Netflix viewers received long-awaited good news on Thursday when the streaming service announced it was renewing the hit series Sweet Magnolias for a fourth season.
The drama, which is based on Sherryl Woods’ hit novel series, released its entire third season on July 20, but in an unusual move, news of the series’ future fate was postponed.
That pause, according to the WGA strike, was due to the WGA’s since-ended strike and the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike Deadline.
However, the streamer had reportedly always planned to renew the series due to strong ratings on the service.
In addition to the trio of actresses leading the show – JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Brooke Elliott and Heather Headley – the show also features Chris Klein and Jamie Lynn Spears, who was eliminated from Dancing With The Stars earlier this month.
More to come! Netflix viewers got some long-awaited good news on Thursday when the streaming service announced it would be renewing the hit series Sweet Magnolias for a fourth season (photo L-R: Brooke Elliott, Heather Headley and JoAnna Garcia Swisher)
No rush: The renewal was postponed after the show’s third season premiere in July due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, but Netflix always planned to bring it back, according to Deadline
According to Netflix’s official logline, Sweet Magnolias “follows lifelong best friends Maddie (Swisher), Dana Sue (Elliott) and Helen (Headley) as they juggle relationships, family and careers in the charming town of Serenity, South Carolina.”
Other members of the ensemble cast include Logan Allen, Justin Bruening, Dion Johnstone, Anneliese Judge, Chris Medlin, Brandon Quinn and Carson Rowland.
Fans had been concerned about the fate of Sweet Magnolias due to Netflix’s unusually long wait to announce a renewal.
Some viewers worried that the show may have run its course after the season three finale had a happier ending with different storylines.
In contrast, the series’ first two seasons both ended with cliffhangers that left viewers wanting more until the series returned.
According to Deadline, Sweet Magnolias has a large female audience, which is why its continued existence was never in doubt among Netflix executives.
Although Netflix releases little viewership data — making it difficult to independently verify its claims about how many people watch its shows and movies — Sweet Magnolias was in the streamer’s Global Top 10 section for an impressive ten weeks, spanning more than 60 weeks . countries, with the successful third season even debuting at the top of the list.
Series creator Sheryl J. Anderson is capitalizing on her success with the show and she will return as showrunner for season four.
On-screen talent: In addition to stars JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Brooke Elliott and Heather Headley, the show also features Jamie Lynn Spears (center left) and Chris Klein (center right)
It’s Complicated: According to Netflix’s logline, Sweet Magnolias follows “lifelong best friends Maddie (Swisher), Dana Sue (Elliott) and Helen (Headley) as they juggle relationships, family and careers in the charming town of Serenity, South Carolina’ ; Swisher pictured with Justin Bruening
Wrapped up? Some viewers were concerned that Sweet Magnolias was canceled due to the long wait for an announcement and the cliffhanger-free season finale; Swisher and Headley (R) pictured
She also co-produces with Dan Paulson and original novelist Sherryl Woods.
Sweet Magnolias is one of the shows in Netflix’s “comfort” lineup, a group of low-stakes scripts that trade quality for ease of binging and appeal to a broad audience.
Accordingly, the soap opera has been largely ignored by television’s most prestigious critics.
Other recently renewed “comfort” shows for Netflix include The Lincoln Lawyer, Virgin River and Ginny & Georgia, which scored a two-season renewal.