Porsha Williams of The Real Housewives of Atlanta has nearly 8 million followers on Instagram but apparently only a small fraction of them actually support the returning reality star!

The sixteenth season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta (RHOA) premiered on March 9, 2025, marking the show’s return after a two-year hiatus.

[READ: 5 Things Revealed on The Real Housewives of Atlanta (RHOA) Season 16 Episode 1 | WATCH FULL EPISODE (VIDEO)]

Despite the anticipation, the premiere episode’s ratings didn’t even tip the scale being the series normally hits millions of views an episode.

Details below…

#RHOA S16E01 Ratings ? – 0.723 million viewers (0.18 18-49 demo) *series low in demo* #straightfromthea pic.twitter.com/WyvyuPQhrs

— Michelle "ATLien" Brown (@ATLien) March 12, 2025

Yup… you read right. RHOA Season 16, episode 1 garnered only 0.723 million viewers with a 0.18 rating in the 18-49 demographic, setting a series low in that category.

Many fans had hoped that the return of Porsha Williams, a prominent figure in the RHOA universe, would boost viewership however it seems that dream didn’t come true. As you know, Williams had taken a two-season break but rejoined the cast for Season 16.

In the premiere episode, Porsha opened up about her ongoing divorce from estranged husband Simon Guobadia, sharing the emotional and legal challenges she has faced. However, her return did not translate into higher ratings, suggesting that viewers’ interest may have either waned during the show’s hiatus or the ongoing social media battle between the pair have already sufficed.

Whatever the case, the ratings were real bad! So bad that fans are already calling for the return of Nene Leakes, who has reportedly settled her ongoing dispute with the network.

Since Leakes’ announcement, she has been welcomed back into the NBC Universal family with several hosting gigs. Most notably the recent after show for the 2025 Oscars.

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A post shared by Nene Leakes (@neneleakes)

Clearly, the two-year break between seasons contributed to the decline in live viewership. During this period, audiences may have shifted their attention to other programs, leading to a decrease in RHOA’s traditional viewership base.

It’s also important to note that live ratings are no longer the sole measure of a show’s success. Streaming platforms and delayed viewing have become significant factors in assessing a program’s popularity. For instance, despite the low live ratings, RHOA’s Season 16 premiere quickly climbed to the #3 spot on Peacock, indicating strong interest among streaming audiences.

That being said, while the live ratings for RHOA’s Season 16 premiere were notably low, the evolving landscape of television consumption suggests that the show’s overall popularity may still be robust, particularly among streaming viewers.

The return of key cast members like Porsha Williams adds depth to the narrative, and it will be interesting to see how viewership trends evolve as the season progresses.

What are your thoughts about the series record low numbers?