Vanderpump Rules made its long-awaited return to Bravo last night, and some viewers felt that the season premiere raised more questions than it answered.

This time last year, it looked as though VPR might be on its way out following a couple of lackluster seasons that gave fans the feeling that the show had run its course.

But when word got out that Tom Sandoval had been caught cheating on Ariana Madix with Raquel Leviss, interest in the former SUR staff reached an all-time high.

So the pressure was on Tuesday night as Vanderpump returned for its first full season since the Scandoval began.

Did the show rise to the occasion?

Well, that depends on what you were expecting.

Based on the reaction we’re seeing on social media, it seems that some viewers didn’t keep up with the off-season drama and were therefore surprised by much of what they saw.

That’s why we’ve decided to offer this helpful primer for VPR viewers who found themselves as confused as Jax Taylor when someone asks him how many days are in a year.

Where Was Raquel Leviss on The Vanderpump Rules Premiere?

As we’ve previously reported, Raquel Leviss will not be returning to Vanderpump Rules this season.

Or for any future season. So she claims.

Raquel checked into rehab in Arizona at the peak of the Scandoval, and she says she’s since realized that VPR was bad for her mental health.

We hope that Raquel does whatever is best for her — but if we’re being honest, we also hope she’ll come back to the show at some point.

After all, she definitely delivered the drama last season.

Plus, Raquel has been roasting Sandoval every chance she gets lately, and we’d like to see her bring some of that energy to our screens!

Speaking of the evil genius who orchestrated the Scandoval …

Where Was Tom Sandoval on The Vanderpump Rules Premiere?

Tom Sandoval was absent throughout most of the Vanderpump Rules Season 11 premiere, but he did make a brief appearance at the very end of the episode.

Where was he all that time?

Well, remember those hilarious memes of Sandoval crying that started to pop up a few months ago?

Those gems came to us courtesy of a Fox competition series called Special Forces: World’s Toughest Challenge.

Sandoval was in New Zealand being put through the wringer by Marine drill instructors during the filming of last night’s episode.

We see him arrive home to the empty house that he still shares with Ariana, but he didn’t have the chance to interact with any of his cast members.

That’s probably a good thing for Sandoval, as there’s only one person who would want to talk to him anyway.

What’s Wrong With Tom Schwartz?

There was a time when Sandoval’s business partner, Tom Schwartz, was one of the show’s most beloved stars.

Needless to say, those days are long gone.

On Monday’s premiere, Schwartz was forced to pal around with the dreadful James Kennedy for lack of better companions.

Ariana wouldn’t even acknowledge Schwartz’s presence despite the fact that she was hanging out in the bar that he co-owns with Sandoval.

Schwartz wasn’t always the greatest husband to ex-wife Katie Maloney, but it was his alleged complicity in the Sandoval-Raquel affair that really ruined his reputation.

And apparently, the whole mess is taking quite a toll on his business ventures, too!

Why Did Lala Kent Reach Out to Raquel Leviss on the Vanderpump Rules Season Premiere?

Finally, what’s up with Lala Kent’s baffling decision to leave a voice message for her former rival Raquel Leviss?

Lala claims that she was moved to sympathy for Raquel, but she had to know the move wouldn’t sit well with her entire friend group, least of all Ariana.

It’s worth noting that Lala was openly furious about Raquel’s decision to quit Vanderpump Rules, so the message may have been a last-ditch effort to lure her back into the fray.

Whatever the case, it certainly stirred up a lot of drama — and at the end of the day, isn’t that all we ask from this show?