The May 7 finale of Vanderpump Rules ended with the cast still at odds. Unsurprisingly, Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval were not able to come to a resolution in the final episode. The continued tension between the two exes appears to have deeply affected the friend group, with several cast members expressing frustration about the situation.
There is so much hostility in the group that I am unsure how Vanderpump Rules can continue on this trajectory. I think a lot of fans are feeling Scandoval fatigue and are ready for the show to move on from the drama.
Here are all the reasons I think VPR needs a reboot after Season 11:
Too much tension
Over the years, there has been an ongoing discussion about what Vanderpump Rules is really about. Is it about a group of servers at Lisa Vanderpump’s West Hollywood restaurant? Or is it about a tight-knit friend group in LA? I personally think the closeness of the friend group is what makes the show special. Fans love how authentic the relationships on the show feel. Any attempt to add an outsider into the mix has usually failed.
In the past, I’ve been against the idea of introducing a new generation of cast members. Mostly because I, like many fans who watch the show, feel connected to the cast members we’ve been watching for the last decade. But after watching Season 11, I now feel that shaking up the cast is the only way for the show to continue.
There has always been drama in the VPR friend group but Season 11 reached new heights. I don’t see a world where Ariana and Sandoval reach a peace agreement. I mean, she called him a “perpetrator” in the reunion tease. So yeah, I don’t see friendship in their future. Tension is good for reality television but two main cast members refusing to film together is not so good. We don’t want to deal with another Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga situation. We’re exhausted.
Too many breakups
Season 1 of VPR was about three couples and Scheana Shay. Stassi Schroeder was with Jax Taylor, Katie Maloney was with Tom Schwartz, and Kristen Doute was with Sandoval. The couples kept the friend group united. Fans moved on quickly from the breakups early on in the show. They weren’t that serious and fans knew it was for the best. But Ariana and Sandoval’s split felt like a death for the show. For many years, they were the glue. When they broke up, fans started to notice how divided the friend group had become. Katie and Schwartz’s divorce also had a major impact on the friend group. There might be too much division between these groups of exes to continue.
Not enough mess
Part of the magic of VPR is the messiness. We were obsessed with the Vegas meltdowns, the rage texts, and all of Jax’s lies. It’s great that the group has grown up and matured but it makes for boring TV. A reboot could reignite the excitement of the early days of VPR. Let’s get some crazy, twenty-somethings in the mix and see where things go.
The fans are divided
Fans of VPR, like the cast, are divided. Some fans are never going to forgive Sandoval and some fans are never going to be #TeamAriana. The division in the fanbase seems unsustainable in the long term. I don’t see how both Ariana and Sandoval can continue on the show with where the fanbase currently stands.
There is nowhere else to go
I think VPR is in a tough spot after Season 11. The wounds seem to be too deep to continue with the current cast. Sure, it was compelling to watch Ariana and Sandoval scream at each other at James Kennedy’s pool party but I can’t watch that for another 5 years. I think something has to change for the show to ensure long-term success. We know the cast is currently on hiatus from filming and it is unclear if the series will return for Season 12. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
The Vanderpump Rules Season 11 Reunion begins Tuesday, May 14 at 8/7c on Bravo.
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THE SEASON 11 FINALE OF VANDERPUMP RULES? DO YOU THINK THE SHOW SHOULD RETURN FOR SEASON 12?
