With Belles On: Atlanta edition ups the 'Housewives' drama

How do the ladies of Real Housewives measure success? In New York co-ops, gated McMansions, fairy-tale weddings, Rolex watches and shameless social climbing.

The act of living large -- or aspiring to that much-cherished goal -- transcends area codes in Bravo's Real Housewives reality franchise, where having money is a high priority for the upscale women and wannabes of Orange County, Calif., New York and Atlanta.

Exhibit A, O.C. edition: Tamra Barney, freshly Botoxed, celebrates her 40th birthday on a yacht. Upon receiving a $40,000 Rolex from her husband, she exclaims, "I'm a little taken back by this! But I'm 40 -- I so deserve it!"

Exhibit B, New York edition: Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, the wife of a Frenchman whose ancestor presented the Statue of Liberty to the United States, admonishes friend Bethenny when she introduces her to a driver as "LuAnn" instead of "Mrs. de Lesseps."

And Exhibit C, Atlanta edition: Sheree Whitfield, a divorced mother of three, throws herself a glamorous birthday bash in her million-dollar home. Not on the list: nemesis NeNe Leakes, who is publicly humiliated after being denied entrance.

They are friends and rivals, frequently ridiculous, sometimes relatable and, above all, pure viewing pleasure.

The Real Housewives of Orange County was the first to premiere, in March 2006. Viewership has more than doubled over three seasons of the show. Season one averaged 471,000 viewers; last season averaged 1.16 million viewers an episode.

The show's popularity led Bravo to spin off New York and Atlanta.

Filming is now under way for season two of New York, which averaged 928,000 viewers an episode in its first season.

The debut season of Atlanta, which is shown at 9 p.m. Tuesdays, will overlap with the fourth season of Orange County, beginning next month. And coming down the turnpike: Real Housewives of New Jersey.

Andy Cohen, Bravo's senior vice president of programming and development, said that the franchise has successfully wooed viewers who would otherwise balk at the over-the-top subjects.

"You start watching for one reason and then you keep watching and you realize, ‘Wait a minute, I either relate to these women or I love these women, or I can't get enough of them.' Whereas, you maybe started (watching) because you were like, ‘Wait a minute, what is this?'"

Whitfield, a Southern belle who keeps an entourage of personal assistants and stylists, said that the drama is real. Yes, she really did leave Leakes' name off her party guest list -- but not on purpose.

"That was a horrible, horrible mishap," said Whitfield, the former wife of Bob Whitfield, a former NFL player. "No, I never would have left her name off the list.... It was a horrible situation that we tried to fix, but it was too late."

In the episode, Whitfield -- busy celebrating at her party -- sends her apologetic publicist outside to persuade Leakes to return to the party. A distressed Leakes, waiting for her car, refuses, steaming with anger and shame.

Bethenny Frankel, the no-nonsense businesswoman of Real Housewives of New York City, said that the entertainment value of the Atlanta spinoff has raised the game for the other shows.

"In this economy right now, it is the show of conspicuous consumption," Frankel said. "I felt like it was an episode of Cribs meets Jerry Springer.... I like that they're unapologetic. I think it's going to be wildly entertaining.... After watching this, if we're going to keep up our ratings, I'm going to go stand outside one of my castmates' houses and wait for them outside and slap someone ... just because those women bring it to another level."

Some other standout moments: Kim Zolciak, the lone white woman on the Atlanta show, coaxes her secret sugar daddy to buy a new SUV for her; she later changes her outfit in a gas-station parking lot as Leakes and a stylist try to form a protective wall. DeShawn Snow, the bubbly wife of NBA star Eric Snow, a guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, giggles while meeting the humorless estate manager for her new mansion. The steely Whitfield lets down her guard, wiping away real tears, as she is serenaded at her birthday party.

"I'm so excited that these are women of color, and they are just living their lives in a real, integrated society where it's not an issue," Bravo's Cohen said.