Will The Valley Viewers Accept Tom Sandoval, or Should He Stay Away?

   

Tom Sandoval is sticking to his spot on the Vanderpump Rules series. Cheers for more paychecks to buy himself even more problems penis flutes. However, The Valley is filming for Season 2, and Tom has a good buddy on this cast who needs an ally for his scenes. Should Tom crossover to give his pal an assist? And if he does, would we even accept his presence?

Will The Valley Viewers Accept Tom Sandoval, or Should He Stay Away?

My answers are yes and maybe.

Many VPR principals are starting to appear on The Valley. These double bookings are making people wonder how Tom might proceed if an offer also found its way to his person. The chances of this, for the record, are small but not zero, although when pressed, Tom isn’t against the concept.

The Queen and her Corgis

However, the big ask remains. If Tom does appear, would the viewers be all in on his presence? Or would they throw him to the farmhouse foxes, eager to kill his storylines before he can even get his mic pack on?

The viewers might enjoy Tom Sandoval’s softer side if brought on to The Valley to assist Jax Taylor

Tom and Jax Taylor have been friends for years. And when I say friends, I mean friends who love to hate each other. These two boys have endured it all, as seen in their various parking lot fights and heated bar brawls during the earlier seasons on VPR. However, they have also shared many kind moments, like when they justified each other’s antics on Watch What Happens Live and then again during Jax’s wedding.

Tom turned every cheek during Jax’s Groomzilla showings, continuing to do all he could to ensure that Jax’s big day went off without a hitch. In his premarital scenes, Jax flopped. Tom, however, shined. Jax was a mess, but Tom acted like his knight in shining armor, complete with a sewing kit and tampons.

Several years have passed since Jax said I do. Now, he is back in a place of ugh, as his divorce from Brittany Cartwright continues to play out in the media. But one person has stuck by his side during these self-created challenging times. And this person is Tom.

As Jax recently shared, Tom calls and checks in on him often. These two have also been hanging out quite a bit. Karaoke at his bar, Jax’s Studio City, is one of their top meet-up locations.

Tom is back in his supporting role era, where he excels. If Tom appeared on The Valley, it would likely be to continue supporting Jax. If true, then most of Tom’s scenes would make him look like a compassionate, selfless friend.

This vibe would be a WAY better look than his most recent storylines on Pump Rules. The best part is that Tom’s new role might soften the viewer’s currently heated tones, allowing them to slowly open up and accept Tom’s presence in The Valley.

In contrast, if Tom Sandoval and Jax Taylor proved toxic on The Valley, the viewers might tune out

During Season 11 of VPR, Jax reappeared. No one asked for this, but Jax still showed up, eager to call Tom out. Tom’s affair had just broken the internet, but in the years leading up to this scandal, Tom often chastized Jax for his poor behavior(s), so this was Jax’s turn to repay the favor, “homie.”

When Jax waltzed on, he took a seat and immediately told Tom that he looked old, right before commenting on Tom’s white nail polish. The producers then played a clip from Jax’s podcast, showing him slamming Tom’s lack of empathy during his fall from grace. Jax also stated that Tom had been acting tone-deaf and selfish because Tom kept blaming others for his affair.

This entire segment had me yelling, “POT. KETTLE. BLACK. B*TCHES.”

In Tom’s time of need, Jax went ham on him. In response, Tom turned his buddy’s pointed fingers back, reminding Jax that he sucked as well. Jax agreed, but not before launching a few additional quips in Tom’s direction.

This love-hate relationship is like a ping-pong match. After a few minutes of watching a denier facing down another denier, my brain starts aching. When these two are good, they are funny and messy. But when they get angry, they become unwatchable, vain little monsters.

If Tom popped up on The Valley to console or to hang out with Jax, but Jax was not in the mood, a sh*t show might form. The viewers would then dip out. If Tom remained on this series, these fans might never return.

Toxicity is so last year. I hope.

If Tom Sandoval brings kind storylines to The Valley, the viewers might be fine, but this is a massive gamble

Tom Sandoval filming Vanderpump Rules.
Photo Credit: Nicole Weingart/Bravo

I feel stuck, as Tom could bring a lot to The Valley. He is friends with the guys in this series, after all. But Tom also has a complicated, long-standing history with Scheana Shay and Lala Kent, who star alongside him on VPR. On VPR, all hell has broken loose post the Scandoval storyline, leaving Lala and Scheana at odds with Tom.

This feud matters as Lala and Scheana are currently lending their voices to Season 2 of The Valley. So if Tom shows up and their annoyances with him carry over, it would feel like déjà vu all over again. I don’t know about anyone else, but I am tired of this storyline. I would refuse to watch The Valley if it turned into a place where the Scandoval of it all took over everything in sight, as it did on VPR.

Throw in the potential for multiple showings of toxicity with Jax, and you’ve got a mess.

However, if Tom showed up to help Jax, and his scenes felt heartfelt and contrite, my ears would perk up. Likewise, Tom often spoke about wanting children on VPR. Well, The Valley has babies and toddlers for days, so this could be Tom’s shot to show us his playful, nurturing side, which would be a refreshing, kinder change of pace than his norm.

Fans of The Valley might like Tom, but he would have to approach filming differently to ensure all heated comments remain at bay. But can he do this? That’s the question.

Both The Valley and Pump Rules are streaming on Peacock.