Sweet Magnolias
Sweet Magnolias Review – Meet Me Where I Am (302)
Sweet Magnolias Season 3 Episode 2 is opening up the line of communication between the characters—and it’s so refreshing to see.
Everyone in Serenity was having honest conversations about their current relationships, and how they’ll be moving forward.
The most pressing one was obviously Helen and Erik, followed by Helen and Ryan. That poor woman had to make so many game-time decisions that would alter the course of her future, and while she didn’t know what the right call was, she had to follow her gut.
She knew that she had a good thing going with Erik, who was kind, loving, supportive, and respectful, but she couldn’t, in good faith, continue on with the relationship now that Ryan was back and eager to finally settle down.
As she told Maddie and Dana Sue, if she didn’t see this through—no matter if it eventually ends in heartbreak—it would haunt her forever.
Erik didn’t take the news all too well, as expected. He was blindsided and felt like a fool, and though it was a sad ending to a good friendship, it was essential that he prioritized himself and his mental health. Maybe somewhere down the line, the two of them can revisit the possibility of a platonic relationship, but right now, it hurts too much, and he needed to cut things off. I respect it, as I know Helen does as well since she’s all too aware of the terrible situation she put him in.
Helen didn’t just dive headfirst into a romance with Ryan either; she’s older and wiser now, so she knows that no matter how strong the feelings are if they both aren’t ready to make the commitment and sacrifice to make it work, it’s simply a waste of time for both of them.
She made it clear that work will need to be put in to make this shared dream a reality, and since Ryan has been flaky in the past, it’s a fair statement to make. Helen isn’t interested in uprooting her life for a man as she’s content with her life in Serenity. Ryan didn’t seem to scare easily, acknowledging that a lot needs to be figured out if they’re really going to make it work this time, but he’s willing to go the extra mile and put down roots and find a new job. I hope he stays true to his word because it’s all he has.
I’d say the pep talk Maddie’s mother gave him—in Ms. Frances’ place—really put things in perspective for him; he knows he’d have to face the town’s wrath if he hurt Helen again. I think Ryan is well aware that this is his last chance to make it right, but sometimes, men need things spelled out to fully understand the gravity of the situation.
We’ll see how this pans out, but hopefully, they’ll have the fairytale second chance that Dana Sue and Ronnie.
The couple has their fair share of things to work out, like boundaries, but most importantly, they need to figure out how to parent a teenage daughter. Their excitement over throwing Annie a carnival-themed party for her sweet 16 was a bit over the top. Read the room guys—it was obvious that see that she wasn’t into it. Annie has never struck me as the kind of girl who wants flashy and materialistic things, and while I appreciate her parents wanting to give her the childhood birthday of her dreams now that they can afford it, it missed the mark.
Annie didn’t know how to break it to them, but Helen’s advice was right on the money—just tell them. They love her enough to pull back and give her a celebration that acknowledges and celebrates the woman she’s grown into.
Annie and Jackson continue to be the absolute cutest. Young love is blooming. And while they have to sneak around because of the feud between families, you can tell Jackson is a level-headed kid who has so much respect for Annie and the love that they share. Hopefully, he’ll find the courage to eventually defend Annie and stand up against his mother.
Speaking of well-raised children, Kyle also delivered a passionate speech to Mary Vaughn in hopes of getting her permission to date Nellie. It was such an eloquent plea, with the teen underscoring that they are not their parents, even going as far as to ask what he needs to do to be worthy of her.
It’s embarrassing that the children can be more reasonable, while the parents, in this case, specifically, Mary Vaughn, act like children. She’s a total witch and should be embarrassed that her response to the boy was “Get away from me.” It’s actually quite shocking that Nellie and Jackson are both so mature and kind.
Someone needs to put Mary Vaughn in her place, and I’m honestly hoping that’s going to be Cal, with Maddie’s support.
Mary Vaughn sent Cal into a bit of a downward spiral—first getting him fired as Coach and then with the whole fight at Sullivan’s, so when Maddie, Dana Sue, and Helen were looking for strong candidates to put on the recall ballot, I couldn’t help but think of Cal. And that was further underscored when he was so eager to help with building the community back up, including the walking trail. No one knows this town better than Maddie, but Cal’s a natural-born leader who has what it takes to inspire people. He actually cares, and despite a hot-headed hiccup that was fodder to the gossiping town, I think people know that and see him for the good man that he is.
If Cal ran in opposition to the Lewis’, I think he’d stand a chance, and Mary Vaughn would be shocked by how well-received he’d be in what she believes to be her community. Ty is getting away from baseball, so maybe it’s time Cal found his new calling also. New beginnings, and so on.
It’s also impressive how committed to the “friends” bit Cal and Maddie are. They’re struggling to keep their hands off of each other, but they’re simultaneously strengthening their foundation and getting to know each other on a deeper level without all the distractions, which will come in handy in the future.
Then there’s the Bill of it all. The town has pretty much turned on him, but he’s still there, just popping up every once in a while to “help” parent—like helping put things in perspective for Ty after he blew up on Coach for his angry outburst. It’s funny that Ty didn’t realize he was letting his anger get the best of him to scold a man who let the anger get the best of him. They were both just trying to protect and defend Maddie. When she found out, she asked Ty to let her fight her own battles. This was yet another example of how everyone is just laying it all on the table and confronting issues head-on instead of letting them fester.
The strangest thing to me is that Bill hasn’t visited/seen/supported Noreen and Rebecca despite being in town. I know she didn’t want to be with him, but he’s still the father and should be pitching in so that she doesn’t have to rely on everyone at Sullivan’s, though they are a sweet found family.
As for Isaac, he informed Peggy that he didn’t want to Bill to know and wasn’t ready to go public with the news that he’s his birth father just yet, and I don’t blame him. He isn’t the easiest person to get along with, but it’s so sweet to see Isaac forming a bond with his birth mother as friends. Baby steps. It’s also fantastic that he has such a close relationship with Noreen and can be around to help with taking care of his baby sister!
What did you think of the episode?
Sweet Magnolias Season 3 hit Netflix on Thursday, July 20, and finally gave fans some clarity on a cliffhanger from season 2—who is Kathy?
In the final episode of season 2, a nameless woman confronted Annie and asked her if she was Dana Sue’s daughter before commenting that she looked like “something she’d spit out” right before calling her mother a “home wrecker.”
We then saw the same woman popping the tires of a Sullivan’s food truck, and once the Magnolias saw the video, they all let out a deep sigh and declared: “She’s back.”
Now, we finally have our answer.
SPOILERS AHEAD *** Stop reading if you haven’t watched the new season yet ***
Kathy (portrayed by Wynn Everett) blows into town like a hurricane, setting her sights on destroying Dana Sue and her brother, Ronnie. There’s plenty of animosity between the siblings as audiences learn that Kathy still holds plenty of resentment for the fact that Dana Sue and Ronnie got Sullivan’s instead of her; she believes they “stole” it from her.
And naturally, she wants revenge, even after all these years. She sets her sights on Erik, propositioning him to join her restaurant, Z’s, where she’s an assistant manager. She attempts to poach him from Dana Sue’s business so that he can help elevate the place and make it a Southern destination, clearly hoping to put Sullivan’s out of business.
Erik is in a low place after his split from Helen, so he takes some time away from Sullivan’s and agrees to work with Kathy without knowing the backstory of her feud with Dana Sue.
Kathy also sinks her claws into Bill, whom she meets at the restaurant while he’s dining alone and who has no idea who she is. They seem to be kindred spirits in the fact that they’ve hurt a lot of people and don’t have anyone to turn to—they are lonely, and it’s a situation of their own making.
In later episodes, Kathy crashes Annie’s sweet 16 party to hurl nasty comments at everyone, including Maddie and Helen. It’s unhinged behavior and a clear indication that she hasn’t found peace or moved on with her life, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
When Erik turns in his resignation letter—after learning that she’s related to Ronnie and hired him out of spite, something he feels very guilty about—she retaliates by trashing Sullivan’s kitchen. It’s clear she wants attention from her estranged brother, and when he meets her to talk, she promises that she won’t leave town until she gets what she’s owed.
Ronnie determines that it’s a hefty check, later informing Dana Sue that Kathy only understands money.
Kathy decides that it’s a sufficient payout to leave town, but Bill’s pretty disappointed with the news, informing her that running away isn’t the answer and it isn’t going to fix all the pain she’s caused—and he’s someone who would know a thing or two about hurting people in Serenity.
In a surprising twist, Kathy and Bill show up at Dana Sue and Ronnie’s vow renewal with a thoughtful gift in hand—she hands her brother a vintage tea set that belonged to their mother because she understands what it feels like not to “get what you want.”
She then apologizes to everyone she’s crossed paths with, while Dana Sue shows plenty of grace, informing her that she wishes they could’ve been friends all these years.
Kathy and Bill then leave town “for a bit” to find themselves and get back on the right track.
It’s unclear if we’ll see this random couple in the future if/when Netflix decides to renew Sweet Magnolias for the fourth season, but if so, hopefully, they’ve made good on their promise to “do better.”
You can read all of our Sweet Magnolias Season 3 reviews right here!
Sweet Magnolias just dropped its third season on Netflix with 10 exciting episodes taking fans back to the town of Serenity alongside Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), Helen (Heather Headley), and Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott).
SPOILERS AHEAD *** Stop reading if you haven’t watched the new season yet *** SPOILERS AHEAD
While the third season ended on an uplifting note that would suffice as a series finale, fans absolutely don’t want the story to end as they are heavily invested in all of the friendships and relationships that have formed over the course of three seasons.
And thus, the question on everyone’s mind remains—will there be a fourth season of Sweet Magnolias?
As of writing, Netflix has not renewed the series for a fourth season, or any additional seasons, however, that doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t. Previously, the streaming giant waited a few months after the arrival of a new season to give a renewal verdict.
Season 2 was confirmed two months after the first season was released, while Season 3 was three months after the second season aired.
The gap likely gives Netflix enough time to gauge audience interest and assess how well the previous season performed.
This time around, it’s possible that Netflix won’t be issuing any renewal news during the current writer’s and actor’s strikes, which don’t seem to have an end in sight.
Things in the TV world, both streaming and primetime, have come to a bit of a standstill amid contract negotiations between studios and the unions representing writers and actors.
And that all means we may have to wait a little longer to find out if and when we’ll be able to spend some more time with our favorite residents in Serenity.
There’s definitely an interest in feel-good, Hallmark-esque shows on Netflix, however, which is a good sign that Sweet Magnolias may stick around for at least one more season so we can find out if Helen and Erik will give their love another try, whether Isaac will tell Noreen about Bill (and confront Bill about being his son), and get more insight about the future mayoral candidates of Serenity—while also getting justice for the town that was mistreated and taken advantage of by the Lewis family!
You can read all of our Sweet Magnolias Season 3 reviews right here! And we’ll update this post accordingly if we hear any news about the fourth season!
Let’s pour it out for Dana Sue and Ronnie… and the three leading ladies of Serenity.
Sweet Magnolias Season 3—through all of its bumps and hiccups—continued to be a love story not only between three best friends, but between them and their significant others, their significant others with each other, and their found families within the community.
It’s a love story for Serenity, highlighting everyone’s dedication and commitment to the charming small town.
Much of the season finale, Sweet Magnolias Season 3 Episode 10, was focused on Ronnie and Dana Sue’s wedding, one that was picture-perfect and the epitome of love and renewed beginnings.
Dana Sue and Ronnie recommitted to each other in front of the whole town, with their loved ones by their side—and may I say, everyone seriously dressed to impress. The wardrobe team really outdid themselves as all of the Magnolias rocked dresses that complimented them, their personalities, and their personal styles. And I dare say that Maddie stole the show in that baby blue dress!
One of the season’s overarching storylines came to an end, a positive one at that. Kathy showed up at the reception, as expected, with Bill in tow, announcing their relationship of sorts to the public, but instead of bringing pain and destruction, she offered an apology and gave her brother their mother’s tea set as a peace offering. Everyone seemed rather surprised that this change of heart was brought upon by Bill, though, in his defense, he did tell Maddie he was going to do better.
And this is his start. He’s trying to turn his life around and find meaning in his life while finding his place amid a family that he’s hurt and that has moved on all while he’s been trying to hold on. It’s not doing anyone any favors that he’s just there, randomly popping in, so he has to figure things out for himself before he can be there for others. Bill’s been quite the pain, but at least he’s aware—that’s all we can ask. He’s putting in an effort to make this second half of his life as a father be a little more intentional and meaningful.
His relationship with Kathy may have been surprising to everyone, and vengeful on her part at the beginning, but in a way, they are good for each other—two villains trying to claw their way back to the top and find peace and love.
There were many unspoken, off-screen moments that we didn’t get to see that I feel would’ve made the storyline stronger. Why didn’t we get to see Bill finding out who Kathy is? Are we to assume he wasn’t phased by it at all.
Dana Sue and Ronnie deserve this second chance, and I’m glad it wasn’t tainted by Kathy’s antics yet again. She’s done enough damage, and for nothing, when they all could’ve simply been a family. You could tell it meant a lot to Ronnie that his sister finally acknowledged that she was the problem.
Dana Sue and Erik also figured things out prior to the vow renewal, which meant that she had her kitchen team back together and someone to make a scrumptious cake. All’s right in the world.
It seems that in Serenity, it’s all about moving forward with grace, love, and forgiveness—and this season taught us that simply being there for people and giving them the space to accept to reach out for help when they are ready is essential. It’s an important reminder to everyone who always wants to leap into action and fix things.
Dana Sue didn’t hound Erik, ultimately letting him come to her when he was ready.
Helen and Erik also cleared the air, starting over fresh as friends, though there’s so much unspoken love and longing between them. I truly believe that their biggest obstacle was always timing… and Ryan. Helen couldn’t fully give herself over to Erik and envision a future with him because she didn’t close the chapter on Ryan; she was still holding onto that hope for their fairytale ending. But now that she’s gotten closure and Ryan is officially out of the picture, it’s clear that she and Erik are like two magnets pulling towards each other; it’s inevitable, especially after Helen caught the bouquet and they locked eyes across the space. Though this time, I hope they take their time and honor each other’s feelings, first and foremost.
Genevieve, who?
It didn’t help that she didn’t attend the event, telling Erik that she works with the Magnolias and doesn’t feel ready to party with them, which is fair. I fully expect things to get messy in the Erik, Helen, Genevieve love triangle next season, and I’m ready to see these two women fight it out for him. May the best woman win.
Maddie and Cal remained unproblematic this season, and they couldn’t be more in love, constantly supporting each other at every turn. It’s just nice to see her finally find a man that treats her the way she deserves to be treated as we know that was never Bill’s strong suit. Even now, she’s doing much of the heavy lifting when it comes to parenting, with Cal subbing in when necessary. Maybe next season, we’ll get to attend their wedding!
Also finding love again—Noreen and Jeremy! The way my heart melted when he was just walking around with Rebecca as if she was his own daughter. He’s a keeper! After everything Bill put her through, Noreen deserves a good man who will step up to the plate. Look at Maddie and Noreen, both finding good men after Bill.
And in the spirit of love, Ty is head over heels in love with Annie. He’s surrounded by CeCe and his new tutor friend, and yet he only has eyes for her. I think he’s slowly coming to the realization, but since Annie is nursing a broken heart, it’s not exactly the right time.
Annie broke up with Jackson, and though it hurt like hell, she realized she deserved so much better than to have to lie to all her loved ones to be with him. She needed him to grow up and stand up to his mother, and he was too scared, and it took a toll on their relationship. Jackson was admittedly shocked, but I don’t think anything hurt more than Annie turning around and running straight into Ty’s arms for comfort. It’s clear that her heart is also with her childhood best friend, even if she’s not entirely aware of it right now.
Love was definitely the theme of the episode as Peggy showed up with Charles, her journalist friend helping her dig up dirt and evidence against the Lewis’, which sadly wasn’t revisited much this season (I know, I know, they’re building a case), while Pastor June brought her date from bingo, and Paula came with her good friend and the man who continuously commissions her work, Jimmy. Or should I say, recently divorced Jimmy who planted one heck of a smooch on her at Sullivan’s and then basically asked her to move in with him into his new house—under the guise of commissioning her to paint. Listen, Paula, get it girl. Isaac’s face was a mirror reflection of mine, but as Maddie noted, she deserves to find joy, and if it means letting her mother fly free, so be it.
As for Peggy, Helen was adamant that she needs to run for office, even offering to run her campaign for her. And to that I say, Team Peggy and Helen has my vote!
It’s exciting to see everyone getting invigorated and involved, trying to do what’s best for the town and the people living in it.
Another storyline that wasn’t addressed was Isaac and Bill, though, after a heart-to-heart with Paula about lies, Isaac decided that he wanted to tell Noreen the truth about his birth father. It’s going to be quite a bombshell, but I don’t think anything can shake their friendship—if anything, it will bring them closer together.
Annie seems to have found her “sisters”—the friends for life she wished for—in CeCe and Lily, who is also putting the moves on Kyle. I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing some episodes focus heavier on the teen Magnolias… yep, that’s what I’m calling them.
Other Moments
- Bailey is truly one of the best supporting characters!
- Erik and Helen have a lot in common including blaming and being hard on themselves and running away from their problems.
- Wayne is home—and Skeeter and his men were there to greet him and lend a helping hand. I love the small scenes depicting the true realities of small towns.
- I hope Maddie decides to publish her novel even though she said she’s just doing it for fun.
- And you know the Magnolias treasured being by each others’ side during the wedidng so much more after their big fight. They won’t ever take their friendship for granted again!
This wasn’t my favorite season of Sweet Magnolias, but it did have a sweet ending that gave us potential for new, and old, relationships, while also showcasing plenty of character growth for everyone, including Serenity’s least-liked residents.
Whenever we finally get another season, I hope that we’ll explore Erik and Helen’s rekindled spark, Isaac telling Noreen and finally confronting Bill, and all the drama with the Lewis’.
What did you think of the season? Did you enjoy the finale?
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