Another emotional installment of Netflix's Sweet Magnolias has come and gone faster than you can say "sweet tea." The southern drama series ditched its customary cliffhanger ending in the Sweet Magnolias Season 3 finale, opting for a much-needed healing session instead. It's just what the doctor ordered after an emotional rollercoaster of a season which saw Helen bid farewell to her longtime love, and nearly broke up the magnolias' lifelong friendship for good. Justin Bruening wasn't exaggerating when he teased that other characters would be "way worse off" than his down-and-out Coach Cal in Sweet Magnolias Season 3.
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Speaking of Cal, viewers were finally introduced to the man's vicious ex-girlfriend Vicky, played by Bruening's real-life wife, Alexa Havins Bruening. (The pair met on the set of All My Children and tied the knot in 2005.) Season 3 treated fans to yet another extra-special guest appearance, with Janet Hubert (who played the original Aunt Viv on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) coming in as Helen's adoring mother. Bridges were burned and mended, culminating in that unexpected move at Dana Sue and Ronnie's vow renewal ceremony. Without further ado, let's dig in to all the sweet (and sour) morsels Sweet Magnolias Season 3 had to offer.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for Sweet Magnolias Season 3, Episode 10.
Erik Returns to Sullivan's
Thankfully, Erik (Dion Johnstone) shook off the dead weight that is Kathy Sullivan (Wynn Everett) and returned to his rightful place as head chef at Sullivan's. He even created a bespoke cupcake tower for Dana Sue and Ronnie's (Brandon Quinn) vow renewal, and the thoughtful gesture thaws some of the ice between him and Helen (Heather Headley). But Erik's budding romance with Serenity newcomer Genevieve (Queen Sugar's Nikki Estridge) stands in the way of Helen's happiness.
Helen Vows to Run Peggy's Mayoral Campaign
Never one to sit still, Helen hatches a political plan in the wake of her painful break from longtime love Ryan. Peggy (Brittany L. Smith) is on the cusp of publishing her damning takedown of former mayor Trent Lewis, and who better to take the man's place than the woman who exposed his corruption? If Peggy agrees to run for mayor of Serenity, Helen promises to manage her campaign to victory.
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Paula Ignites a New Romance with an Old Flame
Even Mama Paula (Gossip Girl's Caroline Lagerfelt) came to the table with some romantic intrigue this season. Her old flame Jimmy (Jon Briddell, Doom Patrol) sweeps her off her feet, inviting her to live in his new waterfront home and adorn the place with her paintings. Her new castle is an hour away from Serenity, but Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) gives her mother her whole-hearted blessing. Love always wins!
Maddie and Cal are Better Than Ever
Fans were finally introduced to Cal's (Justin Bruening) destructive ex Vicky (Alexa Havins Bruening) in Episode 9, and the woman is just as vile as foretold. She's engaged to the same MLB player that Cal attacked years ago, and she's invited him to dinner to ignite his jealousy. But Maddie Townsend is the steeliest of sweet magnolias, giving Vicky a monumental telling-off in the powder room. (No one does polite smackdowns quite like Southern belles.) With Vicky firmly out of the picture and his anger management issues a thing of the past, Cal is a new man — and his and Maddie's relationship takes on a deeper new shade by the season's end. Are you hearing wedding bells, too?
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Post-Breakup, Annie Runs to Ty for Support
Annie (Anneliese Judge) and Ty (Carson Rowland) continue to dance around each other with will-they-won't-they agony. After breaking up with Jackson at the Serenity-Castlewood football game, Annie is left crying in Ty's arms on the field. When will those crazy kids just go for it already? Something tells me that if we get a Sweet Magnolias Season 4, Ty will finally make a move and Annie will be ready to reciprocate.
That Bill and Kathy Twist
Okay, so Dana Sue and Ronnie's "scaled-back" vow renewal goes off without a hitch — eventually. Before walking down the aisle, a reformed Bill (Chris Klein) shows up with an apparently equally reformed Kathy on his arm. She apologizes to her brother and sister-in-law, gifting Ronnie their grandmother's gorgeous heirloom tea set as a gesture of goodwill. (Alright, but did she repay the money Ronnie gave her to get outta Dodge?) Finally wise to his own trail of chaos, Bill leaves town with Kathy for a while in an attempt to step back and work on himself — which, honestly? We're not above shedding a tear for old Bill Townsend, even after all the hurt he's caused.
All episodes of Sweet Magnolias Season 3 are now streaming on Netflix.
