James’ Dog Is The MVP Of Vanderpump Rules Season 11

Move aside, James Kennedy. You’re no longer the number one guy in this group — because your dog is.

While Vanderpump Rules Season 11 is off to a slow start as the cast grapples with the aftermath of Tom Sandoval’s affair with Rachel “Raquel” Leviss, (aka Scandoval), the return of Hippie (formerly Graham), has single-handedly breathed new life into the show.

James once owned the adorable Goldendoodle with Rachel, his ex-fiancé. At the end of the Feb. 20 episode, Lisa Vanderpump reunited Hippie with James, after discovering that Rachel gave him up to a rescue when she entered a mental health facility during Scandoval. Naturally, he started crying, as most viewers did.

But bringing the dog home was an immediate point of contention with James’ girlfriend Ally, who was concerned about how Hippie would behave with her cat, Mr. Banks. She was also annoyed that Rachel’s presence still lingered in their lives because of him. “Last year, I had to deal with her so much, and now she’s gone, and her dog is here,” she said. “Damn, I can’t really get rid of this girl, can I? She’s just everywhere.”

The next day, Hippie proved he’s really the top dog by flying to Lake Tahoe on Vanderpump’s private jet, while his owner and the cast had to board a United flight. (It was too late for James to add him onto his plane ticket, as per airline rules.)

But his impact was felt most when Vanderpump brought him to the cast’s vacation rental. To the dismay of the whole group, they found out that the dog was no longer Rachel’s. James and Ally then announced they were renaming him Hippie, after his late godfather George Michael’s dog. (Yes, this dog now can claim George Michael as his ancestor.)

Hippie’s arrival stirred up a little drama among the group, with Sandoval claiming that James’ story about Hippie wasn’t exactly accurate. For a show whose stars have cheated on each other multiple times and usually get into one screaming match per episode, Hippie’s return is child’s play in comparison. But perhaps that’s the level of conflict viewers need right now.

Light-hearted drama has fared well with Bravo fans, and while it can never match the intensity of Scandoval, it’s somewhat refreshing that the hot topic on Pump Rules is just a cute little dog. Plus, it’s still more drama than what the actual humans have brought so far, as they struggle to be in the same room as Sandoval.

Regardless, it’s proof that Hippie is the current MVP of Season 11. Honorable mentions go to Mr. Banks; Ariana Madix’s cat Kitty, who is probably more scarred from Scandoval than all of us; and Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz’s dogs Gordo and Butters, who are navigating their owners’ divorce with poise and grace.