The affair between Raquel Leviss and Tom Sandoval overshadowed the potential romance between Raquel and Tom Schwartz on season 10 of Vanderpump Rules. The affair caused problems between Tom and Ariana Madix, who eventually parted ways after nearly ten years of dating. Scenes from season 10, such as a conversation between Raquel and Lala Kent about unavailable men, were analyzed by viewers and appeared to age poorly due to the drama.
Vanderpump Rules viewers were surprised by news of Raquel Leviss’ affair with Tom Sandoval, which was revealed during filming for season 10, leading to drama between cast members and causing some scenes from the season to age badly.
Vanderpump Rules viewers were left stunned when news of Raquel Leviss’ offscreen affair with Tom Sandoval emerged, overshadowing the show’s focus on her potential romance with Tom Schwartz. The affair reportedly took place at Scheana Shay and Brock Davies’ wedding in July 2022, shortly after Schwartz’s split from Katie Maloney was announced. Maloney had asked her ex-husband not to date within their friend group.
In March 2023, Sandoval and Ariana Madix ended their ten-year relationship after she found out about his infidelity with Raquel. The news led to an apology from Sandoval, who also noted that he dishonored Ariana and hurt people’s feelings. Meanwhile, Jeremy Madix, Ariana’s brother, called out the Vanderpump Rules cast, referring to them as “fake” and “toxic.”
As the scandal unfolded, viewers started analyzing scenes from season 10 of Vanderpump Rules that seemed to have aged badly due to the drama. In one scene, Lala Kent questioned Raquel’s interest in unavailable men, stating that Raquel had shown no interest in Oliver Saunders until Lala expressed her own interest in him. Lala suggested that Raquel was now treating it as a competition.
This affair scandal built momentum, thrusting Raquel and Sandoval into the spotlight at the expense of other potential storylines. It’s not uncommon for real-life events to change the course of a TV show, and this season of Vanderpump Rules is one instance where viewer expectations were subverted.
