Clockwise: Candiace, Gizelle, Nneka, Mia, Wendy, Robyn, Ashley, Karen
The Real Housewives of Potomac (abbreviated RHOP) is an American reality television series. It is the eighth installment of The Real Housewives franchise, premiering on January 17, 2016.
The show focuses on the lives of a group of women residing in and around Potomac, Maryland. It is the second Real Housewives installment to feature a predominantly Black cast following Atlanta in 2008. The inaugural cast featured Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Robyn Dixon, Karen Huger, Charrisse Jackson-Jordan, and Katie Rost. It is also the second series to be set in the Washington, D.C. area following the cancelation of The Real Housewives of D.C. in 2011 after one season and the revelation of a major scandal.
The eighth and latest season premiered on November 5, 2023. In order of debut, the current cast consists of Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Robyn Dixon, Karen Huger, Candiace Dillard Bassett, Wendy Osefo, Mia Thornton, and Nneka Ihim.
Main cast members
- Gizelle Bryant (Season 1-present)
- Ashley Darby (Season 1-present)
- Robyn Dixon (Season 1-present)
- Karen Huger (Season 1-present)
- Charrisse Jackson-Jordan (Seasons 1-2; Recurring: Seasons 3; 7-present)
- Katie Rost (Season 1; Recurring: Season 4)
- Monique Samuels (Seasons 2-5)
- Candiace Dillard Bassett (Seasons 3-8)
- Wendy Osefo (Season 5-present)
- Mia Thornton (Season 6-present)
- Nneka Ihim (Season 8-present)
The Real Housewives of Potomac contains the following tropes:
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Etiquette was a frequent topic of discussion during the first season of the show. This is due to the fact that the show was originally going to be about the Jack and Jill of America leadership organization. The organization put a stop to that and the show rebranded to a Real Housewives installment.
- A House Divided: This has been an issue amongst the cast and as of Season 8, still is. Gizelle manages to have not only Robyn, but also Ashley, Mia, and newbie Nneka in her corner against Candiace and Wendy. Karen decides to remain neutral.
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Improved Second Attempt: As mentioned above, Potomac was preceded by The Real Housewives of D.C. which was canceled in 2011 due to a major scandal. The scandal in question happened on November 24, 2009, when cast member Michaele Salahi and her then-husband entered The White House to attend a state dinner to which they were not invited. This was a massive security breach. Though the footage was never aired, the Salahis were filmed preparing for the event. When the public got wind of what the Salahis had done, D.C.'s brand was tarnished, leading to Bravo canceling the show. Years later, the network announced plans to revisit the D.C. area, and The Real Housewives of Potomac was born. The show has proven to be a success for the network and as of 2023, has not produced any controversy on the scale of its predecessor. - Long-Lived: As of Season 8, four original cast members still remain on the show: Gizelle, Ashley, Robyn, and Karen. This is notable because they have all served fully continuous tenures unlike Housewives in other cities and have not been demoted from their full-time positions.
- Vicki and NeNe had been the sole original Housewives left since Season 6 of Orange County and Atlanta respectivelynote . Beverly Hills was down to two, Kyle and LVP, by the start of Season 6.
- In New York City and New Jersey respectively, Ramona and Teresa were the only original Housewives to be presentnote and full-timenote every season by Season 7.
- Proper Lady: During the etiquette era of Season 1, Karen and Charrisse served as this. Gizelle and Robyn stood in opposition to their values. Katie and Ashley fell in the middle.
- Spin-Off: So far Potomac has received one spin-off focused on Karen.
- Karen's Grand Dame Reunion (2022): This miniseries showcases Karen's venture back to her native Surry County, Virginia to reunite with her family, The Woodens. The Wooden family possesses a vast land estate and its future is a major plot-point of the show.
- This Is My Chair: The root of Karen and Gizelle's issues in the first season. Gizelle sits in the spot designated for Karen during Karen's birthday celebration.
