’ll have to see what happens. In the meantime, though, she’s number 7 on our list.
Luann de Lesseps
This is a tough one because on the one hand, Luann de Lesseps is responsible for a lot of drama on the show. And that counts for a lot since without that drama, the series would be kind of dull.
On the other hand, though, a lot of the drama focuses around the same thing: Luann’s love of Cabaret. And while it’s funny when Bethenny says that it’s enough with the Cabaret and no one can talk about it anymore, it can feel like a lot of the same thing. She’s ranked at number six on our list because we think she should definitely stay on the show, but it would be cool if she got another storyline soon.
Sonja Morgan
Next, we have Sonja Morgan, a staple of Real Housewives Of New York. She’s made a big life change recently, selling her fabulous townhouse and moving into a smaller apartment (which still probably costs a crazy amount of money).
Sonja is number five on our list because on the one hand, she’s really entertaining to watch, but on the other, it can often feel like she’s going through something difficult that is making her act a bit strange. For example, she drank so much on a season 11 trip to Miami that paramedics came in and the women were super worried about her.
Dorinda Medley
Dorinda Medley is number four since she has been an amazing cast addition. She’s a good friend, mother, and an interesting person.
When someone throws a party or has an event to launch a product, you know that Dorinda is going to have fun. She also has an incredible house in the Berkshires where she hosts the women, and that has led to quite a lot of drama. One of the best moments from the show’s recent history is when she wants Luanna to stay in “The Fish Room” and Luann freaks out, saying that it’s not good enough. Granted, the room is quite creepy… but that’s no way to treat someone who is hosting you.
Alex McCord
Alex McCord may no longer be on Real Housewives Of New York, but she and her husband Simon were a really entertaining part of the early years. They would spend a lot of money (think thousands) when they went shopping and always seemed to be in the process of a townhouse renovation which never seemed to come to fruition.
Thanks to this over-the-top lifestyle, Alex was a great addition to the cast, and we wouldn’t mind if she returned. Of course, that’s not that likely and she and her family now live in Australia (and now she has a Psychology degree), but a reality TV fan can hope, right?
Ramona Singer
There’s no way that Ramona Singer couldn’t be ranked pretty high on this list. She deserves the number two spot as she has been providing comic relief on the series since the very beginning.
Whether she’s demanding that people keep Pinot Grigio around when they know that she’s attending a party, or she’s apologizing for the millionth time that season for hurting someone’s feelings, she’s always a crucial part of the show. One of the most satisfying parts of RHONY is watching Bethenny basically say that “Ramona is going to be Ramona” so you just have to expect this type of behavior. Everyone has a friend like this so it’s relatable (and enough drama to be entertaining).
Bethenny Frankel
Finally, we have Bethenny Frankel, who is hands down the best housewife on Real Housewives Of New York. Right now, word is that she won’t be coming back to the series, which is sad news for her many fans.
A strong businesswoman and mother, Bethenny is a loyal friend who has seen a lot of personal upheaval over the years. She’s been dealing with her never-ending, messy divorce, moving apartments, discovering a passion for real estate, and raising her daughter… all the while dealing with the drama in her friend group. We can always count on a great episode when Bethenny is in it. Let’s hope that when the next season returns, she’ll be back, too.
