Entertainment
‘Sweet Magnolias’ Just Set Up 7 Unexpected Season 6 Mysteries
Spoiler Alert: This list contains spoilers for Sweet Magnolias Season 5.With 744 million hours of viewership under its belt, Sweet Magnolias is one of Netflix’s sweetest successes. While the streaming giant has established itself as a leader in genres like sci-fi and fantasy, Sweet Magnolias is subtly proving that Netflix can create some truly captivating emotional dramas. Fans eagerly waited for Season 5 to come out this year, and now that it has, some juicy Season 6 mysteries have been teased.
Season 5 starts off with a fun Sex and the City vibe as Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) begins her new role in New York. There is a fun scene where a group of women sitting at a table with cosmopolitans acknowledge the three Magnolias, who slyly nod and note that they prefer margaritas. However, Maddie’s venture outside of Serenity is short-lived, and her tenure in NYC lasts less than one episode. No one is really surprised by this writing choice, as the series is inseparable from the quaint, idealistic hometown where no one is a stranger and everyone is given a second chance.
With the Magnolias united again, Season 5 goes on to deliver some interesting twists and turns. Throughout it all, the three lifelong friends of Maddie, Helen (Heather Headley), and Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott) continue to love and support each other through life’s unexpected ups and downs. Though Season 5 played it safer than earlier seasons, there was still plenty of drama in Sweet Magnolias this year.
How Will Ty’s Storyline Be Resolved?
One notable absence from Season 5 is Maddie’s oldest son, Tyler “Ty” (Carson Rowland). While Season 4 ended with Ty going off on a European music tour, audiences were hopeful that he would return, at least periodically, in Season 5. Ty and Dana Sue’s daughter, Annie (Anneliese Judge), had finally gotten together romantically in Season 4, and it felt all too bittersweet and short-lived.
When Rowland decided to leave the show to pursue other opportunities, it created a plateau for the character. While his absence was addressed in Season 5, it wasn’t dealt with. It will be interesting to see what the final conclusion for his character’s journey will be and whether it takes place on screen or not. As the rest of Sweet Magnolia‘s next generation prepare to take flight to pursue their dreams, viewers wonder who will stay outside of Serenity, like Ty, and who will land back home.
Can Ronnie and Dana Sue Ever Break the Pattern?
Ronnie (Brandon Quinn) and Dana Sue’s marriage has had its share of struggles, and just when everything seemed to be on track, old problems resurface like ghosts of unhappiness past and haunt them once again. Ronnie suffers from a major case of insecurity, and Dana Sue tends to shut down when she gets upset, and this pattern wreaks havoc on their marriage. In Season 5, Donnie is desperate to prove himself and pushes his family away by working long hours at the Bike Barn, his new business venture. Dana Sue builds resentment like a brick wall and either leaves or goes silent and refuses to talk to him, so their weak attempts at reconciliation go nowhere.
Sadly, this is a dance viewers have watched the couple do in previous seasons. Frustrated, Dana Sue asks Donnie why he can’t ever learn. Audiences are left wondering the same thing and if the couple will finally break the vicious cycle in their relationship. When Dana Sue reaches out to Donnie’s tumultuous sister, Kathy (Wynn Everett), rather than talk to her husband, it is a big clue that things are not going the way they should. Fans will have to wait until Season 6 to see if their marriage can be saved.
What Will Dana Sue and Clark Bellson’s Relationship Be in Season 6?
Right at the time when Donnie and Dana Sue start to have relationship problems, a blast from her past waltzes back into her life. John Gabriel Rodriquez joins the cast this season as Clark Bellson, Dana Sue’s childhood rival. As Dana Sue has conversations with Clark about the Magnolias renting from him to launch their new creative endeavor, Common Language, it becomes clear that Clark feels more than admiration for Dana Sue.
Having Clark Bellson enter the picture at this point in the timeline creates an interesting dynamic for Dana Sue. She feels overlooked by Donnie, who is self-absorbed in his own career goals, but Clark seems to take notice and appreciate Dana Sue for who she is, both now and before. It is clear that Dana Sue will have to make a choice, which adds a lot of tension for Season 6.
What Does the Future Hold for Erik and Helen?
The arduous courtship of Helen and Erik (Dion Johnstone) has been one of the most dramatic and rewarding of the entire series. Both of them have suffered loss and tragedy, and both of them have loved and poured into everyone around them endlessly. Seeing two characters that mean so much to everyone else finally find happiness is sublime, and their wedding is a joyous occasion that Season 5 gifts to its loyal viewers.
As Helen and Erik come together as a family, audiences get some insight as to why Erik tends to be guarded. Needless to say, this trait and some Whitley family turmoil give Helen several challenges to navigate through as she tries to plan their wedding. Luckily, it all ends well, and the couple emerges stronger than ever. As Erik and Helen finally dance together as a newlywed couple at their reception, Helen notices all the young people she and Erik have mentored. She suggests to Erik that having “children of the heart” could include fostering teenagers. This would be an excellent extension of their lives and would provide the series with unlimited opportunities for some intriguing and impactful storylines.
Will Annie and Noah Stay Together?
After Ty’s departure and absenteeism, Annie decides she has had enough and ends things with him. This leaves Annie free to pursue her passions, and two unexpected ones come in the form of Blake (Austin Woods) and Noah (Aidan Merwarth). While Blake is an outgoing and adventurous employee of the Bike Barn, Noah is an insightful and introspective cartographer. As both young men are interested in Annie, the Mini Magnolias (and viewers) get some time to decide whether they are on Team Blake or Team Noah. Annie ultimately decides that while dating Blake was fun for the summer, she wants something deeper and more connected with Noah.
As Annie and Noah spend time together, the big question becomes, will they stay together in Season 6? Annie is about to go off to college, and Noah is doing a summer internship in Serenity. Annie has been through so much throughout the tenure of Sweet Magnolias, from her parents’ separation and her home burning down to bullying at school and Ty breaking her heart. It would be nice to see her have a win in a relationship. Noah seems more suited to her and would make an ideal love interest. While Ty was headstrong and more focused on his own dreams and goals, Noah looked for opportunities to connect with Annie and found ways to show her that he sees and appreciates her.
Will Jessica Become a Permanent Member of the Mini Magnolias?
A fantastic addition to the cast this year was Iman Benson as Erik’s niece Jessica. Jessica provided the insight needed when Helen and Erik were failing to move past their conflict, and she fit in perfectly with the Mini Magnolias. With such great on-screen chemistry with all the characters, it would be superb to see Benson return as a permanent member of the cast.
Since Rowland has left the series, it feels like a hole has been left in the next-gen Magnolias, and Jessica could be the perfect choice to make the series feel complete again. Her presence would give Helen and Erik a constant and tangible investment in the young people’s group and be a terrific choice for all of their storylines. Jessica and Annie struck up a friendship during Season 5, and it would be rewarding to see them have each other as comrades to do life with.
Who Is Peggy’s Lost Love?
As the women walk around Savannah on a ghost tour for Helen’s bachelorette party, Peggy (Brittany L. Smith) mentions that she is haunted by a lost love. When the Magnolias try to ask who it is, she doesn’t reveal her beau. Peggy is another character who has had her fair share of sadness and betrayal. It has been very satisfying to see Peggy succeed professionally and become Serenity’s mayor, and adding a love interest to her story would be the icing on the cake.
Sweet Magnolias excels in the blast from the past department, and Peggy’s long-lost romance would be perfect for Season 6. There are so many opportunities to discover who it could be and whether she gets a chance to reconnect with them. Although Season 6 has yet to be confirmed, Sweet Magnolias continues to be a small-screen darling, playing to its strengths and delivering familiar atmosphere with new mysteries.
Sweet Magnolias
- Release Date
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May 19, 2020
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Sheryl J. Anderson
- Directors
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Norman Buckley, Mary Lou Belli, Lauren Petzke, Christine Swanson, Kelli Williams, Laura Nisbet Peters, Mykelti Williamson, Yangzom Brauen, Joy T. Lane, JoAnna García Swisher
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Brooke Elliott
Dana Sue Sullivan
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JoAnna García Swisher
Maddie Townsend
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