The Bravo hit is back with new cast members Leva Bonaparte and John Pringle, and new drama for Kathryn Dennis.
Ba ba doo! Bravo's Southern Charm is back for season 7 and judging by the trailer, this is a season unlike any fans have seen before. The Charleston, South Carolina-based cast shot the new batch of episodes before and during the coronavirus pandemic, and amid the reckoning with racism the country is facing, providing plenty of topics to talk about. Well, and argue about. This is reality TV, after all.
At the heart of the drama (to no one's surprise) is Kathryn Dennis, whose ups and downs have been a through line of the series since its start in 2014. The formerly sober star is drinking again (and making fun of people making fun of her for being "off the wagon"), and rubbing a number of her co-stars the wrong way. Fans will see the mom of two deal with the news of her ex, Thomas Ravenel, fathering a child with another woman. She’ll also face off with longtime pal Danni Baird over the state of their friendship, as well as how Kathryn deals with the backlash over some seemingly racially charged messages she sent over social media earlier this year. Kathryn has denied her use of a monkey emoji in a DM to a Black woman while discussing politics was racist, and even defends herself in the season 7 first look: "In my heart, I know I’m the furthest thing from racist."
Watch the full first look here:
Putting Kathryn's feet to the fire is newcomer Leva Bonaparte, who's no stranger to the Southern Charm group. She's popped up over the years, mostly as a pal of Cameran Eubanks. It seems safe to say that Leva wants to hold Kathryn accountable for her actions, confronting her over "living in a bubble of white privilege" and referring to her as "miserable Kathryn."
"For me, it's about the change I want to see in this little southern town of mine," Leva says in the sneak peek. She also brings the tearing down of Civil War-related statues to the group's attention, specifically one in Charleston of John C. Calhoun, who is Kathryn’s ancestor.
The men of Southern Charm aren't free from the drama, either. Austen Kroll's on-and-off romance with Madison LeCroy is on full display this year, as Madison is now a full-time member of the cast. Craig Conover describes the duo's relationship as "unhealthy," saying it caused Austen to "start acting like a little b***h." Complicating things for Austen and Madison is new co-star John Pringle, a single dad who takes a liking to single mom Madison.
Shep Rose's love life is also a topic of discussion, as he introduces his new girlfriend, Taylor Ann Green, to the group. But Shep is still Shep, so he cringes at the idea of even talking about marriage.
The series' matriarch, Patricia Altschul, is also back (and sanitizing packages with her trusty butler, Michael). Fingers crossed fans will see more of Ms. Pat moving forward, or maybe even hear more. The show is in need of a new narrator now that Cameran has left. She, along with longtime stars Naomie Olindo and Chelsea Meissner, announced they were exiting Southern Charm earlier this year.
Southern Charm's new season premieres Thursday, Oct. 29, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.
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