For 10 seasons, Shep Rose has graced the landscapes of Southern Charm. The men of this series, Shep included, often behave like petulant toddlers. However, as Season 10 airs, Shep appears to be shedding some of his Peter Pan-like ways. As a result, he is winning me and many fans over, as his storylines now involve sticking up for others and settling down, not settling up bar tabs while belittling his conquests.
Sadly, his love interest this season will soon flop. But seeing Shep speak about his eagerness for marriage and children has created a full-circle-like character arch. When he finds his perfect fit, Shep will be ready. And I have a suggestion below on where he might want to look first.
While Shep sorts out his next romantic steps, I must admit that his portrayals in Season 10 remain endearing. I am here for this version of Shep, a sentence I never expected to type. But, as Kurt Vonnegut penned (and I reprise often), “So it is.”
Shep Rose is kind to Taylor Ann Green while gently shading her potentially problematic new man
During Seasons 7-8, Shep and Taylor Ann Green were an item. However, Shep spoke horribly to Taylor. And at the reunion for Season 7, we also learned that he had cheated on her. Thankfully, Shep owned up to his mistakes, and by Season 9, both parties were moving on with their lives.
Yet, Season 9 then saw Taylor behaving poorly. She sent a racy photo of herself to one of his friends, and then she kissed another. On the plus side, Taylor also owned up to her mistakes.
Before the cameras picked up to film Season 10, Shep touched on his relationship with Taylor at BravoCon. The way that he spoke about Taylor was endearing. I noticed this, thinking about how great it would be to see Shep presenting in this same manner once their cameras arrived back in Charleston. Luckily for me (so far), my hopes have come true.
As Shep stated (back then and again during Season 10), he is now rooting for Taylor. He wants Taylor to be happy, no matter what. There are “deep roots” here, Shep explained, and as Season 10 progresses, we see Shep holding to this statement.
Sadly, Taylor is now dating a man that mystery follows. The rumor mills have not been kind towards Gaston Rojas. But Shep remains friendly towards Taylor. However, he has also acknowledged his fears over her new man.
Sinners cannot turn into saints overnight, as his drunken antics following BravoCon proved. Plus, this is reality television, and Shep also owes Gaston nothing. So I will admit, I chuckled when Shep described Gaston as ‘mid.”
I hear you. Liking Shep feels wrong. But here I am. Loving his gentle approaches and humor-filled responses this season on Southern Charm.
Shep Rose is in love and partying less around Charleston
Following BravoCon, Shep course corrected the wind in his sails, charting a course for Costa Rica. Here, Shep participated in an ayahuasca retreat. He described his time spent here as “revelatory. Everything opened up,” Shep recalled, praising this psychedelic plant.
When Shep returned to film for Season 10 of Southern Charm, he revealed that he was fresh off his “spiritual journey” in Costa Rica. He was ready to rebuild his friendships. Naturally, certain friends and his ex side-eyed him because of his history.
Craig Conover noted that Shep could have destroyed his image solely based on his problematic, drunken admissions at BravoCon. Our boy Shep agreed. Hence, the new and improved (and likely heavily PR-trained) version of this man we are getting in Season 10.
Now, Shep is partying less. His scenes read more like proverbs than problems. He wants his friends to win, and he wants to strengthen his bonds within this cast.
But Shep loves Sienna Evans. Or I guess I should say loved, as they are now broken apart. But as Season 10 airs, we are learning about his then-leading lady who resides in the Bahamas.
We are finally seeing Shep turning into a smitten man. For the first time, he can envision himself married with children, making his Season 10 presence a far cry from his Seasons 1-9 showings, where his classist tendencies and womanizing ways first aired. Please keep swimming upstream, Shep, because you are growing on fans this season.
When damaging rumors swirled regarding JT Thomas, Shep Rose did not engage
JT Thomas is an interesting fellow. He is friends with many cast members on Southern Charm. Yet, JT has only been on this series for two seasons, and in both seasons, he seems like an underdog (of sorts) with the males in his cast.
But his heart and his intentions are mostly good. So when Craig accused JT of calling Patricia Altschul a b*tch, Shep (and others, thankfully) sprung up in his defense. JT has never used this word, and we do not think he would start using it with a woman like Ms. Pat, is what they proclaimed, and Shep agreed. Unfortunately, JT still quit filming for this series midway through Season 10.
Shep was recently asked for further intel on JT. The manners in which Shep spoke about his deflated costar were touching, showing that Shep has grown as a man. Shep acknowledged that JT made the right choice in stepping away from filming. Smartly, Shep also stressed that they are not doing important work on this series, so JT prioritizing his mental health was the right call.
Watching Shep handle delicate issues with grace and maturity has been a night-and-day experience for loyal fans of this series, such as myself. Hopefully, Shep will continue down this path for all further seasons.
The support Shep Rose lends to Molly O’Connell is endearing
Molly O’Connell is my new favorite star on Southen Charm. This down-to-earth newbie is a doppelganger of Jennifer Lawrence in so many ways. Her scenes always leave me wanting more, and it looks like Shep feels the same.
In one scene, Shep is driving around Charleston. He spots Molly in a park, walking a shelter dog like a precious human. Shep honks at Molly and then pulls into a parking spot so they can chat.
After Shep parked, he hugged Molly before greeting her adoptable furry friend, who jumped on him immediately, like a good boy. Not realizing who she was at first, Shep tells Molly that she looked like “a babe” walking around. Molly sarcastically replied, “Oh, yeah,” as a beaming Shep notes, “That probably happens all the time” for you.
Molly needed to hear kind words, especially after Whitney Sudler-Smith fat-shammed her while she was enjoying a harmless cupcake. So thank you, Shep, for being a true Southern gentleman this season. Further proving this point, Shep encouraged Molly to give herself some credit, as she IS a babe.
Molly then revealed that she was playing her miniature tuba in the Charleston Concert Band. This announcement is where I died. I also play the tuba and speak fluent sarcasm. Call me, Molly.
He asks Molly if he can attend her concert, and she answers yes. The entire time Molly plays, Shep watches from his seat through kind, proud eyes.
Hear me out. Molly admitted that Shep is her type. And Shep appears equally impressed with Molly. Either way, Season 10 Shep remains improving.
Southern Charm is streaming on Peacock.
TELL US – IS SHEP ALSO GROWING ON YOU THIS SEASON? WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE SHEP SCENE THUS FAR?