Netflix renews metro Atlanta-shot ‘Sweet Magnolias’ for a third season
While Netflix recently has been canceling shows left and right, feel-good drama “Sweet Magnolias” managed to evade the ax and just received a third season.
The series, shot in metro Atlanta largely around Covington, is set in a small South Carolina town called Serenity.
Based on Sherryl Woods’ series of novels, “Sweet Magnolias” follows three thirtysomething lifelong best friends Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott) and Helen (Heather Headley) as they juggle relationships, family and careers.
>> RELATED: My 2020 story on why ‘Sweet Magnolias’ became a breakout hit
The show returned for its second season in early February and was one of the top 10 streaming original series the entire month, according to Nielsen.
[Spoilers ahead}: The series ended season two with Maddie, Helen and Dana Sue mourning the death of Miss Frances (Cindy Karr). At the funeral, Ryan (Michael Shenefelt) shocks Helen (who’s now in a relationship with Erik, played by Dion Johnstone) with a marriage proposal. Maddie finds out her ex-husband Bill (Chris Klein) is the biological dad of Isaac (Chris Medlin) while also learning about the dark past of her love interest Cal (Justin Bruening).
Netflix recently ended four seasons of “Ozark,” which was shot largely in metro Atlanta, and two seasons of “Raising Dion,” which was also produced in the area but was canceled last month.
About the Author
Rodney Ho writes about entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution including TV, radio, film, comedy and all things in between. A native New Yorker, he has covered education at The Virginian-Pilot, small business for The Wall Street Journal and a host of beats at the AJC over 20-plus years. He loves tennis, pop culture & seeing live events.
