The Real Housewives of New Jersey: Season 1

Bravo heads to New Jersey for this installment in their rich-housewife reality franchise (other shows have been set in New York, Atlanta, and Orange County). Cast members include divorcée Danielle, stay-at-home moms Teresa and Jacqueline, and sisters Dina and Caroline—one an event planner, the other a catering manager (12 years older than Dina, Caroline bears little resemblance to her sibling). Jacqueline is also a sister-in-law of Dina and Caroline (who are married to brothers), while Teresa (who often sounds like Fran Drescher) and Danielle, the show's designated bad girl, are unrelated to any of the others. When revelations about Danielle's past as an accessory to a crime come out midway through the season, the previously even-tempered Teresa writes her off as “a piece of garbage,” with the situation devolving from there. All five inhabit palatial houses, favor opulent jewelry, and appear to be fabulously wealthy (in the opening episode, Teresa shells out $120,000 in cash for home furnishings), although Danielle claims to be waiting for a divorce settlement. Most of the storylines, which largely revolve around charity events and plastic surgery, are unique to the women's tax bracket, except for Danielle's dating experiences and Dina's pregnancy problems. Even if it's all as superficial as it sounds, viewers curious about the lifestyles of the rich and not-so-famous will still find the 12 episodes from this 2009-10 first season sufficiently entertaining. DVD extras include a director's cut of the season finale (in which Teresa overturns a table in a restaurant), a two-part reunion episode, bonus “lost” footage, and a quiz. A strong optional purchase. (K. Fennessy)