…But you can’t take the bro out of the girl.
I have absolutely no idea how I made it this long without hearing about The Real Bros of Simi Valley because if there’s one thing about me, it’s that I’m a bro at heart.
My TV vice has always been early-2000s SoCal bro culture. Give me flat-bill hats, wraparound sunglasses, tank tops, gym muscles, questionable life decisions, and dudes who somehow make partying a full-time job without ever having an actual job, and I’m completely invested. Somehow this satirical mockumentary completely flew under my radar until now, and I ended up binge-watching the entire thing.
Set in Simi Valley (which, fun fact, I was “today years old” when I learned is actually in Ventura County and not Los Angeles County), the series hilariously spoofs Southern California bro culture while poking fun at reality TV staples like Jersey Shore and The Real Housewives.
The story kicks off with Xander freaking out after his girlfriend Molly, returns from a girls’ trip to Mexico. Convinced she hooked up with a famous DJ, he’s preparing for the worst… only to find out she’s acting strange because she’s pregnant.
From there, the series spirals into bro friendships, relationship drama, marriage, fatherhood, and endless over-the-top reality show bro moments (a tiff with rivaling bros from Rancho Cucamonga) that somehow feel ridiculous and believable at the same time. Maybe that’s because I grew up in SoCal, where I’ve known more than a few guys who weren’t all that different.
Why The Real Bros of Simi Valley Is Worth Watching
What makes this series work is that it fully commits to the bit. It never breaks character, treating every ridiculous argument and every dramatic slow-mo stare like it’s life or death. Jimmy Tatro absolutely carries the series as Xander, and the entire cast leans into the parody without trying too hard. If you’ve ever watched Jersey Shore, The Real Housewives, or grew up around Southern California bro culture, you’ll catch joke after joke that lands perfectly.
Originally released as a YouTube series from 2017 through 2020, The Real Bros of Simi Valley spans three seasons and 25 episodes before wrapping things up with The Real Bros of Simi Valley: The Movie, which debuted on The Roku Channel in 2024. The series also features some fun guest appearances along the way, including recurring appearances from Chris McDonald, plus cameos by Jay Chandrasekhar and Pete Davidson. The entire series is available on YouTube and The Roku Channel, making it an easy comedy binge if you somehow missed it like I did. Maybe it’s because, deep down, I’ll always be a bro… just with better cocktails.
