Looking for Shows like ‘Sweet Magnolias’? These 12 Are Just as Binge-Worthy
Ever since Sweet Magnolias season three premiered on Netflix, we’ve been on the lookout for an equally binge-worthy TV show.
Sweet Magnolias hit Netflix back in 2020 and tells the story of three childhood best friends—Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), Helen (Heather Headley) and Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott)—who never left their hometown of Serenity, South Carolina. In an attempt to forget about Maddie’s unsettling divorce (looking at you, Jamie Lynn Spears), the trio team up to turn an old beloved landmark into a wellness center slash spa.
While the show has an ideal mix of feel-good vibes and mystery, we already binge-watched all three seasons (more than once). So, while we wait for confirmation on the anticipated season four renewal, we compiled a list of TV series that are just as addictive.
From Virgin River to Hart of Dixie, read on for 12 shows like Sweet Magnolias.
1. Virgin River
Courtesy of Netflix
Cast: Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson, Tim Matheson
Melinda “Mel” Monroe, a midwife and nurse practitioner moves to a remote California town for a fresh start. Although she tries to leave her painful memories behind, she soon learns that her past secrets can only stay buried for so long.
2. Ginny & Georgia
Cast: Antonia Gentry, Brianne Howey
The comedy-drama series follows a mother-daughter duo—Ginny and Georgia—as they move to a new town and try to navigate their complicated relationship.
3. Chesapeake Shores
Cast: Jesse Metcalfe, Meghan Ory, Barbara Niven, Laci J. Mailey
The show is based on books by Sherryl Woods, and the story revolves around a mother who returns to her hometown with her daughters to save her sister’s inn from foreclosure.
4. From Scratch
Cast: Zoë Saldaña, Eugenio Mastrandrea
Amy travels to Italy to explore the world of art, but she ends up finding something completely unexpected when she meets a charming chef named Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea).
5. Gilmore Girls
Robert Voets/Netflix
Cast: Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Melissa McCarthy
Lorelai and Rory Gilmore are a mother-daughter duo living in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. The multi-generational story follows the pair as they navigate their ever-changing relationship through new jobs, boyfriends and experiences.
6. Greenleaf
OWN
Cast: Merle Dandridge, Kim Hawthorne, Desiree Ross
Not only do the Greenleaf family run a successful megachurch in Memphis, but they’re also not as innocent as they seem.
7. Hart of Dixie
The CW
Cast: Rachel Bilson, Jaime King, Cress Williams
Meet New York doctor Zoe Hart, who takes over her dad’s medical practice after he passes away. The problem? It’s located in Alabama, which forces Zoe to adjust to the community’s uptight Southern lifestyle.
8. Dead to Me
Courtesy of Netflix
Cast: Christina Applegate, Linda Cardellini, James Marsden
The story revolves around a widow named Jen, who accidentally befriends a woman who’s partially responsible for killing her husband. Yes, you read that right.
9. This Is Us
Ron Batzdorff/NBC
Cast: Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, Sterling K. Brown
The Pearson family instantly captured America’s heart. The series tells their story across several decades, highlighting how the family deals with the tragic loss of their patriarch, Jack, at different chapters in their lives.
10. Looking for Alaska
Alfonso Bresciani/Hulu
Cast: Charlie Plummer, Kristine Froseth, Timothy Simons
Meet Miles “Pudge” Halter, a new student at Culver Creek Preparatory High School. While there, he meets a complicated girl named Alaska, who helps him achieve his life-long dream of chasing the “Great Perhaps” (Renaissance writer François Rabelais’s famous last words).
11. Soundtrack
Parrish Lewis/Netflix
Cast: Paul James, Callie Hernandez, Marianne Jean-Baptiste
It’s about an eclectic group of musicians living in Los Angeles. Through a series of flashbacks (and musical numbers), the show details how each person found their way to each other.
12. Heartland
Cast: Amber Marshall, Shaun Johnston, Michelle Morgan, Chris Potter
Heartland is like a cross between Virgin River and Yellowstone. The story follows a teenager named Amy who’s dealing with the loss of her mother. Although she has a knack for rescuing and rehabilitating horses, her business is put on hold when she realizes that her ranch is in jeopardy.