Sweet Magnolias fans don’t want to think about the show coming to an end, but does the season 5 finale set things up just in case the show isn’t renewed?
During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly while promoting Hallmark’s Providence Falls, JoAnna García Swisher teased how season 5 wraps up the story, saying, “I don’t think that it’s written as the end by any stretch of the imagination. But we’ve also gotten to be here for five seasons and tell an incredible story.”
Swisher, 45, remained hopeful that there would be more to come.
“We would continue to keep it going if all of the chips fall in that way,” she noted. “I think everybody would be excited and eager to do that. But if this is it for us, we have no control over it except we are just trying to do what we think our fans will like and enjoy. [With season 4], we almost had to burn it down [with Bill’s death] for that fresh start. And this season, you really get that. With that comes exciting and new ventures, possibilities and relationships. It’s twisty and turny — that’s for sure.”
Based on Sherryl Woods’ novels, Sweet Magnolias tells the story of three women who have been best friends since childhood as they navigate their romantic lives, careers and growing families. While Season 5, which is currently in production, picks up after Chris Klein‘s controversial character, Bill, was killed off, Swisher promised that “no one dies” in the next season.
“But it’s extremely dramatic,” Swisher teased to Us. “It’s a roller-coaster — as it always is — but I think this is the first season in a really long time that fans are gonna get those butterflies again.”
The actress, who has played Maddie since the show premiered in 2020, expressed her excitement for viewers to see what the hit Netflix series has in store.
“There are some fresh faces that are joining our cast in really unique and fun ways,” she teased. “The Magnolias are seeing new possibilities on the horizon that are going to only expand our world.”
While previewing season 5, Swisher weighed in on some hot topics — like if Maddie could be headed for a pregnancy story line in the near future.
“I actually just talked about this yesterday with Justin [Bruening] because I’m like, ‘We never got a honeymoon.’ I don’t know if that will involve a little bun in the oven — or at least an opportunity,” Swisher said. “But I think it’s really been really sweet to see Cal step into this father role and Cal is knocking it out of the park.”
She continued: “I don’t know if I do get pregnant. I hope it’s during the winter in Serenity, because it’s really hot right now. But I’m up for the journey.”
Swisher isn’t just working on the next season of Sweet Magnolias. She is also an executive producer on Hallmark’s three-part Providence Falls film series, starring Katie Stevens, Lachlan Quarmby and Evan Roderick, based on the book series by Jude Deveraux set in 1844 Ireland.
“We filmed in order and we knew where we were gonna end up,” she told Us. “We are all bubbling with ways to continue these stories.”
Providence Falls returns to Hallmark Channel with Providence Falls: An Impossible Promise premiering on Saturday, August 9, and Providence Falls: Thief of Fate on Saturday, August 16, both at 8 p.m. ET.
