What I’m Watching: two new Netflix originals – one wholesome, one not so much

Aug. 4, 2020 | Payton North
payton@thereminder.com

What I’m Watching: two Netflix originals – one wholesome, one not so much.

“Sweet Magnolias”

If you’ve read a few of my past movie reviews, you’re well aware by now that I enjoy a good cheesy, Hallmark–esque love story.

“Sweet Magnolias,” one of Netflix’s new original series, fits that bill perfectly – with a few twists.

“Sweet Magnolias” is set in the south and is based on the “Sweet Magnolias” novels by Sherryl Woods.

The show starts in on a recently separated Maddie Townsend (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) as she navigates life in small town Serenity as a newly single mother of three. Her former husband, the town pediatrician Dr. Bill Townsend (Chris Klein), cheated on Maddie with younger woman Noreen Fitzgibbins (Jamie Lynn Spears). When Fitzgibbins became pregnant, Bill left Maddie to “do right by Noreen,” and subsequently proposed to the other woman.

Not only does the show follow the lives of both of the Townsends, but it also shows significant storylines of each of their children, as well as Maddie’s best friends Dana Sue Sullivan (Brooke Elliott), a talented chef who runs her own restaurant that we find is also a single mother of one, and Helen Decatur (Heather Headley) a powerful lawyer in the community who exudes confidence but is struggling in her personal life being single and wishing she had children.

 As the show moves through the ten-episode first season, we learn more about each character’s complex relationships with one another. Maddie is learning how to navigate co-parenting with her less-than-considerate ex, and soon she meets a new love interest in her oldest son Tyler’s (Carson Rowland) high school baseball coach, Cal Maddox (Justin Bruening).

Of course, following any typical love story plot, we can tell Cal and Maddie are going to get together at some point – however again – in any typical Hallmark–like show, they don’t come together without a few wrenches in the plan. How will Tyler react to his mother starting a relationship with one of the few stable men in his life? How will Maddie’s ex Bill feel about her starting a new relationship? Will Maddie have any second thoughts about starting a relationship so soon after her split?

The show isn’t just about relationships, though. Each of the women in the show are shown in powerful career positions. Helen Decatur, the successful lawyer, works through many difficult cases during the first season of “Sweet Magnolias,” and we witness Dana Sue Sullivan struggle with balancing her job as a chef and restaurant owner, her physical health and her young teen daughter Annie’s (Anneilese Judge) feelings. In addition, the three leading ladies (Dana Sue, Helen and Maddie) all start their own business venture together: opening Serenity’s first women–only spa.

While I won’t offer too many more details, I will say I was expecting the show to be three things: completely light, sweet and southern. While it was the latter two of the three characteristics – each character talking in a sweet, southern accent, and yes ma'am and no sir’s were in abundance – there were several instances of note where a plot didn’t pan out exactly as I thought it would, leaving a few characters in a darker place emotionally and physically than I thought would happen.

 In Hallmark–style shows, I often find them to be predictable – which for the record, I love. But I was pleasantly surprised that specific plot points relating to Noreen Fitzgibbins and Bill Townsend’s relationship didn’t play out the way I thought they might, and the ending of the season left us on a cliffhanger that was so unexpected to me I was in tears.

My sole complaint with the show is that some of the characters are so wholesome, it appears to me that their actor/actress has a hard time tapping into that character as easily as others do. For example: the Noreen Fitzgibbins character portrayed by Jamie Lynn Spears. I find her character to be naive, presumptuous and lacking self–awareness. While other actors and actresses in the show appeared to seamlessly fall into their characters roles, I found Jamie Lynn Spears’ portrayal of Fitzgibbins to be a bit stiff.

Netflix recently announced that “Sweet Magnolias” has been renewed for a second season, though a firm release date has not been announced.

“Selling Sunset”

For those of our readers who are interested in awe-inspiring and, at times, jaw-dropping real estate with a strong dose of reality TV dramatics: look no further. “Selling Sunset” is a must see.

“Selling Sunset” follows several stunning real estate agents and their personal lives as they navigate working for The Oppenheim Group – a Los Angeles–based real estate brokerage firm, owned by twin brothers Jason and Brett Oppenheim.

Netflix has released two seasons of “Selling Sunset” so far, with a third season on the way this month.

In the first season, we meet the women who work for the Oppenheim brothers – Chrishell Stause (formerly Chrishell Heartley) who is not only a real estate agent, but a daytime soap opera star. Readers may recognize her from shows such as “Days of Our Lives,” “The Young and the Restless” and “All My Children.”

When we meet Stause in season one, she is new to the Oppenheim group, and is arguably the lead woman the show follows for the first season. Don’t let her public background of glitz and glamour fool you, though. Stause shares over the course of the season tales of her challenging upbringing, where at one point she was homeless. She refers to herself as “the smelly kid,” in school, and explains that her past struggles have made her into the arguably humble and kind person she is today.

When Stause is introduced to the women, she meets her match in Christine Quinn – an intimidating, “tell it like it is,” outspoken blonde who isn’t a fan of newcomers. In my opinion, Quinn reminds me of a sorority leader who is looking to be in charge and who also isn’t afraid of a little hazing. The only problem is – this isn’t college, it’s a real estate brokerage and the ladies are in their 30’s.

As the eight-episode first season carries on, the elite real estate agents, Stause and Quinn, along with other agents Mary Fitzgerald, Maya Vander, Heather Young and Davina Potraz, show stunning L.A. homes to potential buyers, all while figuring out the social dynamics of working in a close-knit office space where the owners host many “work family dinners,” and get togethers that spark plenty of reality TV drama.

When Stause has a conversation with fellow agent Davina Potraz, in an attempt to learn more about the group and relationship dynamics, Stause asks Potraz if other agent Mary Fitzgerald who was recently engaged to a younger man, Romain Bonnet, is creating a pre–nup. Potraz “tells on” Stause for asking this question, which sends Quinn into a tailspin, as she is protective of Fitzgerald and her feelings, and is over–the–edge upset with Stause for prying.

While I won’t give away too many season two details: Quinn does apologize to Stause, to which Stause carefully and warily accepts. We see more erratic behavior from Quinn, where she publicly questions other peoples relationships but defends her own newly minted fiance that she has been traveling the world with.

The second season also introduces a new agent to the brokerage, Amanza Smith, who was once married to former NFL player Ralph Brown. Smith, a single mother of two, is shown as a go-getter, working woman who has no time for Quinn’s nonsense – which to me – is greatly appreciated. Finally, someone on the cast who will call Quinn out for her bad behavior.

As season two continues, Fitzgerald’s fiance Bonnet requests that a member of the Oppenheim group team not be invited to the wedding due to shady comments of engagement ring value, which creates a huge upset amongst the women of the agency.

And for the dramatic cherry on top, if you will, we are left on a cliffhanger regarding the incredibly public split of Stause and her former husband Justin Heartley, who suddenly, and unbeknownst to her, filed for divorce from her in November of 2019. We leave off with Stause explaining that she doesn’t know why he’s divorcing her, that it was unexpected, and that she was left to move out on a whim and doesn’t have anyone to turn to.

Season three of “Selling Sunset” is expected to release on Aug. 7.

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