“The Real Housewives of Dubai” seemed like a lock for success. Set in the glamorous world of the United Arab Emirates, and crammed with long, lingering looks at the luxurious way the other half lives, it was very much like its other “Real Housewives” brethren. But it only lasted for two seasons before filming was paused indefinitely, with no firm cancellation announced yet. And Andy Cohen, who serves as the franchise’s executive producer, explains that it was a matter of franchise glut.
“It’s just smart business. We have a lot of Housewives going right now. And it’s one of the reasons it took so long to get The Real Housewives of Atlanta going, and one of the reasons we’re in a deep pause with The Real Housewives of New Jersey. We just want to make sure we get everything right and be very deliberate with everything we’re doing,” he explained on the red carpet for Bravo Fan Fest 2024 to People Magazine.
That pause has lasted for nearly a year now, having been announced back in the fall of 2024. Fans might be comforted to realize that the pause has been equally long on “Real Housewives of New Jersey,” leaving them missing the antics of Teresa Giudice. But with no sign of “Dubai” coming back, is it fair to call that branch of the franchise canceled? It may or may not be, but some fans definitely seem to feel like the show lost itself along the way.
The Real Housewives of Dubai struggled to grab an audience
“Real Housewife” franchise fans blame two problems for the show’s failure: A juggling of cast members between Season 1 and Season 2 and a long wait time between seasons, which caused confusion and a loss of interest in the fanbase.
The initial cast included Chanel Ayan, Sara Al Madani, Caroline Brooks, Lesa Milan, Caroline Stanbury, and Nina Ali, but between Season 1 and Season 2, Ali left the show, citing a desire to focus on her business interests, and was replaced by Taleen Marie and “friend of the Housewives” Saba Yussouf. Major cast shakeups, even on reality shows, are never good, and the cast chemistry was already shaky, with only Chanel Ayan really breaking through as an interesting individual with a core rooting interest — and Caroline Stanbury becoming an entertaining villain. On top of that, there was a full year-plus gap between Season 1, which aired in 2022, and Season 2, which aired in 2024. That’s an easy way to lose both fans and momentum.
Yet Andy Cohen protested to People that the show did well enough in the ratings when Bravo’s numbers were combined with Peacock’s. “You can’t look at overnight or live ratings anymore. It just doesn’t tell the whole story. And when we’re making decisions, we’re really looking at the full picture,” he said at the time. Success or not, as of this writing, it’s been another full year since “The Real Housewives of Dubai” aired a new episode. The show’s long hiatus is reminiscent of two other “Housewives” series with short shelf lives.
The Real Housewives of Dubai isn’t the only Real Housewives show that’s failed
While most of the “Real Housewives” shows have had long runs, at least two other series besides “Real Housewives of Dubai” have been canceled. “The Real Housewives of DC” lasted only one season in 2011, at least in part due to a scandal engendered by cast members Michaele and Tareq Salahi when they allegedly crashed a state dinner being held at the White House. The concept has since been retooled into the much more successful “Real Housewives of the Potomac,” which has nine seasons under its belt as of this writing.
More successful but similarly short-lived was “The Real Housewives of Dallas,” which lasted for five seasons before a sixth season was sent to the junk pile in 2022, and the show was discontinued after much of the cast left over the course of its four-season run. May “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” learn from their mistakes and create reality show moments that are better than scripted TV.
