‘Sweet Magnolias’: What to Watch on Netflix While You Wait for Season 2
Sweet Magnolias charmed viewers when it landed on Netflix in May 2020. The story of three life-long friends dealing with life’s ups and downs in a picture-perfect Southern town went down as easy as one of the cocktails the show’s characters drink during their weekly margarita nights. Season 1’s cliffhanger ending left viewers hungry for more, and fortunately, a second season is in the works. As you wait for new episodes to arrive, you can binge one of these feel-good, female-focused dramas that are also streaming on Netflix.
‘Virgin River’
Like Sweet Magnolias, Virgin River is based on a series of books by a best-selling author (in this case, Robyn Carr). Mel Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) is a nurse practitioner seeking a fresh start in a small town after a personal tragedy. She moves to picturesque Virgin River in northern California, only to find that life in a small town isn’t necessarily simple. Two seasons are currently streaming on Netflix, with a third on the way.
‘Dawson’s Creek’
Indulge in some early 00s nostalgia with Dawson’s Creek, another series about a tight-knit group of friends in a small Southern town. This teen drama launched the careers of Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, Joshua Jackson, and James Van Der Beek and followed the foursome as they navigated a sometimes rocky path to adulthood. Six seasons streaming on Netflix.
‘Firefly Lane’
Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke play best friends Tully and Kate in this show based on a book by Kristin Hannah. It follows the pair from their time as teens in the 1970s through adulthood as they weather life’s various challenges, both personal and professional. One season currently streaming on Netflix.
‘Ginny & Georgia’
A single mom and her two kids move to a New England town in search of a fresh start in this new-ish Netflix series that’s earned plenty of comparisons to Gilmore Girls. If your favorite part of Sweet Magnolias is Dana Sue’s relationship with daughter Annie, then Ginny & Georgia might be the show for you.
‘Gilmore Girls’
For more mother-daughter drama, you can’t go wrong with Gilmore Girls, the cult-favorite series starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as free-spirited mom Lorelai and her whip-smart teenage daughter Rory. Seven seasons streaming on Netflix, plus the one-season revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.
‘Girls From Ipanema’
A housewife starts a new life as the owner of a bossa nova club in Rio de Janeiro after her husband deserts her in this 1950s-set Brazilian period drama (also known as Most Beautiful Thing). With help from her friends, she finds success and romance as she recovers from heartbreak. Two seasons streaming on Netflix.
‘Good Witch’
Cassie Nightingale (Catherine Bell) is a widowed woman with mysterious magical powers who is raising her daughter (Bailee Madison) in a small town in Hallmark Channel’s original series. Five seasons streaming on Netflix.
‘The Baby-Sitters Club’
Ann M. Martin’s beloved book series about tween-age entrepreneurs gets a modern update in this Netflix series, which premiered in 2020. A diverse cast, sweet storylines, and thoughtful exploration of real-life problems makes this the perfect family-friendly binge watch. One season streaming on Netflix.
