Netflix cancels Sweet Magnolias after five seasons, orders new series Ladies of the House
Netflix announced the cancellation of the romantic drama Sweet Magnolias after its fifth season and simultaneously greenlit a new series, Ladies of the House, from the same showrunner and lead actress.
Netflix confirmed that the romantic drama Sweet Magnolias, starring JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Brooke Elliott and Heather Headley, will end after its fifth season. The streamer also approved a new drama, Ladies of the House, based on Lauren Edmondson’s novel, with Sheryl J. Anderson returning as showrunner and Swisher serving as executive producer and potential star.
Ladies of the House follows the widowed owner of a winery and his wife and two adult daughters as they navigate family conflicts, business challenges and romantic entanglements. Anderson will produce the series alongside Swisher and Kate Gordon under their Rolling Clover banner, in partnership with Black Label Media.
The fifth season of Sweet Magnolias premiered on June 11 and recorded 2.8 million views in its opening week, a 30 percent decline from the previous season’s launch. Viewership rose to 3.5 million in the first full week before the show fell out of Netflix’s Top 10 after three weeks. The series did not receive a writers’ room for a sixth season, and Netflix cited cost-performance considerations in its decision.
"I’m thrilled to be embarking on this new adventure with JoAnna and Netflix," Anderson said, adding that the novel’s premise offered a clear foundation for a series centered on three women dealing with family, friendship and romance.
Swisher explained her interest in the project, noting that she “fell completely in love with Daisy, Cricket and Wallis” from the source material and expressed excitement about continuing to create female-driven stories with Anderson.
The cancellation was announced after the options for the Sweet Magnolias cast expired on Thursday, with the new series officially picked up the same day. The show’s writers posted a farewell message on Instagram, thanking the cast, crew and fans.
Since its 2020 debut, Sweet Magnolias has amassed 100 million views and appeared in Netflix’s Global Weekly Top 10 fourteen times across more than 60 countries.