Southern Hospitality season 3 premiere recap: Joe confronts TJ while the cast celebrates Michols' birthday

Bravo's Southern Hospitality returned for its highly anticipated third season on January 2, 2025. The reality series follows the lives of Leva Bonaparte and her staff as they navigate the ups and downs of working at Republic, a popular Charleston, South Carolina bar and restaurant.

This season, familiar faces like Joe Bradley, Bradley Carter, TJ Dinch, Maddi Reese, and Emmy Sharrett return. They're joined by newcomers Molly Moore, Michols Peña, Lake Rucker, and Austin Stephan, who the fans of Southern Hospitality would hope to see more of.

The latest season of Southern Hospitality picked up where the previous one left off, with unresolved tensions between TJ and Joe Bradley still simmering. Meanwhile, Emmy's brief stint as Assistant General Manager had come to an end, and her personal life was also experiencing turmoil. Her relationship with Will was still without a clear commitment, as he pursued his law school ambitions, leaving Emmy waiting for a proposal.

The season premiere, Bottles, Balloons and Betrayal, dove headfirst into the ongoing conflicts and introduced new challenges for the cast. TJ and Joe's ongoing animosity took center stage, while Will and Emmy's relationship woes added an extra layer of tension.

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What happened in the Southern Hospitality season 3 premiere?

The season premiere of Southern Hospitality kicked off with a flashback to Will and Emmy's two-year romance, but it quickly revealed that their relationship has been marred by infidelity allegations. A heated confrontation took place over Will's supposed cheating at law school, with Joe expressing his hope that the rumors were untrue.

Newcomers Austin and Lake seemed to be aware of the allegations made against Will, while Maddi talked to Joe and shared details about Will's behavior, including taking another girl to his law school prom. Later, TJ warned Emmy about Will's reputation, but his words fell on deaf ears. The audience was made aware of Will and Grace Lilly's departure, making way for fresh faces— Austin, Lake, and Michols.

In a surprising twist, Maddi is now dating Joe Bradley. The Republic team discussed their newest member, Michols, who has taken on the role of Assistant General Manager. Maddi jokingly admitted that she initially had a crush on him, but her interest quickly faded when she discovered he was gay.

TJ, on the other hand, was smitten with Michols, finding him attractive and charming. There was some noticeable chemistry as it was revealed that they shared a romantic kiss in an Uber several months prior. However, TJ's feelings are complicated, and he pulls away from Michols due to concerns about their age difference.

When TJ brought Michols coffee on Southern Hospitality, the AGM became flustered, accusing TJ of sending mixed signals and toying with his emotions. TJ and Joe have been at odds since the season 2 reunion. Outside the show, Joe acknowledged that he had a romantic encounter with Luann, which the women on the show found amusing.

Joe placed the blame for his breakup with Danielle on TJ's shoulders, claiming that TJ's decision to bring up the incident destroyed their relationship. The nasty messages Joe sent to TJ after filming were revisited, and a producer asked Joe why he was so angry with TJ when the story was already public knowledge.

Joe's response suggested that he felt betrayed by TJ's actions, given their close friendship.

Despite Will's attempts in Southern Hospitality to mediate the situation, Joe is hesitant to bury the hatchet with TJ, fearing that TJ will try to sabotage his relationship with Maddi.

On the other hand, Emmy's relationship aspirations remained strong, as she pressured Will to take their relationship to the next level. Meanwhile, she's celebrating eight months of sobriety and dedicating time to fitness.

TJ and Mia discussed Will and Emmy's relationship, sharing concerns about Will's alleged comments about Emmy while intoxicated. Joe is aware of the rumors but claimed he's staying out of it, having made amends with Will and even joining him on a double date with Emmy and Maddi.

The episode concludes with Michols' 22nd birthday celebration, where tensions between Joe and TJ come to a head. When TJ attempts to caution Maddi about Joe's character, she defends him, revealing that she's well aware of his past.

Meanwhile, Joe tries to extend an olive branch to TJ, hoping to resolve their issues. However, TJ rebuffs Joe's attempt, insisting that he's not yet ready.

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Southern Hospitality airs on Thursdays on Bravo at 9 pm ET/PT.