Entertainment

When Does 'Real Housewives Of Melbourne' Return?

by Laura Rosenfeld

Though The Real Housewives franchise has been Bravo's bread and butter for nearly a decade, expanding the series to other cities hasn't always been a runaway success. Bravo canceled The Real Housewives of D.C. after only one season, and The Real Housewives of Miami always seems to be in danger of getting the axe, although it is rumored to be returning for Season 4. But maybe the problem was that Bravo was keeping the franchise too local. American fans have taken a liking to the latest incarnation of the franchise, The Real Housewives of Melbourne , so much so that the Season 2 reunion hasn't even aired yet, and I am dying to know when RHOMelbourne will return for Season 3. Aren't you?

Oh, yes. It's been a season of two new Real Housewives, stripper rumors, and enough themed parties to fill several scrapbooks. I just don't know what I'm going to do without these overly made-up, big-haired rich ladies with distinct accents in my life every week. Oh, wait a minute. I just described every Real Housewives installment, didn't I?

But still, RHOMelbourne has its own unique flavor that we just don't get here stateside. Unfortunately, the wait for Season 3 of RHOMelbourne might be just as long as a plane ride from the States to Down Under.

Bravo has made no official announcement about Season 3 of RHOMelbourne airing in the U.S. just yet. However, it looks like Season 3 is a go in Australia, at least. According to Australia's Daily Telegraph, producers have reportedly put out "feelers" for potential new cast members to possibly add to the current cast, or even replace some people.

That means two things. For one, how quickly can I move to Melbourne and learn to speak in a convincing Australian accent, mate? (Asking for a friend.) And two, since that Daily Telegraph article was published at the end of April, and if RHOMelbourne is still working out its cast for Season 3 — it's going to be a while before this thing gets shot, edited, and readied for air.

Plus, let's look at the premiere date trend for this show. Season 1 of RHOMelbourne originally premiered in Australia on Feb. 23, 2014, and it subsequently landed stateside on Aug. 3, 2014 in a 12 p.m. EST slot. Season 2 premiered in Australia on Feb. 22, 2015 and premiered in the U.S. on March 5, 2015 in a much-better 9 p.m. EST time slot.

It seems likely that the show will follow the same pattern in Australia and premiere in late February 2016, which means it could be back in the U.S. in early March once again. This would fit in nicely with the current rotation of Housewives Bravo has going now, anyway. This premiere date would also make sense, because often when foreign shows do air in the U.S., they premiere later than in their countries of origin. It's like how you have to avoid Downton Abbey spoilers for four months before the season premieres here on PBS.

But, whenever RHOMelbourne returns, I will welcome it with open arms and probably say the obligatory "G'day, mate." Just because I now have a group of Australians I can regularly watch on TV doesn't mean that ever gets old.

Images: Martin Philbey/Bravo; realitytvgifs (2)/Tumblr