Bravo's hit reality show The Real Housewives of New York, the second-ever series in the Real Housewives franchise, has seen a revolving cast of eccentric ladies tear up Manhattan across 12 seasons. It has introduced viewers to a slew of iconic minor characters like "Pirate" Tomas and Harry Dubin, but most of the drama has of course revolved around New York's most over-the-top and wealthiest women, many of whom have enjoyed long runs on the show.
While some New York housewives have achieved legendary status, with the show chronicling huge breakthroughs in their personal and professional lives, others have definitely faded in fans' memories.
Queen Bee: Bethenny
Bethenny Frankel started out as the decided underdog all the way back on RHONY Season 1. In contrast to the other uber-wealthy women, Bethenny was a natural foods chef struggling to launch and maintain business ventures. Soon enough, though, she became one of the most successful housewives on the show and a brand name - literally.
Even aside from her explosive financial success, Bethenny always enjoyed main character status on the show, with major conflicts with her one-time BFFs Jill and Carole forming major plot arcs.
Never Made It: Cindy
Cindy Barshop appeared on Season 4 of RHONY and although she was a pleasant presence on the show, she failed to make much of a splash in her short appearance. Viewers got to see the wildly successful hair removal guru venture into motherhood as a new parent to twin girls, but she's widely seen by fans as having been too normal to fit in with her Manhattanite peers.
She's probably best remembered for a deliciously uncomfortable tea party with Sonja which saw the latter housewife totally condescending to the newbie.
Queen Bee: Ramona
Ramona Singer is one of only two original housewives who have stuck with the franchise, and so it's no surprise that the controversial housewife has achieved legendary status. Renowned for her biting comments and endless apologies as well as her tendency towards rude behavior on the show, Ramona has understandably taken up a lot of airtime over the years.
Sonja memorably told Cindy Barshop that Ramona was a "star" at the top of the group's pecking order in Season 4, and in a sense, she wasn't wrong.
Never Made It: Jules
Jules Wainstein appeared on RHONY for just Season 8 and isn't recognized as an especially important presence in the show's history.
Attentive viewers might recall her conflict with Bethenny on that season, much of which centered around the latter's disparaging comments about Jules' huge and in-progress home. At a lunch with Bethenny to sort out their issues, Jules revealed her struggles with an eating disorder and brought attention to an issue that hadn't been significantly discussed on RHONY.
Queen Bee: Sonja
Since her introduction to RHONY fans back in Season 3, Sonja Morgan has made quite a splash on the reality series. "The Lady Morgan" immediately grabbed viewers' attention with her wild and carefree personality, totally unfiltered mouth, and ridiculous number of young interns.
While some may tire of Sonja's crazy antics - the Caburlesque, Tipsy Girl, and similar endeavors come to mind - she enjoys support from legions of diehards, and RHONY simply wouldn't be the same without her.
Never Made It: Kristen
Kristen Taekman made her debut on RHONY in Season 6 and stayed for only one additional season, but is remembered as a kind and loyal friend. She formed strong bonds with fellow recent additions to the cast Heather Thomson and Carole Radziwill, but her subdued personality was overshadowed by her co-stars' louder voices.
Kristen was victimized in particular by Ramona, who threw drinks and even a plastic wine glass at the former model when she became angered.
Queen Bee: Jill
Although Jill Zarin left RHONY after Season 4, she was very often felt like the center of the group in the show's early seasons. She had an on-off, almost sisterly relationship with Ramona that never failed to deliver drama, a close bond with Bethenny that memorably soured, and an alliance with Luann and the controversial Kelly Bensimon that is memorialized in Luann's "Chic, C'est La Vie" video.
Her run on the show, although shorter than some of her peer's tenures, produced numerous iconic moments - such as her surprise arrival on "Scary Island" - that fans will never forget.
Never Made It: Aviva
Like Kelly Bensimon, Aviva Drescher is viewed by many fans as a "villain" who dominated during her time on RHONY, though perhaps not for the best of reasons. In Season 6, she caused huge conflict by alleging that Carole Radziwill had used a ghostwriter to write her novel, an accusation that the longtime writer and journalist took extremely seriously.
But by the season finale, it was universally acknowledged by Aviva's castmates (and many fans) that she was causing trouble and looking for attention in a memorable, but not particularly flattering, way.
Queen Bee: Luann
Luann de Lesseps enjoys coveted OG status (along with Ramona) and will be appearing in her 13th season of the show in 2021. "The Countess" has undoubtedly endured the most ups and downs of any New York housewife, with two divorces, two marriages, and a journey towards sobriety chronicled across the show's many seasons.
But since the launch of her over-the-top cabaret performance, things have been looking up for the newly impassioned housewife, and many fans are glad to see it.
Never Made It: Kelly
Former model Kelly Bensimon had a huge part in much of the early drama in RHONY's earlier seasons. From being called "Madonna" by Bethenny, which led to the pair's iconic brawl in a downtown bar, to suffering an extremely difficult trip to "Scary Island," Kelly's zany ways defined the early days of the show.
Despite her iconic status, she tried (and failed) to get the best of some of her fellow housewives and had an unusual and circuitous way of explaining herself that confused everyone around her.