What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Housewives
Brian Moylan · Book · 2021
If you loved The Housewives, start with The Real Housewives of Atlanta (Scott Dunlop, 2008) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 3 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Housewives across media.
If you loved The Housewives, you are drawn to the intricate, performative power dynamics and the art of manufactured social chaos.
Films on the same thread
The Housemaid
Paul Feig · Film · 2025
Explores: Class Conflict, Gaslighting, Identity Theft.
Much like the high-stakes navigation of social hierarchies in The Housewives, this thriller exploits the tension between public personas and the dangerous secrets hidden behind closed, affluent doors.
Paris Is Burning
Jennie Livingston · Film · 1991
Explores: Found family, Intersectionality, Performative identity.
This documentary explores the origins of the performative identity and shade-throwing culture that serve as the essential, beating heart of every season of The Housewives.
The Red Shoes
Michael Powell · Film · 1948
Explores: Artistic obsession, Fatal love triangle, The price of fame.
The Housewives highlights the cost of maintaining a public image, a theme mirrored here as an artist battles the suffocating, tragic price of fame and obsessive competition.
The Power of the Dog
Jane Campion · Film · 2021
Explores: Toxic Masculinity, Repressed Sexuality, Hidden Identity.
While set in a western, the film captures the same toxic masculinity and calculated psychological warfare that often erupts during the most explosive confrontations in The Housewives.
Series on the same thread
The Real Housewives of Atlanta
Scott Dunlop · Series · 2008
Shares a thread with The Housewives: Reality Television.
If you enjoyed the analysis in The Housewives, you will appreciate seeing these specific Southern social hierarchies and status-seeking behaviors play out in their original, unscripted form.
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Andy Cohen · Series · 2009
Explores: Pop culture gossip, Celebrity dynamics, Reality television culture.
This talk show acts as the primary ecosystem for The Housewives, providing the essential platform where cast members dissect their own behavior and defend their public narratives.
The Real Housewives of New York City
Scott Dunlop · Series · 2008
Explores: high-society drama, female friendship dynamics, aspirational living.
This series offers the quintessential experience for anyone who loved The Housewives, showcasing the exact urban social dynamics and aspirational lifestyles dissected in Moylan’s critical analysis.
Podcasts on the same thread
Mention It All
Betches Media · Podcast
Shares a thread with The Housewives: reality television.
This podcast functions as a vital extension of The Housewives, offering the same level of granular, scene-by-scene breakdown and commentary that defines the appeal of the franchise.
Virtual Reali-Tea by Page Six
Page Six · Podcast
Shares a thread with The Housewives: reality television.
Since you enjoyed the behind-the-scenes drama of The Housewives, this podcast serves as your necessary source for the off-screen gossip and industry scoops that drive the fandom.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What does The Housewives cover regarding the franchise?
The Housewives explores the history and cultural impact of the reality television franchise. The book examines major onscreen moments, behind-the-scenes drama, the development of various product offshoots, and the wider influence the series has had on popular culture since its inception.
Is The Housewives an official history of the series?
The Housewives, written by Brian Moylan in 2021, serves as an analytical look at the reality television franchise. It documents the evolution of the series by detailing key production moments, controversies, and the business ventures that have emerged from the various shows.
Does The Housewives discuss the business side of the franchise?
Yes, The Housewives provides insight into the product offshoots associated with the reality television franchise. The book details how the participants and the network leveraged the show's success to launch various commercial products and brands throughout the history of the series.
How does The Housewives analyze the behind-the-scenes drama?
The Housewives examines behind-the-scenes drama by looking at the production environment and the specific onscreen moments that defined the franchise. Brian Moylan documents how these interactions shaped the cultural impact of the series and influenced the trajectory of the reality television genre.