Southern Charm Season-Premiere Recap: The Cup Runneth Over

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As a longtime observer of Southern charm and hospitality, I must say that this latest installment of the “Southern Charm” series has left me both entertained and bewildered. The dynamics between Austen, Shep, and Craig have always been a rollercoaster ride, but their recent life changes have certainly added an intriguing twist to their relationship.

Return for another round of “Southern Charm,” the unique TV series where ‘plantation’ is casually employed without a second thought. Just as the concept of plantations, the dynamics among the cast members on this show seem to require some mending. Yet, let me clarify that it isn’t about fixing the image of plantations; they have their own history and baggage. Regardless if Blake Lively chooses to host her wedding there, such places are best left untouched in our modern world.

The most significant strain is occurring in the trio’s friendship, featuring the primary cast members of this reality TV show. Following Shep’s excessive drinking at BravoCon, which led to a reprimand from NBCUniversal’s higher-ups, tensions between Shep, Craig, and Austen have been more bitter than Patricia’s expression when someone uses the wrong utensil. The narrative focuses on their gathering for the Carolina Cup, a horse race held just a short drive from Shep’s family farm. Correcting myself – it should be called a family farm now. Great, that sounds better.

One evening, Craig and Austen venture out to visit Shep at his farm, overlooking the fact that his refrigerator is white. Shep admits to significant life changes since his past struggles with alcohol. He’s eating healthier, drinking less, and working out at the gym nearly every day. It’s clear Shep has made progress, as he appears more fit than in recent years, even shedding his clothes to take a shower. So what other steps has Shep taken to combat his alcohol addiction? He traveled to Costa Rica for four days to experience ayahuasca, claiming it was equivalent to a decade of therapy. Seems like Shep has found a solution to his alcohol problem.

This is a little bit like Shannon Storms Beador going to meditate her alcohol problems away when she got arrested for a DUI that put the life of her beloved dog, Archie Beador, in danger. No wonder Craig and Austen are skeptical. He seems to have fixed his penchant for benders by … going on a bender with a different drug in another country? Now, I have never done the drug, and I have friends who say amazing things about it, but when your drinking is such an issue that HR gets involved, you need to add something to your “plant medicine” journey. A bit of therapy, a 12-step meeting or two, subscribing to some sobriety influencers on TikTok. Something.

It’s understandable that both Craig and Austen are seeking some clarity from Shep. They question whether his desire to change is genuine or if it’s merely for appearance. If Shep were engaging in other activities instead of spending long hours hallucinating in a tent and vomiting, it would make it easier for them to believe he’s genuinely on the path to recovery. Craig himself has heard about Shep having late-night escapades even after the changes began, and Shep admits to these as well. So, what is Shep up to exactly?

I believe it’s fair to say that Shep is making a valid observation when he points out that Craig and Austen distanced themselves from him during a time when he was in need. Moreover, his assertion that if they intended to step back from their friendship due to his drinking habits, they should have communicated the reason instead of disappearing without a trace, holds merit. If they had expressed, “We’re growing tired of you being so intoxicated that we often find ourselves taking care of you, and we need some space,” it might have prompted him to reflect on how alcohol impacts his relationships. However, by simply vanishing, they come across as insensitive, and he ends up seeking out new companions for drinking.

I am so much more on Craig and Austen’s side in this. It’s exhausting to have a friend who is that much of a mess all the time. Yes, both of them have been just as messy, but it seems like Craig isn’t as interested in never-ending games of Flip Cup anymore and Austen, for as drunk as he gets, has never, you know, mocked an unhoused woman and gotten caught on camera. What I do think is dumb is that Craig says that he needs to distance himself from Shep because it’s bad for his business. You mean … the pillows? How is this affecting the pillows? I have a feeling most of the people buying them watch this show and they know that Shep is a drinker, that Craig doesn’t love it, and that Shep and Craig are very different people. If Craig was just like, “I’m tired of having to apologize for you to every bouncer in town,” I think that is totally legit, but, “You’re putting the pillows in jeopardy”? Be slightly serious.

It appears that Taylor’s romantic relationships are not running smoothly. JT, the grumpy garden gnome without a fondness for hats, shares that things are uncomfortable between him and Taylor due to her rejection of his advances. Moreover, she has a new partner named Gaston, who seems legitimate and does not appear to be a joke, yet I can’t help but find it puzzling. Instead, Taylor has grown quite close to Venita, whom she connected with on the cast trip last year.

After a severe ATV accident in Costa Rica (not related to ayahuasca), JT realizes he needs to mend his relationship with Austen. On their way to the Carolina Cup, he stops for a restroom break and returns with a bunch of canes for everyone, so no one else feels left out due to his limp. JT is as cheesy as the busiest Venezuelan arepa stand, which might seem ridiculous. He then approaches Austen, expressing his desire to rekindle their relationship and hands him a cane. The scene makes everyone around them uncomfortable, and the Carolina Cup field looks like it’s been hit by the Rapture.

In my perspective, I find myself at odds with Austen when the conversation revolves around his new girlfriend Audrey, who appears to have made a Bama Rush video. The ladies Venita and Leva claim to know several women who were involved with Austen during his relationship with Audrey. Instead of expressing his feelings openly, Austen suggests that he should be free to “fuck around.

Throughout much of the episode, the focus was on strained relationships. However, it was essential to introduce some fresh faces. One such character is Molly O’Connell, a local from Charleston and a former contestant on America’s Next Top Model (I vaguely recall her from “cycle” 16, but she didn’t make much of an impression). Molly had a past flirtation with Craig, which they both found amusing. Paige, Craig’s girlfriend, is also aware of this and finds it amusing because she understands that if Craig so much as glances at another woman or entertains a fleeting sexual thought about her, Paige will promptly end their relationship, as she knows Craig values the exceptional bond they share more than anything else. Paige doesn’t need to remind Craig of his boundaries; he is well aware of them and strives to maintain the harmony in their relationship.

It was somewhat unusual that Molly, in addition to discussing dating Whitney, who came to the event with his mom Patricia and a lady named Taylor, was also there, since we don’t require more individuals with floral maxi dresses sharing the same name. At least Molly had the decency to be a brunette. Therefore, it seems that Molly is attempting to secure her spot on the show by getting close to any heterosexual males excluding JT. Understood.

JT might seem inoffensive and way too tryhard, but he got quite offensive and tried way too hard when Miss Pat came over to the tent. He gave her a cane just like he had given to everyone else (and they quickly ditched them under the table with the strawberry trees that looked like Melania Trump’s haunted Christmas). He didn’t realize that you don’t give a cane to a woman of a certain age, no matter if everyone else got one or not. How did he not realize that would hit differently. So Patricia does the lady-like thing; she gets up and takes her $50,000 picnic Birkin somewhere else and totally ignores this man. While I think it’s going to be fascinating to see the shifting dynamics between Austen, Shep, and Craig now that they’ve all made life changes, if you ask me what I’m really looking forward to, it’s dunking on JT like he’s the world’s tiniest gingerbread man in a cup of steaming hot tea.

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2024-12-06 11:54