Posted by Sometimes you get pulled into a show because it has actors you adore and you’ll watch anything they’re in. Or at least give it a shot. Sometimes it’s the story itself. Whether it’s something you personally connect with or a topic you’re fascinated by, it’s a story you can’t wait to curl up on your couch, with a glass of Pinot Noir, some aged cheddar and fig jam, and your favorite blanket and dive right in. Sometimes it’s the creator or writers of the show. You know their work and you know what brilliant storytellers they are, so even if you know no one listed in IMDB as the core cast or it’s a story you typically would’t save to your watchlist, you are all in because you know the writing will be amazing. And sometimes, it was a book you couldn’t put down and told all your friends to read. So when it was made into a series, you just had to see if the cast matched your vision of how they would look, sound, and interact with each other as well as make sure these damn showrunners were going to stay true to the source material and not ruin your new favorite author’s work.
What drew me to Sweet Magnolias was a little bit of all of the above. I adore JoAnna Garcia Swisher (from the first time I saw her on Privileged) and I am in awe of the uber talented Heather Headley (Tony and Grammy Award winner). I never saw Drop Dead Diva, but I remember all the great reviews about the show and specifically about Brooke Elliott’s performance in the lead role. Even just four episodes in, these women are amazing in their approach to their characters and I feel a bit intrusive at times. Like I am peeking into a very intimate, private conversation three best friends are having while revealing their souls. Their on screen chemistry is so crucial to the heart of the show and it never feels forced or unnatural. The line Helen where says, “there is not a problem in this world that cannot be solved by having a drink and a talk with the two of you” could come across has super hokey and eye-rolling. But it doesn’t. I feel the same way about my closest girlfriends. And for me, that is what keeps me wanting to come back to Serenity over and over again…these three women. I love when series or movies celebrate the strength of friendships. I know we see it a lot in many shapes and forms and when you hear about another series about women who try to maneuver their way through relationships, business, and children, you probably think like I do, not again. But it’s why you need the combination of an unbelievable cast and formidable writers to make it work. Sweet Magnolias nails this effortlessly. And I don’t mean that as being “What a cinch it is to cast and write a show. We just snap our fingers and poof, perfection!” I know it’s not that easy. But that’s why Sweet Magnolias works. Because it feels effortless because of the perspicaciousness of the writing and the powerful performances from the entire cast.
So where are we at four episodes in? Well, our leading ladies, the eponymous Sweet Magnolias, have quite a bit going on. Maddie Townsend (Garica Swisher) is in the process of divorcing her asshole husband Bill (Chris Klein) after he had an affair with his nurse, Noreen Fitzgibbons (Jamie Lynn Spears) and has gotten her pregnant. They have three children who are all trying to manage through this new family dynamic. Oldest son Tyler (Carson Rowland) is a star pitcher on the baseball team and is trying to land a college scholarship. He seems to be taking the split of his parents the hardest as it is affecting his grades and his athletics. So while Maddie and Bill want nothing to do with each other, they have to work together to keep Ty going in the right direction. It’s not helping that 20 something Noreen keeps showing up to his baseball games causing an unintentional scenes while she keeps trying to force this new family dynamic in his face when he’s not there yet. Again, a testament to Spears take on Noreen. I almost feel slightly bad for Noreen because she is trying so hard to make this situation work while being too naive to realize, she’s only making it worse. Spears is playing a pretty sympathetic Noreen that it almost breaks your heart to see everyone giving her awful looks at Ty’s games when she is cheering so loudly, that Bill has to ask her to leave and stay in the car because it’s distracting Ty. This is not a character any of us want to like, and I certainly don’t. But I can’t help but sometimes want to give her a hug and tell her everything will be ok. It will especially be ok if the home wrecking whore moves to another town! But I digress. While Maddie is trying to make this transition better for her children, she starts a new *cough* friendship with Ty’s baseball manager Cal Maddox (Justin Bruening). I can’t help but hear Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” in my head every time these two are on screen together. Do we all know where this is going? Of course we do. Do we care it’s so obvious? God no. At least I don’t. Not every show for me needs to be full of twists and turns and where is this going? I am a more character driven than story driven reader and viewer. So I am fine to know where the journey is headed if I can get deeper into the characters and the “why” it’s going to get there.
Then we have Dana Sue Sullivan, (Ellott) owner and head chef at Sullivan’s who is also a single mom to Annie (Anneliese Judge). Dana Sue’s husband Ronnie left she and Annie and Dana Sue has been picking up those pieces ever since. From the minute I met Dana Sue, there always seemed to be a heavy weight anchored on her. Most of that is due to what she has been through. But I think there are some self inflected wounds that are also causing some really anxiety for her. Her husband left her, her mother died of diabetes, she had to fire her sous chef who was stealing from her and is now suing her for wrongful termination, and she’s dealing with the oh so fun time of raising a teenage daughter. To say Dana Sue has a lot on her plate, is the understatement of the year. But even she will admit, there are times she’s not handling it so well. She’s snapping at everyone and pushing everyone away. She’s doing the whole “I’m fine everyone. Don’t worry about me unless I collapse in my kitchen and have to rushed to the hospital” and oh look, that’s what happened! I get it though. Dana Sue has had her mother taken away from her from the same disease she now has to battle. Her husband broke her heart and trust in men. Her former sous chef is trying to destroy her business. She’s tired of having things taken from her and she won’t stand for it. And even though she is struggling to juggle it all and let people help her for fear of showing any weakness, she’s very self aware that what she’s doing is projecting her fears and her doubts on everyone else trying to help her. She goes to Pastor Wilkes (Tracey Bonner) for some much needed guidance and starts to get some clarity on how she can open herself up to the people who love her most and are only trying to help her. Dana Sue is incredibility strong and I love that about her. But I what I respect even more is the fact that she is very aware of how she is exuding her pain and she is working so hard to channel that energy into helping other people and reconnecting with her daughter.
The last, but most certainly not least, of the Sweet Magnolias, is Helen Decatur (Headley) who is a family attorney who just so happened to buy a gorgeous property in Serenity that she wants to convert a women’s spa with her two besties. Helen is so layered and fantastic. On the surface, she has it all together. Successful job, the rock Maddie and Dana Sue need right now, the organizer and the problem solver for the new business, and that unbelievable ability to light up a room by just walking in it. But something just makes my heart tug a little when I see Helen. There seems to be a sadness there that she pushes way down because she just doesn’t have time to allow her disappointments or struggles to creep in. She can’t be everything to everyone else if she falls apart right? Like she said, “I will stop pushing, but I will not stop worrying. It is how I express my love.” But you see those moments where Helen cries after helping Nolan Davies gain custody of his best friend’s children after his friends died in a car accident. You see it when Helen talks about how she can help put families back together but she can’t seem to create her own family. And you see it when her ex, Ryan Wingate (Michael Shenefelt), comes back to town and stirs up feelings she long pushed deep down. We don’t see all that Helen has going on because she puts on the brave face very well. But she also has a glorious way of approaching life and her friendships that is so inspiring, even though I wish she would let her guard down sometimes and let herself fall apart a bit. What I am also hoping for, is a little “something something” to happen between her and chef Erik (Dion Johnstone). I know you all saw it too. That smoking hot chemistry those two share every time they are on screen together. Let Ryan crawl back to wherever he came from and let’s get the Helen/Erik train rolling! And since we’re talking about Erik, there is more to that story for sure. With how he helped Dana Sue when she collapsed…there is some history there to unwrap for sure.
Overall, I really appreciate that the writers and the actors interpretations of their roles, have made these women very real and relatable. They are not perfect. They have flaws. But instead of making you feel these women are “less than” because of these imperfections, the show celebrates it by showing how you can learn and grow and gain strength and perspective by having these road blocks and maybe not all the answers to navigate it immediately. But by having great friends to lean on to get you through it and by being that great friend in return when they need you, there’s nothing you can’t overcome. And if you aren’t there yet, it’s ok. And if you stray off your course badly, it’s ok. Your girlfriends and your family, will always be by your side cheering you every step of the way until you do get there.
What are you thoughts on Sweet Magnolia’s first few episodes? Are you hooked like me? What are you liking (or not liking) and what are you hoping to see for our Magnolias before the end of Season 1? For those who are wondering, it was picked up for second season so this cliff hanger I keep hearing about but don’t know about (NO SPOILERS PLEASE) will be resolved.
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