The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Season 1

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Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Ratings

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6.2

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6.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Ratings

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The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills: Pardon Our French

Now Playing: The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills: Pardon Our French

Season Details & Credits

Bravo | Season Premiere Date: October 14, 2010

Starring: Kyle Richards, Kim Richards, Lisa Vanderpump

Summary: The Real Housewives franchise adds a new locale, Beverly Hills and includes the soon-to-be ex-wife of Kelsey Grammer and Paris Hilton's aunts.

Genre(s): Drama, Reality, Game Show

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Season 1 Episodes

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S1:E17. Dinner Party From Hell: Producer's Cut
Air Date: February 15, 2011
tbd
S1:E16. The Lost Footage
Air Date: February 8, 2011
tbd
S1:E16. Lost Footage Special
Air Date: February 8, 2011

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Tom Gliatto

The formula still works. The Real Housewives of DC wasn't any fun, but the new Beverly Hills chapter delivers. [18 Oct 2010, p.37]

Valerie Kellogg

Housewives fans will enjoy the show but might tire of seeing yet another cast of wealthy, self-indulgent women. It might be time to change it up. Read full review

Jessica Shaw

You'd think Beverly Hills would be the ideal setting for a new Housewives. But something about the camera-ready personal trainers, fresh blowouts, and requisite forehead-filler scene makes you miss the real-ness of a NeNe, Caroline, or Ramona. Read full review

Alessandra Stanley

It is a credit to the casting scouts of Bravo that they managed to sign up a crew of women every bit as uninhibited and ostentatious as their predecessors. Read full review

Mark A. Perigard

There's an undercurrent of desperation in this spinoff--the belief that a woman is only as good as her face and figure, and that there's always some pretty thing on her way up to take her place. These women know they are disposable. That's the ugly truth lining the sun-kissed streets of Beverly Hills. Read full review

David Hinckley

The best thing that can be said for the six Real Housewives of Beverly Hills on their opening night is that they aren't as annoying as their counterparts in New York or New Jersey. The fact they don't make us want to wash our hands, though, is not the same as saying their self-absorbed dramas are worth an hour of our lives. Read full review

Heather Havrilesky

Oct 22, 2010

They can barely speak, or formulate a cohesive thought. They can't see clearly. They plod forward at an excruciating pace, stumbling clumsily over each other to get closer to the camera. They are easily distracted by bright lights, and shiny things. But they are so hungry, so ravenous! And that makes them vicious. Yes, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills are just as terrifying as the others of their kind. Read full review

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User Reviews

MisaMoore

Jul 2, 2019

Even though I always loved brandy .. i love kyle .. this season was sad.. .

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

irish251

Nov 20, 2010

i dwnload all the episodes coz there not out yet here in ireland, and i think Camille Grammer is a fruit cake, she never shut up about the fight with kyle my 5 year old neice wouldnt go on like that, and look love no one is jealous of you, ur head is up ur own arse...... and god she doesnti dwnload all the episodes coz there not out yet here in ireland, and i think Camille Grammer is a fruit cake, she never shut up about the fight with kyle my 5 year old neice wouldnt go on like that, and look love no one is jealous of you, ur head is up ur own arse...... and god she doesnt half boast of what she has with all her houses, planes, cars, her 4 bedroom apt that just wont do ...eh hello !!! i have traveled asia and have seen the worst poverty - why dont u sell ur "small" nyc apt and give the money to ppl in cambodia were they need it, ,, juat once how about not buying shoes for $2000 and think of the starving ppl in the world.....

i like the rest of the cast just not the odd ball, i bet shes out right now buying some thing shiny!!

x… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

MphsTom

Jul 15, 2017

These self-absorbed elitist and the lifestyles they lead. They are conniving caddy women. Lisa Rhinna makes the show. Her life on the show is most believable. Love Erika Jayne please never lose her. Vanderpump is a snob cares more about animals than people but I do like her house and all theThese self-absorbed elitist and the lifestyles they lead. They are conniving caddy women. Lisa Rhinna makes the show. Her life on the show is most believable. Love Erika Jayne please never lose her. Vanderpump is a snob cares more about animals than people but I do like her house and all the animals. Kyle is addicted to the fame just really kind of boring. I know she has some dirt she could be dishing on because she has been all over. They are some hard working folks though. Most interesting watching the day-to-day events in their lives. Boring when they go on trips.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Renovatia

Oct 12, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. INTRODUCTION

The real housewives of Beverly Hills is a 'Reality Show'. Some major events occurred such as the suicide of the spouse of one of the actresses and the divorce of Adrienne Maloof. Other than that, most drama wasn't that spontaneous although not everything is scripted in detail. Some real life friendships were broken in most unpleasant ways as well.

CASTING/SELECTION

It becomes apparent how the casting works. Basically all stars of this show know each other. Kyle Richards knows some of the ladies because they were clients of her husband, a real estate agent. Kim Richards is a sister of Kyle Richards. Dana Wilkey, a former guest star, is a real life friend of Taylor Armstrong. And so forth. They are all connected.

SCRIPTING

I've read that the stars have only a few hours per episode to prepare. So not everything is scripted in detail. However, it has been implied that the actresses have to make their own storyline. Because of the absence of Dana Wilkey I searched for an explanation. Turns out she wasn't asked to return because she didn't make her own (interesting) storyline. That's a major hint on how things work. For a bigger part the stars have to invent their own character and keep it interesting.

PERSONAL INTEREST

Another thing that revealed itself gradually is the motivation for the actresses to participate. Money seems to be the obvious answer, but that's not all. This show serves as a platform for the women to launch their own products, shops, programs, books and restaurants or to re-launch their acting career. Yolanda Forster used the show as a platform to raise awareness for Lyme disease, which she suffers from. Later it becomes a platform to promote her two daughters' modeling career.

MODUS OPERANDI: ONE TRICK PONIES

To create drama, things were escalated often out of nowhere, so it seems. More on that later. For example Brandi calling Joyce constantly 'Jacqueline', Kyle who pretends not to see the difference between a Witch Pentagram and a Star of David and when Carlton (the Witch) complained about it she got accused of anti-Semitism. During a dinner party, somebody calls somebody a fat pig out of nowhere. Brandi Glanville's (evil) ways is legendary by now.

Also the emotions are the same. Kyle's way of looking disgruntled is her trademark. Lisa V's attempts to cry (or to faint) is laughable. Eileen Davidson's level headed demeanor has become a bore to me. Cautious hustling Lisa Rina is a bit cowardly for my taste but she's popular, I get it. In general people perform their shtick so bad, it's sometimes toe cringing. But then again, the perfection is in the imperfection in reality shows.

But some things are real, such as the troublesome relationship between the sisters Kim and Kyle. I find this truly heartbreaking and feel Bravo should not pursue this angle ever (again). Nor would I encourage Bravo to pursue Kim's (lack of) sobriety again as well.

MORE ON THE DRAMA

Basically in every season and episode, the drama was setup quite structurally. For example the show involves us in the preparation of a nice party, get-together, boat trip, meeting, you name it. The second step is giving us hints what tensions could arise at said event. The third step is the event itself and the drama that unfolds.

CONCLUSION

I think RHOBH created a lot of winners: the actresses, the Botox companies, and it created a fan-base for each of the participants. Nevertheless, I rate the show a 4 out of 10. The modus operandi to create drama was the same. I didn't see enough of the 'Beverly Hills luxury life' and the actresses were too much of one-trick-ponies.

Having seen it up to and including season 5, I would welcome less negative vibes during the episodes. Sometimes it's a little bit too much. Less on the drama, more on the grand estates, awesome walk-in closets, man-caves, cars, foods, bling, fashion, nice restaurants, lifestyle, smiles.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Killman

Aug 2, 2011

A show for middle class moms to foam at the mouth for the stupid drama and all the flashy things that they themselves will never be able to buy. Basically, this show appeals to idiots.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

VladimirLenin

Dec 17, 2010

This show sucks, Bravo needs to find something new to film besides old, fugly, plasic women talking about jack. I can't believe I am even reviewing it. How many house wife shows can we have. **** need to get a job.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20