This episode of Vanderpump Rules felt like a complete shift into a dating show. The storylines revolved entirely around romantic pursuits: Jason dated Natalie, who then spent time with Shayne – who’s still interested in getting back with her. Meanwhile, Angelica is hoping to recapture Shayne’s attention, and he’s distracted by her recent surgery. Even Chris is focused on pursuing Audrey, while she prioritizes her comedy career. It felt like everything was about dating and nothing about the usual work, friendships, or chaotic LA lifestyle – even the struggle to use the microwave and AC simultaneously was missing. Honestly, it was a bit boring, and it made me question if this reboot is actually worth the effort.
I believe the show’s producers have completely missed what originally made Vanderpump Rules successful. While romance was part of the appeal, the show wasn’t really about dating—it was about established couples. Think of Katie and Tom Schwartz, Jax and Stassi, and Kristen and Tom Sandoval – they were all already together when the series began. Even when they broke up, we rarely saw them genuinely dating, and those attempts usually failed. Sandoval quickly moved from Ariana to Raquel (formerly Rachel) before even ending things with Ariana. Jax dated around after Stassi, but always seemed to want to get back with her until he settled down with Brittany. What viewers want isn’t to see random connections or people searching for partners. We have Love Is Blind for that, and this episode felt like a copy of it, especially the scene with Shayne, Natalie, Jason, and Audrey in the SUR Alley, discussing potential connections.
At its heart, Vanderpump Rules has always been about the connections between people. While the show featured couples, the real dynamic was among a group of female best friends and the men they dated. The shifts in romantic relationships weren’t the most compelling part – it was how those changes impacted the friendships. That’s why Scheana played such a central role early on. She tried to join the established friend group, which caused tension and drove a lot of the drama. That conflict, not the romantic pairings, was the core of the show. For example, by season two, even though it was revealed Jax and Kristen had a hookup, what was more interesting was how it fractured the friendship between Stassi and Kristen (leading to a physical fight) and strained the relationship between Tom and Jax (also resulting in a fight).
The biggest issue with this reboot is that it prioritizes romantic relationships over friendships – and the people involved aren’t actually friends. They were simply brought together for the show and don’t have genuine connections. Jason and Chris are still learning the ropes, Angelica is new to the team, and Shayne’s recent work hasn’t been stable. There’s no real bond uniting them, and any connections they have feel forced and superficial. Compared to Next Gen NYC, which also featured a cast thrown together for television, Next Gen had cast members who were genuinely close, long-time friends who spent time together outside of filming. That’s what made that show work so well. This reboot, on the other hand, feels like a patchwork creation, as if Lisa Vanderpump is trying to revive a struggling business with mismatched parts.
Okay, let me tell you, SUR is a major issue. Seriously, that place does not need four hosts! Even the busiest Cheesecake Factory doesn’t staff it like that. It honestly doesn’t even feel like a functioning restaurant anymore. The show is constantly trying to hide the fact that it’s usually empty. We see all the staff, but they’re just… standing around because there are hardly any customers. Remember the early seasons of Vanderpump Rules? SUR actually seemed busy, like people genuinely worked there. Now it feels totally staged, like a reality show set. I do think the cast is starting to gel – Audrey, Shayne, Marcus, and Natalie are really shining, and I’ve known Demy for years – and I can see some real connections forming in season two. But honestly, if they can’t make SUR feel like a real restaurant, what’s the point of a show about the staff of that restaurant?
In this episode, Natalie and Jason have a playful time spray painting each other at a studio. Jason seems to think it’s a romantic date, but Natalie insists they’re just friends, despite having kissed recently. Natalie explains she struggles to maintain friendships with guys without them developing feelings for her. Honestly, the way she acts, it’s surprising any of her male friends haven’t caught more than just feelings – like a cold!
Chris confessed to Jason that he’s having second thoughts about pursuing a relationship with Audrey, despite strongly encouraging her just recently and her agreeing to try again. Jason pointed out the irony, reminding Chris of a previous situation where he filmed with an actress who developed feelings for him, but he didn’t reciprocate because of her profession. Jason then hilariously called him out – he’s the one who works in adult films!
Shayne reconnects with Natalie and tells her he’s interested in trying a relationship again, even admitting he asked their mutual friend, Jason, for permission. Meanwhile, Natalie meets Angelica for lunch at a restaurant called Something About Her. The show’s budget is tight – they couldn’t even afford to pay for Katie or Ariana, let alone provide free food. Natalie fills Angelica in on Shayne’s attempt to rekindle things, and Angelica, recently back from maternity leave, jokingly threatens her. She reminds Natalie that Shayne clearly ended things with her. Angelica also reveals she’s already seeing someone new and is picking him up from the airport, something she says she’d only do for a long-term partner, highlighting how quickly she moves in relationships.
Angelica filled Audrey in on the drama with Shayne and Natalie, and Audrey then told Jason that Shayne had asked about dating Natalie, though he hadn’t spoken to Jason about it directly. Honestly, it’s already a lot to keep track of! Eventually, Natalie, Shayne, Jason, and Audrey all ended up discussing it in an alley. Natalie made it clear she wasn’t interested in Jason, and Jason sarcastically told Shayne to go for it. Natalie quickly shut that down, saying she didn’t want Shayne’s attention either. Hopefully, that’s the end of it.
Venus is busy organizing the Pride party to end the season with a bang! Angelica is in charge of swimsuits, Marcus will be the DJ, and Natalie is performing her popular song, “Sure As Silver,” with Chris and Jason dancing alongside her. Kim, however, doesn’t have a task… except to stand outside and glare at everyone who walks by. Later, Venus spends time with Marcus, and they share a hilarious moment when Marcus reveals Kim has stopped taking her birth control – it’s the funniest part of the entire episode! It really feels like a classic Friends scene.
The episode ends with Audrey performing her first stand-up comedy set. Things get awkward when Shayne arrives with a new girlfriend, and Angelica, who is already seeing someone else, gets upset. She dramatically tells Shayne he can’t enjoy anything until he’s completely focused on her. But honestly, Shayne isn’t interested – he’s moved on to a gluten-free, vegan lifestyle. Angelica needs to accept that.
Audrey is the latest from Vanderpump Rules to try stand-up comedy, following in the footsteps of stars like Kristen and Ariana – remember the roast of Jax Taylor that upset his future mother-in-law with its jokes? I expected her set to be a disaster, but she actually delivered some genuinely funny material about herself and her friends. And Marcus? He just looks like he’s always paying for gas with handfuls of change – I couldn’t have put it better myself!
Audrey saves her worst jokes for Angelica, constantly teasing her about still living with her ex, needing male attention, and just generally being awkward. During the show, Angelica walks out because she can’t handle the humor. As she leaves, Audrey jokingly calls out, “Go say hi to your ex!” which everyone found funny. Angelica then walks home, feeling like a complete failure. Her ex is gone, her boyfriend is traveling again, Shayne is dating someone else, and Jason has moved on with Natalie. She’s completely alone, and that’s a running theme of the show. But Angelica’s biggest problem isn’t being single—it’s that she doesn’t have any friends at all.
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2026-02-18 06:55