The last train to Serenity left weeks ago, and unfortunately there will be no more. Netflix has decided to cancel Sweet Magnolias, the romantic drama set in a small town in South Carolina. There won’t be a sixth season, but if it helps, there will instead be a new TV series written by the same creator, Sheryl J. Anderson, and starring one of its three leads, JoAnna Garcia Swisher.
Netflix Cancels Sweet Magnolias: Possible Reasons and Reactions
Based on Sherryl Woods’s novels, Sweet Magnolias (or Sweet Magnolias, as in the original version) chronicled for five seasons the lives of three longtime friends – Maddie (Garcia Swisher), Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott) and Helen (Heather Headley) – in the quiet Serenity, where they run a wellness center together. Between love, divorces, children, friendship and professional difficulties, the three women faced the changes in their lives, supporting each other through the toughest moments.
The cancellation is almost certainly due to the underwhelming numbers of the most recent season, released in June: 2.8 million views in the first week of availability and 8.5 million views in the first three, down 34% from the previous cycle and 45% from the second season. In light of substantial production costs, such numbers probably did not justify further commitment from the streaming service. The news comes just a few days after the halt of another Netflix romance drama, Ransom Canyon, whose second season had shown a 43% decline.
“How do you say goodbye to something that has grown far more than just a job? Seven years. Five seasons. A million tiny moments that, somehow, turned into a whole life,” wrote Garcia Swisher on Instagram. “Sweet Magnolias entered my life during a period marked by some of my most painful losses and, at the same time, some of my greatest joys. I lost both of my parents right during the early seasons and, in a moment when I didn’t always know how to move forward, Serenity gave me a destination. These people made me feel part of something.” Anderson wrote: “Living in Serenity for five seasons was a privilege and a blessing. The people I met and worked with – our incredible writers, the cast, the crew, the directors and the producers – have touched my heart and changed my life. And our fans have been extraordinary in showing all their love for our characters. Thanks to everyone. Even though our journey has sadly come to an end, I hope Serenity will always have a place in your hearts. Please keep pouring your affection!”.
Now Comes Ladies of the House
Still for Netflix, Anderson and Garcia Swisher will now bring to life Ladies of the House, a drama series loosely inspired by Lauren Edmondson’s novel of the same title. Once again the story revolves around three women. When the charismatic owner of a wine company suddenly acts, the wife and the two adult daughters must overcome the conflicts that divide them to face the challenges tied to the business, the extended family and the men in their lives. Good friends and good wine will accompany them as they strive to save the company, but what matters most is that they find a way to stay united.
“I’m excited to embark on this new adventure with JoAnna and Netflix,” Anderson said. “When JoAnna let me read the novel, I immediately saw the foundations for a series centered on three women navigating the complexities of family, friendship and love: the kind of stories Jo and I love to tell most. I can’t wait to introduce the Richardson women and their world to Netflix’s global audience.” Garcia Swisher added: “From the moment I read Lauren Edmondson’s Ladies of the House, I fell utterly in love with Daisy, Cricket and Wallis: their relationships, their complicated lives, their strength, and, above all, their heart. I’m thrilled to continue telling meaningful stories focused on female characters with the amazing Sheryl J. Anderson and to bring this project to life through our production company Rolling Clover and with our wonderful partners at Black Label. Netflix has been my creative home for the last seven years, and I could not imagine a better place or team to tell this story.”
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