"With this episode, Vanderpump Rules officially turned into a dating show. Jason goes on a date with Natalie. Natalie hangs out with Shayne. Shayne wants to get back with Natalie. Angelica wants Shayne to want her. Shayne wants Angelica's new boobs. Chris wants to be with Audrey, but Audrey wants to do stand-up comedy. All of the stories aren't about work or friends or life as a partying 20-something living in Los Angeles who can only use their microwave or their A/C?"
"Yes, there was a romantic component to the show, but it wasn't about dating, it was about couples. Katie and Tom Schwartz, Jax and Stassi, and Kristen and Tom Sandoval were already well-established duos when the show started. Even when those people became single again, we never really saw them date, and when they did, it was a flop. Sandoval went right into a relationship with Ariana and then, famously, right into a relationship with Racquel, nee Rachel,"
The episode shifts the series toward a dating-show format, centering multiple characters on new romantic pursuits rather than workplace or friend-group storylines. Several cast members navigate short-lived dates and attraction—Jason with Natalie, Shayne and Natalie, Angelica seeking Shayne, Chris and Audrey—creating fragmented pairings. Production appears to favor transient dating plots instead of the enduring couples and friend-group dynamics that previously defined the series. Past seasons emphasized established duos and interconnected friendships, while current dating-centric content evokes comparisons to other dating franchises and reduces the emphasis on sustained interpersonal connection.
Read at Vulture
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