Southern Charm Recap: Itchy Grass Is Greener

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Welcome to Miss Patricia’s Pet Cemetery. Here you’ll find memorial plaques for all of her pets, many of whom are given human names – a Southern tradition that’s been around for a long time. You’ll see names like Lily, Toby, Ashley, Rhett, Rocky, and Nyla. My personal favorite is Kitty Kelley, the cat, likely named after the biographer known for scandalous books about famous people. (Everyone knows Miss Pat still hasn’t forgiven Nancy for something she said at a dance back in 1977!) We’re here today to bury Chauncey, her beloved pug. Please be respectful and keep photos to a minimum. Now, Austen Kroll will share a few words about Chauncey. Though not family, they shared a lot in common – like giving sloppy kisses, making a mess of the furniture, and surprising everyone with their personality. Here’s Austen: “He was a cozy companion, a good listener, a sneaky snack thief, and a true friend. He might not have been the smartest, but he had a huge heart.” Thank you, Austen. That concludes our tour of the Pet Cemetery. If you’d like, you can go inside the Stabin’ Cabin to see an exhibit of Miss Patricia’s son, Whitney Sudler-Smith’s, collection of rare guitars and matchbooks from around the world. Enjoy the rest of your visit.

That tour felt like a perfect send-off for Chauncey at the end of the episode, but it was strange that the credits rolled then, not during Madison’s call to Venita about going into labor. It makes you wonder if they didn’t want to associate the second assistant director’s name with such a big moment. It all leads to a funny thought: could Madison’s baby be Chauncey reincarnated, similar to the idea that Trisha Paytas’s child is the reincarnation of Queen Elizabeth? Even if that’s not true, it really makes you think about life, death, and how people come and go – it’s all a bit like a never-ending reality show.

The last few minutes of the episode were definitely the most exciting part. The show mainly focuses on a few ongoing dramas: Austen being frustrated with Shep and Craig, the complicated love lives of Salley, Charley, Craig, and Austen, and the playfully competitive friendship between Venita and Salley. There’s also the running joke about Whitner’s lack of romantic prospects. Fans are especially hoping Whitner and Molly will get together – and maybe even start a family! We’re all rooting for them!

The issues between Austen, Shep, and Craig first become apparent at a dinner party hosted by Whitner’s parents. During dinner, they play a question game – a family tradition – but it doesn’t really go well. It’s a shame they didn’t play a better game like “Who Do You Trust Least Around This Table?” – that one’s always a hit. When Austen excuses himself to use the restroom, Charley tells Craig he needs to mend their friendship and reveals that Austen is going through a breakup. Craig is completely shocked – his eyes practically popped out of his head! He can’t believe he didn’t already know, especially since he and Shep haven’t exactly been supportive or easy to talk to. Charley insists everyone knows, which seems to upset Craig even more.

After dinner, Shep decided to have a little talk with Austen about his relationship, wanting to offer some guidance. Madison actually had a really good idea – instead of lecturing Austen about being stuck, he should try to get him to open up and talk things through. But Shep, being Shep, pretty much just told him to break up with his girlfriend! Austen understandably didn’t want to discuss it, which Shep took as him dodging the issue. He kept pushing Austen to be more open, and Austen finally said he had been vulnerable… just not with Shep. Apparently, he’s been confiding in Rodrigo and Madison, and honestly, I get it. I trust those two to fix anything – seriously, anything. From relationship drama to fashion emergencies, the cost of living, bringing back Gallery Girls, even saving the bees – they’ve got you covered.

The next day, while Shep, Austen, and Rodrigo are fishing at another cute shack on Whit’s farm, Austen finally admits to Shep that he did break up with Audrey. Neither Shep nor Austen can even put bait on their hooks – they both hate worms, but Rodrigo doesn’t seem to mind at all. Surprisingly, Austen is the only one who catches a fish, which leads Shep to jokingly compare it to Austen’s tendency to avoid ending things. Austen probably expected this line of questioning, considering he’d been avoiding Shep’s questions about the breakup. But it’s understandable why he did; Shep and Craig wouldn’t have offered support, just a lot of “I told you so” and questions about why he waited so long. No one wants to hear that after a breakup. It’s clear Austen values his other friendships more, because Shep and Craig are terrible at giving relationship advice – about as helpful as Diane Warren is at winning an Oscar.

Let’s talk about the complicated relationships! Charley and Craig are hitting it off, enjoying a sweet canoe date while everyone else dealt with drama on the farm. Salley is still hung up on Craig, but is actively pursuing Austen. Things escalate at dinner when Austen shares a wild story from his youth, and Salley bluntly expresses her attraction. She even offers to ‘help’ him when he goes to the bathroom, prompting Austen to tell her to calm down – it’s all very obvious and a bit much. Despite the clear signals, Salley continues to voice her desire for Austen.

Salley and Venita are still having issues, and honestly, it’s a conflict I don’t really get. They discussed it at Whitner’s pool house with Molly and Whitner present, but Salley remains upset that Venita previously tried to cause trouble between her and Molly. It seems like Salley is still holding a grudge because Venita was correct about Craig. Venita has already apologized to Molly for discussing her vaginal rejuvenation surgery, and Molly accepted. Venita apologizes again here, but Salley seems determined to stay angry with her.

Honestly, Venita didn’t handle things well at all during this discussion. She was trying to explain her point, drawing a line between herself and Salley, when Whitner jumped in and questioned why it even mattered. That’s when Venita just completely lost it – she told him to ‘shut the fuck up,’ and it was so random, seemingly triggered by one of the silly hats Austen or Shep wore at the party! It was a massive overreaction, especially since Whitner was just trying to stick up for Molly, who he’s obviously head over heels for and, frankly, they should just get married already – I’m serious, I’m rooting for them! Venita could have easily welcomed Whitner’s input, ignored his question, or just politely asked him to let her finish, but she went straight for the harshness.

Salley accuses Venita of trying to create conflict between her and Molly, then Venita becomes upset and abruptly leaves. Salley calls after her, pointing out Venita’s habit of avoiding difficult conversations, and she’s right – Venita needs to address the issue. Salley wants Venita to fully express her feelings, even if it means getting emotional, for her own sake and so they can resolve the conflict. But Venita avoids the confrontation, walking away and hoping to escape her problems. However, that’s never really possible. Just like Austen often did, putting off tough talks only allows them to fester and worsen over time.

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2026-02-12 05:55