The finale of Vanderpump Rules Season 11 was bleak, to say the least. Even the Bravo show’s namesake, Lisa Vanderpump, was speechless at the end of the May 28 reunion, solemnly saying, “I don’t know how to make this better. "
The Season 11 finale ended with a cast split, with Ariana Madix pulling out of an event to avoid talking to her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval because he Tom Sandoval cheated on her with ex-partner Rachel Leviss. This frustrated several cast members, with Lala Kent breaking the fourth wall and feeling that Maddix's actions were a slap in the face to everyone else and jeopardized the show.
It also feels like a series finale (with an emotional montage of throwback moments), and Bravo's decision not to go into production this summer has raised concerns about the show's future. Fans also didn't take well to the cast's sentiments, especially after Maddix's tearful reaction to the reunion, sparking speculation about whether she would return if there was another season.
However, one way for the show to move forward is for Sandoval to leave. The choice to end with Maddix refusing to have a forgiving conversation with her ex means that he is a great asset to Pump Rules. But the show can survive just fine without him.
Ariana is more important
The cast felt Maddix chose not to interact with Sandoval as if it was detrimental to their show. While many credit his cheating scandal for revitalizing the show and bringing it mainstream attention, Maddix actually deserves credit.
Sandoval may have been the one who cheated, but it was Maddix who revealed the truth about the incident while she was still emotionally charged and publicly held him accountable. Sandoval, for his part, plans to keep his indiscretions off-camera.
Sandoval's story feels complete
There's no doubt that Sandoval is a big part of Season 11 as the cast deals with Scandoval's fallout. But now, with the exes making peace at their reunion, Sandoval finally apologizing for his affair, and Maddix tearfully wishing for him to stay away from her, there seems to be no way out for them on the show.
For better or worse, Sandoval's story feels complete. Considering the majority of fans on social media sided with Maddix and even criticized other cast members for forcing her to talk to Sandoval, viewers seemed uninterested in another attempt at a redemption arc.
Pump rules are in worse shape
While Sandoval is one of the few OG actors to appear in all 11 seasons of Pump Rules , along with Scheana Shay and Katie Maloney, But he's never had a starring role. In the first few seasons, he was Jax Tyler's loyal sidekick, but later became a frenemy and formed a dynamic duo with Tom Schwartz. Arguably, Taylor's departure puts him in the spotlight even more.
Longtime viewers may say that Taylor and Stacey Schroeder, who once led the ensemble drama, had their previous romances that tied the group together and provided the most drama. A show without these lightning rods once seemed incomprehensible, but once season eight ended, the show moved on. Not only did "Pump Rules" survive without them, it also received its first Emmy nomination.
It's time to bring back the OG
Given their history, Maddix, Maloney, Shay, and Kent could easily create enough drama for Season 12. So much so that there was no need to replace Sandoval with a new actor in "Pump Rules." But if the show wants to add a stronger personality to the mix, it might be worth bringing Schroeder back on board.
Andy Cohen hinted at Schroeder's return to the Vanderpump universe after running into him at the grand opening of Maddix and Maloney's sandwich shop Something About Her. The only problem is he's not sure she's ready to return to reality TV. "I think I'll probably throw some stuff away as usual," he told Us Weekly . "I definitely missed her [on Bravo]."
Schroeder, for her part, turned down a spot on the spinoff series The Valley and said she doesn't watch Pump Rules . However, she remained friendly with most of the cast, even admitting on the Call Her Daddy podcast that she was terrified of not being able to face Sandoval during Scandoval. "Not being on last season felt like my talent was wasted," she said. Maybe it's not too late to correct this problem.
