Lake Tahoe has been invaded by the VPR crew. They come bearing their drama, their tears, and their dog, Hippie (aka Graham). Scheana struggles through the back-end of this trip, as she gets forced to confront her pent-up emotions towards Sandoval while navigating her friendship with Ariana. Ariana has made it VERY clear that if anyone rekindles a friendship with Sandoval, they are out of her life, leaving many people in the group in an awkward position on this episode of Vanderpump Rules…
After a late night, Brock is out golfing before Sandoval’s wellness coach comes to the house. Scheana chats with Lala about a friendship with Sandoval. Scheana wants to forgive Sandoval since he has been there for her when others have not, like during the pandemic when Sandoval PayPaled Scheana “several thousand dollars.” Scheana was pregnant, out of work, and struggling and Sandoval saved her financially (yet, now Sandoval claims he is broke-hence his need to tour for money in the midst of the Scandoval, but I digress). As she second guesses her alliances, Scheana claims that she remains #teamAriana.
Meanwhile, Ariana is having a photo shoot for HER cocktail book, “Single AF Cocktails.” It is a far cry from her joint book with Sandoval and she is calling it her breakup album, as the chapters follow the story of her relationship. Katie is there for support and for lunch.
In Tahoe, the wellness coach arrives and acts like she doesn’t know the Scandoval of it all (does she live under a rock?!) as Sandoval talks about the group letting their guard down for the first time with him since the sh*t hit the fan.
Much to Scheana’s dismay, Brock rolls into the session late since he was busy golfing and leaves Scheana stranded next to Sandoval. Scheana looks less than relaxed as the coach walks them through the session. Scheana gets paired up with Sandoval and panic is written all over her face as she is forced to go back to back to with him. Scheana becomes so emotional during this phases that she gets up and runs off, stating, “I still f*cking hate you.”
Brock comes to her aid and tries to tell Scheana that this is the time to express herself. Scheana should talk through it and Brock explains that he stayed away from Sandoval and Scheana on purpose so she can work through their issues.
When Scheana returns, she can hardly control her tears when the coach tells the group to face their partner and imagine this is the last time you will ever see the other person again. Scheana and Sandoval are reminded of their friendship before the affair. It’s an awkward exchange considering everyone else is done as these two talk about “the beautiful and amazing times they’ve had together.” Scheana tells Sandoval she was worried he was going to do something to himself and Sandoval hopes that Scheana remembers he is her friend because he misses her.
Scheana is an emotional wreck after seeing genuine tears from Sandoval. She is really torn- she doesn’t want to break her allegiance to Ariana, but feels like she should move on with Sandoval. Lala feels like Sandoval cannot be crucified for his mistake any more since there is nothing they can do to change it.
Post photo shoot, Katie and Ariana sit down for some lunch. Ariana talks about the partner meditation that she learned about through Scheana. Ariana continues to draw the line that if someone wants to be Sandoval’s friend, she will not be friends with them. She doesn’t want him to have access into her life in any way and that’s final.
The Tahoe crew hops into gondolas and head up to the top of the mountain. Schwartz talks how nice it was to reconnect with Lala earlier today and Brock tells Sandoval that Scheana doesn’t know how to handle this new relationship with him. Sandoval keeps repeating that he didn’t do any of this to hurt anyone intentionally and Brock reminds him that Raquel/Rachel put a restraining order on Scheana, so some people DID get hurt in the end.
Brock brings up the rumor that Sandoval’s team allegedly started: Brock hooked up with Rachel, as well. Brock thinks that Sandoval’s team was trying to save their a*s by throwing Brock into the mix. Naturally, Sandoval denies this and Brock gets hot as he tells Sandoval to stop and move on.
After Brock tells Scheana he lost his sh*t on Sandoval, he apologizes to him. Sandoval explains how it felt like a constant kicking while he was down. They agree that they both went a little overboard with how they handled it- Sandoval going on tour, Brock and Scheana with the podcast.
In the meantime, Scheana can’t pry herself away from her phone, especially after seeing a Page Six article that posted a group picture of her posing with her arm around Sandoval. Not something Ariana will like seeing…
The group spends the rest of the afternoon on a boat. While they do backflips into the water, Ariana and Katie meet up with their consultant to hold some interviews for their sandwich shop. The interviews get interrupted by Scheana, who is FaceTiming them from the boat.
Scheana goes on to explain how she has been struggling with the “loss” of her friendship with Sandoval. Ariana tells Scheana that she doesn’t think Sandoval gives a sh*t about their friendship and Scheana explains that she can’t keep hating him for Ariana. She repeatedly says that she misses Sandoval as her friend, and things get awkward because it seems like Scheana is looking for Ariana to allow her to be friends with Sandoval.
When James posts a “family” picture with Hippie, Ally is nervous because it’s kind of like a hard launch and now Rachel will see the reunion…
This strange boat ride is just about wrapping up, but not before Lala asks Sandoval one question that has been bothering her: How could he tell HER to be real and honest about her life, while he was having an affair?! Lala points out that Sandoval said she had “douchey energy” in an article the day Scandoval came out. How rich is that?
Sandoval says that Lala lied about a relationship for 6 years, whereas he lied for 7 months… but at the end of the day, they are both liars. Lala calls it f*cked up and of course Sandoval spins it on her and holds her to her past. Sandoval appears to be this master manipulator who refuses to take accountability yet again.
Sandoval gets heated because everyone really puts their lives out there and according to him, Lala does not. Lala calls Sandoval insane. He won’t allow Lala to evolve and she claims that Sandoval isolated and groomed Rachel. Brock steps in and reminds Sandoval that no one wants to talk sh*t about him and all Lala has been asking for is an apology for how hypocritical it was for Sandoval to tell her to be real while he was the one having an affair.
Sandoval brings Lala in for a hug, as Schwartz tries hitting on one of the stewardesses. A drunken convo with Brock has Schwartz explaining how people are hypercritical of Katie, but he defends her for having a pure soul, since she dated him when he had nothing.
As they pack up to leave, Sandoval thanks Schwartz for inviting him. He feels as though some progress has been made within the group; however, Lala and Scheana call it an emotionally exhausting few days. Scheana cries to Lala about how she gets upset when Ariana dismisses her any time she says she is struggling. Lala makes it clear that Scheana’s emotions are valid and Ariana is doing JUST fine. Scheana is “happy” that Ariana did not go down a dark spiral, even though she booked Dancing with the Stars when SHE really wanted to do it. Shade.
Lala listens and explains in her confessional that, “It’s time for Ariana to pull her head out of her own a*s” and now it’s time for Ariana to return the favor and support Scheana. Scheana wants to know why she can’t have one moment for it to be about her…Scheana is tired of it only being about Ariana, considering she, too, is mourning the loss of Sandoval, who was once a very good friend.
TELL US – THOUGHTS ON THE VANDERPUMP RULES EPISODE?
