The Real Housewives of Orange County is an American reality television series that began airing March 21, 2006,[1] and airs on Bravo. Set in Orange County, California, and created by Scott Dunlop, it is the first The Real Housewives installment in the franchise. The Real Housewives of Orange County is a voyeuristic look into the wealthy lives of these housewives, as they shop, get plastic surgery, gossip, fight and live lavishly.[2] The financial crisis, the beginning of which coincided almost exactly with the first season's broadcast, has since trimmed the housewives' lifestyles with job losses, evictions, mortgage defaults, foreclosures, and marital stress—all recorded in progressive seasons of the show. The series' eighteenth season chronicles seven women in Orange County— Tamra Judge, Heather Dubrow, Shannon Storms Beador, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, Jenn Pedranti and Katie Ginella –as they balance their personal and business lives, along with their social circle.
Former cast members featured over the previous seasons are: Kimberly Bryant (1), Jo De La Rosa (1-2), Vicki Gunvalson (1-13), Jeana Keough (1-5), Lauri Peterson (1-4), Tammy Knickerbocker (2-3), Quinn Fry (3), Lynne Curtin (4-5), Gretchen Rossi (4-8), Alexis Bellino (5-8), Peggy Tanous (6), Lydia McLaughlin (8, 12), Lizzie Rovsek (9), Meghan King Edmonds (10-12), Kelly Dodd (11-15), Peggy Sulahian (12), Braunwyn Windham-Burke (14-15), Elizabeth Lyn Vargas (15), Dr. Jen Armstrong (16), and Noella Bergener (16).
As of September 5, 2024[update], 317 original episodes of The Real Housewives of Orange County have aired.