With The Valley premiere right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking of who should be given the title of a full-time cast member. Two that pop to mind are Zack Wickham and Jasmine Goode. Both made quite the impression on viewers during Season 1 and I think they deserve a shot in the spotlight. However, I would ask that Zack leave his hairstyle at home.
Zack Wickham is the number one guy in the group
This fresh face was a man after my own heart. The self-proclaimed “gym-goer who loves partying and dancing away in the West Hollywood scene” gave the show depth. Zack did a whole lot last season to solidify his spot in Season 2. He got his foot in the door by being a close friend of Brittany Cartwright and made an everlasting impression on fans. The influencer never met an argument he didn’t like and often considered himself the Kristen Doute whisperer. While everyone cast the former Vanderpump Rules star to the side, he often stuck up for Kristen. But perhaps his boldest statement was the choice to go against Janet Caperna. He found himself uninvited from Big Bear and pushed to the outer limits of the friend group.
Yet he prevailed. He also found the ability to be the truth-teller. He also always found the ability to be absolute drama, which only enhanced The Valley. In June, Zack announced that he had found himself a new man. During Season 1, he was single as a Pringle, so it would be interesting to be able to see him in a relationship in Season 2 and not the third wheel. At the time, Zack and Benji had been together for just six months. In the extended Season Finale episode on Peacock, Zack revealed, “What’s crazy is that he totally fits in with everybody. It’s like really just like going.” I’d like to see Zack in a full-time capacity because who doesn’t love his mantra as he is “petty with a purpose.”
Jasmine Goode was the calmest of the bunch
When Jasmine made her debut on The Valley, she was a former SURver trying to settle into the next chapter of her life after her time as a Jets NFL cheerleader. She also had just finished up a stint on Bachelor Nation. When viewers first met her on the series, Jas seemed possibly the most down-to-earth. She was a friend to everyone, which usually doesn’t work out, but for her, it worked. She came onto the show thanks to Michelle Lally who was her mentor for her career. But it was Jasmine’s common sense thinking that won fans over. While Jax Taylor belittled our Kentucky muffin and Jesse Lally took ayahuasca, Jasmine kept her ties to reality and often tried to guide her friends in the right direction.
For me, Jasmine might have been the MVP of Season 1. In my character analysis, she was the only one who called Janet out for her messy boot antics TWICE, and she hilariously called out the weirdo spy in the dumb pink boots. Jasmine has learned something from all her time on the other reality shows. She, too, has found love and recently became engaged to Melissa Marie. So again, it would be nice to see Jasmine’s life on display for Season 2.
The Valley gives the best of both worlds
I’m not ashamed to admit that I loved The Valley. The mix of OG drama and the newbies was just what viewers needed, especially after VPR became a snooze fest. But The Valley delivered in all the right ways. Between Janet’s bumbling henchman and Jax’s pantsing incident, I couldn’t get enough. So, to see Jasmine and Zack’s work was an added bonus. The entire group of friends meshes well together, and there is no need to add any more OGs to the cast. At one point, there were rumors that Lala Kent and Scheana Shay might join, but hopefully, the network knows better.
Both Zack and Jasmine surprised me. It isn’t lost on me that it takes a lot to go against a group of people, especially when you don’t have super strong ties to everybody. So I’m impressed that both newbies stood their ground, especially after appearing flip-floppy in previous episodes. Needless to say, my cautious optimism has morphed into full support.
The Valley is available to stream on Peacock.
TELL US – DO YOU WANT TO SEE JASMINE AND ZACK BACK?
