Far from the best days of their lives, The Valley season 2 brings us up to speed on the lives of Vanderpump Rules alumni Brittany Cartwright, Jax Taylor, Kristen Doute and her boyfriend Luke Broderick since last season. Now divorced Jesse Lally and Michelle Saniei return with Nia Sanchez, Daniel Booko, Janet and Jason Caperna, Jasmine Goode and Zack Wickham.
The show’s previous season showed the cracks in marriages that appeared to be the millennial American dream on the surface. Each married couple already had children or were expecting and providing their children with a cushy two-parent upbringing in a beautiful home in California.
Soon, Jax and Brittany and Jesse and Michelle saw their marriages deteriorate. These marriages would become powder kegs for one of the darkest and most explosive seasons of Bravo television yet
Most of the second season’s two episodes are dedicated to Jax’s most catastrophic downward spiral yet. His actions and addiction continue to affect the group, his wife, and most upsettingly his young son. Viewers of Vanderpump Rules have witnessed Jax’s rage and mean streak throughout his previous Bravo tenure, but The Valley shows how his behavior has escalated.
Brittany explains to the rest of the group how Jax is upset with her for hooking up with one his friends, and in his rage, he flipped over a table, bruising her leg.
After we’re debriefed by Brittany we see heated arguments between the former couple that are uncomfortable at best and horrific at their core.
Bravo is no stranger to airing conversations around domestic abuse as Taylor Armstrong shared the unspeakable abuse she endured at the hands of her abuser on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. What’s so startling about The Valley is how Jax insults Brittany in front of an entire production crew without once being interrupted or removed for the sake of Brittany.
How long does Bravo justify keeping this man employed and showcasing his narcissistic behavior? A man who refused to leave the marital home forcing his wife and son to bounce between rentals hardly makes for good TV. But, Brittany told People Magazine the cameras are why Taylor moved out because he probably realized, “Oh God, everybody’s going to see that I made her move out of the house.” Brittany also told the magazine his refusal to move out earlier is unforgivable.
Now that Brittany has her house back, there’s no positive effects that warrant platforming an abuser.
One tactic Jax uses over Brittany is unsuccessfully isolating her from her friends. Throughout the first two episodes, we see Jax and Jesse provoke their ex-wives by pushing the buttons they know cause them to erupt, whether it’s threatening to move their child’s school district or making cheating allegations. Never before on Bravo have there been two men so obvious in their goal to craft a specific narrative around someone they admit to purposely needling or vowed to get revenge on.
It’s worth considering if this show is too dark to be on television, especially considering the impact this could have on the children involved. Already, Jax and Brittany’s son, Cruz, is discussed on social media with users comparing how the child appears more comfortable around friends than his own father.
The only positive that can come from this season, besides Brittany leaving an abusive relationship, is people retiring the outdated notion that abuse victims don’t deserve sympathy. Jax disagrees as he tells Brittany, “If you were that miserable you could’ve left years ago,” as she tearfully pleaded with him to get help for the sake of their son.
The early days of Jax and Brittany’s relationship played out on Vanderpump Rules, including an infamous cheating scandal and cosmetic procedure many believe Jax forced on Brittany. Yes, many viewers caught on to Jax’s ways and predicted his future, but what good does chiding someone for not leaving sooner accomplish?
During one of the final scenes, Jax accuses Brittany of ruining his life, but if anyone changed their entire life and continues to, Brittany did. However Brittany decided to navigate her turbulent marriage and finally leave doesn’t make her deserving of abuse.
Hopefully the rest of the season follows Brittany as she rebuilds her self confidence and continues putting her son first.