The Valleyis in its sophomore slump. Season 2, which wrapped up its reunion this week, was a bit of a misfire, withJax Taylorremoving his mask and descending into full-on domestic abuse,Danny Bookodrinking sloppily and getting way too touchy with women, andJanet Capernaflippantly throwing around the phrase “sexual assault” on behalf of women who did not ask for her help. IfVanderpump Ruleswas about fame-hungry 20-somethings cheating on each other, its spinoff is about 30 and 40-somethings dealing with addiction and divorce. Dark though it may be,The Valleyhas a lot of entertainment to offer, and with a few tweaks, it could be one of Bravo’s best.
There’s a lot aboutThe Valleythat works; the concept is strong, and a new home forVanderpump Rulesalumni sells itself.Kristen Douteis a gift on screen, and it’s wonderful to see her return after some genuine self-reflection and, for the first time, in a happy, healthy relationship. Her partner,Luke Broderick, has found his footing and is becoming a real asset to the show.Zack Wickhamhas proven to be the breakout star ofThe Valley, unafraid to stir the pot, stand up to villains, and occasionally get blackout drunk for our viewing pleasure. And with minor adjustments, the villainous antics of some cast members, likeJesse Lally,could be enjoyable, so long as viewers remember that reality TV stars aren’t supposed to be aspirational or relatable — they’re meant to be messy.
Getting Rid of Jax Taylor Was the Right First Step in Improving The Valley
The show certainly has room for improvement, andthe removal of Jax Taylor was the right first step. When Jax was good on reality television, he was great. Who could forget when he ripped off his cable-knit sweater to fightFrank Herlihy, or when he broke up withLaura-Leigh Moserjust moments after accompanying her to an AA meeting? But long gone are the days of Jax as the number one guy in this, or frankly, any group.Darkness is often an asset on reality TV, but some subject matter isn’t meant to be litigated by bozos who’ve taken one too many tequila shots. The season was dominated bydomestic abuseand addiction, and it weighedThe Valleydown. And there should be a moratorium on sexual assault.
A slight cast shakeup is in order. Jax has decidedly become the kind of man who should not be platformed, and his behavior is not the sort that anyone finds entertaining. Cast members like Danny,Nia Sanchez,andMichelle Sanieineed to step it up or leave more screen time for someone who will really capitalize on it.Janet could be a great villain if she could just figure out how to calibrate,and her husband, Jason, seems more like a cronie than a spouse.
Scheana Shay is Good as Gold on Television, and The Valley Needs Her
An organic friend group is a key ingredient for a Vanderpump spinoff to succeed, and that should be at the front of mind when recruiting new cast members.Scheana Shayis reportedly locked in for Season 3, and frankly, it’s long overdue. She’s a real part of the group of frenemies at the core of this show, and let’s face it — she’s one of the greatest reality stars ever committed to film. There would be no Vanderpump Rules without Scheana, and she’s more than capable of breathing new life into this show. And while we’re at it? TossingTom SchwartzandTom Sandovalin the mix couldn’t hurt either.
Many misguided fans have called for the cancellation of theVanderpump Rulesspinoff, but we must remember that boring is the worst thing a reality show can be, not dark. AndThe Valleyis a lot of things, but it’s far from boring. Sure, it needs a bit of restructuring, and getting rid of Jax was a great first step.Doing away with dead weight and bringing on workhorses like Scheana Shay and, yes, even Tom Sandoval, will make this a show worth watching again.
The Valley
