While there are popular international iterations of Housewives, like Melbourne and Cheshire, this guide focuses on the 10 American series (past and present). With an inimitable catalog of priceless memes, cutting one-liners, dramatic reveals and unforgettable reads, Housewives can be a surprisingly effective-and endlessly entertaining-way of taking your mind off everything. Whatever the reason, there’s no better time than now to start the most important reality TV journey of your life. Maybe you never really thought about it until you clicked on this guide.

Maybe you’re a fan of some of Bravo’s other shows and are ready for something new.

Maybe you’ve always wanted to watch Housewives but were overwhelmed by the number of different series (and seasons) there are.