Well, we made it. It's finally here: the last part of the reunion for Vanderpump Rules Season 10. This week, we finally get to see Raquel Leviss face the music — or just her other castmates — and the last five minutes promise to knock our socks off.
So I have my Peacock account logged in, my heart is beating fast, and my fingers are ready to type every single thought I have about this moment in cultural history so we can experience this together. All of that to say, the third and final reunion episode of Vanderpump Rules Season 10 aired last night, and it's time to GET INTO IT.
OK, I am immediately starting the episode — and I'm going with the uncensored version again, for obvious reasons. This is something I have only dreamed of being able to do since I began watching this show in 2013, and I am so excited to have this option now.
And for anyone who needs a quick refresher on what has already transpired, check out last week's recap here.
The episode kicks off — and we immediately get into a small recap from last week and a small preview for this episode. We see Ariana Madix crying and saying, "I can't think of two worse people, I can't," and then a tease of the big reveal of Raquel "telling the truth" at the end. And now it's finally time for Raquel to get on this stage and film with the rest of the cast. I am waiting with bated breath, quite frankly. She enters as Scheana Shay has to leave to go to a trailer 100 yards away because of the restraining order Raquel filed. SO dramatic, LMAO. But the shots of Scheana in said trailer? Already iconic. Here she is clutching a White Claw hard seltzer.
Raquel says she is "super embarrassed" and "not proud" of herself. She also acknowledges that she owes a lot of people apologies. Right away, we get into the girls trip and how the ladies treated her. I truly would not have been on Lala Kent's or Katie Maloney's side on this trip a mere three months ago. Raquel was doing extremely questionable things we now know, yes, but bringing galaxy lights to a hotel room was not one of them. Who cares!
I could've sworn the channel accidentally changed to a commercial for Lisa Vanderpump's Las Vegas restaurant, but no, it's still the reunion, and Lisa is selling it well. We learn that the reunion lights are modeled after LVP's restaurant. Listen, I could have done without this ad, but I will still visit next time I am in Vegas.
We then get a flashback to Raquel's panic attack in the car on the way to the girls trip in Lake Havasu, and I think we can all agree that this outburst makes so much more sense now. It was nice for the women to show up for Raquel in that moment.
At this, Ariana interjects to say that the word "selfish" does not cover a description of Raquel and that she's "subhuman," among other things. Raquel responds that she thinks her actions "are human." Tom Sandoval then attempts to interject to...defend Raquel? Argue with Lala because he hates her? Yell at a woman because he enjoys that? It's honestly unclear, and even though I side-eye every single thing this man has to say, I would still like to hear it, and Lala and James Kennedy seem incapable of allowing this to happen. They tell him to shut up every time he opens his mouth, which, while it's a MOOD, also makes for an odd reunion viewing experience.
Andy Cohen brings up the fact that Raquel brought up Ariana and Sandoval's relationship on camera to Ariana — even discussing their sex life — and called it "diabolical." Raquel says that it was "so hard for [her] to watch" and that they had only slept together once at this point, and she had been encouraging Sandoval to "reflect and see if he was really happy" and figure out what he really wanted.
From there, things escalate quickly. As Raquel is describing how she "just wanted Tom to be happy, blah-blah-blah," Ariana chimes in and tells Raquel to "fuck [herself] with a fucking cheese grater" and says she "wishes nothing but the worst things that could ever happen to a person on you." I feel so conflicted in this moment. It's beyond obvious why Ariana is upset — more than upset, really — and I would feel the exact same way. But telling Raquel to fuck herself with a cheese grater is something I personally could have lived without hearing my entire life!!!!
After this, Tom Sandoval thinks it's an amazing idea to chime in and let everyone know, "The thing is, we don't live our lives by logic," and everyone starts laughing, including me, because what the fuck are you even talking about, Tom?? And also, more importantly, we know????
Also, it's important to note that we occasionally get shots of Scheana eating what appears to be Sun Chips in her trailer 100 yards away, and I would like someone to please frame these and send them to me and I will put them in a living room, thank you so much.
Raquel then interjects to say that Lala and James can't talk because they hooked up while she and James were together and "kept it a secret." Let's get this out of the way now: I completely agree that James and Lala should self-reflect about their actions a little bit more, but it is also most definitely not the same situation, and it's OK to acknowledge this, too. Which Lala does with several uses of the word "bitch" and even at one point the term "ho." Also, Tom Sandoval tries to do a James Kennedy British accent impression, and even though I HATEEEEE to admit this, he was not terrible. SUE ME!!!!
Lala's past is then brought up — Raquel says she was Randall Emmett's mistress — and Lala says she is not a mistress and she is "so fucking done with this mistress comment" because she "is not one." Which is interesting, because it feels like any time this is brought up, she absolutely loses it and refuses to actually discuss the fact that she was very much with a married man at the beginning of their relationship. She says that she was lied to for a very long time, he gave her a ring, and she believed he had been separated. And I believe that is true. But it doesn't negate the fact that he was married. It is OK to say, "Hey, I didn't know, but I know now, and I wish that things had been different." Instead, we get Lala yelling about how she is not going to tolerate this and it's like, if you are going to call out cheating, you have to expect this on some level.
Anyway, Sandoval keeps yelling at Lala, and then Lala says, "He hates me because I see him for who he is," and I agree with this. I also think Sandoval hates a woman who shares her opinions and dares to go against him in any way. See: Ariana, Lala, Katie, Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, etc.
BTW, we also have to deal with LVP defending Garcelle Beauvais's son, Oliver (who was married when he made out with Raquel, according to his then-wife), and saying he's innocent or whatever. We absolutely did not need more of LVP defending questionable men, so I am moving on!
Annnnd now we're on to Tom Schwartz and Raquel, who claim they "always had real chemistry," which is so funny because I want to know when Schwartz felt the real chemistry and if it was when Raquel was clearly having a long-term affair with his bestie Tom Sandoval. Raquel is also asked about Katie's mom Teri's reaction to Raquel pursuing Schwartz and whether it impacted her. She says yes, but everyone laughs because, how did it impact you, girlie? You still made out with Schwartz in Mexico!?!??!
We have moved on, which is a relief because I honestly could barely keep up with who was saying what, and it's now time to discuss Tom Schwartz and Raquel making out. I have said it once and I will say it again: I am Team Katie on this one. You can disagree and be wrong, and that's your right. But it seems pretty clear that Katie asked Schwartz not to make out with a cast member in their group, and he blatantly disrespected this, and they both laughed in her face about it. And while I do see Schwartz's argument on some level, I think his past behavior as One of the Worst Husbands Ever negates anything he has to say on the topic.
Now we shift back to discussing James and Lala hooking up when he was with Raquel: I do wish both James and Lala would straight-up say that what they did while he was dating Raquel was wrong. It was wrong!!!!! Point blank, period. Raquel having an affair with Sandoval a couple of years later does not negate this at all. Raquel even says, "It seemed like she had no respect for me," and Lala says, "I still don't." Listen, Lala, this is my issue with you. You can resent her now because you have a reason to, but please stop pretending that you "knew all along." You may have disliked her, you may have questioned her character, but neither of these things makes sleeping with her boyfriend when you knew they were in a relationship together OK.
Raquel then starts trying to share that she believes Lala was resentful that she was getting attention from James when they started dating that took some attention away from Lala — and Lala calls Raquel "my love" before asking her to get "mentally evaluated." It's a moment that is probably meant to sound like an amazing read, but mostly it just makes me sad. I don't condone anything that Raquel has done, but I also can't help believing that she probably is really struggling right now. Someone who does this is struggling on some level. And when Raquel responds that she is being mentally evaluated, to a chorus of "thank god"...it's, in one word, dark.
Andy then asks Lala about why Raquel making out with Schwartz was "unforgivable" to her but no one really seemed to care when it came out that James and Lala slept together — and James says they should stop bringing up stuff from five seasons ago because they have so much to talk about now. AKA: I don't want to talk about the things I've done because we now have someone in the cast who has done worse and I want to focus in on that. And, like, I GET IT. But again, WHAT YOU DID WAS WRONG, AND IT'S OK TO SAY THAT. IF YOU DID, IN FACT, SAY THAT, WE COULD ALL MOVE ON. :)
James is then asked about throwing a drink in Schwartz's face, and he says that he did it because making fun of his DJ career is unforgivable, which is not meant to be funny but is actually very fucking funny. He then insists that Schwartz should apologize before being reminded that he has, in fact, apologized a lot and James has yet to apologize for throwing the drink, and James then delivers what I guess could be considered an apology.
We head into a break before seeing LVP tell James, kindly, to STFU so that they can get through the segments, and I am fully with LVP on this one. A James interjection every now and then is funny, but it's becoming incessant, and I WANT TO HEAR WHAT THESE RATS HAVE TO SAY.
We are back from the break. Tom Sandoval and Raquel being seen together at the Abbey is brought up. According to Ally, it was 1 a.m. and they were alone. The "Tom and Ariana being in an open relationship" rumor is then brought up, and the question is posed whether or not Sandoval started this rumor on his own. Ariana says that yes, she thinks so. Raquel also apparently told someone after Coachella in 2022 that Sandoval told her that he and Ariana were open, and Raquel's response was, "I would rather hook up with Ariana than him." I gasped, but you can't hear it.
Raquel is asked where she has been staying since this all broke, and she says she stayed with her sister before driving out to Tucson, Arizona, to be with her family. Sandoval says, "Yeah, we've hung out" when asked if he had seen Raquel since this all broke. Raquel reveals that she thought about skipping the reunion because she is so "ashamed and embarrassed," and that she is "so sorry to Ariana for betraying her." I mean, remorse is nice, to see. It's.......something......
Ariana then says, "My dog had just died, I cried in your fucking arms, and you thought, I should go fuck her boyfriend." Raquel does not argue with Ariana when she tells Raquel that she's "lower than the fucking lowest of low people." She also calls her a "psychopath" and a "dementor" because "I know you like Harry Potter..." LMAO, not a dementor! OK, that was funny.
Raquel admits that she is still in love with Sandoval — OMFG — and then Andy asks him if he feels the same, and he takes a massive pause before saying, "I'm sorry...yes."
Lala tells a visibly upset Ariana that "they both did this for you" and that Ariana will one day be grateful that they revealed who they are. Ariana then looks Raquel straight in the eyes and tells her, "You are nothing. Let that sink in. I know it's not hard for you to let other people's thoughts go in your brain because you never have a fucking original thought of your own; you are nothing." With this, Raquel walks off the stage in need of "a water." I'm sorry — maybe an unpopular opinion? — but this is not as fun for me to watch as I expected. It is very bleak! I know many of you may not agree, but watching a silent Raquel sit there as people tell her she's nothing is not nearly as satisfying as I would have once believed it would be. It's just...sad.
Andy asks about the support Ariana received, and Sandoval reveals that he was hurt by the fact that "people who were just as close to both of [them]" took to the internet to create funny memes instead of reaching out via text. I am screaming. This is such classic Sandoval: "Nobody texted ME to check in on ME after I cheated on and publicly humiliated my long-term girlfriend in a horrific way." I mean, my GOD, Tom.
Sandoval is asked about dressing up as Raquel for Halloween — Ariana helped him plan his outfit— and they all ask how the fuck he was able to do this because it is undeniably FUCKING WEIRD. He has no explanation, but his only explanation would be, "I am a disgusting man who definitely got off on this secret affair."
Ariana is then asked about her egg freezing — and she says the eggs are "just frozen" and not fertilized with Tom's sperm, and "thank god," because she "doesn't want that DNA mixed with [hers]." Andy asks Sandoval if Raquel is the only woman he's slept with, and he says yes, but Ariana and others interject to mention a woman in Chicago.
Oh my god. I just had to pause the episode and rewind to make sure I heard correctly. I AM ABOUT TO THROW HANDS, AND I DO NOT EVEN CONDONE VIOLENCE. I am shaking! OMG, this man is disgusting. Ariana says that Sandoval had actually slept with her while he was with Raquel, to which Sandoval interjects with, "Yeah, she kept her T-shirt on, it was really hot." YOU MOTHERFUCKER. YOU ARE LUCKY SHE EVEN SPOKE TO YOU. I am not going to dignify this disgusting comment with any more attention. Fuck that.
This was also my face watching this man open his goddamn mouth.
I am still shaking. Fucking Tom Sandoval. The audacity. Just the lowest of LOW. But now Andy is asking Raquel about the fact that people are calling her Rachel, and she reveals that her friends refer to her as Raquel and her family refers to her as Rachel. She says, "Anytime someone says your name out of the preferred name that you want, it's disrespectful, and Lala would know." Lala then calls her a "moron," which is not hitting the same way from someone whose real name is Lauren!
Sandoval admits that Raquel has met his family, but maintains that it was at the opening of (the wildly underwhelming) Schwartz and Sandy's. When asked when their relationship went from a "one-night stand" to a full relationship, Sandoval says that it became a relationship in "January" and that he told Schwartz he was in love during that month. When asked where they would be a year from now, Raquel says she doesn't know, and when Sandoval is asked, he can't answer because James is shouting about how they are both going to live "in a fucking house made of dog shit" or in a "poo-poo house" because they are both "poo-poo heads." I need James to eat a lollipop and take a time-out.
Schwartz then says that he told Sandoval he needed to tell Ariana so that it didn't come out. If Schwartz did say this, Sandoval clearly didn't listen. And with that, it is somehow already time for Raquel to leave the stage so that Scheana can come back and hopefully perform "Good as Gold." Just kidding, but I do wish. It's a bop.
Lala interjects to say that she's thrilled Ariana is away from Sandoval because he's toxic — and Raquel agrees, which is wild...girl, run, save yourself, etc.??? — before Sandoval interjects to say that "Lala doesn't love Ariana dearly," to which Lala responds, "I do love Ariana dearly, enough that I ate her cookie in the back of your car, and I'd do it again." LMAOOOO, LALA!! OK, 10 points for Lala. She won in this moment. I barely even heard anything after this because I was laughing. Sorry to whatever Raquel said.
We're getting close to the end here, and still no massive revelation. We saw ALL KINDS OF RUMORS, from Raquel allegedly being pregnant to there being alleged threesomes, to James and Raquel breaking up because of Sandoval, and more. While I have no idea what it is, I hope I am not disappointed. It's time for final thoughts from the group, which means we are GETTING CLOSE.
I am so excited for the reveal that I can almost barely clock anything else that is happening. Scheana says she doesn't want another child anytime soon, and Katie wants to avoid another marriage and perhaps wants to be a cool aunt. Normally I would probably care about all of this, but right now I NEED THE REVEAL!!! OK, BTW, now Sandoval is crying and saying that he is a human who made a terrible mistake and that he will always love Ariana and "cheer her on from afar." I genuinely wish I believed him. I will say this: I hope he works on himself. But considering that like a week ago, he was going off on Instagram stories on a female journalist over nail polish, my hopes aren't high!
Ariana's final thoughts are that she is grateful for everyone — except Sandoval and Raquel — for being there for him and that she "will not forgive him and will not be cheering him on from afar." Chills. Poetry. Etc. I am glad she gets the final word here. She deserves it and more.
Oh my god, OK, everyone, get in your position, the episode is ending. There are approximately five minutes left. IT'S ALL HAPPENING.
We see everyone walk off. Ariana leaves in a car. Things seem normal. And then we get WHITE TEXT ON A BLACK SCREEN. IT'S HAPPENING. It says, "Six days later, Raquel sat down for her final interview of the season." OH MY GOD, IS SHE GOING TO TURN ON TOM SANDOVAL??? A SOLO INTERVIEW?? NO COACHING??
OK, it's Raquel, and it's a talking head interview. She says that it's important for her to tell the truth and she "doesn't want to lie anymore." She says it's not worth trying to keep up any lies — including timelines — because it's already all out there and she essentially has to face the music. She admits that she maintained some untruths, or lies, at the reunion. When asked why she did this, she says she felt that it would be less hurtful to say that it wasn't an ongoing affair but, rather, isolated incidents.
When asked when the affair became a regular thing, she admits it was ongoing during filming and that the second time they hooked up, they were IN MEXICO FOR SCHEANA'S WEDDING. Which is why you definitely cannot convince me the Schwartz thing wasn't a cover. But moving on. The producer then asks if they had sex "multiple times" while in Mexico for Scheana's wedding, and Raquel says yes.
She says that she "doesn't remember how often it would happen" but it was a regular thing that picked up speed after they wrapped filming.
She also says that she did meet Sandoval's mom in Los Angeles and his mother was aware of the situation, although Raquel denies that she went to St. Louis with Sandoval (despite the fact that production has a picture of Raquel and Sandoval in St. Louis — amazing editing). The producer tells Raquel that he can read her face, to which she responds, "I know, I don't have a good poker face," and the producer encourages her to just admit it, which is when Raquel finally admits that yes, she did go to St. Louis and she "definitely felt really guilty."
When asked about the Jacuzzi night — the infamous Ken Todd reveal — Raquel says that they did not hook up that night, but then says that he asked her to say that and he is the only person she has right now, so she doesn't feel that she can betray him, because then she would "really have nobody." It's so obvious this man manipulated her. It's sick.
With this, she starts crying and says that this is the one story that she and Sandoval agreed they would get straight, and that Sandoval wanted to lie about it because it was "a really bad look" to hook up with someone's boyfriend when they went out of town for a funeral. She says all this through tears, and it's both satisfying and horrifying for her to finally admit this.
She continues to break down and admits that she is "so sick of lying" and it is "killing her soul," and through her tears, as she is saying this, the reunion ends.
Wow. I did not expect to see a one-on-one unplanned interview with Raquel, and while it was not the reveal I had built up in my head, it was a satisfying ending to an incredible season of television for me. I am sorry that so many people had to get hurt for this television show to happen, but my god, it was fascinating to watch.
And say what you want about Raquel, but I think she is possibly finally understanding the full scale of what happened and is feeling the consequences of her actions. I truly hope she can grow from this and find the confidence to realize that Tom Sandoval is not the answer, and that real change and growth are possible.