Sweet Magnolias – Season 2 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

If Thou Wilt Remember

Episode 10 of Sweet Magnolias Season 2 begins with Maddie, Dana and Helen all toasting over a cocktail. They discuss Frances’ funeral, before turning the attention to the varying degrees of success the women are having in their relationships.

Do Ty and Jackson make up?

Meanwhile, Isaac sits down with Erik and tells him that Bill Townsend is his biological Dad. The fact that it’s someone who has caused harm around town causes Isaac to grow conflicted over who he really is and whether he’ll turn out like Bill. Erik though is quick to point out that he’s not that sort of person.

Ty’s cast has gone now and in the coffee shop, Jackson apologizes for pushing him over. Ty swallows his pride and agrees that it was an accident. Annie has changed both of them and despite always competitively fighting with one another, they’re ready to play on the same team. At least, on the baseball field anyway.

Does Dana stay with Ronnie?

Dana fixes up Ronnie’s new pickup truck as a peace offering, deciding they should make another go of their marriage after all.

Things for Helen taken an unexpected turn though when Ryan opens up and tells her he wants children. Reminding her that time is ticking, he decides they should talk after the ceremony.

Elsewhere, Kyle meets Nellie. Following on from Sophie encouraging him to do so earlier, he meets her in the coffee shop and asks her out for a date. And she says yes! Hooray!

What happens between Bill and Maddie?

Meanwhile, Bill visits Maddie and lets her know that Isaac is his son. Maddie is shocked and furious, although Bill tries to remind her he’s only just found out himself. Although Bill does apologize profusely, Maddie makes a big decision and decides they’re never getting back together and she “releases him” from this burden.

Frances’ ceremony goes ahead but just before that, Cal is dismissed from his role as a coach by unanimous decision on the board. It turns out he was charged with assault and battery in the past which is the deciding factor here.

When Cal tells Maddie, she’s not happy that he kept this from her. Cal encourages her that he’s changed but there’s definite doubts there.

What does Ty decide to do with his future?

Ty also makes a big decision and chooses not to go ahead with baseball anymore. When he tells Bill, he’s seemingly proud but also tells his son that he needs some time to process this news. It’s been a bumpy road to reach this point but finally Ty has plucked up the courage to tell his dad exactly how he feels, and that lifts a massive weight off his shoulders.

Although Nellie initially tells Kyle to hold off meeting him, thanks to Mary forcing her not to see him, after-hours they head to the kissing tree where the pair exchange a kiss in a really beautiful scene.

What happens with Frances’ Will?

Outside, Dana receives a cheque from the late Frances’ estate. She’s given a hefty amount of cash, which certainly shocks her, and she believes it’s some sort of mistake. It’s not though, as fate would have it, but that’s not all.

Tyler arrives with a video of a woman from the wake caught on camera puncturing the tyres on Sullivan’s van. This same woman earlier approached Annie and told her that Maddie is a “life ruiner.” This appears to be someone the Magnolias know very well and they exchange knowing glances.

Why does Cal get arrested?

Meanwhile, everything kicks off in the kitchen. Cal’s overenthusiastic fan. Stu, from Charleston shows up trying to get him reinstated.

Stu gets pretty hotheaded when Dana starts ringing the sheriff, and when he lunges at her, Cal steps in. He pushes the man toward the exit (right in front of paying customers I may add) and they watch the night-time entertainment play out before them.

Cal punches the guy down to the ground just as the police show up and arrest him, rather than Stu, for the physical assault.

How does Sweet Magnolias Season 2 end?

As the episode closes, Helen is blindsided by Ryan who proposes to her outside. She’s shocked, but before we get an answer, the series comes to a close.

The Episode Review

So Sweet Magnolias bows out with a dramatic final episode, one that leaves plenty on the table for a third season. Sure the drama is a bit superficial at times, especially the way Cal’s anger has been blown completely out of proportion at the end.

We saw bits of it earlier in the season but he’s just lost his job and to be honest, that ending sequence could be construed as self-defence. I mean, minus punching the guy in the face anyway.

The kids are the real stars of the show here though and there are some really nice feel-good sequences here, especially seeing Kyle come full-circle from the bitterness he occupied earlier in the season. Seeing him now a lot more free-spirited and with the confidence to actually go after Nellie is nicely done and their kiss under the tree was utterly adorable.

Meanwhile, Sweet Magnolias continues to (unintentionally I’m guessing!) show Dana in a rather negative light. I understand that Ronnie has wronged her but the fact she so openly took him back, chalking it up to “nostalgia”, calling out Annie for her conflicting feelings over the whole thing and just dumping Jeremy and leaving him high and dry aren’t great traits.

Just to play devil’s advocate to my own thoughts here, I guess it does show a bit of depth and how morally grey this whole situation is.

The drama between Maddie and Cal continues to dominate most of the discourse this episode and specifically Cal’s history. Whether there’s more he’s hiding from her or not is left up for debate but I’d imagine we’ll see him out of prison and trying to make it up to Maddie before long.

Werther Sweet Magnolias will be renewed or not is left up for debate but based on this showing, we certainly wouldn’t be surprised if it is!