The women of The Housewives of New Jersey know what makes good reality television. With over 20 episodes in each season, fans get an eye-full every week of the latest storylines and drama among the women. With fans tuning in weekly, the Bravo editors set up the episodes in a way where the viewers' questions are answered, more questions are asked, or a bombshell disrupts everything that's transpired over the season.
It all boils down to the finale. Sometimes the women of New Jersey end things on a good note, while other times the tension is too thick to resolve anything. And regardless of the finale's outcome, a reunion always follows. At the reunion, host Andy Cohen goes over everything that's happened in the season, focusing on how things ended in the finale. And thanks to IMDb, it's clear that every finale differs from the next.
Season 11: 'House Horrors' (6.4)
Season 11 had its good and bad moments. Teresa Giudice and Jackie Goldschneider were going head-to-head throughout the series because of a cheating rumor and a bad analogy. What followed was the women choosing sides, causing a divide and some tension in the group. Teresa and Jackie's drama was a majority of season 11's storyline, so once they made up the season felt lackluster.
By the time the finale rolled around, Margaret threw a Halloween party for everyone to attend. While Teresa was smitten with her new boyfriend, Melissa and Joe Gorga were bickering over his treatment of women. The party appeared fun but nothing too exciting happened in the finale.
Season 3: 'An Inconvenient Truce' (6.9)
At the end of season 3, the Housewives were wrapping up their time on a cast trip in Punta Cana. The vacation went surprisingly well, but Teresa's feud with her cousin Kathy continued on camera. Nevertheless, the trip was a brief moment in time where the Giudices and the Gorgas weren't bickering like cats and dogs. While not dramatic, it was one of the group's better vacations.
By the end of the episode, cameras followed Caroline Manzo's son's release of his new water, BLK, while Melissa gave viewers what they've been waiting for: a live performance of her singing her new single, "On Display."
Season 5: 'Salon, Farewell' (7.1)
Teresa and Melissa's relationship has had its moments over the years, but it was broken yet again in the season 5 finale. As always, the Jersey Housewives went to a party at the Posche fashion show. While they were there, a woman named Penny claimed that Teresa had asked for her help earlier to discredit Melissa and, essentially, take her down. Melissa isn't an angel in the series but fans supported her as she was, yet again, attacked by a family member.
What followed was a physical brawl between Penny's husband and Melissa's husband over loyalty. By the end of the finale, Teresa and her brother Joe have a deep conversation about their family end in a tear-filled hug. It was an emotional moment but the perfect way to end their story for the season.
Season 7: 'And Then There Were Four' (7.1)
At the end of season 7, fans saw Melissa's dream come to life as she held her first fashion show for her boutique, Envy. Meanwhile, Dolores has a big moment where she realizes she's ready to move on from her ex-husband, Frank Sr., and become more financially independent. With Melissa and Dolores moving up in the world, Teresa was still in a feud with Jacqueline while Siggy tried to mend the two.
But at an event that Siggy held, Teresa refused to have a one-on-one conversation with Jacqueline and encouraged their discussion to be out in the open in front of everyone. This ended with both women screaming at each other before Jacqueline left early in a rage. It was a wild way to end the season — not to mention Jacqueline's last.
Season 8: 'Prisoners, Proposals, And Parties' (7.2)
Throughout season 8, Teresa had been dealing with her husband, Joe, in prison. As a single mom of sorts to four girls, Teresa was trying to find financial independence and peace. Cameras followed as she brought her daughters on a road trip to see Joe for the first time in months — an emotional moment for both the Giudices and fans who have followed their story.
Meanwhile, Margaret Josephs was getting ready for her 50th birthday bash at her house. As a themed party, Margaret invited all of the Housewives and was ready to party the night away. But when former Housewife Siggy failed to show because of a supposed injury, the group began to talk. They wondered if Siggy was telling the truth or if she was lying because of her issues with some of the group. Once Siggy heard that people were talking about her, she showed up—cast and all—to prove her point. Between prison and a supposed injury, it was an epic finale.
Season 10: 'Family Reunion' (7.3)
'Family Reunion' was a doozy for everyone watching. After a hard season with Danielle Staub, the women were excited to celebrate summer with a backyard barbeque without her. But when Melissa met with Danielle before the barbeque to clear the air about the group's reasons for shunning her (i.e. violence), Danielle dropped a bomb. Melissa found out that the only reason why Danielle pulled on Margaret's ponytail that season was because Teresa told her to.
When Melissa got back to the barbeque, she told everyone what she had heard. With Teresa in the hot spot, the only thing she could think of doing was give the cameras the middle finger and storm off. The shock factor of that conversation and the new feud between Teresa, Margaret, and Danielle made this a great finale.
Season 6: 'Judgment Day' (7.4)
Season 6 of RHONJ has some of the most forgotten Housewives as it wasn't the most viewed season in the bunch. Nevertheless, the finale was entertaining enough to make up for it. With the twins, Teresa and Nicole, in a feud with Teresa Giudice, things come to a boil at Dina Manzo's charity event. And while there were F-bombs dropped, Teresa and the twins somehow made up after arguing all season.
But what really made this finale a standout was the very end. At the end of season 6, viewers followed as the cast found out in real-time Teresa and Joe's fate for fraud: prison time. Joe was sentenced to three and a half years while Teresa was sentenced to 15 months. Cameras followed everyone's reaction at different times as tears were shed and prayers were said. It was a dark moment in RHONJ history.
Season 9: 'Hotheads And Hookahs' (7.5)
Season 9 ended tying up a few loose ends. Joe and Melissa were getting used to parenting a teenager, and Dolores was ready to move in with her boyfriend, David. Meanwhile, with Jennifer and Bill Aydin's 16th wedding anniversary here, the Aydins wanted to throw a massive party at their estate where everyone had to wear red. The party of love was going well until Margaret Josephs and her husband Joe ran into Danielle's husband, Marty.
Marty, Margaret, Joe, and Danielle all used to be friends but had a falling out after Danielle and Marty's wedding. While standing by the Aydins' pool, Marty insulted Margaret's body and compared her to his wife. In a fit of rage, Margaret pushed Marty into the pool and walked away with her head held high.
Season 4: 'Strip Down Memory Lane' (7.6)
Things never go well at a Posche fashion show but the women continue to go year after year. In season 4, Teresa and Melissa were "trying" to get over their negative past but the notion blew up in their faces at the fashion show.
While Teresa was getting ready for the night, she met a man who claimed that he used to work with Melissa when she used to strip at his club. The idea of her sister-in-law stripping left a bad taste in her mouth and Teresa acted like she didn't know what to do with this information, but as it turned out, she was the one behind it. Melissa screaming "I'm not a stripper!" is a quote she'll never live down. Everyone was disappointed in Teresa for pushing a fake narrative.
Season 2: 'The Heads Of Family Will Roll' (7.8)
In season 2, Teresa, Caroline, Jacqueline, and beyond are still close friends. The only thorn in their side was Danielle Staub. Caroline kept her distance from Danielle because she didn't trust her based on what she's heard from her friends and family, but in this finale, Caroline decided to meet with Danielle herself.
Without any distractions or props, fans watched as one of the most intelligent and intimidating Housewives met with Danielle over the accusations, rumors, and drama swirling around in the group. It was a long-awaited moment for the viewers.
Season 1: 'Finale' (7.9)
The season 1 finale outranks the rest. When the Housewives go out to dinner with each other and their families, this was a family occasion that ended in a table flip.
At the dinner, Danielle arrived with a book that the Housewives had been talking about all season long, Cop Without A Badge. The book featured Danielle during a time in her life that she wasn't proud of. However, knowing that all the Housewives were already talking about the book, Danielle brought it to clear the air. But when Teresa misunderstands Danielle's explanation, it leads to insults, a table flip, and Joe Giudice keeping Teresa apart from Danielle. It was one of the most explosive episodes in RHONJ history.