In its 11th season, Southern Charm is back to its roots: Charleston's Peter Pans are single, sparring and somehow still impossible not to root for. At the center of it all remain OGs Craig Conover and Shep Rose and season 4 addition Austen Kroll - three men Us have watched nearly find The One in crossover romances (Craig is fresh off his split from Summer House alum Paige DeSorbo), send cringe-worthy texts to flings (Shep can now almost laugh at his viral "Good morning, Sienna" message from season 10) and even get exposed on camera for having threesomes (Austen will never live it down). The drama, Craig and Shep both say, is "real," "raw" - and still ongoing. "This, to me, feels like old school Southern Charm," Craig tells Us. "I really think everyone did a good job of opening up to the production." "Every year I'm like, 'This is one of our best.' But this is one of our best," Austen adds, calling Salley Carson the "MVP" of the season. "She came to play." Ahead of the premiere (Wednesday, November 19, at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo), members of the group speak exclusively to Us. Let's Go Back, Back to the Beginning When asked if he thought season 11 would be a possibility when Southern Charm first premiered on Bravo in 2014, producer and cast member Whitney Sudler-Smith says, "We never thought season 1 would be a possibility." "We weren't sure what we had. It was a wild time," he continues, explaining that the show went through "different incarnations" before they honed in on the idea and messaging. Southern Charm's Shep Teases Craig's Big Season After Breakup: 'Get Ready' "The integrity and core of the show, what makes us strong, is these Peter Pans, these ne'er-do-wells finding their way in love and life and work," he continues. "The guy drama - look at The Bachelor, people like to tune in to see one guy try to date 20 women - there's a bit of that morbid curiosity that never goes away." Whitney's own role on the show has evolved as he says he was never really meant to be on-camera, but is able to balance being a costar, friend and producer because the cast "knows better" than to ask for him to make edits on their behalf. "I've learned to be in the moment and also recognize what's going on and help facilitate. But at the same time, you have to be present and go along with it because it becomes disingenuous if you try to nudge," he says. "It's like a damn bursting, you've just got to let it explode and let nature take its course." Love Trapezoid? Craig, season 10 addition Salley and newcomer Charley Manley, a friend of Salley's, get tangled up fast on season 11. "It came out of nowhere," Salley tells Us about the women's shared interest in Craig. "I didn't know if she would even like any of them." Michelle Watt/Bravo Charley says she and Craig bonded over heartbreak, and it took a toll on the women's friendship. "Salley and I don't disagree or ever really get into fights," Charley tells Us. "To have this uncomfortable area of our friendship was definitely difficult." And it gets more complicated. When Austen's long-distance romance with Audrey Pratt ends, he and Salley connect. "People who watched the trailer and think that they saw the whole movie, you don't even know," Austen says. Then, Whitney tells Us, newbie Whit Slagsvol "throws a wrench in things" and also competes for the affections of the women. A love triangle, it is not. "I don't even know what the shape is called," confesses Craig, "because there's no equal sides ... and multiple corners." Life in Neverland It's hard not to wonder: Why would anyone risk heartbreak on Charleston's boys who won't grow up? "I like to think I can make somebody settle down," Charley says, even in what Salley calls "the worst town to date in." So will the guys ever give up bachelor life? Madison LeCroy - Austen's ex and an unlikely voice of reason - bets on Craig first, sort of. "These guys don't have any intention of settling down and starting a family. They low-key enjoy the thrill of these toxic relationships," she shares. "Over my dead body do I think I'll witness Shep walking down the aisle anytime soon. Craig might be the only one." Salley disagrees. After Craig's breakup with Paige, she says, "I saw a completely different side of Craig - in a bad way." Craig insists he's doing what any newly single guy would: "When there's a shift in your life, there's no playbook for it. I didn't plan on having to go out anymore in my life, but how else do you meet someone?" Asked whether he thinks the guys have earned their Peter Pan titles, Shep says, "Are you kidding? How much more evidence do you need?" Austen is hopeful but unsure of their ability to grow up: "Shep and I just had a conversation where I said, 'God, man, do you think it's gonna happen?'" The Other Love Story The bonds between Craig, Shep and Austen have outlasted any romance - and caused as much drama. "Their love language is being mean to each other," quips Madison. Michelle Watt/Bravo This season, Shep finds himse