HOLLYWOOD—I will admit I like to watch reality TV. It helps me escape the chaos that is sometimes in my life. Bravo is a great TV channel to make that happen and I must admit as of late I cannot think of a guiltier TV pleasure than “The Valley.” I will admit when I first heard and saw the teaser for this series, I was like, “Oh, this is going to be terrible.”
Guess what? I am going to say it, it’s the best damn reality TV in 2024 and in years. It is so damn good. I will admit the first episode, not the best, but after episode two, I was hooked, and I mean hooked on this series. I rarely DVR a series, but considering I work late shifts, I wanted to ensure I was able to catch all the drama if I missed anything.
For those not aware, it is a spin-off of the series “Vanderpump Rules” that follows the lives of Jax Taylor and Kristen Doute as they navigate adulthood in ‘The Valley’ of Los Angeles. Both of those people were known for causing all sorts of chaos on “Vanderpump Rules” people, and they bring the drama here as well. Kristen Doute is a reality TV god. She was the catalyst of a rumor, that I actually believe to be true about Janet noting Michelle was a Republican. Do I care about these people and their political connections? Not one bit.
I just HATED that Kristen was taking the fall for it. She did throw her pal Zach under the bus, but Zach defended himself quite well, and is becoming a fan favorite for many with his antics and his facial expressions in the season finale was something to not be missed. There has been so much drama, especially between the couples, Danny and Nia are not perfect as we thought. We saw major drama unfold with them in the penultimate episode before the finale, where some clever editing showed Danny indulge a bit and before things get chaotic Nia ensured they vacated the premises.
Tension has been rising for both Michelle and Jesse and Jax and Brittany in their marriages all season long. Was Michelle secretly conversing or seeing someone while married to Jesse? That is the rumor, how true, I don’t know, but it definitely gives the vibe that it happened. She has noted in confessional she’s not in love with Jesse anymore and watching their marriage implode as the season transpired was devastating to watch.
Jax is a hot-head and he was going for Brittany’s jugular about her drinking on more occasions than I can account. Not to mention him embarrassing her in front of plenty of their friends with little to no remorse. Janet and Jason, Jasmine said it best in the finale: a vanilla relationship. Janet is a pot stirrer and has been trying to use her pregnancy as a way to deflect from people calling her out. I think Janet thinks she is a fan favorite, but little does she know from Reddit and other social media platforms she is quite despised.
As a result, Brittany and Jax were celebrating the opening of their bar, Jax’s in Studio City, which marked the first time all of the cast were in the same place after that Baby Moon debacle where Janet didn’t invite Kristen, Luke or Zach. Zach was petty and posted on Instagram he was in Big Bear to just annoy Janet (he was trolling). Let her tell it, he was about to stress her to death. Calm down Janet, it’s not that serious.
Zach listened to Janet try to explain her reasoning, but he wanted NOTHING to do with it, and called her out. It got loud, Janet stormed away when confronted and Jason manned up and threatened Zach. That is the most personality we have seen from Jason all season. Yes, defend your pregnant wife, but also call out your wife on her antics please.
Janet expected Jasmine to be her soldier, but Jasmine made it clear she is NOT picking sides, but it feels like she picked a side and I’m happy with the one she chose. Janet is wrong in her antics and Zach, Jasmine, Kristen, Jax, Brittany and everyone else has caught onto it. Oh, I cannot wait for season two to see how Janet acts when she is NOT pregnant and can no longer use that excuse to be called out on her you know what. It was such chaos, but so good to witness.
Looks like Jasmine and Zach are enemies for Janet now, and guess what, I’m all for it. Hell, even Jax was calling out Janet who was running away because she did give Jax the authority to be her mouthpiece when it came to the Baby Moon invite. The big chunk of the final focused on Michelle and Jesse realizing their marriage was over and planning for divorce. Jesse is so mean and seeing those two argue in front of their daughter Isabella just broke my heart. It was cringe to watch. Their marriage crumbling transpired to Jax and Brittany announcing a separation.
Brittany explained the stress and anger that Jax just seems to take out on her constantly. Yeah, the audience has seen it and it was not pretty. Jax seemed like he was in heaven that Brittany was no longer in the home. He wanted a break, but he admitted he was missing his kid and wife and it doesn’t feel like Jax is doing what he should to repair his marriage. Brittany called him out on going to therapy and why he didn’t schedule an appointment until the cameras started to roll again and still failed to attend. Brittany you pegged your husband and called him out on it all.
I was glued to the finale and it was entertaining as hell to watch. We don’t have a reunion, I cannot understand how Bravo gives these stupid three-part housewives reunions that can be wrapped in a single episode or two at best, but your best series on the network right now, you don’t have a reunion for? Yeah, bad decision, really bad decision. With that said, we know “The Valley” is getting a second season and I cannot wait to see what unfolds with Brittany and Jax, how Michelle and Jesse navigate co-parenting and being in the aura of one another now that they are dating other people, Janet navigate her messiness not being pregnant, and how Kristen and Zach reintegrate into the fold after slightly being iced out.
Yeah, Kristen Doute is going nowhere, she showed up and delivered in this series and made it must-see TV. So Bravo I know “The Valley” will not return for season two until 2025, but man I cannot wait.
