SWEET MAGNOLIAS: Episode 4.1

Name: SWEET MAGNOLIAS: Episode 4.1
Item: SWEET MAGNOLIAS: Episode 4.1
Author: Review

"The Magnolias Deal with Big Changes"

Family Content: -1 Caution advised for older children, including teenagers, and sensitive adults.

Entertainment Quality:

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

Credits →

What You Need To Know:

In Netflix's SWEET MAGNOLIAS’ fourth season premiere, DanaSue, Maddie, and Helen are all handling changes — DanaSue is struggling with the transition from working at Sullivan’s to her new career with the Magnolia Foundation and the local high school, Maddie is juggling questions about her follow-up book and her upcoming wedding, and Helen is reluctantly helping their town’s mayor.

Overall, Episode 1 of Season 4 of SWEET MAGNOLIAS has a high production value, with beautiful shots, good performances from the cast, and plotlines that will keep viewers invested in the season’s drama. However, as the episode takes place at Halloween, there are a few instances of alcohol use and some light language, as well as some occult references, so Movieguide® advises caution for older children.

Content:

(BB, O, L, A, M):

Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:

Moral worldview, as the characters are all focused on helping others, being good friends, and doing the best thing for their town. For example, DanaSue has given up her role at Sullivan’s so that she can head up the Magnolia Foundation, a charity for those in need, as well as teach a vocational tech course at the high school after budget cuts almost got rid of the program all together, while Helen is helping the town’s mayor balance the town budget. There is also an emphasis on the importance of family, with one scene showing Cal thanking his mother for being such a good mom and giving him a good childhood. However, there are some light occult references, as the episode takes place at Halloween, ex. Mention of ghosts, zombies, “the veil between two worlds.”;

Foul Language:

One obscenity, two “OMG” profanities;

Violence:

No violence;

Sex:

No sex;

Nudity:

No nudity;

Alcohol Use:

Many scenes showing characters drinking socially, but never to excess;

Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:

None; and,

Miscellaneous Immorality:

The Magnolias make unflattering jokes about a woman they don’t like in one scene .

More Detail:

In the Netflix premiere of SWEET MAGNOLIAS’ fourth season, the show’s main characters — Maddie, DanaSue, and Helen — are dealing with significant changes in their lives, from their careers to their love lives. Maddie’s children’s book is very successful, leading to stress about her follow-up. At the same time, DanaSue struggles to fully let go of Sullivan’s as she transitions into new roles at the Magnolia Foundation and the local high school. Helen is also worried, as she’s helping the town’s mayor, Peggy, balance the town’s budget and fending off Peggy’s pleas to join her as town manager.

Maddie, DanaSue, and Helen—the Magnolias—all attend a special event at Sullivan’s, now under the control of DanaSue’s partner Cal, who is also Maddie’s fiancee, and the rest of the restaurant’s kitchen staff. The tasting goes off without a hitch, but the staff worries about DanaSue’s subdued reaction to the new direction they hope to take the restaurant.

Later, DanaSue confesses to her husband Ronnie that she loves what her staff is doing with Sullivan’s but worries that they feel abandoned by her decision to leave the restaurant and devote her time to other projects.

Meanwhile, Helen is dealing with Peggy, the town’s newly elected mayor. She asks Helen to be the town’s manager, and she declines; however, she does agree to help Peggy look over the town’s budget and help where she can. Maddie is happy with the success of her children’s book but is saddened when, after a reading at the town library, she is told that their “story time” might be coming to an end due to town budget cuts.

Later, the Magnolias and their friends and family gather to celebrate Halloween at a party at Maddie and Cal’s house. Everyone is having a good time until Maddie’s kids commandeer the microphone to tell the partygoers they are here for a wedding — Cal and Maddie are finally tying the knot!

The first episode of the fourth season of SWEET MAGNOLIAS is well-made, introducing plot lines that will introduce drama in later episodes. Additionally, the episode was well-shot, with beautiful sets and good performances from the show’s cast.

Overall, SWEET MAGNOLIAS has a moral worldview. The episode emphasizes friendship, community, family, and helping others. Some scenes feature alcohol, a few instances of strong language, and some occult references to ghosts and zombies as the characters celebrate Halloween. Movieguide® advises caution for older children.

Watch SWEET MAGNOLIAS: Episode 4.1 →

Quality:

- Content: -1