Sweet Magnolias Review: Fragile Things, Dirty Laundry, and Finding Yourself
Laura Nowak
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Families, especially in the South, worry about their "dirty laundry" being aired.
In Sweet Magnolias Season 2 Episode 7 and Sweet Magnolias Season 2 Episode 8, several women worried what would happen if particular family business became public.
It was also all about the babies. Noreen gave birth to a daughter, and Helen began her IVF treatments. On the other hand, Miss Peggy connected with her birth son.
Making Peggy Issac's birth mom has done her character so much good. We never knew much about her character, except she was a reporter in everyone's business.
Learning that she was a pregnant teenager and forced to give up her baby made Peggy seem more layered.
It made us care about her story, especially when her mom cared more about what society thought than her daughter.
I have no interest in meeting him! You send him away.
Peggy's mom
Her mom thought Issac would ruin their lives, even though Peggy said he was a sweet young man who only longed to know where he came from.
Meeting and connecting with the child you gave away 22 years ago is a blessing and a shock.
It's understandable why Peggy needed time to adjust to the news and wanted to get to know Issac.
Issac, I'm very happy you found me and I'd like to see how we fit in each other lives and how we make each other lives fuller.
Peggy
Peggy got to help name him all those years ago and kept a bracelet with his name.
Those memories affected Peggy, especially since Issac wanted to meet his birth father, a fact Peggy's mom was vehemently against.
Sweet Magnolias has covered several adoption and pregnancy storylines this season. Even though it's not in the book, Trotter and his husband Ashley want to adopt a child.
As the season progressed, they changed their mind from wanting a baby to a child in need. There are so many children who need homes and many LGBTQ parents who desire children, so hopefully, this storyline will not get dropped.
Trotter and Cal discussed the challenges of fatherhood and adoption.
Cal was helping Maddie raise her three children, and Trotter and Ashley wanted that experience.
Noreen and Bill's baby finally arrived. After a perfunctory visit to meet his daughter and thank Issac for looking after Noreen, Bill disappeared again. He didn't even check in on his other three kids. What a dad.
Maddie and Noreen decided that Rebecca and the older children shouldn't be deprived of knowing each other just because Bill was a jerk.
Its not fair to all four children for us to be at odds. The burden of the adults doesn't have to carry on to the next generation. I hope you and I can reconcile.
Maddie
Maddie showed her acceptance by giving Noreen an afghan that each of her kids came home in. Even though they were initially reluctant, Maddie convinced Dana Sue, and Helen to throw Noreen a welcome home baby party.
Noreen's parents seemed overwhelmed by their kindness. They also seemed concerned since they could no longer claim Noreen would be alone in Serenity.
Noreen's parents were hoping to take her home with her to see their granddaughter every day.
However, Noreen has blossomed since has returned to Serenity. She wasn't afraid to speak up for herself, whether she needed a job or forgiveness.
She looked at home living at Issac's, and he will make a great honorary uncle to little Rebecca.
In many ways, Issac will play the role to Rebecca that Helen played for many years to Maddie and Dana Sue's children.
Helen wanted a baby so bad, but she also wanted Erik, and her IVF journey brought up painful memories for him.
They kept Erik's backstory the same as the books, and he suffered a great deal of guilt from not saving his pregnant wife.
This time, instead of running scared, Erik decided he wanted to take this journey with Helen, even though Helen didn't want him to relive the pain.
Both of them seemed braver and more apt to take risks together.
Erik: Helen, you've reawakened a part of my soul I thought was closed forever. Helping you heal has also healed something in me.
Helen: You think we can keep healing together?
Helen's used to being in control of her life. Since the miscarriage, she has felt out of control and terrified.
I am not okay. I am not fine or resolute or blissful and I want to be all of those things. I've always had a goal and achieved it. There was nothing I could not do once I set my mind to it.
Helen
It's so difficult for someone like Helen to lean on other people, and it was so good for her to have Erik with her at the first IVF meeting. Can Helen learn to depend on others and decide if having a child is right for her?
While half the town was struggling with child-related issues, many other women dealt with their private business becoming public, starting with Dana Sue.
Annie experienced every teen's worst nightmare, walking in her parents' having sex. She was embarrassed but also hopeful that they were finally getting back together.
And for you, apparently.
Dana Sue; It must be very confusing for you. Annie
Dana Sue caught Annie telling Jackson how horrified she was. Dana Sue wasn't sure how she felt about Jackson or that her daughter shared family secrets with a casual friend.
While Annie copped an attitude with her mom, Jackson wanted to stay on Dana Sue's good side.
He apologized for making Annie late for work and formally asked for permission to date Annie.
Whether you are Team Jackson or not, it was very charming watching him agree to respect Annie and follow the rules. Dana Sue can be scary.
As Jackson and Annie grew closer together, Ty grew further apart from CeCe as he strived to find himself.
Ty wanted to play professional baseball all his life, and now his arm was too weak even to practice. All his friends talk about is baseball and girls.
Ty felt extra pressure on him because of how much Bill loved baseball, so he worried about what he would do now. Sadly, Ty doesn't have any real friends to discuss things with since he and Annie haven't talked in ages.
Coach Cal understood to an extent, but it wasn't the same thing. Cece got tired of Ty never opening up to her or his jealousy of Jackson and Annie, and they broke up.
Over to you, Sweet Magnolias Fanatics. What do you think of the truce Maddie and Noreen made? Will marriage counseling help Ronnie and Dana Sue?
Can Tyler re-invent himself without baseball? Chime in below in the comments.
Sweet Magnolias Season 2 is streaming now on Netflix.
Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on X.
