When Bravo announced The Real Housewives of Dubai, the latest installment in the Real Housewives franchise, people were instantly intrigued. It would be the first series set in an international country to air on the Bravo network, and fans were eating it up. As Dubai is known for being one of the wealthiest and most expensive locations in the world, audiences were expecting nothing but the best when it came to fashion, homes, and more.
Excited franchise fans watched the first season, as new housewives Chanel Ayan, Caroline Brooks, Nina Ali, Lesa Milan, Caroline Stanbury, and Sara Al Madani were introduced. Right from the beginning, these The Real Housewives of Dubai women started packing the heat, and bringing fashion that everyone was talking about. The show was shaping up to be intriguing at first, and people were waiting to see what the womens’ lives were going to look like, in comparison to iconic housewives, such as Teresa Giudice, Lisa Vanderpump, and Nene Leakes.
However, as episodes were being released weekly, the show quickly progressed, and people started noticing that the series was becoming harder to watch, as the wives were grasping at straws to maintain solid storylines. Fans struggled to identify with any of the women on the show, as they all seemed to try and outdo each other, in terms of drama or likability. RHODubai wasn’t a fan favorite, in the opinions of the franchise’s avid viewers, and the series’ ratings ultimately dropped. This meant that the show became quite a flop.
A Mediocre RHODubai Start
Since its premiere, RHODubai has failed to attract a loyal audience that is passionate about watching the Housewives’ lives play out weekly. To a certain extent, the drama seems forced and petty, as none of the cast members appear to be genuinely invested in maintaining their friendships. Fans consider this unfortunate, in the sense that this series was teased for a while as the next juicy addition to the franchise, after the premiere of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City in 2020. It was an immediate hit among loyal fans of the Bravo staple.
Real Housewives of Du-BYE, Not The Real Housewives of Dubai
Former Ladies of London star-turned-Dubai housewife Caroline S. was particularly adept at making fans cringe, due to the way that she treated her husband, Sergio Carrallo. She even said on the show, right in front of him, that she “didn’t want to get married,” and that just scratched the surface. As for Caroline B. and Nina Ali, viewers found Caroline B. to be abrasive and full of herself, whereas Nina was the complete opposite. The latter RHODubai celeb was just there, without any real storyline, so a lot of viewers considered her boring. The real standouts from the first season were Chanel, Sara, and Lesa, as they were the ones who brought the most laughs. They were also perceived as genuine, family-oriented stars.
Unfortunately, Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Dubai did not live up to the hype, as it really flat-lined. Some viewers also felt that, despite the diverse RHODubai cast, they would have preferred a cast of women from Dubai, rather than mostly ex-pats. It is also the introductory season, and first installments aren’t usually the best when it comes to reality television, as a lot of time is spent familiarizing audiences with the wives. While it was poorly received by fans, these women did not come to play, and may redeem themselves during season 2.
The Real Housewives of Dubai airs Wednesdays at 9.00 p.m. ET on Bravo.
