Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Sweet Magnolias’ Season 2 On Netflix, The Second Season of the Sugar-Coated Southern Drama

The first season of Sweet Magnolias left us on a bit of a cliffhanger, leaving viewers to wonder about the fate of some of the show’s most beloved characters. The second season, now streaming on Netflix, picks up immediately after the events of the first season finale, and doesn’t skip on the drama. Some light spoilers for the new installment of Sweet Magnolias are ahead, so read at your own discretion! We’re here to tell you if it’s worth adding the new season of this sugar-coated Southern drama to your queue. 

SWEET MAGNOLIAS: SEASON 2: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: An ambulance speeds towards a hospital.

The Gist: Things are anything but serene in Serenity, South Carolina. At least right now. The second season of Sweet Magnolias picks up exactly where the first installment left off; there’s been a potentially fatal car accident on prom night, and all the parents wait anxiously in the hospital lobby for any kind of news. We soon learn the identity of the kids in the car accident; Kyle (Logan Allen) and Nellie (Simone Lockhart). Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) and her estranged husband Bill (Chris Klein) try their best to keep it together as they wait for news about Kyle, and question their other son Ty (Carson Rowland) about the events that led up to the accident. Annie (Anneliese Judge) and Jackson (Sam Ashby) also try to explain, but it isn’t long before the mayor and his wife Mary Vaughn Lewis (Allison Gabriel), Nellie’s parents, show up and begin ripping into everyone. The night is only made more dramatic when Jackson and Ty get in a fight and Ty breaks his arm, ruining his chances to go to state. Despite all this chaos, we learn that Nellie’s a bit banged up but will be ok, while Kyle will have to spend a bit more time in the hospital to heal up.

While the town of Serenity reels in the face of these events, Maddie, Helen (Heather Headley), and Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott) show up for one another, trying to stay supportive during this troubling time. Each of the women is also struggling with their own issues, however; Maddie is still working things out with hunky coach Cal (Justin Bruening), Helen has a big secret she can’t keep much longer, and Dana Sue can’t stop wondering what might have happened if Annie had been in the car (all while stuck in a strange love triangle of sorts). The teens also have some of their own healing to do, and with some game-changing revelations likely to be revealed in the future, this is only the beginning of the drama to come on this season of Sweet Magnolias.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Virgin River, Hart of Dixie, This Is Us, and Firefly Lane.

Our Take: I get Sweet Magnolias. I understand that it is totally the jam for some people, and that this kind of thing can remind you of the magic of friendship and community and all that. I just also think it’s totally predictable and laden with cliches, unable to find its footing as it thickly lays on all of the saccharine storylines it can possibly manage. Perhaps with a different soundtrack or some better dialogue, it might be elevated a level or two and become more watchable, enjoyable cheese, but as is, Sweet Magnolias leaves you wondering why the stakes aren’t just a liiiittle higher. Most of the performances present as though they’re auditioning for the next small town Hallmark Christmas movie, and in their defense, that’s kind of the tone of this whole thing. When there’s this little chemistry and so much stilted dialogue, however, it’s hard to root for many of these characters to succeed on their respective journeys. I couldn’t care less about who ends up with who because there appears to be no spark present. There’s definitely something to be said for low-stakes, warm and fuzzy television, but without some kind of juicy, engaging story at the center, how are we supposed to get invested?

Sex and Skin: None.

Parting Shot: Maddie reacts with shock as Helen drops a bomb on her.

Sleeper Star: Heather Headley basically carries this entire show on her back. Whether she’s acting as a calming presence in the face of chaos or showing up to soothe a friend with lemon bars, she brings a natural, grounded energy to each of her scenes, especially given that her character is carrying a heavier load than she lets on. There are secrets in her heart, and Headley’s Helen moves through the world as if trying to conceal them with everything she has. I was moved as she spoke with her mother on the phone, effortlessly transitioning from a tense moment at work to a woman who simply misses her mom. A lot of the performances on Sweet Magnolia may be cheesy, but Headley does some truly special work.

Most Pilot-y Line: Oh, boy, is Sweet Magnolias full of ’em, from “pretty sure this isn’t the time or the place!” to “let’s all just simmer dooown!” Dialogue isn’t really the show’s strong suit.

Our Call: SKIP IT. While this kind of thing obviously has an audience, Sweet Magnolias unfortunately plays like a soapy, overlong Hallmark movie, failing to create emotional stakes that feel intense or honest enough to make us care about what’s going on.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.