Will the Scandoval mark the end of Vanderpump Rules? If Ariana Madix refuses to work with Tom Sandoval moving forward, will Bravo shut it down? Or is this just a new beginning for the show?
Following the exit of their problematic cast members (Kristen Doute, Jax Taylor, and Stassi Schroeder) and a disastrous Season 9, it seemed to be the end of the road for the beloved reality series for a while there. But fans were already calling Season 10 a return to form. And then came Scandoval…
The shocking news of Sandoval and Raquel Leviss’ months-long affair behind Ariana’s back has completely revitalized the show, as it rocked longtime fans and even pulled those who had never seen an episode into the drama over the past three weeks.
People have been tuning in each week to dissect every single interaction between Sandoval, Raquel, Ariana to see hints of the explosion to come. There’s no doubt even more people will be watching the highly-anticipated season 10 reunion later on, especially if things get as heated as reports have suggested! The cheating scandal – despite how awful the situation has been for some involved — is ratings gold. But what happens once the chaos dies down? Where does Vanderpump Rules go from here after the reunion airs? Will Ariana leave? Will Sandoval and Raquel be fired? Will it be too much drama for the show to handle??
Related: Lala Is Feeling ‘Drained’ After ‘Exhausting’ Reunion Filming
According to Entertainment Tonight on Friday, there are a lot of things up in the air right now regarding the future of the show. A source told the outlet VPR has not been renewed for Season 11, and the team behind the series is meeting to figure out what to do going forward. In the next couple of weeks, the insider said, they are “going to be floating different ideas to move forward.” One idea on the table is to focus on Ariana and Katie Maloney opening up their new business — and veering away from Scandoval:
“Maybe an after-the-storm way, focusing on [Katie and Ariana’s sandwich shop] Something About Her, and going that route, not focusing on this drama.”
We’d love to see Ariana dating again, finding a guy who’ll treat her right. But will it be enough excitement if we keep stepping around the elephant in the room?
You might be surprised Bravo potentially won’t be milking the cheating scandal, considering it has given the show a resurgence. But there’s a slight problem. Apparently, Ariana refuses to film with her ex-boyfriend anymore! The insider claimed:
“Ariana said that, unless absolutely necessary, she won’t film with Tom Sandoval. She stated her feelings [at the reunion] and now it’s time to untangle herself from Tom.”
She deserves her time to shine and thrive on her own — but that will no doubt cause some issues when it comes to production! If Ariana does not want to work with him anymore, we can bet Katie, Scheana Shay, Lala Kent, James Kennedy, and others wouldn’t want to do so either. And the group definitely won’t want to film with Raquel moving forward. The only person who might be willing to record with them is Tom Schwartz, but who knows where he stands following the reunion?
So where does that leave the cheaters? The ET insider noted that Raquel’s place on Vanderpump Rules is “up in the air” and Sandoval’s is “a question mark.” But if you ask us, it doesn’t seem like they have a future on the show. Considering fans called for their firing when their affair was exposed AND Ariana no longer wants to film with Sandoval, it seems like their time on the show is up.
While production has no idea how the show will proceed, per ET, the consensus seems to be that they want fans to “get another season” — even if they move away from Scandoval. Fortunately, they will have some things to replace the cheating drama.
As you may know, season 10 started after Lala ended her engagement with Randall Emmett after he was accused of cheating. Eventually other allegations were made against him. Her custody battle with the filmmaker and whatever drama comes up with that could become a focus. Producers also mentioned that they would continue showing how Schwartz and Katie “manage after divorce and figure out a way to keep certain people happy.”
Of course, producers can work with whatever comes out of the reunion for the next season. Speaking of which, a source told ET that taping the reunion felt “sad, but a relief,” adding:
“Tom [Sandoval] was combative, Raquel didn’t say much off camera and it was so exhausting.”
The insider went on to say that “as draining as it was, everyone really was supportive, and caring and got their crap out, but with heads held high”:
“Sandoval was ultimately contrite, which most didn’t like. Raquel came across like Sandoval loved her more than Ariana.”
Yikes…
Obvi the relationship between Raquel and Sandoval could potentially be a storyline if they aren’t given the boot. But we’re pretty sure no one wants to see that play out on their screens! Could they do it just filming with one another..?
A lot is up in the air right now! What do YOU think, Perezcious readers? What do you hope to see moving forward if VPR gets renewed? Do you think Sandoval and Raquel will be fired from the show? Sound OFF in the comments below.
[Image via Bravo/YouTube, Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen/YouTube]
The post Ariana Madix REFUSES To Film With Tom Sandoval After Reunion -- What Does This Mean For <i>VPR</i>'s Future?! appeared first on Perez Hilton.