If one can say anything uplifting about season 2 of “The Valley,” it’s probably that the show is, at least, providing video documentation of Jax Taylor’s misdeeds — and his slimy attempts to throw blame for his horrific behavior on everyone around him, his ex-wife Brittany Cartwright in particular.

In this latest batch of episodes, Jax steps up his harassment of Britt. He continues to rage-text her, reaches out to their mutual friends and family to try to convince them he’s truly changed and needs Britt’s sympathy and care, watches her from the family home’s interior surveillance cameras, apparently fakes (or at least exaggerates) a medical emergency, dumps his disastrous financial problems on her, and continues to imply (under the guise of taking full accountability) that Britt is responsible for his bad behavior. After all, she should have held him accountable before! She should have left him! He wishes she had! Oh, if only someone had forced him to be less of a piece of shit!

Meanwhile, the side-plots continue to play out. Jesse continues to fixate on Michelle having cheated on him, and Michelle airs her own grievances in front of the group. (At least Jesse has the backing of their former relationship coach, now his solo coach, who seems particularly gifted at feeding into the aggrieved mindset of the recently divorced male.) Nia draws fire from her friends when she doesn’t openly trash her husband Danny for getting drunk at a wine-tasting in Santa Barbara. Jasmine realizes she may not be over Danny groping her and Melissa last Halloween. Defending Danny and Nia, Kristen spreads a rumor about Jason taking off his wedding ring at bars, which somehow leads to a blowup between Jason, Janet… and Jasmine.

In this episode, we catch up on these central plot points and try not to let Jax raise our blood pressure. Hope you enjoy! xo

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