The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills spinoff Vanderpump Rules is a real-life soap opera on Bravo, revolves around the employees (past and present) of the West Hollywood eatery SUR, owned by Lisa Vanderpump. The series premiered in 2013 and has amassed a devoted fan following that includes celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lawrence, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen and even Martin Scorsese.
The sexy cast, their bed-hopping, and their epic fights have made Vanderpump Rules a must-see guilty pleasure. Currently, in its eighth season, the series has introduced a new generation of SUR employees, but it's the original cast that puts the "fun" in dysfunctional. Here's a ranking of the cast from the hottest messes to the absolute best.
Hottest Mess: Jax Taylor
Jax recently married long-suffering girlfriend Brittany Cartwright and settled down, but in the years prior he lied, cheated and stabbed his closest pals in the back repeatedly. He's been to jail for driving while intoxicated, fighting, and theft among, other offenses. He slept with his best friend's girlfriend and showed no remorse. Jax was cast to be the villain, and it was a role he relished.
Jax experienced an epiphany of sorts following the death of his father and swore to change his ways, getting engaged and becoming one of reality TV's most memorable groomzillas.
Hot Mess: Kristen Doute
Kristen jumps into one dysfunctional relationship after another, and when they end badly, she has a nasty habit of obsessing over her exes, going out of her way to sabotage their relationships as a way to exact payback. Her most egregious offense so far has been sleeping with Jax Taylor, Stassi Schroeder's -- one of her best friends -- ex and Tom Sandoval's best friend while she and Tom were still very much together.
As her friends continue to outgrow the drama they thrived on in their '20s, Kristen can't quite get it together, simultaneously complaining about her current boyfriend but refusing to break up with him. Her self-destructive behavior has resulted in her being ostracized by her two best friends, Stassi Schroeder and Katie Maloney-Schwartz.
Hot Mess: James Kennedy
James is by far the most universally hated person among his cast members. The cocky young DJ considers himself to be the "white Kanye." His constantly degrading behavior towards women is disturbing.
James' delusions of grandeur are based solely on his ability to spin records, and his attitude only worsens when he drinks, which he did heavily and often until season 8. James is currently sober, and he's attempting to rebuild all the bridges he's burned.
Hot Mess: Scheana Shay
Scheana gained notoriety as a homewrecker when her affair with Brandi Glanville's husband was exposed. She aired her ex-husband's drug problem on national TV, and before their divorce was even final, she had her eye on husband number two.
Scheana's "best friends" of late consist of men she is desperate to date. During season 8, she's found herself at odds with new cast member Dayna over not one, but two men who both firmly placed this stage 5 clinger in the friend zone. Her boy craziness, disloyalty, and meticulously self-constructed mini-dramas have kept her on the peripheral of the SUR social circle more often than not.
Hot Mess: Katie Maloney-Schwartz
Initially, one of Stassi Schroeder's foot soldiers, Katie's alternate ego is known as "Tequila Katie" because when she drinks, she takes on the persona of a sloppy sorority girl. She's supplanted Stassi Schroeder as the resident mean girl, spreading rumors about Lala Kent and calling her a variety of inappropriate names when she joined the cast during season 4.
Katie didn't get fired for being a bully, but when she was fat-shamed by James during season 7, she issued an ultimatum to LVP that he be fired or she would quit: the hypocrisy of the situation was lost on Katie. She demonstrated some transphobic behavior when she excluded Billie Lee from a SUR event. Katie's image has grown increasingly tarnished, but that hasn't stopped her from currently freezing out former bestie Kristen.
Hot Mess: Tom Schwartz
Tom's relationship with his wife Katie has been incredibly volatile both while they were dating and since the two tied the knot during season 5. Katie constantly emasculates Tom, dissing his skills in the bedroom, and during a bachelor/bachelorette outing to New Orleans, Tom Sandoval referred to his best friend as an "abused wife." Tom endures Katie's wrath, but he's no Prince Charming.
He recently berated her in front of their entire social circle, calling her a "moron" and her behavior a "turn off." Tom is so irresponsible, he's never held a real job, and he lost his and Katie's marriage certificate, rendering their nuptials null and void.
Best: Lala Kent
Lala is now happily engaged to movie producer Randall Emmett, but her first few years on the show were rocky. She kept her dating life shrouded in secrecy, lending credence that she was involved with a married man. She boasted about being a gold digger and exchanging sexual favors for perks like a private jet.
Lala, who fancies herself a feminist, has body-shamed other women and verbally eviscerated Raquel Leviss and Billie Lee. According to Lala, she suffers from crippling anxiety which explains her need to suckle a baby bottle while on group trips. Still, Lala's no-nonsense approach to life has made her a welcome addition.
Best: Stassi Schroeder
Stassi has grown a lot over the years, evolving from the HBIC to an almost-married woman. Stassi's list of no-nos includes bullying a recovering drug addict, slapping Kristen in the face, trash-talking, pot-stirring, endless meltdowns, and rage texting. Stassi's poor taste in men has been at the root of many of her problems, which includes a sex tape that only fetched $900.
But Stassi is now a best-selling author with her successful podcast. She is engaged to all-around good guy Beau Clark who endures the antics of Stassi's "dark passenger."
Best: Tom Sandoval
Before finding domestic bliss with Ariana Madix, Tom and ex-girlfriend Kristen cheated on each other repeatedly, with Kristen striking the final blow by sleeping with Tom's best friend, Jax. This metrosexual musician, actor, and brand ambassador for the bar bearing his name, TomTom, doesn't always treat Ariana well. Tom once ditched her on her birthday, and he revealed she had a one-time sexual encounter with Lala.
When it comes to making cocktails, Tom believes there's no better bartender in L.A., and he does appear to have a problem with people who eclipse him professionally. But he's a man who isn't afraid to cry, a loyal friend, and a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ community.
Absolute Best: Ariana Madix
Like her castmates, Ariana has her share of issues. She endured an emotionally and verbally abusive relationship (pre-Tom Sandoval), came out as a bisexual woman, and speaks openly about her body dysmorphia. She chooses to eschew traditional gender roles in favor of living her life on her terms.
Unlike the other women, Ariana is in no rush to become a blushing bride, and she constantly endures outside pressure to take that next step. Because she's surrounded by such big personalities, sometimes Ariana comes off as a killjoy or a Debbie Downer, but aside from Lisa "LVP" Vanderpump herself, Ariana is the most level-headed and even-tempered woman on the series.