Sweet Magnolias Season 4: Everything We Know So Far

JoAnna Swisher has teased “Season 4 might be the best yet!” and confirmed she’ll be in the director’s chair this season. Sweet Magnolias is set to return for a fourth season in 2025. Filming recently wrapped, and the series is now in post-production. Here’s our updated guide to everything we know about Season 4 of Sweet Magnolias as of July 2024.

Since its debut in May 2020, Sweet Magnolias has become one of Netflix’s most beloved dramas, alongside the likes of Virgin River and Ginny & Georgia. Based on the book series by Sherryl Woods, the show is developed by Sheryl J. Anderson and stars JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Brooke Elliott, and Heather Headley. The third season, consisting of ten episodes, premiered on Netflix globally on July 20, 2023. Now, let’s dive into everything we know about Season 4!

When Was Sweet Magnolias Renewed for Season 4?

Just under three months after the third season premiered, Netflix confirmed the renewal of Sweet Magnolias for Season 4 on October 19, 2023. Sheryl J. Anderson will return as showrunner and executive producer. Celebrating the renewal on X, Anderson said:

“Thrilled we’re returning to Serenity and looking forward to our SAG siblings getting the deal they richly deserve so we can celebrate with them!”

Dan Paulson (Chesapeake Shores) will also return as an executive producer. Season 4 will consist of ten episodes, each about 50 minutes long. While it’s unclear if this will be the final season, it is not expected to be.

JoAnna Garcia Swisher shared a video on Instagram expressing:

“Oh, how good it feels to share this! And to finally say THANK YOU for making this show what it is. The support from each and every one of you at home (all over the world!) gives us the chance to keep telling a story that means so much to us. Season 4 is officially in the works, and buckle up… it’s going to be a big one!”

Anneliese Judge also reacted to the renewal, saying:

“A little over a dozen Netflix original series have streamed for more than three seasons. The numerous ways you all supported our show, writers, and actors during the strike is incredibly humbling. All I can say is thank you, thank you for loving our show. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do what I love…with these people I love…for another season.”

There were concerns about a renewal due to a decline in viewership from season 2 to season 3. However, the WGA page for Sweet Magnolias suggested that season 4 might have been in early development before the writer’s strike from May to September 2023. Sheryl J. Anderson shared photos of the Sweet Magnolias writing team on the picket line during the strike.

How Well Did Sweet Magnolias Season 3 Perform on Netflix?

The criteria for a season renewal at Netflix are not transparent, but some success indicators are available. According to Netflix’s announcement:

“Across its three seasons, Sweet Magnolias has been in the Global Top 10 for 10 weeks in over 60 countries. Season 3 premiered on Netflix on July 20, 2023, and debuted at #1.”

Additional insights from PlumResearch offer a deeper look at the metrics leading to the season 4 renewal. Here’s more about the viewership:

Official Netflix Top 10s for Sweet Magnolias Season 3

Netflix releases viewership stats for their top titles every Tuesday evening. Sweet Magnolias season 3 appeared in the global Netflix top 10s for four weeks, accumulating 126.40 million hours of viewership from July 16 to August 13 before dropping out of the rankings. This contrasts with the five weeks that season 2 stayed in the top 10s. Here’s a comparison of weekly viewership hours between the two seasons:

Week 1: Season 2 – 43,000,000 | Season 3 – 39,500,000
Week 2: Season 2 – 58,150,000 (+35%) | Season 3 – 45,900,000 (+16%)
Week 3: Season 2 – 29,760,000 (-49%) | Season 3 – 24,800,000 (-46%)
Week 4: Season 2 – 18,610,000 (-37%) | Season 3 – 16,200,000 (-35%)
Week 5: Season 2 – 11,780,000 (-37%) | Season 3 – Out of the top 10

Comparing the Completed Viewing Equivalent (CVE) provides a way to measure season 3’s performance relative to season 2 and other returning Netflix Originals. The CVE in the first four days for season 3 was 4.6 million views, compared to 5.1 million views season 2 achieved in three days. That suggests to us that the show is seeing a season-over-season decline.

What to Expect from Sweet Magnolias Season 4

Season 3 may not have ended with a significant cliffhanger, but it left several questions unanswered, paving the way for season 4.

Key Questions for Season 4

Erik and Helen’s Potential Reunion: Despite Helen ending things with Ryan, the future of her relationship with Erik remains uncertain. Their mutual affection is evident, but whether they can move beyond friendship is unknown.
Peggy’s Future: What does the future hold for Peggy? Will she run for mayor after Trent’s resignation?
Ty and Annie’s Relationship: Considering Annie’s long-standing crush, will Ty and Annie finally become a couple?
Isaac’s Secret: Will Isaac reveal his significant secret about being Bill’s son to Noreen?
Kathy and Bill’s Story: Is this the last we’ve seen of Kathy and Bill?

Brooke Elliott hinted at more stories to come in an interview with TV Line, stating:

“The finale offered some closure, but if you look closely, you can see there are still stories to be told. There are additional pieces that could be unveiled. Hopefully, we’ll get to explore more. That would be wonderful.”

Although the show has diverged from the original books, with eleven entries in the series, there remains ample material for future storylines.

Author Sherryl Woods teased some of the plots for the fourth season in an interview with Parade, saying, “There are many storylines that leave room for discussion—Cal and Maddie, Helen and Erik, Noreen and Jeremy, and Bill and Kathy, to name a few. There are so many things that could be done and so many things [where you think], Wait, what happens next in this?”

Seasonal Episodes in Season 4?

We can expect some seasonal episodes in season 4. Netflix was casting extras for various Christmas scenes, and according to Sweet Magnolias Season 4 France, there may also be a Halloween-themed episode and possibly a Thanksgiving one.

Sweet Magnolias Season 4 Cast: Who’s New and Who’s Returning?

JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Maddie Townsend), Brooke Elliot (Dana Sue Sullivan), and Heather Headley (Helen Decatur) will all return for a fourth season of Sweet Magnolias. Additionally, the following actors are confirmed to return:

Paula Vreeland as Cal Maddox
Anneliese Judge as Annie Sullivan
Caroline Lagerfelt as Paula Vreeland
Logan Allan as Kyle Townsend
Carson Rowland as Tyler ‘Ty’ Townsend
Artemis as Lily
Jamie Lynn Spears as Noreen Fitzgibbons
Frank Oakley as Harlan Bixby
Dion Johnstone as Eric Whitley
Shawn Passwaters as Dr. Howie Young
Chris Medlin as Isaac Downey
Brittany L. Smith as Peggy Martin
Rachael Markarian as Wendy

Only one new cast member has been announced: Kamarion Miller, who will play Carter Glass in a recurring role. The young actor previously appeared in Chicago Fire, POWER BOOK IV, and Swagger.

Where is Season 4 of Sweet Magnolias Season 4 in Production?

Following the renewal announcement, Sheryl J. Anderson shared an update about the writing process for the new season. On October 24, 2023, she posted on Instagram:

“Now that the news is out, I thought you might enjoy meeting the brilliant team working with me to craft Season 4 of Sweet Magnolias Season 4. From top left: Bianca Sams, myself, Alex Rubin, Barret Helms (with Room Mascot Tilly), Kale Futterman (with Room Mascot Charlie), Anthony Epling, Sara Jumel, and Sean Benum. You’re going to love what they’re creating!!!”

In December 2023, we learned that Sweet Magnolias Season 4 would begin filming in January 2024, with the schedule initially set to run through July 2024. However, those dates were adjusted, and filming commenced on February 20 and concluded on May 29, 2024.

Pre-production started in January 2024, with both Norman Buckley and Sheryl J. Anderson sharing photos on Instagram on January 9, 2024, confirming the return to production with the caption:

“The first on-set photo of Season 4 production of Sweet Magnolias Season 4.”

When filming wrapped in May 2024, Anderson expressed her gratitude on Instagram:

“Today is the last day of filming on Season 4 of Sweet Magnolias Season 4. Enormous gratitude to our brilliant cast and crew, to our thoughtful and patient neighbors and businesses, and to all y’all for the love and support. We have to finish post-production before I know a release date, but when I do, I will share it with you!”

JoAnna Garcia Swisher also took to Instagram, writing:

“Thank you to everyone who showed up every day and made this happen. Season 4 might be the best yet, and I can’t wait for you to see it! Also…this season I got to be in the director’s chair!”

As of June 2024, Season 4 of Sweet Magnolias Season 4 is officially in post-production, which is expected to take around six months. While there’s no exact release date yet, the show is expected to return in early 2025, possibly in January or February. Sheryl J. Anderson will share the release date when it’s confirmed.

For more Sweet Magnolias Season 4 updates, stay tuned to Netflix Life. You can stream seasons 1–3 now on Netflix.