It was the table flip heard ’round the world. Well, maybe not to that extent. But when reality TV icon Teresa Giudice lost her s–t, causing her to flip a table over, it became a legendary moment.

With its ostentatious display of wealth, its conflict-addicted cast members, and its petty yet over-the-top storylines, Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise embodies the flashy melodrama that dominates ...