As a self-appointed Bravo Historian, I like to think I know a thing or two about what makes good TV and what doesn't. Shit, after 15 years of watching these women, I'd hope I would.

Since the first Real Housewives premiered in 2006, we've seen so many women come and go on the various franchises. Some were "one-and-dones" who only last one season, others were veterans who were put out to pasture, and others lasted maybe a little too long for our liking.

But what makes a great Housewife? There is, in fact, an answer. It comes down to five factors, really, when you boil it down. Now, are these five things the only things? Of course not. It goes without saying that you need to have that X factor, a little je nes se quoi that makes you someone that somebody else wants to watch. That is a given.

But other than that? Well, there are a few things that make a cast member primed for success.

First things first: Age does matter

Age is a very important factor when determining what makes a great Housewife, or rather, one that's maybe a little more interesting to watch.

One of my favorite aspects of the Real Housewives is that we get to see real women in their 40s and 50s living their life, giving us this idea that despite what society tells us, we don't just disappear once we a hit a certain age. I love seeing the women on Real Housewives of New York go out to nightclubs and hit on men, I love seeing them persevere through divorces and the loss of loved ones. I just don't think this perspective and these life experiences are something women in their early 30s could give us.