The Real Housewives of Potomac
The Real Housewives of Potomac (abbreviated RHOP) is an American reality television series that premiered on January 17, 2016, on Bravo. It has aired six seasons and focuses on the personal and professional lives of several women living in and around Potomac, Maryland. The cast of the current sixth season consists of Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Robyn Dixon, Karen Huger, Candiace Dillard, Wendy Osefo, and Mia Thornton, with Askale Davis serving as a friend of the housewives. Previously featured cast members included Charrisse Jackson-Jordan, Katie Rost, and Monique Samuels. Overview and casting. Seasons 1–3 . Initially titled "Potomac Ensemble", "The Real Housewives of Potomac" was announced on November 11, 2015. The series is the network's second attempt to develop a reality series based in the Washington, D.C. area. The first effort was "The Real Housewives of D.C." which aired in 2010 and was canceled after one season. The first season premiered on January 17, 2016, and starred Gizelle Bryant, Katie Rost, Karen Huger, Charrisse Jackson-Jordan, Robyn Dixon and Ashley Darby. After the filming for the second season began, Rost was fired from the show. Monique Samuels was then added to the cast for  the second season which premiered on April 2, 2017. The third season premiered on April 1, 2018, with Candiace Dillard joining the cast, and Jordan appearing in a "friend" capacity. Jordan left the show after the third season. Seasons 4–present. The fourth season which began filming in August 2018, premiered on May 5, 2019. The season featured Dillard's wedding and Rost as a "friend of the housewives." It also marked as Rost's final appearance in the show after not being invited in the fourth season's reunion. The fifth season premiered on August 2, 2020, with Wendy  Osefo as the newest cast member, and Jackson Jordan appearing as a guest. In December 2020, Samuels announced her departure from the series. The sixth season premiered on July 11, 2021, with new housewife Mia Thornton and friend of the housewives Askale Davis joining. Reception. Viewership. The premiere episode of "The Real Housewives of Potomac" received a 1.2 rating in adults 1849 years adult demographic and 2.54 million viewers in total, according to Nielsen Media Research's "live plus-3" estimates. The episode was the highest rated premiere of any series of "The Real Housewives" franchise. The first season of the  series averaged 2.1 million viewers in the "live plus-3" estimates, becoming the network's most-watched first season of a series since "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" in 2010. Critical response. The reality series has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. Amy Amatangelo, writing for "The Hollywood Reporter", said, "Like its predecessors, "The Real Housewives of Potomac" offers escapist TV at the highest level," and also added, "You can watch with the comfort that you would never behave this way and delight in all the ridiculous shenanigans." Amatangelo praised the show's diversity by saying that the network  aims the franchise to be "an equal-opportunity offender". Joi-Marie McKenzie of ABC News, reviewing the show's premiere, said, "Between the show introductions, there was plenty of shade-throwing and one-liners to keep "Housewives" enthusiasts entertained." Broadcast history. "The Real Housewives of Potomac" airs regularly on Bravo in the United States; most episodes are approximately forty-two minutes in length, and are broadcast in high definition. Since its premiere the series has aired on Sunday evenings and has frequently shifted between the 8:00, 9:00, and 10:00 PM timeslots.