‘Has anyone checked on Scheana?’: The ‘Vanderpump Rules’ reboot may be doomed from the start

On Tuesday, November 26, it was announced that the long-running reality show Vanderpump Rules will be rebooted with a new cast for season 12. This was a shock to long-standing franchise fans after the drama-heavy past few years, although it wasn’t a complete surprise, either. 

After Scandaval, there was a massive shift in fan favorites, which left the show teetering on the edge, with season 11 leaning far too heavily toward a cheater redemption story rather than a fresh take on Ariana Madix’s new lease on life or a deep dive into the misogynistic undertones of the show. Many were infuriated by the Vanderpump Rules season 11 finale, which tried to portray Ariana as a diva rather than a woman setting healthy boundaries. Clearly, the cast and production were out of their depths with the storyline, and fans saw right through the act. 

Leading up to this reboot announcement, there had been rumors that certain cast members were in a stalemate with production for pay raises for this next season. Now, it is abundantly clear that Bravo didn’t see the value in their participation. 

Will this reboot be successful? History says no

Vanderpump Rules has tried in past seasons to bring fresh faces into the cast through service jobs at Vanderpump’s various restaurants: Sur, Pump, and TomTom’s. However, their personalities had little impact compared to the original cast, and they were gradually let go. 

Seasons 9 to 11 of Vanderpump Rules followed the grown group of friends in their rise to successful entrepreneurs, and Lisa Vanderpump’s purpose in the show grew tiresome. The network could have tried restructuring the show’s framework to give the fans’ favorite cast members more time in the spotlight; instead, Bravo has decided to try again with fresh faces. The devastating part of all this is that Lisa Vanderpump is losing her grip on relevance, and her self-importance may tank the reboot, just as it stilted her Disney+ show Vanderpump Villa. 

So much news, so little time

Coincidentally, some other bombs dropped the same day this reboot was announced. Tom Sandoval and Tom Swartz’s bar ‘Swartz and Sandy’s’ announced it was closing this year at the end of December. This marks a concrete conclusion to the Toms’ reign in West Hollywood. 

People magazine also announced that former Vanderpump Rules star and current The Valley member Kristen Doute is pregnant after a tumultuous time trying. What a week for Bravo. 

While all this havoc unfolds, fans are speculating on how this will affect the other cast members. One makes a wild prediction about James Kennedy and his current girlfriend, saying “I think it would make her a worse person for like genuinely loving James Kennedy. That’s crazy. You can’t raise a baby with that man!”

However, no matter how much this may negatively affect some of the cast, Queen B Ariana Madix is just starting her budding Broadway career singing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade after a wildly successful run as Roxie Hart in Chicago. 

Many are speculating about Scheana Shay’s reaction to the reboot news. As the popular meme goes, when any other VPR cast member makes a deal, “Has anyone checked on Scheana?” 

Alas, we’re not rid of her yet, as Scheana and Lala Kent are set to appear in season 2 of The Valley, with some speculating they may become full-time cast members. Nor are we rid of Tom Sandoval, as he has filmed The Traitors Season 3, set to premiere in January 2025.