Congratulations to Bravo, who has officially proven that no state is too small to be messy. The Real Housewives of Rhode Island is happening, the trailer is out, and somehow the Ocean State — best known for clam cakes and roundabouts — is now part of the Bravo family.

The franchise’s newest installment premieres April 2, 2026, and if the trailer is any indication, Rhode Island is ready to punch well above its geographic weight class.

Meet the Housewives (and Prepare to Google Them)

The inaugural cast includes Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti, Liz McGraw, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, Kelsey Swanson, and Jo-Ellen Tiberi — a lineup that feels like it was curated by someone who understands that Italian surnames + unresolved resentment is a tried-and-true Bravo formula.

Yes, that Ashley Iaconetti is here — former Bachelor cryer-in-chief turned Housewife-adjacent reality TV lifer. And because Bravo loves a cinematic universe moment, Dolores Catania of Real Housewives of New Jersey drops by as a “friend,” presumably to make sure the newbies understand the importance of loyalty, volume, and never apologizing correctly.

The Trailer Promises What Bravo Always Promises — And Delivers

Luxury shots of Newport mansions? Check.
Tense dinner conversations that escalate in under 30 seconds? Absolutely.
Friendships that appear to disintegrate over something said off-camera but definitely repeated on-camera? Naturally.

The trailer hints at infidelity rumours, marital strain, and interpersonal beef that feels deeply personal but also vaguely confusing — which is exactly what you want from a first season. Everyone looks simultaneously overdressed and under-supported emotionally.

Why Rhode Island Actually Makes Sense (Unfortunately)

At first glance, Rhode Island seems like an odd choice. It’s small. Everyone knows everyone. You cannot escape someone you’re fighting with because the entire state is essentially one Target parking lot.

But that’s also why this works. Old money vs. new money. Family feuds. Social circles so tight that gossip travels faster than a group text screenshot. These women don’t just dislike each other — they have receipts, ancestors, and mutual friends.

Final Thoughts

The Real Housewives of Rhode Island looks exactly like what Bravo does best: take a place you wouldn’t normally associate with chaos and prove that wealth plus ego plus cameras is a universally volatile combination.

Will this be iconic? Too soon to tell.
Will it be deeply unserious, emotionally explosive, and impossible to look away from? Without question.

Start stretching now — those dinner table arguments are going to be Olympic-level.