Welcome back to the recaps for Southern Charm Season 11! Last week, Craig and Austen continued their blowout fight at Whitner’s birthday. Craig mentioned that Shep heard Austen was talking to another girl. Austen denied this, and didn’t accept Craig’s apology. After getting his kittens Piper and Martini, Austen decided to visit Audrey. And he started to doubt that Craig and Shep were his real friends. What happened this week on Southern Charm Season 11 Episode 5, “Loose Lips and Deep Rifts?”
What happened on Southern Charm Season 11 Episode 5?
This week, Craig throws a Memorial Day party. But Austen doesn’t go, which triggers Craig’s anger about their fight. After getting caught gossiping about Molly’s, err, lady business, Salley continues to have tension with Molly and Venita. Even though everyone can tell Craig’s more into Charley, it seems that he and Salley took their much-talked-about hot tub nights to the next level. What else happened on Southern Charm Season 11 Episode 5, “Loose Lips and Deep Rifts?”
Madison catches Patricia up on the latest gossip
Madison stops by Patricia’s to fill her in on the group’s drama. As they talk about Madison’s pregnancy, Patricia reveals that when she had Whitney, she was in labor for two days without an epidural! That’s one reason she decided one child was enough. Madison jokes that she’ll breastfeed if Teddi likes silicone implants. Patricia jokes she tried breastfeeding for about twenty minutes.
Then Madison tells Patricia about Craig’s love triangle. Madison thinks Craig is more into Charley. She tells Patricia about all the late night hot tub hangouts, but specifies no hookups seemed to happen yet. Patricia wonders what happened to good old fashioned sex in a bed!
Madison also brings up Craig’s outburst at Whitner’s party. Patricia is surprised Craig got so upset at such innocuous comments. Madison thinks the real reason Craig is spinning out, drinking again, and having late night hot tub parties is because he’s not over Paige.
Venita checks in on Austen
Venita calls Austen as he’s visiting Audrey in Charlotte. She’s seemingly the only person in the group who thinks Austen and Audrey can make it (alas, we already know they don’t). Austen introduces her to Martini and Piper via FaceTime.
Austen also tells her that he finally returned Shep’s phone calls. He thinks that Shep’s apology was genuine, unlike Craig’s. Venita says Shep is acting like a real friend. They both touch on their mutual annoyance with Craig. And it turns out Venita isn’t the only one side eyeing Salley’s crush. Because Austen accuses Salley of enabling Craig.
Speaking of, Salley tells Charley that Craig is taking her to buy chickens for her backyard. Charley thinks it’s unnecessary since Salley lives right across from Walgreens. Charley also worries that she puts others needs before her own too much. She knows Salley likes Craig, but if she cut off every guy a friend of hers had a thing for, there’d be no guys left in Charleston.
Molly finds her voice again
Last season, Molly rediscovered her love of the euphonium. This year, she’s returning to another musical pursuit – singing. She’s even recording songs with a guitarist named Keith (do we know if this is the guitarist beau she mentioned on Watch What Happens Live last week?). Molly’s parents always encouraged her singing, even saying she could be the next Taylor Swift. But she has horrible performance anxiety. As a child, she got so nervous during a piano recital that she made a mistake and ran down the aisle! Now, she’s working up to sing live for an audience again. She has an amazing voice!
Craig’s Memorial Day party is one to remember
This week, Craig throws a Memorial Day party for the whole cast, even inviting Venita and Austen. Kory also attends. While Paige took over party planning in years past, Craig has his assistant Jack help him now. He makes sure the party has pina coladas, because they’re Charley’s favorite. He also has a signature cocktail using the honey from his hive.
Venita shows up with towels and everything. Whitner, who has a real job, has to take a work call during the party, and isn’t thrilled Craig held it on a Wednesday. Salley and Charley show up together. When Craig takes Charley over to the bar, Salley follows them like a third wheel.
Madison can feel Paige’s absence in the party planning. Especially because there’s so few umbrellas – people need to sit in the shade! But Rodrigo notices Paige’s leftover touches in the house, like chairs she definitely picked out.
But Austen doesn’t come, which enrages Craig. He claims Austen never goes to Charlotte in the middle of the week, barely visits anymore, and doesn’t see himself marrying Audrey anyway. When Shep says Austen probably wouldn’t feel comfortable at the party, Craig flips out and shouts, “Why!” Shep thinks Austen wants Craig to admit he was wrong and give a big apology, but that will never happen. He thinks Craig has a problem showing remorse.
The highlight of the party? Probably when Shep jumped into the pool wearing a bald eagle speedo, a gun holster, prop gun, and George Washington wig.
Venita and Salley get caught gossiping about Molly
Elsewhere, Molly confronts Venita that she heard Salley spread rumors about her vagina. At Whitner’s party, she told Rodrigo that Molly just got a new vagina and had a sugar daddy pay for it. Despite Molly and Salley making up and agreeing to stop sh*t talking. But plot twist, this gossip came from Venita!
A hurt Molly says she paid for it herself back in 2019. Molly is open about the work she’s had done, but says, “The one thing I didn’t really want to tell the entire world is that I got my labia cut off.” Rodrigo calls Venita a “shady b*tch.” Especially for telling Salley, who has a big mouth. Venita admits she messed up. But she turns it back on Salley, mentioning Rodrigo was right to warn her to be wary.
Later on, Venita awkwardly tells Salley to “be nice.” Including to Molly. Then Molly confronts her for “being sh*tty.” Salley argues that Molly’s “been f*cking sh*tty.” Molly fires back, “Well you are sh*tty, always, you f*cking assh*le.” Molly calls Salley “malicious” and hilariously adds, “Sorry I have a beautiful vagina, are you jealous? Go get yours done!” Salley responds, “I’m sure it’s great.” Madison jokes that she’s never even thought about vagina surgery … but might after giving birth.
When Salley apologizes, Molly warns that Venita is wary of her. Salley tries to confront Venita, but her bestie says she knows she won’t be heard. She brings up Craig, and a frustrated Salley says in a confessional that her friendship with Craig has nothing to do with Venita. “Let me live!” she adds. She also cries hypocrisy when Venita give Craig a polite kiss on the cheek goodbye.
Craig admits he’s “struggling”
Meanwhile, Craig confides in Madison, who is concerned about his drinking. She wants him to stay on the “high horse” he was on last year. Craig admits he slipped up, and immediately regretted his actions at Whitner’s. He even reached out to a former therapist to book a session (a much better idea than using ChatGPT). In a confessional, he admits he slid back into the fun guy at the bar persona because it’s how he met Naomi and Paige. He knows he doesn’t have to do that to meet someone, but also has trouble believing that deep down. But he also knows that’s the worst version of himself. Madison gives him a reassuring hug and tells him he’s okay.
What happens in the hot tub …
As the other guests leave the party, Craig, Kory, Salley, and Charley move into that infamous hot tub. Charley runs to get a drink, and the others order her around. Craig jokes that she’s “submissive” and Salley calls her “easily manipulative.” Gross, you guys.
Because this season might as well be called “Southern Charm: Craig’s Hot Tub,” Craig and Salley reminisce about all the nights they’ve spent in there. Craig mentions that his favorite time was when they went to brunch the next day. Kory realizes that means Salley spent the night, and she gives a knowing glance. “What happens in the hot tub stays in the hot tub,” says Craig. My question is … was Charley there too? And so the love triangle continues for another week!
Southern Charm airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on Bravo. It streams on Peacock.
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF SOUTHERN CHARM SEASON 11 EPISODE 5? ARE YOU TEAM MOLLY OR SALLEY? ARE YOU ALSO TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT CRAIG’S HOT TUB?
