Netflix has not yet made a decision about the future of “Sweet Magnolias,” and the popular romantic drama is facing more uncertainty than previous seasons.
According to Deadline, Netflix has not opened a writers’ room for a potential season 6 following the June 11 premiere of season 5. The streamer is reportedly waiting to see how the latest season performs before making a renewal decision.
The cautious approach comes as Netflix continues to reevaluate its programming slate following a year filled with cancellations and final-season announcements.
‘Sweet Magnolias’ Sees Viewership Drop as Netflix Evaluates Future
During its first week on Netflix, season 5 of “Sweet Magnolias” drew 2.8 million views and ranked No. 4 on Netflix’s Weekly Top 10 for English-language series.
The opening-week audience represented a 30% decline from season 3, which debuted with 4 million views.
The drop is part of a larger trend affecting several Netflix originals. The outlet reported that “The Four Seasons” was down 63% from its previous season, while “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” fell 76%. Other returning shows, including “Beef,” “A Man on the Inside,” “Running Point,” “The Night Agent,” and “The Witcher,” also posted significant declines.
Romantic dramas have generally held up better. “Bridgerton” season 4 was down 12% from season 3, while “Virgin River” and “Nobody Wants This” experienced declines of 12% and 17%, respectively.
Before season 5, “Sweet Magnolias” had remained relatively stable. Season 4’s opening-week audience was down just 13% from season 3.
The Streaming Giant Ends Several Popular Series Despite Strong Followings
The uncertainty surrounding “Sweet Magnolias” comes amid a growing list of Netflix shows preparing to say goodbye.
“The Lincoln Lawyer” will conclude with season 5 after Netflix announced its final renewal earlier this year.
“All good things must come to an end, but thankfully sometimes how they come to an end is up to us,” series developer Ted Humphrey and co-showrunner Dailyn Rodriguez said in a statement. “From the very beginning, the mission was always not only to tell the story of Mickey Haller and his compatriots, but also to give that story a proper conclusion.”
“The Night Agent” is also set to end after its upcoming fourth season.
“Ever since the initial success of The Night Agent, I’ve been obsessed with eventually delivering a proper and thrilling conclusion to the show and to Peter Sutherland’s journey,” creator Shawn Ryan said in a statement.
“I’m so grateful to Netflix and Sony Pictures Television for partnering with me on The Night Agent and for giving us the space to deliver a definitive final season to our worldwide legion of fans. We are hard at work to complete our story and to make our final season one our fans will never forget.”
Meanwhile, “Emily in Paris” will wrap up with season 6.
“Season 6 will bring you everything you love about the show and serve as the final chapter in Emily’s adventure of a lifetime,” Lily Collins said in a statement. “Our entire cast and crew are pouring our hearts into making this a fantastic farewell season, which we’re now filming. I can’t wait for all of the magic ahead, and to celebrate our final season with you in the most chic way yet.”
Could Netflix Give ‘Sweet Magnolias’ a Final Season?
Despite the decline in viewership for season 5, Netflix has renewed several shows that experienced steeper audience drops.
According to Deadline, the streamer renewed “The Four Seasons,” “A Man on the Inside,” and “Running Point” despite larger declines than “Sweet Magnolias.” However, Netflix also chose to end “The Night Agent” and “The Witcher” with upcoming seasons.
That could provide a roadmap for “Sweet Magnolias.”
The season 5 finale closed several storylines while leaving room for future episodes. The series once again ended with Maddie, Dana Sue, and Helen sharing a margarita toast.
These are all really well written shows with good casts and stories. Why do those get cancelled and awful show loaded!!