The 'Vanderpump Rules' finale is almost here, and we're preparing ourselves for *lots* of drama

We're finally approaching the Vanderpump Rules finale, 2023's most anticipated piece of reality TV. (Minus the Vanderpump Rules reunion, of course.) 

News of #Scandoval hit the internet in early March and ever since, fans have been completely enveloped in Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss' unexpected affair. In fact, Vanderpump Rules season 10 was even extended to catch up with the SURvers as all of the chaos unfolded.

Now, we're finally approaching the end of Vanderpump Rules season 10, and let's just say it goes out with an explosive bang. If this is any indication of what's to come during the reunion, we're almost frightened. 

When is the 'Vanderpump Rules' finale 2023?

We can expect Vanderpump Rules season 10 to wrap up on Wednesday, May 17, and according to the head honchos, some pretty heavy material is on its way. We have a sneak peek of what's ahead...and it's chaotic. Even the way in which the world got access to the teaser was chaotic!

It appears a few never-before-seen clips got out on Tuesday, May 2, and Twitter users were quick to post their findings. However, throughout the day, posts were altered and some were taken down and then uploaded. Like the season itself, it was a mess.

In the alleged leaked version, we see the girls of the group dressed in black and we also hear Raquel say, "We said we wouldn’t do this unless it was worth it" to Sandoval. Once Bravo got ahold of the situation, the teaser looked a little different.

Bravo's official 'Pump Rules' finale teaser

In Bravo's teaser, we don't hear Raquel's declaration or see the girls in their funeral garb, but we do get a sweet treat at the end...the return of Kristen Doute. 

Lisa Vanderpump considers the final episode of the season to be an emotional roller coaster, and she took to Twitter to say it was one of "the most astounding bits of film I’ve seen.” During a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Lala Kent assured viewers that they won't believe what they're seeing during the last episode. 

"You’re going to die. There’s one conversation in the final episode, and [Raquel]’s sick," she said. 

Host Andy Cohen echoed that sentiment: "It's very upsetting how [Raquel] can look in [Ariana]’s eyes and have that conversation."

Though the group has certainly gone through breakups and friendship breakups before, something about Tom and Raquel's seven-month-long escapades seems to feel very final. Will the pair have a future not only on the show but within the group?It sounds so heavy, but there is a reason we can't seem to turn away from the whole ordeal.

"These kinds of things catch our attention in our own lives as well as in stories that draw us in—but they are designed to be super-stimuli, going beyond what we normally encounter in our daily lives, and hijacking our attention," Dr. Grant Brenner, a board-certified psychiatrist and psychotherapist in New York, tells us.

And should you feel as though it's all a bit too overwhelming, especially in one sitting, take breaks—yes, really. 

"If you enjoy watching reality shows but want to avoid the toxicity, set boundaries for yourself. For example, you might decide to limit your watch time, avoid shows with certain themes or only watch shows that have a positive message," suggests positive psychology coach Elle Mace.

When is the 'Pump Rules' reunion?

Although Bravo hasn't confirmed it just yet, we expect the three-part reunion to hit our screens the following week on Wednesday, May 24. One thing's for sure, everything will end with a bang. 

“If you are looking to hear [Tom and Raquel's] story, you will,” Andy said on WWHL. “If you are looking for them to be confronted to their face about what they’ve done, in what I would say [was] an aggressive manner—a confrontational manner—you will get it.”

Sounds like there really wasn't a need for a reunion seating chart given this information. Who knows what we're in for and how bad Lala said the alleged "brawl" really was?

Vanderpump Rules airs on Bravo on Wednesdays at 9pm EST, and can be streamed next-day on Peacock.