Last week, the Southern Charm cast headed to the Bahamas. Shep was nervous about seeing Sienna. It didn’t help that she didn’t meet them at the airport. While others told her Sienna was stringing Shep along, Taylor was convinced Shep is the problem. Molly struggled with her crush on Shep as he tried to win Sienna back. When Sienna finally met up with Shep and the guys at the hotel, it was unbearably awkward. Here’s what happened this week on Southern Charm Season 10, Episode 11: “Text Message in a Bottle.”
What happened on Southern Charm Season 10, Episode 11?
This week on Southern Charm, Sienna gets grilled about Shep at dinner with the cast. Everyone else agrees that she doesn’t like him. But Shep still believes and sends her a very emotional text message. Craig’s reactions to Shep’s relationship woes annoy Austen. And Craig notices, confiding in Madison that he fears his former best friend hates him.
The Charmers’ first night in Nassau
Before dinner, Shep sits Sienna down and has a heart to heart over their relationship. He says they got hot and heavy real quick, and he started dreaming about having kids and traveling the world. Sienna claims she never knew this. When he says he’s in love with her, there’s an awkward pause. Sienna argues they never defined the relationship. When he says she had to know who he felt, she responds, “I do now.” Shep decides to ignore his nagging worries, because strong feelings like this don’t come about every day.
Molly misses dinner because she has a migraine, though she adds it might be all the champagne she drank. Sarcastically, she says that she can watch Shep fawn over Sienna another day. Meanwhile, Craig compares Shep and Sienna’s dynamic to 90 Day Fiancé. Yikes!
At dinner, Austen asks if things went thumbs up or thumbs down. Shep does a thumb sideways. He then rushes to pull out Sienna’s chair. Madison can’t help but laugh. Shep trying to act romantic gets an “Ew, no,” from her.
Despite their awkward meeting, Craig and Sienna do briefly bond over their shared lack of connection with Little Craig. For Sienna it’s his farting, for Craig it’s allergies. This reminds the group that they last saw Sienna was at the dog birthday party. When Shep remembers he left her cowboy boots in Charleston, she says she can just get new ones. Shep jokes he’ll wear hers, to no response. Then Austen suggests he and Shep go to the bar to talk, leaving Sienna with the rest of the group.
Shep and Sienna get grilled
Madison wastes no time with Sienna. She admits they weren’t even sure she’d come to dinner. Madison says it’s good for Shep that Sienna played hard to get. “Am I playing, or am I hard to get?” Sienna says, prompting oohs from the others. “I love him, he’s amazing,” she says of Shep. The l-bomb surprises Salley. “He’s a great guy, a great person, we have a lot of great times together,” Sienna adds.
Madison asks Sienna if she and Shep are really together. “As of right now?” she responds. Salley asks if they’re exclusive. Sienna says she and Shep never talked about that and admits she doesn’t really know if they’re together. Taylor realizes Shep has probably imagined a lot of this relationship. While she’s not usually one to say karma, it applies to Shep in this case. She admits she’s “enjoying the show.”
With Austen, Shep claims he said everything he wanted to Sienna. It dawned on him that they’ve really only spent long weekends together. But that doesn’t mean he’s taken off the rose-colored glasses. Shep tells Austen that Sienna said she missed him too. But in a flashback, we see that when Shep said he missed her, she responded, “I’m sure you do.” When he asked if she missed him, she said, “I’ll see.” Shep tells Austen he wants to win her over again. Austen wishes he could be a fly on the wall for one of Shep and Sienna’s conversations.
Shep returns to the table as Sienna says they’re perfect for each other because they’re both “noncommittal.” When she goes home after dinner, Madison plainly tells Shep that Sienna doesn’t like him.
Shep misreads the signals
The next morning, Shep texts Sienna that’s he’s not going to try and convince her to love him … because “deep down inside” he know she does. Oh, Shep! The text continues, “I know that you agree and feel a lot of what I do because I’ve heard it from your perfect little freckled lips.” He claims they’ll have the last laugh and prove naysayers wrong. Austen wishes he could’ve stopped Shep from sending that text.
Austen is so embarrassed for his friend, he jokes he wants to evaporate into the Bahamas sky. He tells Shep that Sienna faked a stomach ache so she didn’t have to hang out after dinner. But Shep excuses that, saying it was late anyway.
However, Sienna still doesn’t respond by the time he reads it aloud to Craig. I can’t choose the cringiest part of this text. Is it “my heart sings with you,” or ending with “okay my Ted Talk is over?” Or something else?
Even the “sensitive one” Craig cringes over the message. He tells Shep he shouldn’t have to force things this much. Shep says he’s fine if this is just “closure” but insists he has hope because their connection at dinner was “electric.” I didn’t get that impression, and I doubt anyone except Shep did either.
Venita arrives sans JT
Venita arrives with Ryan and Whitney and adorably rushes into Madison’s arms. Meanwhile, Molly, Taylor, and Rodrigo do flamingo yoga. When Venita tells her JT missed his flight, Madison jokes, “that’s good.” Venita hopes JT can be cool so everyone can just have fun. But Madison is “locked and loaded” in case he comes in hot.
Madison also doesn’t hold back about Shep. She feels bad that Shep is being so “simpy” but remembers how much he’s meddled in her relationships. We’re reminded that Shep dreamed of finding love in a place with “lots of sun and white sand” for years. That must be part of why he’s so stubborn about Sienna.
Austen and Craig didn’t leave their issues in Charleston
The others decide to go to a fish fry while Shep, Ryan, Molly, and Taylor go snorkeling. Shep says Sienna might meet the others there, because she gushed over the fish fry the day before. Craig jokes (?) that Sienna wants to hang out with everyone else instead of Shep. Austen takes offense to this and accuses Craig of kicking Shep while he’s down. But Craig doesn’t want to “enable” his friend by supporting this dynamic that’s hurting him.
Sienna calls Shep and tells him she’s still feeling sick, so no fish fry. Rodrigo, Craig, and Austen hilariously eavesdrop on the conversation. When Shep brings up his text, Sienna says it was “really intense” but agrees it was “heartfelt.” They agree to talk later. Austen and Craig then walk in as Shep sadly stares out the window. Craig says Sienna should’ve responded with an “I love you too.”
At the fish fry, Craig, Salley, and Madison all gossip about Sienna. Craig says her “energy” made him nervous. Austen takes issue with Craig’s words, which he notices. Austen also thinks he has more empathy than Craig. He rants about Craig claiming that he has control of his emotions, when he just threw a temper tantrum about sharing a room.
Craig pulls Madison aside to talk about Austen. She insists they’re like brothers. But Craig fears Austen hates him. He can see it on his face. Madison thinks Craig is taking things a little too far.
Can Shep see that Molly’s the one who understands him?
Despite his issues with Sienna, Shep pledges to have a great time snorkeling. It looks absolutely amazing. Even if, like Ryan, I would be nervous about the nurse sharks. Molly jokes that she looks “so hot” in her gear.
Afterwards, Shep admits he’s going through a rough time. But he thanks his friends for being there- even Taylor. She hopes it’s a “wake up call that he needs to start dating people his own age.” He gets a temporary boost by proving Taylor wrong and skipping a sand dollar on the water.
“Shep deserves better, Shep deserves someone who actually gives a sh*t,” Molly says, adding, “I could be a better match.” We’ll have to keep watching to see if Shep feels the same.
