BIG HOOK: Sweet Magnolias Season 5 is BLOOMING with fresh drama — here’s when Netflix is likely serving the next round.
From release date estimates to plot teasers and cast returns, everything points to a season that’s set to stir up Serenity in ways fans won’t see coming.
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Filming will soon be coming to an end on the next season of Sweet Magnolias that’s been in production in both Atlanta and New York City.
It took a while, but Sweet Magnolias is coming back for season 5 at Netflix. Below, we’re tracking everything you need to know about the future of the show, including the latest production updates, casting news, and most importantly, when we will see the release of season 5 on Netflix.
As a reminder, Season 5 of Sweet Magnolias was officially confirmed to coincide with World Book Day 2025, several months after season 4 premiered on Netflix in February. As we noted in our renewal article, season 4 viewership had dropped about 16% season over season. In addition, Season 4 spent only two weeks in Netflix’s global Top 10, compared to four weeks for Season 3 and five weeks for Season 2.
Details on the renewal were remarkably slim, with the only solid detail about the new season being that it is once again set to consist of 10 episodes.
Will Sweet Magnolias season 5 be the last season? There is currently no word on that, nor anything to suggest that it is the case at present. That said, as we pointed out with the viewership stats, the show has been trending downward, meaning we wouldn’t be surprised if the show begins to head towards a conclusion.
Reacting to the renewal, Sheryl J. Anderson posted on social media, “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!”
Sweet Magnolias. (L to R) Brooke Elliott as Dana Sue Sullivan and Heather Headley as Helen Decatur in episode 404 of Sweet Magnolias. Credit: Courtesy of Netflix/© 2025 Netflix, Inc.
How well did Sweet Magnolias Season 4 perform?
As we mentioned above, Sweet Magnolias has been on a decline in viewership season over season, with that feeling most apparent in season 4. The show spent two weeks in the global top 10s following its initial release (down from 4 weeks for season 3 and 5 weeks for season 2) with a total of 71.2M viewing hours equating to 8.5M views.
Netflix Viewership Data – 2 Week Analysis
Title
Cumulative Views (2 weeks)
Rank
Sweet Magnolias – Season 2
12,000,000
1
Sweet Magnolias – Season 3
9,900,000
2
Sweet Magnolias – Season 4
8,500,000
3
For the first half of 2025, the show eventually went on to pick up 142M hours watched, equating to 16 M views, which made it the 57th most-watched show between January and June 2025.
What to Expect from Sweet Magnolias Season 5
The Big Apple awaits! Season 4 ended with the bombshell news that Maddie is departing from Serenity to take on a new role. That’ll play the central plot thread throughout season 5, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of ongoing stories in Serenity either…
As we’ve previously written, here are the main plot points heading into the fifth season:
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.
Teasing the story to TUDUM, the showrunner said, “We are thrilled to let the Magnolias take Manhattan. Not only is this adventure huge fun, it’s also an opportunity to explore the facets of their relationships in a new context. While it’s crucial to have true friends in day-to-day life, it’s priceless to have them supporting you when you leap out of your comfort zone.”
JoAnna García Swisher has also teased that season 5 is expected to have the “most romance” of any new season, telling US Weekly, “It’s a roller coaster as it always is, but I think this is the first season in a really long time that fans are gonna get those butterflies again.”
Episode Titles, Writers, and Directors for Sweet Magnolias Season 5
This section will evolve significantly throughout the production and afterwards, as we learn more about who’s working on the team this time around. However, we already have a few clues.
On the top level, and courtesy of the WGA, Sheryl J. Anderson continues as the showrunner and executive producer; Michelle Denise Jackson is the supervising producer; Abdi Nazemian is the co-producer; Barret Helms and Kale Futterman are the executive story editors; Sara Jumel is the story editor; and Alex Rubin is the staff writer. Courtesy of personal updates on social media, we also know Abdi Nazemian joins the Sweet Magnolias season 5 writers’ room in addition to Quincy Cho, who comes on as Writers’ Room Assistant and will write her first TV episode.
Gabriella Garcia, who is returning as Sophie Frazier in season 5, posted a first look at a script for the upcoming season, although the episode number and title have been blurred out. Futterman is behind this particular script, along with Matt Drake, a producer on the show who earned his first directing credit with episode 8 and will return to the director’s seat this season.
Brooke Elliott and JoAnna Garcia Swisher will both direct episodes in season 5 with this marking the directorial debut for Elliott set to direct episode 4 with Swisher returning to direct episodes 5 and 6.
New and Returning Cast for Sweet Magnolias Season 5
Pictures courtesy of Netflix / Getty Images
Jamie-Lynn Sigler (The Sopranos, Entourage) takes on the role of Nell Winters, a well-known writer Maddie befriends in New York.
Courtney Grace (Law & Order: SVU, The Blacklist) plays Courtney Sinclair, Ronnie’s ambitious new business partner.
John Gabriel Rodriquez (Fantasy Island, If Loving You Is Wrong) appears as Clark Bellson, a rival business owner in Serenity who stirs up fresh challenges for the Magnolias.
Aidan Merwarth (Euphoria, Creepshow) steps into the role of Noah Wharton, the Whartons’ grandson, and Austin Woods (The Originals, Swagger) plays Blake Monaghan, both of whom add new complications for the Mini Magnolias.
Meanwhile, Iman Benson (The Midnight Club, #BlackAF) joins as Jessica Whitley, Erik’s niece, who arrives with unexpected news for Erik and Helen. In addition, Janice Wesley (The Resident, Dopesick) portrays Miss Eustice, a respected town matron of Serenity.
What about the returning cast? Here’s the confirmed faces we’ll see reappear in season 5:
JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Reba, Once Upon a Time) as Maddie Townsend
Brooke Elliott (Drop Dead Diva, Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings) as Dana Sue Sullivan
Heather Headley (Chicago Med, She’s Gotta Have It) as Helen Decatur
Justin Bruening (Grey’s Anatomy, Ringer) as Cal Maddox
Brandon Quinn (The Fosters, Big Wolf on Campus) as Ronnie Sullivan
Dion Johnstone (Virgin River, Star Falls) as Erik Whitley
Carson Rowland (I Am Frankie, American Housewife) as Tyler “Ty” Townsend
Logan Allen (Malibu Rescue, It’s Just a Phase) as Kyle Townsend
Anneliese Judge (Where’s Rose, He’s All That) as Annie Sullivan
Chris Medlin (Diana: The Musical, Pass the Light) as Isaac Downey
Jamie Lynn Spears (Zoey 101, Sweet Magnolias) as Noreen Fitzgibbons
Iman Benson (The Midnight Club, #BlackAF) as Jessica Whitley
Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid, Toy Story) as Iris Maddox
Where is season 5 of Sweet Magnolias in production?
Development
Filming Scheduled
Filming Ongoing
Post-Production
As we reported in mid-May, relatively soon after the official renewal, shooting on season 5 would begin in the Summer. Our initial filming schedule stated that production would get underway on June 2nd and run through to September 17th, 2025. Filming did indeed get underway in early June, with numerous cast members confirming so on social media.
Indeed, a lot of filming has already been spotted in and around Covington, Georgia, which has been the show’s home since season 1. One Instagram user wrote: Sweet Magnolias was back in town filming Season 5 this week. Filming a Scene with Jamie Lynn Spears, Chris Medlin, Logan Allen.”
We’d recommend following fantasy_falls_studio on Instagram, which has been capturing the most behind-the-scenes snaps and videos of Sweet Magnolias season 5 in Covington.
Of course, we’re also getting a major new filming location in season 5, too. TVLine got the scoop on filming having commenced in New York City. They dropped a photo on Instagram with the three main characters all walking in the iconic Grand Central Station. According to the outlet, Helen and Dana are merely visiting Maddie, so don’t expect them to move in with her anytime soon.
TVLine wasn’t the only one to snap the production in New York City. On TikTok (video embedded via YouTube below), a couple of people managed to nab a video of the trio of actresses walking down the iconic stairs. The video, posted by Caroline Rose, came with the caption: “Never know what you’ll see on your morning commute in NYC.” Another spotted the trio in Bryant Park.
When will Season 5 of Sweet Magnolias release on Netflix?
No official window or date has been revealed just yet, although we can certainly rule out a 2025 return.
Instead, given the production schedule, we’re currently expecting the show to be back sometime between Spring and Fall 2026. We’re tracking all of the confirmed 2026 new Netflix releases here, so keep your eyes peeled.
Will There Be A Season 6 of Sweet Magnolias?
It’s a little too early to be talking about season 6 renewals, although with declining viewership, it could be the case that the show will come to an end at some point relatively soon.
Speaking with US Weekly, JoAnna Garcia Swisher hinted that more could be to come after season 5 saying, “I don’t think that it’s written as the end by any stretch of the imagination. But we’ve also gotten to be here for five seasons and tell an incredible story,” adding, “If this is it for us, we have no control over it, except that we are just trying to do what we think our fans will like and enjoy. [With season 4], we almost had to burn it down [with Bill’s death] for that fresh start. And this season, you really get that. With that comes exciting and new ventures, possibilities and relationships. It’s twisty and turny — that’s for sure.”
Are you excited for the fifth season of Sweet Magnolias? Keep this post bookmarked as we’ll be keeping it updated throughout the show’s production timeline and ahead of release.
