What you find on each show is that these women are very caddy, dramatic, and two-faced. It really is a "study" that looks at how wealthy women live in different places in America. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is Bravo's latest series and its second season is currently on air. This season's biggest fight has happened between Camille and Taylor. At a tea party, Camille called her out and said that she needs to look at herself because her husband broke her jaw and beats her on camera when they had all agreed to not say it on camera. This initial fight becomes even bigger as more episodes air because the women never really talk one on one with each other in private. A common phrase that the women are heard saying on multiple series of the Real Housewives is "this is neither the time nor the place" in reference to bringing up the past/drama, so they normally try to ignore it when at an event. However by the end of the evening, they begin to bring up what had previously happened or rehash old issues.
This happened on the episode that just aired. It was the first time Camille and Taylor has seen each other since the tea party at a party that another housewife and cast mate, Brandi, put on in Malibu. The women had a wine tasting and then has belly dancing lessons. Towards the end, a fight broke out where Camille and Taylor confronted each other, however, all the other women began to join in with the fight and it was blown way out of proportion. The women that jumped in then began to pick sides and help the two women fight their battle.
What I've found is that a group divided makes the situation worse whenever a fight occurs and also because the two people involved are talking to each other, but not communicating; hearing, but not listening. They are almost fighting to fight. The problem with this also is that these women only really see each other at different events--parties, charity events, luncheons, and dinners. They are often drinking at these events and this can also force them to say things to each other that they later don't mean because their emotions are heightened and they are in a different state of mind.
Each series is filmed in the same way where the camera chronicles their lives each day. They are also shown in interview, confessional shots where they comment on what happened in the episode. This is similar to Jersey Shore and other reality TV series. This style allows for continuity between all seven different varieties of this series. They often make little jokes or slightly insult the other cast mate in these shots based on what was happening in that episode. This makes them seem slightly real, but also entertaining. Because America is watching this episode for the drama and comments they make about one another. That is also why Bravo has come out with several different versions--because the viewer who watches one will be be the viewer who watches all.
These women that appear on the show also are similar to each other when comparing multiple seasons because they all become celebrities. They are reported on in gossip magazines like OK!, People, and Life & Style. They become their own franchise. Many of them have written their own books (Teresa Giudice of NJ, Kyle Richards of Beverly Hills, and Sonja Morgan of NYC), have some type of clothing or accessory line (Kelly Killoren Bensimon of NYC-handbags, and Adrienne Maloof of Bevery Hills-shoes, Gretchen Rossi-handbags), or have their own line of alcohol (Bethenny Frankel of NYC's Skinny Margarita). This makes the viewer who is "studying" this wonder whether or not how accurate this show is to represent this subculture.These women on this reality series are very self aware and know who their audience is in America so they show themselves in the way that they want to represent themselves. It isn't necessarily who they really are.
The issue of authenticity also is in question because they are receiving something in return for them to be filmed. They may not need to do this for the money, however, these people may want the fame that comes with this show. Therefore, they may be willing to play a part that the producers of the show would like them to do. The drama that occurs and the rate at which it occurs is not a normal amount that would happen in a human beings life. We see a similar dilemma in Jean Marshalls' film Nai! because as viewers, we see in the film that she is self aware that she is the star of the film when she indirectly expresses it, but also when other people in the village get jealous of her. She is receiving money for her role in the film and the people in the village suggest through their actions that it has slightly changed her, just as their fame might change how these women act on the show.
The issue of editing is just as important to think about when viewing these shows as watching an ethnographic film. The producers all edit them in a certain way to get their point across. In this case, it is to heighten the drama that occurs in the lives of these women and to build up the suspense. The viewer becomes caught up with these women's lives. It is also something that most people will never get to experience in their lives themselves so they live vicariously through them.
Because it is very mainstream and watched by all, entertainment value is the reality series number one priority, so I am skeptical as to believe that what we are shown is what actually happens in their lives and who they really are. It isn't shot with its educational value in mind. They want a viewer who is interested in juicy gossip and over the top drama. The setting or women in the show don't matter really. That is why all seven seasons are equally successful--because they all have the same winning formula.
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