The Real Housewives franchise offers us a glimpse into the dramatic lives of women in seven different places: Beverly Hills, Orange County, New York City, Atlanta, New Jersey, Potomac, and Dallas. The last is one of the most recent additions to the show. It premiered in 2016 and gave us one season per year so far. Stephanie Hollman, LeeAnne Locken, and Brandi Redmond have been on the show from the beginning, but D’Andra Simmons and Kameron Westcott joined in season 2. Tiffany Hendra is one of those housewives who only lasted one season, but appeared as a guest in the following seasons.
The women from Dallas know how to speak up, create drama, and fight when necessary. When it comes to conflicts, they are no different than the ladies from RHONY. Unfortunately, the ratings of RHOD are terrible. On top of that, Brandi Redmond was heavily criticized for her racist remarks in a certain video she posted and LeeAnne is losing fans at an alarming speed as she is simply too dramatic for the show to be enjoyable. An increasing amount of fans don't watch RHOD just because they can't stand her.
10 Best: Party Fouls (8.0)
"Party Fouls" is the 16th episode of season 3, the season finale. It's an episode, packed with drama as well as new beginnings. Stephanie threw a college-themed party for Travis: people doing keg stands, playing beer pong, and partying in a giant foam pit. The fun was quickly overshadowed by LeeAnne and Brandi who had yet another dramatic fight. LeeAnne went ballistic and literally snarled at Brandi. It's a miracle she wasn't kicked out. The highlight of the episode was definitely Cary who rocked the perfect frat outfit. LeeAnne's, however, was heavily criticized.
Otherwise, it was a good episode for LeeAnne. She chose a venue and the date for her wedding.
9 Worst: Are You Saying I'm An Alcoholic? (7.0)
The 10th episode of season 3 got a rating of 7.0, making it one of the worst episodes on RHOD. Mama Dee urged D'Andra to focus on business rather than LeeAnne's personal life. If the skincare empire was to succeed, would she become one of the richest bravolebrities? In return, D'Andra doesn't really like how close and comfortable her mother is with LeeAnne. As usual, Brandi said some nasty things about LeeAnne. "LeeAnne is 50 years old with no family" is probably the one that takes the cake. The women show very little sympathy towards clearly wounded LeeAnne.
Stephanie got a visit from her sister and things got pretty raunchy. Because Stephanie borrowed her shirt, the sister peed in her shampoo bottle. No wonder the episode wasn't a major success.
8 Best: Reunion (8.1)
Reunions are typically among the highest-rated episodes in reality TV. Wearing some of the most amazing outfits in the franchise, the cast is forced into full-blown confrontations while revisiting the season's most dramatic and difficult moments. One of the most cringe-worthy moments on the reunion was definitely Cary crying her fake tears.
Season 1 left us with a painful realization about LeeAnne. She obviously has a history of child abuse and therefore needs therapy if she ever hopes to gain control over her life and emotions. Unfortunately, she showed almost no progress in the following seasons. At this point, fans would rather she leaves the show.
7 Worst: Mad As A Hatter (6.9)
The first season didn't start off with success. The second episode of season 1 is called "Mad as a Hatter" and it's one of the lowest-ranking episodes of the show. The women attend Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at Dallas Arboretum, one of the most exciting events in Dallas for ladies who want to show off their status.
The episode probably ranked as one of the worst because the women kept referring to Brandi's hat as "poop hat". As expected, it especially offended LeeAnne. Really, ladies? Do you have nothing better than potty humor to talk about? Considering the rules they have to follow, it's hard to say whether Brandi even chose that hat herself.
6 Best: Don't Cry Over Shattered Glass
When was ever the host of the party also the star of the party? In "Don't Cry Over Shattered Glass", Brandi hosted a holiday get-together, but as expected, all eyes were on LeeAnne. She announced that she can no longer be friends with Cary anymore because she is fake and insincere. Fans sided with LeeAnne in this episode and loved the way she looked. No wonder it's one of the highest-rated episodes. D'Andra also stole people's hearts because she is much more grounded and kind than most housewives in the whole franchise.
As things escalate, Brandi gets involved and starts a rumor about Cary and Mar: according to her, they had been seeing each other when Mark was still married to his ex.
5 Worst: Killing Time in Austin (6.8)
As the title suggests, the women take a birthday trip to Austin, Texas where Brandi and Stephanie have a lake mansion. Their husbands built it together, so the two families share it. At this point, the housewives are holding countless grudges towards one another and the way they handle the tension is with alcohol and junk food. What could go wrong?
Again, the highlight of the episode was unfortunately human excrement. LeeAnne once had to relieve herself in a bag while in a car, a rumor that she instantly denied. During the night, LeeAnne threatened to gut Marie who started the nasty rumor. Much of the episode revolves around the intervention that follows LeeAnne's breakdown.
4 Best: Reunion Part I And II (8.2)
The second best episodes were the season 2 finale episodes. The hottest topics were Mark and Cary's marriage, biggest regrets, and the guestlist for LeeAnne's wedding. Mark received quite a lot of screen time. It's a real shame that they didn't invite other husbands.
Each cast member had a special highlight montage put together for them. D'Andra's was over fast, but LeeAnne's was infinite. From discussing her PTSD to the threats she made to Cary at the doctor's office, she once again secured her position as the most famous RHOD.
3 Worst: The Full Nelson (6.8)
"Full Nelson" is the season 1 finale. The housewives are partying yet again. This time, at Stephanie's all-day drinking extravaganza. LeeAnne apologized to Brandi for what had happened in Austin. Cary was thinking about what kind of real-estate to buy in Europe.
The first season left many viewers indifferent. The cast was dramatic alright, to a degree that it was hard to watch at times. Apart from talking about charity work, there is barely anything Dallas about these women.
2 Best: Something is Rotten in Denmark (8.5)
The 13th episode of season 3 is titled "Something is Rotten in Denmark" and it had an outstanding rating of 8.5. Cary took the cast to Copenhagen, Denmark. They decided to visit a luxurious Michelin Star restaurant and that's where things got heated this time. It's cringey and embarrassing to watch these women act like upset children at such high-end places.
Brandi got really drunk and decided it was a great time to confront LeeAnn calling her an alcoholic. It was pretty ironic since she obviously also does also take alcohol too far.
1 Worst: Everything's Bigger in Dallas (6.2)
The worst episode according to IMDb was the RHOD pilot. It was instantly pretty obvious that rating the storylines of the Dallas housewives will not be as easy as rating the NYC housewives. The premise was that everything will be even bigger in Dallas: the drama, the egos, and net worth. Unfortunately, some cast members' attitudes weren't necessarily bigger - they were painfully unhealthy.
You didn't need to be a careful observer to notice straight away that LeeAnne is mentally unwell. As fans got used to her antics, the ratings also grew.