With Vanderpump Rules gearing up for what will surely be one of its most-watched seasons, Bravo is kicking off the promotional train for the Jax Taylor-led spinoff, The Valley.
The cable network unveiled the first trailer for the series on Wednesday evening during a premiere event for Vanderpump Rules Season 11.
The clip shows Taylor strolling through his neighborhood in a kid car as it introduces the spinoff’s cast, but his trip is cut short when wife and former SURver Brittany Cartwright chastizes him.
“Stop messing around and mow the dang yard,” she yells at her husband.
“Okay, honey! Love you,” Jax fires back before riding off in the toy car.
It’s one of those promos that has to be seen to be believed, and despite the light and humorous tone, we’re inclined to believe that this show will be bursting at the seams with drama pretty quickly.
Jax Taylor was once reality TV’s biggest villain
We watched Jax terrorize his fellow cast members and lovers for eight seasons, and despite his friendly nature on E!’s recent hit House of Villains, we’ll probably learn that old habits die hard for the 44-year-old.
Kristen Doute is also along for the ride on The Valley, alongside boyfriend Luke Broderick.
Doute, who was fired from VPR following its eighth season alongside Stassi Schroeder for past racist actions against co-star Faith Stowers, made a surprise return during the show’s Season 10 finale to comfort Ariana Madix after news broke of Tom Sandoval’s affair with Raquel Leviss.
Doute and Madix previously had several bust-ups on the show, but it seems they mended fences in the years Doute was away from the drama-filled hit series.
Seeing Doute’s relationship with Broderick will be fun because we haven’t witnessed them on-screen together, making us wonder what their dynamic will be like.
The cast includes Vanderpump Rules veterans
Other cast members include Danny Booko, Nia Booko, Jesse Lally, Michelle Lally, Jason Caperna, and Janet Caperna.
Jasmine Goode and Zack Wickham didn’t make the cut for the regular cast but will appear in friend roles as the series kicks off.
There have been rumors about a spinoff set in the Valley for years, with many believing the plan was to ship many Vanderpump veterans off to it as early as Vanderpump Rules Season 8.
With the dawn of Scandoval reigniting interest in the franchise, Bravo fast-tracked production on the offshoot late last year, and the series premiere is poised to be well-watched.
Producer Alex Baskin opened up to Deadline about how it will pick up during a face-off between Taylor and Sandoval, which will start on the eighth episode of Vanderpump Rules Season 11 and continue on the premiere of The Valley.
Bravo employed a similar tactic to segue The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills into Vanderpump Rules, and Vanderpump Rules pulled off a similar trick to launch Summer House years later. It’s a tried and tested formula.
While Bravo hasn’t confirmed when The Valley will see the light of day, we can draw a conclusion based on the tidbit about when Jax appears on Vanderpump Rules.
The Valley is premiering sooner than you think
Vanderpump Rules Season 11 kicks off on January 30 at 8/7c, so the eighth episode should air on Tuesday, March 19, which should then be the series premiere date for The Valley.
We’re cautiously optimistic about The Valley. Kicking things off with two VPR veterans facing off is a great way to create this connective tissue between the two shows.
Baskin says there will be more crossovers as both series air, which is pretty exciting.
Vanderpump Rules Season 11 premieres Tuesday, January 30, at 8/7c on Bravo.
Jax will chase the story, he his old and not revellent.