Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Valley’ On Bravo Brings Back Two Of ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Most Controversial Stars For Peak Reality TV

The drama of SUR is long behind Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright and Kristen Doute as they embark on a new journey in the highly anticipated Vanderpump Rules spinoff The Valley. And that’s not all. The trio has also recruited a group of their closest California buds to join them in trading “bottle service … for baby bottles.” But how does the drama hold up now that everyone is married with children (or soon-to-be)? Does this show live up to its Emmy-nominated predecessor? And, most importantly, has fatherhood finally reformed the No. 1 guy in the group? We watched the pilot, and let’s just say that Bravoholics are in for a treat.

THE VALLEY: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: The Valley opens up with Brittany and Jax hanging out in their home. Jax is working on his Cameos, while Brittany struts out with her face wrapped in gauze. As it turns out, it’s been 10 days since she’s had liposuction on her chin — meaning “no BJs” for Jax for the time being. How L.A. of them.

The Gist: Brittany, Jax and Kristen — along with Kristen’s boyfriend Luke Broderick and pals Danny Booko, Nia Booko, Janet Caperna, Jason Caperna, Jesse Lally and Michelle Lally — invite cameras into their homes to document their lives as budding families. Everyone in the cast either has little ones, is pregnant or trying to get pregnant as they navigate the next chapter of adulthood. But just because they are supposedly “grown up,” it doesn’t mean they’re free of drama.

This first episode alone finds Jax and Kristen at odds after Jax repeatedly expresses his concerns over her decision to (hopefully) have a baby with her Colorado-based beau. For some reason, Jax doesn’t like Luke — and even Brittany agrees that her husband was “rude” to him at Scheana Shay‘s wedding in Mexico. There isn’t much resolve between the longtime co-stars in this episode, so we’ll likely be hearing more about this throughout The Valley’s debut season.

What Shows Will This Remind You Of? Between Jax’s messiness and Kristen’s NSFW confessionals, The Valley will (unsurprisingly) remind you of … you guessed it … Vanderpump Rules, specifically the earlier seasons.

Our Take: It’s been a long time since Jax, Brittany and Kristen have been on our television screens — and The Valley proves how sorely we’ve missed them. Not only is this trio sure to deliver an ample amount of drama to keep viewers hooked, but their new castmates also seem like a bunch that can hold their own in the messy department. Nia, a former Miss America winner, and Danny, a former Disney Channel actor, are a gorgeous (albeit sleep-deprived) couple with two babies and a toddler, while Janet and Jason are busy getting ready for their first child to make his debut. But not everything is sunshine and rainbows. Michelle and Jesse are clearly going through a rough patch, with Jesse jokingly (but inappropriately) referring to Lala Kent as his “side-piece” in front of his wife. He later chalks up their marital problems to his wife’s changed personality since having their daughter, admitting that they’ve even had discussions about separating as a couple.

As far as Jax — well, it’s clear that he took his spoon from WeHo to the Valley because he’s the same old troublemaker who made great TV back when he was stirring the pot on Vanderpump Rules. His first victims might have been Kristen and her uterus, but I’m personally more interested in seeing how his relationship with his now-estranged wife Brittany unfolds this season — especially since it has been confirmed that they picked up cameras following the announcement of their separation.

The Valley markets itself as a more mature and grown-up version of Vanderpump Rules, but don’t let that deter you from watching. The show is still chock-full of the same entertainment we knew and loved (or loved to hate) back when Jax, Brittany and Kristen were tearing it up on Vanderpump Rules.

Sex and Skin: There’s no sex and skin — but that doesn’t mean there isn’t talk of it. I wouldn’t recommend watching with your kids — unless you feel like explaining why Jax revealing to an entire party that Kristen asked her ex-boyfriend to cum inside her is a controversial move.

Parting Shot: The Janet County Fair ends on a rough note after Jax playfully pulls down Daniel’s pants, only to realize he isn’t wearing any underwear. Nia, who is naturally emotional only one month after giving birth, angrily walks into the other room, where she cries about her husband’s junk getting exposed to the entire party. The episode concludes with Jax getting thrown into the dunk tank, which seems like a fair punishment.

Sleeper Star: We’re gonna go with Janet as the sleeper star. Not only is she one of Brittany’s close friends, but she’s also pals with Ariana Madix, Scheana and Lala — meaning she already understands the inner workings of the group. Plus, she doesn’t let Jax forget that he and Kristen infamously hooked up more than a decade ago — and I love a good callback.

Most Pilot-y Line: “Here’s the thing about Kristen: she’s gonna piss me off at least once a month,” Jax explains to Luke, foreshadowing the turmoil to come later on in the episode. Kristen eventually comes in with the counter-attack, telling the cameras, “Jax, suck a dick.” Ah, some things never change.

Our Call: STREAM IT. The Valley takes two of the most controversial Vanderpump Rules stars and gives them a second chance to create peak reality TV. They say lightning never strikes twice — but with Jax, Kristen and Brittany at the helm, anything is possible.

The Valley airs on Tuesday nights on Bravo. New episodes are available to stream the next day on Peacock.