HOLLYWOOD—I will admit last season of the Bravo reality series “Vanderpump Rules” was must-see TV. That scandal involving Tom Sandoval, Arianna Madix and Rachel Leviss, you couldn’t make it up. It had me hooked, this season not so much. The lure has died down. However, another series has hooked me after three episodes. I will acknowledge when I heard about the spin-off, “The Valley” starring “Vanderpump Rules” alums Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright and Kristen Doute, I didn’t see the lure.
I must admit Jax and Kristen were stand outs on that series before the fallout of 2020 hit the headlines as Cancel Culture hit an all-time high. How so? Kristen was fired for her behavior, in addition to a few others from the show, and Jax and Brittany left the series as well. Scandal or not, I truly cannot recall, but I believe that was the case.
While Bravo being Bravo has introduced us to another spin-off, as we follow the lives of Jax, Brittany and Kristen as they have moved onto ‘adulthood’ with new friends in a part of Los Angeles known as ‘The Valley.’ The first episode did not hook me at all. I watched just because I wanted to see if it would be entertaining like its predecessor. It was almost a one and done for me, then I watched the second episode, which wasn’t that much better, but that cliffhanger of an ending had me saying, I have to see how it all unfolds after Kristen dropped that bomb.
By episode three, I’m totally hooked and all in on the reality series, “The Valley.” I know plenty of people are arguing that the series’ focal point is Jax and Brittany who are now married with a son, but I have to disagree. Jax and Brittany are NOT driving the narrative on this series that would be Kristen Doute. Kristen is still being Kristen, but she has matured a bit, but not that much, but she is proof she is damn entertaining TV America.
She is a new relationship with Luke, who might be a standup guy from what we have seen at this point. He defends her, they have been in a relationship for a while even though it is long distance and he has no trouble calling people out on their antics. He went toe-to-toe with Jax after he questioned Kristen if she was ready to be a mother, yeah, coming from Jax that was a major “Are you kidding me?” Who is truly ever prepared to be a parent? The answer is no one, you simply adapt to the situation. Luke also called out Jesse on some weird behavior that a flashback proved occurred and didn’t make much sense at all.
Jax is proving he hasn’t aged much meddling in everyone’s situation despite no one asking him to. I mean are Kristen and you actual friends or are you just looking to stir drama? You brought her ex-boyfriend to hang out with her current boyfriend? I was glad to see Luke shut down Jax and let him know how he truly felt. Jax, Brittany, Kristen and Luke are not the only cast members here. We have Jasmine and Zack who are friends on the outer circle, but still integral. Jasmine used to work at SUR, while Zack is Brittany’s pal from college, but he seems way closer to Jasmine and Kristen then he is to Brittany to be honest.
There are couples, Danny and Nia, who share three children including newborn twins, Janet and Jason who are preparing for the birth of their first child and Jesse and Michelle, who are the parents to a three-year-old. Out of the couples, Danny and Nia seem to have the strongest relationship as they juggle their careers and children. Janet and Jason are slightly boring if I have to be honest, kudos to Janet for upping the drama in the most recent episode, but the couple to watch is Jesse and Michelle. They don’t seem happy with one another at all, and now that I know they have recently filed for divorce right when the series started to air, it makes perfect sense.
The audience is literally watching the death of a marriage right in front of our eyes. There is tension between these two; they just don’t seem to like one another and Jesse, boy does he have a temper. That life coach session between Michelle and Jesse about their marriage SAID IT ALL. If that wasn’t enough that dinner party. Whew, it was beyond explosive probably the most griping moment of reality TV I’ve seen in a very long time.
Kristen was trying to get out an apology regarding the he said/she said drama between her, Janet, Zach and Jasmine, but it was not possible as Nia noted. It was a bunch of telephone, but in the end, it was apparent Zach told some things to Kristen that she blurted out that seemed to be true, even though all wanted to paint Kristen as the villain. Not this time people. Kristen noted Michelle was a Republican (who cares) and might be racist (now that is damning). Kristen said this about Michelle at her home people. Making the situation worse was the notion we didn’t really get the fallout of that tease from the end of the second episode. Not good as a viewer people, we want our drama.
Janet confronted Kristen saying she never said those things about Michelle, Jasmine wanted nothing to do with the situation, Kristen doubled down on Zach telling her the information she spread to the group, and Zach’s facial expressions said it all (it was true), not to mention the flashback we receive confirming Zach told Kristen. This led to Jesse and Luke getting into a screaming match and nearly coming to blows as Luke defended Kristen.
That moment that Jesse flung his hand up when his wife Michelle was about to speak said it all. She was offended and if you saw the glimpses of faces at the table they were stunned as well. It was a blatant level of disrespect for his wife. It all culminated with Jesse calling Kristen out on her firing from “Vanderpump Rules” because of racism that led to a moment. Oh, it was a cliffhanger for the drama and it just feels like the tip of the iceberg and I cannot wait to see more and for those not in the know, Jax and Brittany are now separated as well. “The Valley” airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo.
