Vanderpump Rules was on the brink of collapse after Season 9. The show’s producers have even spoke about the show’s waning popularity and just barely being renewed for Season 10. While Season 9 was indeed a low point, Vanderpump Rules Season 10 reached unbeatable highs. Clearly, the Scandoval storyline saw this series rebounding like nothing we’ve ever seen before on Bravo. Or on any reality television show for that matter. I mean, come on, you know you’ve hit gold when every media outlet, every blog, and even the host of the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner mentions your drama.
Thankfully, the noise from Tom Sandoval and Rachel Leviss‘ affair has died down a bit. From a media perspective, almost every angle has been covered and dissected, and now, for the most part, we’re over it. The cast had no choice but to move forward as well. Shortly after filming the Season 10 reunion, they all returned to filming, and Season 11 has already wrapped.
Yet, it’s anyone’s guess how this next season will fare. If it’s a dud, Vanderpump Rules might end after all. However, if it’s just as riveting to watch as Season 10 was, this series could now remain on the air for the long haul. Therefore, Season 11 could either make or break Vanderpump Rules, and we’ll explain why, and how, now.
Forgiveness Will Be Key
When Ariana Madix learned that her worm Sandoval had been cheating on her with Rachel, she swiftly ended their relationship. Ariana also ditched Rachel, her once close friend. For her final, cleansing move, Ariana went ahead and dumped Tom Schwartz too. You see, Schwartzy had known all along about his buddy’s dalliances with Rachel, and so, in Ariana’s eyes, his inability to give her a heads-up meant that he was liable as well.
Before the cameras picked back up to film this new season, Ariana vowed to never film with Sandoval again, and though she never stated this, she is also not likely to film more than a few quick moments with Schwartz either. As Ariana is a loyal friend, she expects the same in return from those that she holds dear. Due to this, those who stand on Ariana’s side have felt torn on moving forward with the Toms. This could definitely break this series, as if this group refuses to forgive the guys, this show has no hopes of making it past another season.
In the trailer, we saw Scheana Shay and Lala Kent bending a bit to film with the men. Yet, we don’t know how many scenes they each shot together. We also do not know if any cast beefs were actually squashed. This will be important moving forward because, without a cast that is willing to film together, this series has nothing.
“With resentments, forgiveness and shifting alliances, they attempt to navigate the lines drawn in the sand while rebuilding friendships, developing their businesses, and healing from past relationships,” one promo for Season 11 reads. Clearly, forgiveness will be the key that helps to determine whether Season 11 will make or break Vanderpump Rules.
Returning Cast Members Could Make or Break VPR
With a clear shortage of people willing to film with Sandoval, the producers decided to bring Jax Taylor back for Season 11. Yay, said not me. While Jax won’t be a full-time cast member, he is going to confront Sandoval head-on, which is needed. This will likely be explosive, as these equally combative, toxic males have been locked into a lame “number one guy in the group” debate for years.
That said, Jax is sometimes too messy. The same could be said for another VPR alum, Kristen Doute. Yet, Kristen recently reappeared in Season 10, where she was newly chill, and her return helped to neatly wrap up storylines. These days, she and Ariana are friends, and together, they have both moved past their similarly failed relationships with Sandoval.
Kristen’s return for Season 11 is unknown at this time. Even still, bringing back the old faithfuls like her sometimes helps to tie things together, as she has shown. Or, an alum’s return could be too erratic, and destroy the dynamics within this cast all the more. To this tune, returning cast members could either make or break VPR.
Overall, Fresh Storylines Will Determine VPR’s Future
Listen. Vanderpump Rules has been on the air forever. We’ve seen everything from marriages to divorces to babies in this span, and yet, if things don’t change soon, this series will grow stale once more. While the affair helped to breathe life back into this show, moving forward, fresh storylines will have to transpire in order to keep this momentum alive.
We need Katie Maloney and Ariana’s sandwich shop to open. We’d also love to see Katie and Lala going on entertaining dates, or, just thriving in their singledom, dominating their careers and their side hustles without the weight of a wrong-for-them man. Will James Kennedy and Ally Lewber bring us anything new? We hope so, because while James is sometimes a trainwreck, he’s also hysterical af, and Ally is as sweet as they come.
Has Sandoval changed? Will Schwartz grow a pair of balls and find his voice? Is Daniel Wai a kind fit for Ariana? These are the fresh storylines that we need, which will help to determine whether or not Season 11 will make or break Vanderpump Rules, allowing for a Season 12.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK THAT THE END IS NEAR FOR VANDERPUMP RULES, OR, WILL SEASON 11 HOLD STRONG?
