If you’ve been refreshing your Bravo app like a maniac waiting for the OGs to return to SUR, I have some news. It’s a "good news, bad news" situation. The good news? The wait is officially over. The bad news—at least for those who wanted to see more of the Scandoval aftermath—is that the show you knew is basically gone.
Vanderpump Rules Season 12 premiered on December 2, 2025, at 9/8c on Bravo. We are currently deep in the middle of a total series reboot. If you tuned in expecting to see Ariana Madix or Tom Sandoval screaming in a back alley, you probably did a double-take. Instead of the "Vander-vets," we have a completely fresh crop of twenty-somethings who actually, you know, work at the restaurant.
When Does Vanderpump Rules New Season Start? The 2026 Schedule
Since we are already into January 2026, the season is well underway. Bravo is sticking to its traditional Tuesday night slot. If you missed the start, you can catch up on Peacock, where episodes drop the morning after they air on cable.
Here is how the current schedule is shaking out:
- Episode 5 ("Seeing Red Flags") aired on January 6, 2026.
- Episode 6 ("Pump Fiction") is slated for January 13, 2026.
- Episode 7 ("Paso Aggressive") hits the airwaves on January 20, 2026.
Honestly, it feels weird. For eleven years, we grew up with the same group of people. But after the "Scandoval" fatigue of Season 11, the network decided the original group was too fractured to keep filming. They were "stuck in their feelings," according to production insiders, and wouldn't even film in the same room. So, Bravo wiped the slate clean.
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Why the Massive Shakeup Happened
The hiatus was long. Production took a massive break after the Season 11 reunion in May 2024. For a while, rumors swirled that the show was canceled. Then, in April 2025, TMZ spotted Lisa Vanderpump filming at SUR with a fleet of blacked-out Bentleys and a bunch of kids we didn't recognize.
Alex Baskin, the executive producer, basically said they wanted to get back to the "magic" of the early days. That meant finding people who are actually struggling to pay rent in West Hollywood, not people with multi-million dollar deals and Broadway residencies. It’s a "back to basics" move that has fans totally split.
Meet the New SUR-vers: Who Are These People?
Since the question of when does vanderpump rules new season start is now "it's already here," the real question is: who are we watching? Lisa is the only bridge to the past. Everyone else is brand new.
Venus Binkley seems to be the breakout "narrator" of the group. He’s the one who knows everyone’s business but claims he hates drama. Classic VPR move. Then there’s Natalie Maguire, the lead bartender who is already clashing with Lisa because she wants to be a manager.
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We also have a built-in "Stassi and Jax" dynamic with Marcus Johnson and Kim Suarez. They’ve been dating for a while, but the show has already documented them fighting almost every single week. Marcus is an aspiring DJ (of course he is) while Kim is trying to break into the entertainment industry.
The rest of the crew includes:
- Chris Hahn: A bartender and Jason’s cousin who previously appeared on Netflix’s Dated & Related.
- Jason Cohen: The "charming" server who is already causing a mess by trying to date multiple co-workers at once.
- Audrey Lingle: The bubbly hostess who found a "penis pump" in one of the first few episodes, which is exactly the kind of chaos we expected.
- Angelica Jensen: The newest hire who is already being accused of "game of broken telephone" antics.
What Happened to the Original Cast?
You aren't going to see them on Season 12. Period. If you want to follow the OGs, you have to look elsewhere. Most of them have migrated to The Valley, which is now basically Vanderpump Rules: The Retirement Years.
Scheana Shay and Lala Kent have been filming for The Valley Season 2 and 3. Ariana Madix is busy hosting Love Island USA and doing Broadway. Tom Sandoval? He’s been popping up on every competition reality show that will have him, including The Traitors.
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The network felt that the original group had become "unfilmable" together. There was no path forward where they could actually be friends, so the show had to evolve or die.
How to Watch and Catch Up
If you’re just now realizing the new season is out, you have some binging to do. You can find the entire back catalog plus the new Season 12 episodes on Peacock.
- Cable: Tuesdays at 9:00 PM ET on Bravo.
- Streaming: Wednesdays at 6:00 AM ET on Peacock.
- The Special: If you want a bridge between the old and new, look for the special "Raise Your Glass to 11 Seasons" which aired just before the reboot started. It features Andy Cohen and Lisa looking back at the best moments before introducing the new kids.
It’s definitely a different vibe. The cameras are glossier, the uniforms have changed, and the stakes feel... younger. Whether it can capture the lightning in a bottle that the original cast had remains to be seen. But for now, SUR is open for business again.
To stay on top of the new season, your best bet is to set a DVR recording for Tuesday nights or clear your Wednesday mornings for Peacock. If you’re looking for the old cast, check out the latest season of The Valley or follow their respective podcasts, as that’s where the "real" tea from the OGs is currently being spilled.