It’s nearly time to go back to Serenity!
In its first season, Sweet Magnolias, based on Sheryl Woods’ books, treated fans like family. Maddie Townsend (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), Helen Decatur (Heather Headley), and Dana Sue Sullivan (Brooke Elliott) are three childhood best friends who keep each other sane in the face of broken relationships, the hardships of raising teens, and everything else in life throws at them. Season 2 of Helen, Maddie, and Dana Sue will premiere on Netflix on Friday, so here’s a recap of where we left them at the end of season 1 — including the big cliffhanger in the finale.
Helen’s main ambition in season one was to open a spa with her best friends, which she accomplished. They have the perfect place to launch their spa, The Corner Spa, after she buys a mansion from Miss Frances (Cindy Karr), a woman the Magnolias spent time with as youngsters.
Helen has a busy schedule, but she wishes to start a family of her own. Helen and Erik Whitley (Dion Johnstone), who works at Dana Sue’s restaurant, develop feelings for each other during the season. Helen is delighted to restart her romance with her ex Ryan Wingate (Michael Shenefelt) when he unexpectedly arrives in town for a spa-related business. Their joy is short-lived, however, as Ryan admits that he does not want children, which is a major concern for Helen. Helen finds comfort in Erik during their sad breakup, indicating a promising future.
Maddie
Season 1 begins with Maddie going through a tumultuous divorce from her husband, Bill Townsend (Chris Klein), who not only cheated on her with Noreen Fitzgibbons (Jamie Lynn Spears), a nurse from his office but also got her pregnant. Maddie needs her Magnolias more than ever as she tries to care for herself and her three children in the midst of the drama. The drastic changes in their lives weigh heavily on them all.
Maddie, the Corner Spa’s day-to-day manager, began dating former professional athlete Cal Maddox, the baseball coach of her son Ty Townsend (Carson Rowland) (Justin Bruening). Despite episodes after episodes of the former couple colliding, Bill unexpectedly asks Maddie for a second chance at the end of season one.
Sue Dana Dana Sue Dana Sue Dana Sue Dan
Sullivan’s, Dana Sue’s restaurant, is one of Serenity’s primary hangouts, but it also provides a slew of challenges for the restauranteur in season one. Dana Sue finds herself in a predicament and overworking while the Magnolias open their spa after firing a disgruntled head chef. To cover the void, Erik takes over as a sous chef. It’s the start of a wonderful friendship as the two work together to keep Sullivan’s standards high while adhering to his “no jerks” policy.
Everything is OK until Dana Sue’s old friend Micah Harrison (Marland Burke), who also happens to be her biggest investor, claims he needs money to care for his sick brother. Dana Sue wanted to repay him for all he had done for her, but she doesn’t have the funds to do so with the money she has invested in the spa. She’ll need a loan to get the money, so she’ll have to contact her estranged husband, Ronnie Sullivan (Brandon Quinn). Bringing him back into her and her daughter Annie Sullivan’s (Anneliese Judge) lives raises difficulties Dana Sue isn’t ready to face. She also has to deal with her new romance with farmer Jeremy Reynolds (Chase Anderson).
Dana Sue’s kitchen is the site of one more revelation as the destiny of Sullivan’s hangs in the balance. Isaac Downey (Chris Medlin) arrives in Serenity and starts working at Sullivan’s, but the newcomer has a definite goal in mind: he wants to discover his biological parents. The young guy recognizes his birth parents as Serenity residents, but he has no other leads, so he spends the season looking for them. Isaac wonders if Dana Sue is his mother after seeing Dana Sue and Micah together in the finale.
The first season’s cliffhanger
The season one finale is all about prom. Maddie’s son Ty, along with his date CeCe Matney (Harlan Drum), Annie, and several other children from their school, is attending the dance. Maddie’s younger son, Kyle Townsend (Logan Allen), is at the afterparty because he’s hanging out with another student’s younger sister. After a quarrel between Ty and another student evolves into a fight between Ty and Kyle, chaos follows at the afterparty. Kyle flees with Ty’s car keys, and a group of people, including Ty and Annie, after him.
All of the Magnolias are summoned to the site of a vehicle accident in the season’s final seconds. When Kyle is yanked from Ty’s automobile, Maddie is shocked and upset. A passenger is mentioned by a first responder. What is the name of the passenger? Is Kyle going to be OK? Those are the questions that Sweet Magnolias season 1 leaves viewers with – and which season 2 will hopefully solve.
Season 2 of Sweet Magnolias will launch on Netflix on February 4th.
Follow us on Twitter
Also, Read Police Respond to Two Crime Scenes in Wilkes-Barre
Contents
