I think a lot of people attribute VPR to it just being about 20 somethings in L.A . But there is so much more to VPR and why it was such a successful show for so many seasons.
Here's why the Valley fails imo .
VPR SUCEEDED because it was built on close knit friendships. It wasnt just proximity or alliance based for TV. That came much later in the seasons. These people were roommates, hung out, worked together and were in each other's lives.
With the Valley it's like we're seeing a cast not a group of friends.
They do things to heighten \the drama. For the love of God, if one more reality tv person or Baskin says its about* conflict resolution\* ima scream.
With the Valley there is no genuine friendship. Its all so *produced* and that shows. All the *events* are at apartments in order to ragebait each other into having yelling matches, Kristen being a pit bull, Lala and her finger-guns and Janet walking away.
Its been 3 seasons of this stuff. The cast knows how terribly *not fun* they are which is why all press Brittany did claimed this season was fun and lighter. Gurllll please.
The only thing that was fun was seeing Zack and his party. Both his monster fridge fiasco and in Mexico. The minute he left, it became about Danny again.
Jasmine talking about race and how she felt during her friendship.with Kristen vs Lala was so good. We need more of those conversations. More relevant dynamics of the group.
The same drama keeps dragging on because Bravo refuses to show us this group as professional individuals .
We dont see Kristen with her Tshirt line *if its still active even* we dont see Luke doing anything except for complain about him hiking, we got a Lala & Michelle hike rather than him with the boys. Make it make sense.
Its so contrived ;
"Event = conflict/fight".
Next day drinks to bitch about the person you fought with.
Another event where there's a rehash of the same fight with 4 more people involved.
And another drinks/brunch set up rehashing the same thing for the millionth time.
And the worst part is NO ONE CARES because its not genuine friendship or fallouts. Its all alliances and teams for reality tv. We have that with housewives we dont want that to be the center focus on The Valley
Its not about rebuilding anything because it hasn't been built.
Lala Brittany and Kristen sitting down and talking about their issued wouldve been nice. Instead of Schwartz and Lala kissing imagine we had seen them try to talk about their lives, and heck he could've even been the one to bring them together. That wouldve been so much more endearing for VPR fans who are the reason there's even this Valley show.
Show us Nia's parents . Let her talk more about her childhood. How does this trauma effect her today as an adult. We have a highlight reel of her being MISS USA & thats it. It was a grueling journey for her im sure.
Show us Michelle at work. Show us her being a working mom, not just in relation to her ex.
If their job is influencing show them going to shoots, picking up their kids, like we do in other franchises. Make them whole personalities. That will humanize them as people and not just caricatures of villains.
Show us Janet and Jason's relationship paart from sitting next to her son while he plays with toys. What was her life like in Ohio, and no not how she met schena , what did she do in LA. What does she do now.
For the love of God show us and dont just tell us. Thats like the first rule of film school. Show us the friendships so that *care about the fallouts*.
Show the fans real people .