“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” ranks highly in the “Real Housewives” franchise, largely thanks to cast member Lisa Vanderpump. It was almost inevitable that she would eventually lead her own series — and indeed, “Vanderpump Rules” premiered in 2013, during Season 3 of “RHOBH.” “VPR” primarily portrays Lisa and the management of her three Hollywood restaurants. However, the real attraction quickly became the interpersonal drama, which is the main reason viewers are drawn to shows of this nature.

Although “VPR” is a spinoff, it has evolved into its own franchise, complete with separate offshoots. Presently, there have been five distinct spinoffs originating from “VPR,” ranging from the usual focus on individual characters to more novel approaches. The quality of these spinoffs varies significantly, with some barely surviving a single season, while the best among them could arguably rival the original. Here is our ranking of all six shows in the “VPR” universe, based on critics’ reviews, fan discussions, and our own editorial insights.

A typical reality show spinoff strategy is to follow two characters from the original series on their own adventure — similar to “Kourtney and Kim Take Miami” or “Snookie and Jwoww.” “Vanderpump Rules: Jax and Brittany Take Kentucky” is the “VPR” rendition of this, centering on the couple as they visit Brittany’s home state to spend time on her family’s farm. Released in 2017, the series captures expected clichés, mainly highlighting city boy Jax navigating the cultural differences of rural southern life.

“Jax and Brittany Take Kentucky” offers entertaining moments, yet Jax Taylor’s troubling treatment of Brittany Cartwright is a persistent undercurrent — made even more concerning in hindsight given the couple’s eventual breakup. They joined other “VPR” pairs Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix as reality TV couples who split up by 2024. Brittany filed for divorce in August that year, describing the separation as tumultuous and far from friendly. It’s perhaps fortunate that “Jax and Brittany” was short-lived, concluding after merely six episodes.

Lisa Vanderpump dedicates part of her substantial wealth to philanthropic efforts, especially animal rights and combating animal cruelty. In 2016, she established The Vanderpump Dog Foundation. This organization initially sought to raise awareness and stand against an annual dog meat festival in China, but it quickly expanded to rescue and support dogs in the United States as well.

From this passion, the second “VPR” spinoff emerged. “Vanderpump Dogs” premiered on Peacock in 2021 — the first “VPR” series not aired on Bravo — spotlighting Lisa, her organization’s staff, and various clients adopting dogs. The show is a praiseworthy cause, deliberately avoiding the usual “VPR” drama to highlight the foundation’s noble mission. Nonetheless, it may not engage “VPR” fans seeking typical reality drama. Consequently, “Vanderpump Dogs,” like several offshoots, only endured for one season.

As of this writing, Hulu’s “Vanderpump Villa” has been renewed for a third season, something that has yet to officially happen for another “VPR” spinoff, “The Valley.” But that longevity doesn’t automatically make it one of the better shows. The subgenre of hospitality-based reality shows has grown a bit crowded, and “Villa” doesn’t really do anything particularly remarkable to stand out from the pack. It’s mostly brand recognition that has driven enough ratings to the show to earn a second season, with a third on the way.

“Vanderpump Villa” sees Lisa Vanderpump running a chateau in France that offers a luxury resort experience to whoever is wealthy enough to pay for it. But it’s clear that there is still an effort to bring “VPR”-style drama to the proceedings, with some of the staff seemingly chosen specifically for that purpose rather than actual talent and proficiency in providing a VIP hospitality experience. 

While that choice was to be expected, it ends up feeling a little too manufactured, even by reality show standards. The result is a show that can’t quite settle on whether it’s about the operation of a villa or the drama amongst its staff, and is all the worse for not committing to one or the other. 

Initially a companion to Season 4 of “VPR,” “Vanderpump Rules After Show” debuted in November 2015 as the first-ever “VPR” spinoff. The title says it all — it is a recap show wherein the cast members get together in a panel format and discuss the happenings of the “VPR” episode that aired at some point prior (exactly when varied from week to week and season to season). “After Show” skipped Season 5 but returned for Season 6, and would subsequently come and go at various points throughout the run of “VPR” itself. 

Obviously reality TV fans love reunion shows that see cast members get together, reminisce, and spill all the tea. But to do it week after week, rather than during one big special at the end of a season, saw the concept stretched a bit thin at times early on. However, it eventually found its groove, especially in later seasons, which redeemed it after its rocky beginnings. In fact, there have been instances when “After Show” actually elevated an otherwise lackluster season of “VPR,” and it was in those moments that “After Show” was arguably at its best. 

The very public, very messy collapse of Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright’s relationship, and the announcement of their separation just before the premiere of “The Valley,” both conspired to start the latest “VPR” spinoff off on a bad foot. That was definitely how Brian Moylan of Vulture saw things, leading him to denounce “The Valley” before the first episode even aired. 

But in a piece he wrote midway through the show’s first season, Moylan proclaimed, “Well, of all the things I’ve been wrong about in my career, I think I might have been wrongest about ‘The Valley.'” That’s how it went for many people in “VPR” nation, who didn’t want to like the show based on various preconceived notions but ultimately found it to be much better than they were expecting — or wanting — it to be. 

It needs to be mentioned that Jax’s behavior on the show and treatment of Brittany definitely cast a very dark shadow across the proceedings, especially in Season 2. Without all that, “The Valley” had the potential to surpass “VPR” itself as the best show in the franchise. That could still happen depending on how the show proceeds – if it proceeds at all. But taking Jax out of the equation, “The Valley” at its best is a tighter, more focused show than “VPR,” feeling less compelled to stick to any sort of angle or gimmick and just being about this group of people, their lives, and their relationships to one another. 

Not only is OG “Vanderpump Rules” the best of its own franchise, it’s also one of the best reality TV shows of all time, period. It’s not always a foregone conclusion that the anchor show in a franchise is the best show — look at “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” or, arguably, “Better Call Saul” — but it’s definitely the case with “VPR.” As mentioned, “The Valley” does do some things better than “VPR,” but it also does a lot worse as well. And at only two seasons thus far, there just isn’t enough there to allow it to truly compete with “VPR.”

How good is “VPR”? So good that people who hadn’t watched it yet — or had barely heard of it — when the Tom Sandoval cheating scandal erupted decided to check the show out and subsequently binged huge chunks of it without a second thought. That’s what Katie Cunningham of “The Guardian” did, after which she proclaimed “VPR” the best reality show in history. The show is just such a delicious mix of everything that is great — and also trashy and horny and cringey — about reality television. It’s everything that reality show haters say is the reason reality shows have ruined television — though said haters will have just as much trouble turning it off and not spending an entire Saturday afternoon watching it as “VPR” devotees.