Sweet Magnolias
Sweet Magnolias Review – The Searchers (303)
Everyone is searching for something, and on Sweet Magnolias Season 3 Episode 3, as Maddie, Helen and Dana Sue were hunting for treasure at the Forager Fest, Kathy was looking to scoop Erik up and take him away from Sullivan’s.
And the worst part is that it kind of worked.
Kathy’s timing was a mix of the perfect storm as her offer coincided with Erik’s first glance at Helen and Ryan parading their love around town (that was quick!). It was painful to see, and the thought of working so closely in an establishment with his ex’s friends didn’t sound appealing, so he decided to call Kathy and hear her out in hopes of keeping his options open.
I want to scream “Erik, run!” but I know this isn’t his fault as he’s a newbie in town and has absolutely no knowledge of her backstory. And that’s how Kathy’s been sinking her teeth into her victims—by attacking the ones that don’t know her true game just yet.
Personally, I don’t care that she’s also attempting to romance Bill, but I am concerned about Erik because he’s a genuinely good guy and an amazing chef that he’d be taken advantage of in a heartbeat while he’s at his lowest point.
Hopefully, once Erik finds out who Kathy really is and has an honest conversation with Dana Sue, he’ll make the smart choice. Sullivan’s might not be ideal in terms of proximity to Helen, but it is a place with heart where the employees are also family.
Kathy explains that she wants to make Z’s a Southern destination, but I can’t see her uniting a team in the way Dana Sue does; Kathy’s strong suit is manipulation, which has absolutely no home in Serenity.
Dana Sue leads from the heart, and it’s probably why the owner decided to sell the establishment to her in the first place, apparently kickstarting this family feud. Much like Erik, we still don’t know much about Kathy’s past or the rivalry she has with Dana Sue, but we do get a little insight when she informs him that she was eyeing Sullivan’s to become her restaurant before Dana Sue took over, likely leading to the bad blood between the family members.
Unfortunately, it seems like Kathy plans on sticking around for quite some time, and I can’t wait to see how our Magnolias deal with it
I could see Kathy’s presence driving a wedge between Ronnie and Dana Sue, which would be unfortunate since things between them have been going so well. They’re going to couple’s therapy with Pastor June—the relationship whisperer, it seems–and trying to figure out each other’s love language. It’s borderline teenagers in love, but it’s cute, and they deserve it.
The Forager Fest was a fun way to shake up the character dynamics while giving us a peak at the Magnolias’ lengthy friendship. Turns out the three of them are really competitive; the guys were just sitting back and watching the show play out.
When they went to secure the fox, one of the clues in the hunt, they realized someone beat them to it and sabotaged the game, with all fingers pointing directly at Maddie, who apparently, was responsible for some mischief back in her day. However, Maddie assured them she had nothing to do with it, and once Ty mediated and everyone cooled down, they went back to competing. Eventually, it was revealed that Maddie’s mom, Paula, had the little fox the whole time, and she snuck it to Cal, who would not look good to the rest of the town if he was caught red-handed. Though, I am enjoying his sweet relationship with his number-one supporter Paula.
Cal and Maddie were forced to keep their hands off each other, which wasn’t ideal, but it did allow them to work on their list to help the community and identify the pain points that the current mayor, Trent, was overlooking. I thought the series was setting Cal up to run for mayor following the recall, but now I’m convinced that it’s going to be Maddie, who is deeply passionate about making a change and doing right by the people she loves.
And she may just get her moment as Trent declared at the end of Forager Fest that he’s resigning as Mayor. The news comes as a major shock to everyone in town, aside from Peggy, who looks all too pleased, and it honestly seems like she’s holding some blackmail over him. What does she have on him? And it makes me nervous as the Lewis’ seem vindictive, and if Trent (or Mary Vauhgn) found out about Isaac and Bill, they wouldn’t hesitate to make it public.
I hope I was misreading the situation, however.
I think Trent should definitely be challenged in the position, but I don’t think he should be forced out through manipulation tactics.
Helen and Ryan were also in their honeymoon phase, simply enjoying spending time together and basking in the promise of a future together. Something tells me that Ryan is going to recruit Ty and work with him, giving him a renewed sense of purpose as he piqued his interest in conflict resolution. Let’s just hope his comment about overseas work doesn’t spark any ideas in Ty because Maddie would never forgive that.
As for his relationship with Helen, he’s determined to prove to her that he’s a changed man who wants to stick around and create a life here. She believes him, I don’t, but I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt, so don’t let us down, Ryan.
I’m also going to go out on a limb and say that the Union Hall, where Helen shared a magical story about her parent’s love, is going to be where they have their wedding. Mark my words. The scene was all too perfect—and you could see Ryan’s wheels turning.
In the end, neither Helen, Dana Sue, or Maddie won the Forager Fest, but the prize did go to Isaac, Noreen, and Annie, who were a last-minute team-up. They not only won, but they had fun in the process, which is the most important thing. And it reminded Noreen, who has been stuck in baby land, that there is a life outside of being the mother of a newborn. It’s fantastic that she has such a great support system when Bill isn’t around to pick up the slack. Isn’t it just so telling that this man has learned absolutely nothing from his mistakes? He preached to Ty about fixing your mistakes and becoming a better man, but he’s doing the exact opposite.
Instead of being there for Bex and giving Noreen the night off, he had absolutely no care in the world as to where any of his kids were while he was attempting to woo Kathy. Get it together Bill, honestly. I might even go as far as saying that he deserves to be used by Kathy after all the pain that he’s caused, though that wouldn’t be in line with the spirit of Serenity.
What did you think of the episode? Are you excited to see what drama how things will unfold?
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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