Southern Hospitality Had Its Drunkest, Horniest Season Yet

Despite having a lot of money, the network can’t re-air every season of every Bravo show. (Hopefully, the next owner has even more resources!) Unfortunately, Southern Hospitality, a somewhat chaotic but promising show, wasn’t included in the re-airings, meaning viewers missed a chance to see it really take off. However, the Institute has been following the show, and it’s actually having its best season yet – so good, in fact, that Bravo has ordered a two-part reunion special.

We didn’t create new episodes this season, but here are ten highlights from the last 13 that I really wish I could have written about.

Michols and TJ’s hookup

It feels like most of the gay men featured on Bravo are either already in relationships or their dating lives aren’t very interesting. That’s why I was so excited by this season of Southern Hospitality – we finally saw a potential hookup between two male cast members! While on a cast trip, TJ Dinch and Michols Peña ended up sharing a bed and, after a lot of drunken flirting, they became intimate with the cameras rolling – all while The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City played in the background. As a gay viewer, it was incredibly validating to see that represented on screen. It was also smart of Bravo to get reactions from Lisa Barlow and Bronwyn Newport, because gay men definitely appreciate seeing casual encounters and getting a reaction from glamorous personalities.

Michols’s lunch with his mother

This season really delivered on LGBTQ+ storylines, which I loved. We saw TJ and Michols working through a friends-with-benefits situation, TJ dating someone connected to Joe Bradley, and Lake exploring a relationship with someone who strikingly resembled her. But honestly, the most impactful moment for me was Michols’ conversation with his mom. It was a really raw and difficult scene, highlighting how challenging coming out can still be, even with family. While she says she supports him, she still criticized him for being emotional and felt hurt that he’d been honest about their past struggles on the show – it was just a tough thing to watch.

Emmy’s fight with Julia

The biggest conflict of the season began at the reunion for season three. Bradley Carter overheard his co-star, Emmy Sharrett, and her fiancé arguing loudly about him from inside their hotel room. He responded with a harsh text message, and Emmy then told everyone that his behavior made her feel unsafe and that he had been stalking her. When people pointed out the racial implications of those accusations towards a Black man, Emmy only became more insistent. It wasn’t until Bradley’s girlfriend, Julia, intervened and confronted her at a party that things came to a head. It seemed only another assertive woman could challenge Emmy’s behavior, but even then, Emmy didn’t appear to understand the issue.

Emmy’s dinner cry

During a cast trip to Punta Cana, everyone confronted Emmy at dinner and pressured her to apologize to Brad. She eventually said she was sorry, but immediately started talking about how hurt she was. When Michols pointed out she was making it all about herself, Emmy burst into an incredibly dramatic and awkward cry. The situation was made worse by cast members laughing at what they saw as a fake apology, and Maddi Reese repeatedly interrupting because she was scared of a stray cat. It was a bizarre scene where, despite being surrounded by drama, Maddi was more frightened of a stray cat!

Emmy touching her hair

Emmy, a reality TV personality, consistently makes bad choices, never seems to learn, and acts like she’s the one being wronged, all while hurting others. I’ve come to really dislike her, and it’s almost enjoyable. But beyond her personality, she constantly plays with her hair – touching, twirling, and fidgeting with it. Once you notice this habit, it’s impossible to ignore.

Lake’s mother tells her to shut up

Lake found herself caught in a difficult situation with Emmy and Brad, and when things escalated, she called her mother for advice. Her mother didn’t hold back, telling her she needed to learn to stay quiet. When Lake realized she’d gotten into trouble for talking to her white colleague, Ella, her mother was direct: she shouldn’t be discussing private matters about Black people with white people. It’s no surprise Lake turned out so well, having been raised by such a wise and straightforward woman.

Mia and Maddi have the dumbest fight ever

TJ’s friend, Mia, couldn’t attend his event, so he had a life-sized cardboard cutout made of her to feel like she was there. When TJ’s sister, Maddi, was upset with him, she knocked the cutout over and stomped on it. Mia was understandably bothered and felt she needed to address Maddi’s disrespectful act. While it was a silly disagreement, it highlights that arguments are best had over real-life events, not symbolic ones.

Grace Lilly and Maddi talk sobriety

A reckless question from Grace Lilly during a night out with friends – specifically, asking Maddi if she’d had a sexual relationship with Joe Bradley, fueled by rumors about his sexuality – severely damaged their long-standing friendship. Grace stepped back from the show for much of the season to address her own substance use. When she finally confronted Maddi about her past struggles with addiction, Grace was insensitive and dismissive of the effort Maddi had put into maintaining her sobriety.

Leva tells Joe he’s replaceable

Joe Bradley felt entitled to more responsibility at work, particularly his own bar, after his brief fling with Countess Luann. However, his boss, Leva Bonaparte, refused his request, especially since he’d prioritized a tour with his girlfriend, DJ Maddi Reese. Leva then delivered some tough truths, pointing out that he wasn’t indispensable and needed to prove his value before expecting special favors. This came to a head during the season finale when Joe reacted badly to Leva’s feedback, which was a lesson in self-reliance: he either needed to forge his own path or learn to collaborate more effectively with experienced colleagues. Ultimately, Leva made it clear she didn’t need him.

Mmmm. Justin.

As you might have guessed from my fondness for fictional and reality TV ‘bad boys’ like Kyle Cooke, I have a thing for a certain type of guy. This season, Justin Assad definitely caught my eye – he’s incredibly attractive! And now, he’s dating Charley Manley from Southern Charm, which I’m excited about. However, I’m a little disappointed we likely won’t see Justin explore that side of himself that he’s hinted at being attracted to men.

2026-06-01 21:55