'Screaming, crying, throwing up.' A comprehensive recap of the Vanderpump Rules drama to date.

Before March this year, I had never watched Vanderpump Rules. The names Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix and Raquel Leviss meant nothing to me. 

I also didn't care.

The US reality TV show is in its 10th season - that's a lot of drama to catch up on. 

"I'll sit this one out," I told myself.

Then I start seeing it everywhere. "#Scandoval", as everyone is calling it.

I learn about the key players involved. I spot clues. I read very important gossip and see who's taking whose side.

It's now literally all I care about.

So please, indulge me. Here's my comprehensive recap of the Vanderpump Rules drama to date – otherwise known as #Scandoval For Dummies.

But first, watch the mid-season trailer for season 10 of Vanderpump Rules. It's wild.

Context:

This story starts in 2013.

Lisa Vanderpump is a cast member on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She also owns a string of restaurants in LA, including SUR (which stands for Sexy Unique Restaurant).

One of her waitresses, Scheana Shay, has an affair with another of the housewives' husbands. Vanderpump's other employees are just really good-looking and hook up and argue all the time. 

Vanderpump pitches a show about them to the TV network Bravo –Vanderpump Rules. It takes off.

Ten seasons later, the drama is still going, despite most of them no longer working at SUR. 

Now, for the particular drama that's currently playing out, there are four main names you need to know: Tom Sandoval, Tom Schwartz, Ariana Madix and Raquel Leviss.

(Plus, some less important ones: James Kennedy, Katie Maloney, Lala Kent, Scheana Shay and Brock Davies.)

Who's who. Image: Getty.

All of them have either worked at SUR in the past or still do, and most have dated or hooked up with someone else in the group.

Got it? Sort of? Not really?

Good enough. Let's get into the drama.

February 2014.

During the Vanderpump Rules season two reunion, Tom Sandoval (the one with the moustache) and Ariana Madix (short, blonde, blue dress) confirm they are dating.

Soon after, Sandoval admits that their relationship had slightly overlapped with his previous one. Important to note, 'cause #Scandoval.

November 2016.

Rachel "Raquel" Leviss (tall, short brown hair) joins the show in season five as the girlfriend of SUR employee-turned-DJ, James Kennedy (the one with too many buttons undone on his shirt). 

May 2021.

During season nine, James plans an elaborate Coachella-themed surprise proposal for Raquel, calling it "Rachella". 

It takes place on the actual Coachella lot in Palm Springs, and the entire cast attends.

Here's where things get weird: the whole thing costs $25,000 USD and Tom Sandoval offers to pay for half of it. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Raquel Leviss (@raquelleviss)

December 2021.

Seven months later, Raquel and James call off their engagement. 

"After these five wonderful years we had together, we decided we have two different goals," the pair write in a joint statement.

April 2022.

OK, this is where the drama begins.

Rumours begin to circulate about Raquel and Tom Schwartz (pink suit, no moustache) kissing at Coachella. At the time, he had recently split from his wife, cast member Katie Maloney (dark bob) after 12 years.

But Schwartz wasn't at Coachella. Sandoval (who's still dating Ariana, btw) was.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Raquel Leviss (@raquelleviss)

August 2022.

Tom Schwartz and Raquel kiss at Brock (Jason Momoa lookalike) and Scheana's (green heels) wedding. It's caught on camera for season 10.

Confused? We all are.

October 2022.

Raquel and Sandoval get matching lightning bolt necklaces. And wear them All. The. Time.

At the end of the month, Sandoval dresses up as Raquel for Halloween. 

You can not make this up.

Image: Instagram/@raquelleviss

March 1, 2023.

On March 1, Ariana attends a party for Vanderpump Rules with the cast. 

Sandoval performs with his band, Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras (yes, this man also thinks he's a rockstar, singing covers of popular songs).

His phone falls out of his pocket while he's performing, Ariana picks it up and has a gut feeling to look at it. 

She finds an inappropriate video of Raquel and Sandoval.

Dun. Dun. Dun.

This photo was taken mid-affair. Image: Getty.

After Ariana finds out about the affair, she calls Raquel, who has just finished taping Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen with Scheana. 

Sheana finds out Raquel is on the phone to Ariana, Raquel admits to the affair and Sheana shoves Raquel.

Yep.

March 3, 2023.

News breaks of #Scandoval. 

All cast members, with the exception of Tom Schwartz, unfollow Sandoval and Raquel on social media. Existing and former cast members post on socials in solidarity with Ariana.

Filming resumes (!!!). 

March 4, 2023.

Fans of the show spam the two Toms' restaurant, Schwartz & Sandy’s, with bad reviews. Sandoval issues a statement and addresses precisely everyone except Ariana.

"Hey, I fully understand and deserve ur anger and disappointment towards me, but please leave Schwartz, my friends and family out of this situation," he writes.

"Schwartz specifically only found out about this situation very recently and definitely did not condone my actions… I need some time to address everything else. Sorry for everything."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Thomas Sandoval (@tomsandoval1)

March 7, 2023.

Raquel files a restraining order against Scheana; it's granted. 

(By the way, these two were good friends. It was Scheana who told Raquel to make out with Schwartz; she was also a bridesmaid at her recent wedding – so this is wild.)

The filing includes photos of Raquel's alleged bruised eye and cut face, and the order requires Scheana to stay 100 feet away.

March 8, 2023.

Sandoval issues a second apology, this time addressing Ariana. 

"I want to first and foremost apologise to everyone I’ve hurt through this process," he writes. 

"Most of all, I want to apologise to Ariana. I made mistakes. I was selfish, and made reckless decisions that hurt somebody I love."

A few hours later, Raquel issues her own apology.

"There is no excuse. I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana. I am reflecting on my choices, speaking to a counsellor, and I am learning things about myself such as my patterns of codependency and addiction to being and feeling loved," the 28-year-old says. 

She also suggested she and Tom will continue to see each other in a really vague way.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Raquel Leviss (@raquelleviss)

March 11, 2023.

Then Tom Schwartz has something to say. 

Not about his long-term couple friends. Not about how he's probably known about the affair the entire time. But about Schwartz & Sandy's.

"Really, I'm just sad, you know, about the negative impact it's had on our business," he says about their bar. 

"But I think cooler heads will prevail and I'm just gonna keep on keeping on."

OK, but when did you find out about your best mate cheating on his partner?

When??? 

March 15, 2023.

After nearly two weeks of staying silent, Ariana finally speaks out.

"I want to express my most sincere gratitude for the outpouring of love and support I have received from friends, family, and people I've never even met in the last two weeks," the 36-year-old writes. 

"To say I have been devastated and broken is an understatement."

Katie Maloney (remember her? Schwartz's ex-wife?) tells Andy Cohen she "wasn't shocked" by the scandal before adding, "But the details were shocking."

March 20, 2023.

The mid-season trailer drops. And it's everything we had hoped for.

Ariana tells Sandoval to "die" for cheating on her. Sandoval admits, "I wish we both would have tried harder," while she fires back with, 'You don't deserve one f**king tear of mine.'"

March 22, 2023.

Raquel announces she will be at the season 10 reunion taping. "Yes, I will be attending the reunion tomorrow in-person," she says on Instagram.

OH MY GOD.

Is this not the wildest ride ever?

March 23, 2023.

The Vanderpump Rules season 10 finale is filmed and all cast are in attendance.

Yep, Ariana's there. Sandoval is there. And so is Raquel.

Sir, why do you look so smug? Image: Bravo.

Raquel and Scheana film separately due to the restraining order (which was dismissed just a few days later.)

Andy Cohen films one-on-one interviews with Ariana, Sandoval, and Raquel to hear their version of the events, before bringing the entire cast together to discuss it all.

According to reports, the one-on-ones expose more secrets, and no cast members will see those interviews until the reunion airs.

Then cast members can decide if they want to return for another season.

Woah.

April 5, 2023. 

One month after news of the affair broke, Tom Schwartz finally sits down with Andy Cohen to explain his role in the events leading up to #Scandoval. 

According to Schwartz, the affair had been going on for quite some time, though he denied knowing it had been going on as long as it had. 

"Tom was having a mid-life crisis," Schwartz explained. 

"From my point of view, it became an emotional affair—which is still inappropriate, but I didn’t think it was a linear thing."

???

April 14, 2023.

Raquel checks herself into a voluntary mental health facility. 

"Raquel and her family decided months before the relationship was discovered that she needed mental health treatment and ultimately decided she would enter a voluntary facility for mental health counselling," sources say. 

She has been quiet on social media since.

May 11, 2023.

It. Is. Here.

The trailer for the reunion drops.

It’s all been leading to this. The explosive 3-part #PumpRules Reunion begins May 24th. pic.twitter.com/pItcAkPw5a

— Bravo (@BravoTV) May 11, 2023

Read more: 'Don't even f**king look at me.' Everything to expect from the explosive Vanderpump Rules reunion.

May 17, 2023.

News breaks that Sandoval and Raquel have broken up.

May 17, 2023.

The same day, the season 10 finale airs.

The episode kicks off with both Sandoval and Ariana recounting the moment she found out about the affair. 

"Call it woman’s intuition, call it lightbulb, call it whatever. Literally, in that moment I went, 'I need to look at this,'" Ariana says in a confessional. 

"In his camera roll, I found a screen recording of Raquel and Tom on FaceTime. My stomach dropped into my f**king a**."

Sandoval tries diffusing the situation by taking Ariana outside the restaurant to speak privately, but she's adamant about getting answers and calls Raquel, who admits to it.

Then we cut to Ariana and Tom in their house. That they own. And both live together in.

Sandoval asks Ariana if she "wants anything," and she replies, "For you to die."

“Any last words before we never speak again?”

Ariana stays eating him up. This is amazing television #pumprules pic.twitter.com/j9zmFPT5bd

— Queens of Bravo (@queensofbravo) May 18, 2023

The two discuss the affair and she reminds him she was with him before money or fame, while Raquel has a history of chasing unavailable men.

"You got a little bit of money, a little bar, a little band, and then this girl is gonna act enamoured with you," she says.

"Because that’s what you want, huh? You want someone to just gas you up."

Then came the dagger: "I regret every moment that I stood up for you, defended you, supported you. You’re worth nothing. And I want you to feel that deep in your soul."

"I regret ever loving you," she adds.

It’s so soooo disappointing and sad to see Tom continuing to try to gaslight Ariana, make this entire thing about him and his feelings and continue to have any regard for his life partner’s feelings. I’m SO happy Ariana isn’t letting him off the hook for any of it 😤 #PumpRules pic.twitter.com/Z3RSbrsBsF

— Daily Bravo 💌 (@dailybravomail) May 18, 2023

During a chat with Katie and Scheana after, Ariana says the affair started "right after the girl's trip," which is also when Ariana's dog, Charlotte, was dying. 

She says at first they "just kissed," but Sandoval later admitted that they "f**ked in her car that night," and then he didn't have a key to get inside and Ariana had to let him inside.

FAR OUT.

The episode continues with Sandoval crying a lot, Raquel feeling no remorse, and then this reality TV gold:

At one point, Sandoval goes to Raquel's house to talk about the whole sitch.

He accidentally calls her Ariana (lol) and then... when he tells her that his family loves her, "They love you," she hears, "I love you," and responds, "I love you too."

Tom: "They love you."

Raquel: "I love you too."

Tom: "I said they love you."

Raquel: "Oh."

Tv GOLD. #PumpRules #VanderpumpRules pic.twitter.com/TqXFM1Hzij

— Marie C (@9woodMac) May 18, 2023

May 17, 2023.

Immediately following the season 10 finale, Ariana appears on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.

It's her first interview post-filming.

there’s just something about her 😌💕 @BravoTV #PumpRules #WWHL pic.twitter.com/aDf73QhgnY

— WWHL (@BravoWWHL) May 18, 2023

"I thought it was laughable," Ariana says of watching the finale play back. 

She also addresses the reports that Raquel and Sandoval have broken up.

"I don't buy that at all," she says. "She was sending letters to my house like four days ago."

And next comes the three-part reunion which begins next Thursday on Hayu and BINGE.

Wild, huh?

Feature image: Bravo.

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