The third and final segment of the Vanderpump Rules Season 8 reunion aired on Bravo Tuesday night.
The cast didn't know it at the time they were filming, but this might have been the last time they'll all participate in any sort of project together.
Coming unraveled is what the Vanderpump cast does best, but in recent weeks, the former SUR staffers have reached new levels of dysfunction.
The biggest development, of course, was the firing of Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute amid allegations of racism,
The scandal has led some to the conclusion that the best course of action would be to simply cancel Vanderpump Rules.
But Bravo execs have been reluctant to do that, as the show is still profitable.
In fact, for all the complaints about its lackluster content of late, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, this has been one of the show's highest-rated seasons to date.
Producers likely believe they can carry on without Stassi and Kristen, as long as they have their ace in the hole -- Jax Taylor.
Unpredictable, unstable, and explosively angry, Jax is any reality producer's dream.
However, Vanderpump showrunners might soon be left with no choice but to kick him to the curb.
Not only has Jax been accused by Faith Stowers of the same racially-motivated harassment that got Stassi and Kristen fired, he's also still a hothead who enjoys lashing out at the people who sign his paychecks.
Take last night's reunion, for example.
Jax defended all manner of abhorrent behavior -- and then he doubled-down by accusing host -- and Bravo president -- Andy Cohen of being biased against him.
"Andy always has something against me," Taylor griped at one point.
Cohen clapped back that if anything, he's shown bias in Jax's favor -- as evidenced by the fact that Taylor is still employed.
Andy pointed out that it's his job to "call people out," and he does it to the entire cast.
When Taylor described himself as “work in progress,” Ariana Madix understandably lost it, as this is the mantra Jax has been using in lieu of sincere apologies for years.
“This is the same s--t as every other reunion,” Madix pointed out, as the show's editors offered up a montage of Jax dishing up the same tired line year after year.
At that point, Jax insisted that he's “very good at apologizing” -- a statement with which Cohen took issue.
“I’ve watched you apologize a million times and not mean it at reunions,” Andy told Jax, wondering aloud if Taylor ever “meant it."
“I don’t know what else to tell you,” Taylor said evasively before insisting that everyone, including Andy, offers up a phony apology from time to time.
Cohen begged to differ.
From there, Andy turned his attention Brittany, pointing out that she must find it “daunting” that she’ll “have to apologize for Jax” for the rest of her life, and she said that it’s definitely “hard”.
“I’m not trying to be an a--hole, but this is our eighth reunion, and this is the same conversation we’ve had,” Andy said, noting that Jax seems to have no interest in real change.
The rest of the cast echoed that concern, noting that Taylor silences them with rage or claims of being "a work in progress" whenever they complain about his abuse.
"We can’t be scared to have an opinion,” Stassi said at one point.
Granted, all of this took place before the Vanderpump house of cards came tumbling down.
But watching Jax's behavior on Tuesday night's show, it's hard to imagine that this is a man with any real concerns for his future -- or anything at all, for that matter.
