Southern Hospitalityrecently wrapped up Season 3, ending on a high note with a finale episode and one-episode reunion all in one night. It’s the most underrated show onBravoat the moment, with reality show pundits and cultural barometers such asLaguna BiotchandSexy Unique Podcastcalling it the new show to watch now that the originalVanderpump Rulescast has been stripped down and sold for parts. While the cast ofSouthern Hospitalityundoubtedly delivered, both the reunion and the finale still left storylines underdeveloped and characters with not nearly enough screentime because they didn’t have nearly enough episodes and got a shoddy, one-episode reunion that insultingly took place at theWatch What Happens Liveset.Southern Hospitalityis experiencing the same peak thatSouthern CharmandVanderpump Rulesdid during their earlier seasons, butBravo is shortchanging both the cast and fans by not giving them the same treatment as other shows.
Southern Hospitality is Bravo’s Hidden Gem
Southern Hospitalityhad a great run this past season, with much of the show being dedicated tothe relationship drama ofEmmy SharrettandWill Kulp, as well asMaddi ReeseandJoe Bradley. On top of that, they brought on four new cast members, and consequently, the season struggled to immerse them all because there were so many stories to be told. The Season 3 finale ended on a cliffhanger, with Will telling producers that the rumors of his alleged infidelity weren’t true (because, of course, he did) and thatTJ DinchandBradley Carterhad zero credibility for those rumors because of the information Will and Emmy had on them. It was revealed at the reunion that TJ, Brad, Emmy, and Will had all colluded in Season 2 to make it seem like Maddi’s then-boyfriend, Trevor, had cheated again, this time with Brad’s fitness client Sammie. Their goal was to get Trevor out of the picture and to stage drama for the show, and it worked. During the reunion, Maddi was devastated and confused because her friends had been lying to her for so long. On top of that, it’s questionable whether her now-boyfriend, Joe, knew the entire time, making the fact that he’d been in love with her for four years before their relationship less sweet and more suspect because of his unknown level of involvement and him using Maddi’s breakup with Trevor as a stepping stone for their relationship.
The one-episode reunion had little room for resolution.There was not much airtime to call Will to task overthe cheating allegations and shady behavior, and even though he refused to show up to the reunion, grievances still should have been aired out regardless. There was barely an opportunity to press Joe on what he knew about this whole scheme. There was also no time for Emmy to confront cast members likeMolly Moorefor bashing her in confessionals despite barely registering her existence. To see Molly tell Emmy at the reunion that she has so much potential and is such a smart girl felt especially icky because the only reason Molly had any screen time was to piggyback off of talking about Emmy and Will. There really should have been some accountability. It would’ve been satisfying to see her at least own up to the fact that all of her confessional “jokes” were stolen from popular memes.The reunion left no room for the cast members to answer for their transgressions, grudges, or relationships, and it’s disappointing.
How Taylor Ann Greene’s Boyfriend Is Connected to ‘Southern Hospitality’
Taylor Ann Green has found love with Southern Hospitality’s TJ Dinch’s roommate Gaston Rojas.
Bravo Spinoffs Are Criminally Underrated
Bravo not giving spinoffs nearly enough screentime to flourish to their full potential isn’t anything new.The Valleyis beloved amongst Bravo fans who were underwhelmed by the show’s predecessor,Vanderpump Rules. While people were upset when the cast ofVanderpump Ruleswas replaced by fresh faces, knowingThe Valleycould fill the void softened the blow. Realistically,there would have been no way to properly wrap upVanderpump Ruleswith a grand finale, and a spinoff is a perfect way to letnew stories with both old and new characters unfold.To see thatThe Valleydidn’t even get a finale was disappointing but unsurprising.
Spinoffs are the best way to satiate the fanbase’s appetite with once-great shows that have some story left to tell but are better situated in a different environment. It’s also not like these reality stars areemployable in any other field,so to have them on a spinoff is a win for all parties involved.Bravo needs to start putting more support in their spinoffs because those are their best bets for having any resolve for their floundering shows.The Valleypicked upVanderpump Rules’slack whileSouthern Hospitalityis doing the same forSouthern Charm.Bravo needs to start giving spinoff showsthe ultimate Bravo treatmentwith more episodes, bigger cast trips for bombshells to drop and drama to develop, and longer reunions for more resolve.
Southern Hospitalityis available to stream on Bravo in the U.S.
Southern Hospitality
