There have been times when the Real Housewives franchise got a little too real

Over the years, The Real Housewives franchise has given viewers plenty to discuss, debate, and laugh about. Each Bravo show in the "Housewives" empire has featured numerous cast trips, wine throws, friendships, and scandals. Reality television can sometimes capture the unthinkable. It may be entertaining to watch The Real Housewives, but it isn't always filled with joy and happiness. While unscripted television can present incredible highs, it can also present extraordinary lows.

It is arguably these darker moments that make The Real Housewives franchise so beloved and popular. Throughout the franchise, we have seen women dealing with trauma of all kinds. The Housewives' experiences resonate with audiences just like well-drawn characters in books or films, making them more dimensional, understandable, and relatable. In the minds of viewers, a few frank and genuine moments remain remarkably fresh.

The early days of Taylor Armstrong's Real Housewives of Beverly Hills were filled with turmoil, sadness, and tension. Before any details about Taylor's abusive relationship with Russell were revealed, fans speculated that something bad had happened behind the scenes.

All of the RHOBH women except Taylor gathered to discuss the news that Russell had taken his own life at the beginning of season 2. At the time, it was perhaps the most gripping moment of the show. A shocking, out-of-control physical fight between Candiace Dillard-Bassett and Monique Samuels culminated in episode after episode of escalating tension between the two on The Real Housewives of Potomac.

While physical fights are nothing new in the franchise, especially because RHOP started 10 years after The Real Housewives, the effects of this one were much deeper. As a cast of women of color, they discussed how this could potentially push the harmful narrative of "angry Black women." The conversation gave viewers a new perspective on how reality TV can genuinely influence popular culture. The prison was mentioned a few times in The Real Housewives franchise.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey's Teresa and Joe Giudice's prison story may be the most iconic and memorable. As the situation unfolded on screens everywhere, viewers were shaken. In the case of Teresa and Joe, each had to serve a separate sentence, and Teresa was behind bars first. She was greeted by her four daughters in the kitchen when she returned, one of the most emotional moments in the show's run. For 11 months, their mother had not been free.