Following Vanderpump Rules Season 11 Premiere, Fans Are Sharing Their Mixed Feelings About It

Ariana Madix in Season 11 of Vanderpump Rules
(Image credit: Bravo)

When Season 10 of Vanderpump Rules wrapped up in June 2023, many fans agreed that Tom Sandoval was a monster for cheating on Ariana Madix and she deserved nothing but great things. Less than a year later, fans have varied and mixed reactions to the Season 11 premiere that was released on January 30th. 

Picking up three months after cameras stopped filming, the “Scandoval” is still the topic of conversation amongst this season’s cast. Given this, the first episode follows many of the cast members as they continue to grapple with everything that happened. For Ariana, that means trying to move on while still living in the same house as her ex, while others figure out whose “side” to align themselves with. In a shocking twist, Sandoval was mostly absent from the premiere episode, showing up in the final moments to his quiet and empty house. 

While it seems unlikely that Season 11 will top the drama that the prior season had, it’s not going to stop the cast and producers from trying. One thing is for sure: fans have already started to decide if they're on or off Ariana's side.

Support for Ariana might have dwindled over the past several months, but there are still some Pump Rules fans who are ready to defend their girl until the end of time. Several fans took to social media after the premiere to share their confusion over the star’s grief and unwillingness to move out of the home she shares with her ex.

However, diehard fans weren’t having any of the negativity, quickly jumping on to defend her and explain why she shouldn't move out of the house:

While most of the conversation revolved around Ariana and her grief, some of the other ladies also became the topic of conversation on social media. Lala Kent and Scheana Shay always draw large fan reactions and this episode was no different as both ladies found a way to make the scandal about themselves -- like Lala constantly bringing up her break-up with her ex. As one person put it: 

Lala reaching out to Raquel/Rachel was a shock to many fans considering how angry she was at her at the Season 10 reunion. However, some reality TV experts were quick to defend the move, like this X user who perfectly sums up what that scene felt like to me: 

If fans can notice when a moment is being produced, it’s usually not a good sign. Thankfully it wasn’t all tense drama during the Season 11 premiere. Like most episodes of the reality show, some moments made fans laugh, like when Scheana revealed that Sandoval not only blocked her on Instagram, but also the account she runs for toddler Summer Moon. Fans may not have agreed on much this week, but they definitely think having beef with a toddler is hilarious. 

Whether you're well-versed in the Vanderpump Rules drama or looking to start, you won't want to miss Season 11. Catch brand new episodes on Bravo every Wednesday at 8 PM, or the next day with an active Peacock subscription

Freelance Writer

Danielle Bruncati is a writer and pop culture enthusiast from Southern California. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Television Writing and Producing from a top film school. Her goal is to one day be the writer on a show/movie covered by Cinemablend, but for now, she's excited to be a Freelance Writer here.

Danielle watches just about everything, but her favorite shows and movies often land in the YA and romantic comedy spaces. When she's not writing, she can be found wandering around Disneyland or hanging out with her laughter-hating corgi.