Picture: Netflix
After nearly two years, Sweet Magnolias finally returned for its fourth season, and while it’s been a bit of a wait, Netflix has officially confirmed the show will be returning for a fifth season. No word on if it will be the final, however. Here’s what you can expect from season 5, how well season 4 performed, and everything else revealed thus far.
Headlined by JoAnna García Swisher, Brooke Elliott, and Heather Headley, these three women form the core of the Magnolias, navigating life in the Southern town of Serenity. The series has been captivating audiences since its debut in May 2020. It’s safe to say that season 4 has been the most eventful so far. This season features a time jump and plenty of festive moments, taking viewers through to Christmas, complete with a surprise Halloween wedding. The town also faces a major challenge in the form of a significant storm that affects the entire community.
Has Netflix Renewed Sweet Magnolias for a Season 5?
Official Netflix Renewal Status: Renewed
Based on the first two weeks of viewing figures (more on that below), we felt relatively happy that the show would return, even though viewership continues declining season over season.
Ahead of the official renewal, we also got good news, in that a writer’s room was already underway for season 5. What does that mean? That means the series is in active development and planning to return for a fifth season. It doesn’t mean that it’s greenlit just yet, nor has any production been scheduled to begin, meaning we should still keep an eye out for its viewing figures for its renewal. This early active development is common with Virgin River, One Piece, and The Lincoln Lawyer, all being recent examples of writer’s rooms being open ahead of an official renewal.
Of course, the news came alongside a slew of other book-related announcements on April 23, 2025, that Netflix has officially renewed the series for a fifth season. On Instagram, the official show’s page wrote: “Ready for another round? SWEET MAGNOLIAS has been renewed for a fifth season! We can’t wait to show you what we’ve all been up to.”
Season 5 of Sweet Magnolias will consist of 10 episodes. Sheryl J. Anderson (Ties That Bind) returns as showrunner and executive producer, and Dan Paulson (Chesapeake Shores), whose Daniel L. Paulson Productions is producing, also returns as an executive producer. Matt Drake (Chesapeake Shores) will serve as an executive producer. Norman Buckley serves as co-executive producer.
Reacting to the renewal on social media, Sheryl Anderson wrote, “Blessed and thrilled to be going back to Serenity with some of my favorite people in the world. We will work hard but joyously to bring you another season to fill your hearts and lift your spirits. Feel free to pour it out in the meantime!”
How well did Sweet Magnolias perform on Netflix?
Season 4 of the show only appeared in the global Netflix top 10 for a total of two weeks before dropping out entirely. That’s compared to the four season 3 spent and 5 weeks season 2 spent in the top 10s.
The series has declined in viewership from season to season, but it’s holding relatively steady. For the week of February 2nd to February 9th, the show garnered 33.70 million hours watched, equivalent to 4 million views. That drop between the opening week for seasons 3 and 4 is around 13% in total (~16% drop in viewing hours, which is due to the new season being shorter in runtime). In week 2, viewing hours increased by 12% to 37.60 million hours, equivalent to 4.5 million views.
Let’s put all that into graph form to look at performance season over season (we do not have views or hours data for season 1):
As for the individual countries top 10s, Sweet Magnolias S4 in its first week was in the top 10s for 28 countries, that’s down from the 50 that featured season 3.
Per FlixPatrol, the series peaked as the fifth most popular in the world, behind The Night Agent, Apple Cider Vinegar, and even The Recruit. In its first few days, the show has entered the top 10 in over 55 countries. The United States is the show’s best performer, having been number 1 for the four days after its initial release, although it’s since dropped to number 3.
What to Expect from Sweet Magnolias Season 5 If It’s Renewed
Warning: The following section contains spoilers. Proceed with caution!
Season 4 of Sweet Magnolias may not leave viewers hanging on a cliffhanger, but it plants seeds for future storylines. The finale raises several intriguing questions about the characters’ futures—from Maddie’s exciting move to New York City and the challenges of maintaining long-distance relationships to Helen’s dream wedding plans and new romantic sparks for Isaac. Showrunner Sheryl J. Anderson hints at Season 5 possibilities to TVLine that promise to further explore the balance between personal ambitions and family responsibilities and the journeys of self-discovery for several beloved characters.
Among the plot points we suspect will be explored going into a possible fifth season include:
- Maddie’s Big Move:
- Maddie accepts a marketing position in New York City.
- Raises questions about her future in Serenity and potential time jumps exploring family dynamics.
- Speaking about the big job move and whether that means it’s the end of the Magnolias, Anderson said, “Our ladies have seen each other through bigger challenges than physical distance. When you love someone, you want what’s best for them and want to help them reach that goal. True friends celebrate each other in times of victory, embolden each other to seize their passion, and then link arms to figure out logistics.”
- Helen’s Wedding Plans:
- Helen and Erik are engaged, setting up a highly anticipated, meticulously planned wedding.
- The extravagant wedding, including a notably long dress train, reflects Helen’s signature elegance.
- Dana Sue’s New Direction and Isaac’s Love Life:
- Dana Sue embarks on a journey of self-discovery within the Serenity community.
- Her storyline will further explore personal growth and the challenges of stepping out of her comfort zone.
- Isaac finds a new love interest in Michael, an old college frenemy.
- His storyline involves coming to terms with his identity and family revelations, paving the way for a fresh start.
- Ty and Annie’s Relationship Challenges:
- The couple faces a crossroads as Annie considers deferring her dream school to join Ty on a European tour.
- This dilemma highlights the broader theme of women balancing personal dreams with family expectations.
There’s More Sweet Magnolias on Netflix While You Wait…
Picture: Netflix
If you’ve already binged through all of season 4 – there is some more Sweet Magnolias content you can enjoy right now. We are referring to Netflix Stories, Netflix’s interactive story game applications that allow you to interact and dive into the worlds of some of your favorite Netflix IPs, such as Outer Banks, Virgin River, and Emily in Paris.
Beginning on February 6th, Netflix added Sweet Magnolias to the mix, and as of the renewal update, all episodes are available. You’ll get to design your own character who is moving to the town of Serenity, having lost your job. Your summer spent in the picturesque town is made more tolerable by your relationship with three women who dub themselves Sweet Magnolias. The game encourages multiple playthroughs, given that some of the collectibles are tied to specific story paths.
Are you glad to see Sweet Magnolias come back for a fifth season? Let us know in the comments down below and we’ll have another full preview of season 5 as and when we get more information through the grapevine.
