When The Real Housewives of New York City premiered on Bravo Wednesday night, it marked 10 seasons of marriages (and divorces), financial woes, attempts at singing careers, attempts at burlesque careers, illnesses and death, and the genesis of Turtle Time. In true Housewife fashion, the occasion did not go by quietly. Dorinda Medley, Carole Radziwill, Sonja Morgan, Tinsley Mortimer, and Ramona Singer piled into the midtown cocktail bar, the Seville, with a cast of unlikely characters—women in their early twenties, men who looked like Robert Durst, and Dina Lohan—to celebrate.

Morgan’s on-again-off-again-on-again boyfriend Rocco Ancarola arrived before the crowd, entertaining himself on his phone while the D.J. played the most mid-of-the-mid-2000s jams (perhaps an homage to the show’s 2008 start date?). Lohan danced her way across the room once “Blurred Lines” started playing. Lohan, who’s friends with many members of the cast, both past and present, seemed hesitant to say if she’d ever join them on the show, and instead pitched what may be the only new series that should even be on television.

“I love them all. And I want to take them on a journey to save lives,” she said. “I really think there needs to be a show that is just like Eat, Pray, Love.

Someone please alert Andy Cohen.

Talking to Morgan involved actively interrupting her self-made dance floor, which inevitably brought up images from her unintentionally risqué cabaret show with fellow cast member Luann de Lesseps which, according to her, is just part of the Sonja Morgan experience: “I said to [Luann], ‘When you invite Sonja Morgan for cabaret, you gotta expect a little T&A.’”

Radziwill, perhaps the unlikeliest housewife in the franchise’s history, is also surprised to be here six seasons later. The journalist, who was married to the late Anthony Radziwill and connected to the Kennedys, said she’s “learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about friendships and relationships. And at this point, we’re like a family . . . We’re kind of like the drunk family at Thanksgiving.”

“I never thought I would be one season,” she said. “When I commit to something, I commit. Six seasons later? I’m just as surprised as everyone else. That’s like a real career. Now I can’t even say it’s a phase!”

By the end of the night, Medley was the only one left in the cornered-off V.I.P. section, chatting and taking photos with anyone who asked. Talking with Medley on a velvet couch for 10 minutes felt like therapy. Medley, the No. 1 defender of the show, was cast on the show a few years after her husband, Richard Medley, died in 2011, and she credits it with helping her grieve.

“It came at such an important time in my life . . . I had worn so many hats. I had been a mother, a wife, a single mom, Mrs. Someone. And all of a sudden I was like, ‘Wow, this is really scary,’ because I didn’t understand my place,” she said. “And then the show came along, and I really thought I would do it for a year and it turned out to be a healing exercise . . . Reality TV saved my life.”

During our conversation, a gust of wind knocked over a table lamp, crushing a cupcake and also my body. In perfect Medley style she shouted, “Did Ramona do that?”

Before leaving, I decided to track down the infamous Ramona, who also wore the night’s uniform of a sequin minidress. We exchanged names and pleasantries, and just as I was gearing up to ask my first question, she interjected:

“I’m not doing an interview right now; you have to text me or call me!” she announced as she started to walk away. “I’m not doing an interview now at frickin’ 11 o’clock at night when I’ve had three vodkas. Are you crazy?”

I guess I was a little crazy for not assuming Singer had the restraint to not talk into a recorder after three vodkas, but those are the little surprises that have kept her on the show since 2008. Maybe she was responsible for knocking that lamp over after all . . .