Vanderpump Rules Season 12: What Most People Get Wrong About the Reboot

Vanderpump Rules Season 12: What Most People Get Wrong About the Reboot

Honestly, the "Scandoval" high was never going to last forever. After a decade of watching the same group of people break up, make up, and scream in back alleys, the wheels finally fell off. Most fans spent the last year wondering if Lisa Vanderpump’s empire was crumbling or just taking a very long nap.

Well, the nap is over.

But it's not the show you remember. If you’ve been looking for Lisa Vanderpump new show updates, you’ve likely realized that 2025 and 2026 have completely flipped the script on the SUR-verse. We aren't just getting a new season; we’re getting a total gut-job of the original series.

The Vanderpump Rules Season 12 Reboot is Here

For a while, the rumors were flying that the show was dead. Instead, Bravo did something way ballsier: they fired (almost) everyone.

The original cast—the ones who became household names for all the wrong reasons—are officially out. No more Sandoval, no more Scheana, no more Lala. At least, not on this show. In their place is a brand-new crop of "SURvers" who are actually, you know, working at the restaurant.

Lisa has been very vocal about why she pulled the plug on the OGs. She told crowds at BravoCon 2025 that she didn't want to "go down on a sinking ship." The drama had become too heavy. It wasn't about spilled cocktails and shift-swapping anymore; it was about lawsuits, bitter divorces, and people who flat-out refused to be in the same room.

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The new cast includes names like Venus Binkley, Jason Cohen, and Chris Hahn. If those names sound unfamiliar, that’s the point. They are fresh meat. Lisa is betting the house on the idea that we fell in love with the vibe of SUR, not just the specific people who ruined their lives there.

What’s Actually Happening with Vanderpump Villa?

While the main show is getting a facelift, Lisa’s other project, Vanderpump Villa, has been quietly carving out its own chaotic niche on Hulu.

If you haven't seen it, think Below Deck but in a castle. Season 2 moved the production from France to a 12th-century Italian castle called Castello Rosato (actually the La Badia di Orvieto in real life).

The Stassi Factor

The biggest shocker for Vanderpump Villa was the return of Stassi Schroeder. After being fired from Bravo years ago, she made her "motherhood and maturity" comeback as a sort of consultant/VIP guest for Lisa.

It's a weird dynamic. Stassi is basically there to judge the new staff for being as messy as she used to be. Fans are divided on it. Some love seeing the "Queen of SUR" back on screen, while others think the show feels a bit manufactured compared to the organic lightning-in-a-bottle of early Vanderpump Rules.

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Where is Season 3 Filming?

Lisa recently confirmed that Vanderpump Villa Season 3 is "coming home." This time, the drama is moving to the English countryside. It’s a full-circle moment for Lisa, and honestly, seeing her in her natural British habitat with a bunch of rowdy American staff sounds like a recipe for some top-tier cringe.

The Valley: Where the OGs Went to Retire

If you’re sitting there thinking, "I don't care about new people, I want my messy favorites," then you’re probably watching The Valley.

This is essentially Vanderpump Rules: Retirement Home Edition. It follows Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright, and Kristen Doute as they try to "adult" in the suburbs. It’s been a massive hit—partly because Jax hasn't changed a bit despite having a kid and a mortgage.

The real news for 2026? Lala Kent and Tom Schwartz are officially joining The Valley full-time for Season 3. Since they were booted from the main show's reboot, they've migrated over to the spinoff where the "grown-ups" live.

Is Lisa Still the Main Attraction?

There’s a common misconception that Lisa Vanderpump is just a figurehead now. That’s not really true. While she isn't throwing drinks, she is the architect of this entire multi-platform expansion.

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She’s now managing:

  1. Vanderpump Rules Season 12 (The Reboot) on Bravo.
  2. Vanderpump Villa on Hulu.
  3. The Valley (as an Executive Producer) on Bravo.
  4. Her ever-expanding restaurant empire (Wolf in Lake Tahoe is her latest "baby").

It’s a massive business pivot. By splitting the franchise into "The New Kids" (VPR Reboot), "The Travelers" (Villa), and "The Parents" (The Valley), she’s effectively captured three different audiences.

Why the Reboot Might Actually Work

Most people are skeptical of reboots. We saw what happened with Real Housewives of New York—it took a long time for fans to warm up to the new cast.

But Vanderpump Rules is different. The original show was built on the "starving artist/waiter" trope. By the end, everyone was a millionaire with a podcast and a skin-care line. They weren't relatable anymore.

The new cast, which premiered in December 2025, is hungry. They are broke. They are making mistakes that don't involve a PR team. That’s the "naughtiness" Lisa keeps promising.

Actionable Steps for the Dedicated Fan

If you want to keep up with the chaos without getting overwhelmed by the sheer volume of content, here is how you should navigate the 2026 Vanderpump landscape:

  • Watch VPR Season 12 for the nostalgia of the setting. If you miss the SUR back alley, this is your fix, even if the faces are new.
  • Follow the "Vanderpump Villa" Season 3 casting calls. Lisa is known for picking people who are ready to blow up their lives for 15 minutes of fame. The England season is expected to drop in late 2026.
  • Don't sleep on The Valley. If you want the continuation of the "Scandoval" fallout and the Jax/Brittany divorce drama, this is actually where the "real" story went.
  • Check out Wolf in Tahoe. If you’re a fan of her design, her newest restaurant is arguably her most ambitious aesthetic yet, moving away from the "pink and roses" vibe into something more rugged.

The era of the "original" crew is over, but Lisa Vanderpump's grip on reality TV has never been tighter. Whether you're in it for the Italian castles or the suburban meltdowns in California, there's more content now than there was at the height of the show's fame. Just don't expect to see Sandoval behind the bar ever again.