'Vanderpump Rules' Stars Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval on Lowering Their Standards for Reality TV Friendships

Vanderpump Rules couple Ariana Madix and Tom
Sandoval say season four of their hit show is really testing their
relationships -- not with each other, but with their castmates.

“I
feel like there's just certain expectations and standards that I have that come
from the friendships that I've had for years and years, before I moved to L.A.,
that I just assume that that's what friendship is like,” Ariana tells ETonline.
“I think, this year, I'm learning that that's not necessarily the case.”

WATCH: Vanderpump Rules Stars Scheana Shay and Katie Maloney Reveal They Have PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stassi Disorder!

Ariana
is specifically referencing her mini-falling out with longtime pal Scheana
Shay, who has maintained a friendship with Tom’s ex, Kristen Doute, whom Ariana
calls “a bad STD” who won’t go away. 

“Maybe I should've had lower expectations for everybody,” Ariana continues. “Going into things, I had pretty high standards, because those are the types of things that I do for my friends, so I just thought that that's how it was, but I guess not.”

In fact, Tom says Scheana’s being a bit of a hypocrite.

“I mean, I know Scheana -- specifically -- there's been people where she's like, 'If you hang out with her, I will kill you,’” Tom says.

WATCH: Vanderpump Rules Star Scheana Shay Opens Up About Sharing Husband’s ‘Difficult’ Addiction Struggles on TV

“I guess at this point, I just don't expect any of those people to have my back at all,” Ariana adds. “Just this guy. [Tom’s] the only one who's got my back.”

Ariana says she and Scheana are in a better place now, though.

“I think that's what lowering your expectations and lowering your standards does,” Ariana says. “It allows you to get along with people better and so, yeah, [Tom] and Jax [Taylor] are friends! He lowered his standards.”

“Yeah, you lower your standards, but also you just know what you can expect out of some people and not out of others,” Tom adds.

Well, viewers can definitely expect some drama out of James Kennedy on Monday night’s episode -- he’s already sleeping around on new gal pal Lala Kent! Check out ETonline’s exclusive first look at the new episode:

Ariana and Tom say it’s hard to watch moments like that, because it taints the whole cast.

“I don't want to say it's 'our group,'” Ariana says. “I don't feel like it's 'my group' of people -- but in that group of people that are followed by cameras on Vanderpump Rules, if one person does something, people that watch the show or keep up with that sort of thing, assume that that's what we all do, and that's what we're all like.”

“They use the one person as an example for the rest of us,” Ariana continues, “I don't do that sort of thing and, so, I don't like being associated with people who do that sort of stuff, so that's a little bit frustrating, because [the viewers] will immediately go, 'They're all liars, they're all thieves, they're all this, they're all that.’”

"I definitely get thrown in there, too," Tom says. 

Even though the couple seems to be growing apart from some of their castmates, they’re not planning to leave the show anytime soon.

WATCH: Vanderpump Rules Star Tom Sandoval Wants to 'Touch in Public' in Funky New Music Video

“Obviously, the show's been really great and I'm very appreciative of everything that the show has offered,” Tom says. “For better or for worse.”

“It has allowed us opportunities that, who knows if we would've ever gotten otherwise,” Ariana says. “It's a really cool thing to be able to do with [Tom], and I love everybody that works [behind the scenes] on it. They're all really great people.”

Get more of Tom and Ariana’s opinions on their co-stars in the video below. The couple play a game of SUR-perlatives with ETonline, coming up with “Most Likely” titles for each of their castmates.

Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix Pick SUR-Perlatives for the 'Vanderpump Rules' Cast!

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