It’s been one week since the old SUR crew showed up on our screens and tonight we embark on the second episode of Season 11.
We picked up cameras three months after Scandoval broke and while the premiere was uneventful, it was necessary. We’re picking up the pieces to what Tom and Raquel blew up and there is a lot to dissect.
The dynamics of our favorite friends are changing; Lala is on the edge, Katie & Ariana seem closer than ever, and Schwartz is trying to navigate the waters without Bubba on his side, and without Sandoval.
Sandoval was the missing from the entire episode until the last minute or so, when he walked into the empty house. I thought that it was a very smart editing decision and made the episode feel eerie.
It was as if we were entering this new world where everything was ruined and the villain who caused it all was nowhere to be found. I think we needed this easing in period, to get to know everyone again in a peaceful setting without the strain of Tom’s presence.
The editors were really showing off their Emmy nominated chops in the premiere with so many interesting transitions, moments and flashbacks. Seeing Katie and Ariana walk together into TomTom as single ladies, versus the first time they walked in was heartbreaking. They’ve come such a long way and while things have changed drastically, they’ve gotten closer than ever.
My favorite scene was the transition after Lala called Raquel and we see glitches of past scenes on the screen. It was stunning, weird and oddly beautiful.
As we set sail into episode two, Tom Sandoval is back from New Zealand and is already wreaking havoc. We get an inside look at their living situation, which is bizarre as hell, and made me sad for Ann, Tom’s assistant. How either of them can survive in that hellscape is beyond me and very unsettling. I completely understand why Ariana isn’t moving out, I don’t think she should have but I really wish Tom would’ve been a man one time and left.
Then to ask to have a birthday party? Lala is right, he’s getting off on making her uncomfortable and thinks that he has every right to be just as upset as Ariana is. Lala did make some good points; she has more experience dealing with men like Sandoval, and it is a little unreasonable that Ariana would threaten to call the police on Tom if he had people over. She has to know that it wouldn’t add up… legally, it’s his house too.
I could see why Ariana thinks people will turn on her this season because I did not like the way she talked to Ann. The woman is trying to do her job and Ariana was a little too short and condescending for my liking.
There is a lot of nuance here, at least for me. I think Ariana is justified in every feeling she has and I do not think she should’ve rolled over and let Tom have the house. I think there are times when she wants to have the final say but it doesn’t really hold up — like the birthday party. He could ignore her, have people over and deal with the consequences of her being angry. Tom technically doesn’t have to listen to Ariana’s wishes… which, I guess makes sense because he didn’t listen when they were a couple.
Tom Sandoval continues to dig deeper holes this episode and truthfully, I can’t believe a thing he says. Everything that comes out of his mouth feels like it has an asterisk next to it.
He admitted that he is still in love with Raquel and wants to make their relationship work, and honestly I’m not surprised. Raquel realized what type of situation he put her in and ran far away. Weirdly, I wish they would’ve worked out because at least they would have had each other throughout this whole ordeal. It would’ve made everything feel like it was worth it.
He even mentioned that he stopped drinking because Raquel was going to a facility and he thought they could be sober together when she got out. I can’t tell if he’s bullshitting us or if he really did love her and think it was going to work out. I doubt we will ever know.
Towards the end of the episode we see Schwartz and Sandoval come face to face for the first time in a while, and I’m honestly proud of Schwartz for standing up for himself a little bit. He gives it to Sandoval as much as he could, for abandoning Schwartz and Sandy’s & for just throwing in the towel while they cleaned up his mess.
We know that this tension doesn’t last since the Toms are back and stronger than ever (so it seems) but I really wish Tom Schwartz would see what is in front of him. Sandoval does not deserve his loyalty.
In what was a shocking and surprising twist of events, Tom does have the birthday party, James was invited…and actually showed up! James was so nervous, it was a very sad yet sweet. James was really hurt by everything that went down and he just wants an apology.
Of course Tom doesn’t deliver the apology and turns it back around on James by bringing up Kristen. In a huff, our favorite DJ leaves and pees on Sandoval’s bushes much to Ally’s chagrin.
This was another episode of picking up the pieces and I think we’ll be rinsing and repeating until the end of the season.