21 Shows Like Sweet Magnolias For The Perfect Mix Of Comfort And Drama
Get your margaritas ready.
There's something so great about watching TV shows that make you cry. Yes, there may be tears, but getting all of your emotions out can feel like a release. That's likely a huge reason why, when Sweet Magnolias — a dramatic series about three women's lives in the South — debuted on Netflix in May 2020, it immediately went to to Netflix's "Top 10 In The U.S. Today" list. Between the heartfelt moments of friendship and dramatic relationship complications, there were tons of moments that got audiences in their feels. For those who keep re-watching all the episodes, here are some shows like Sweet Magnolias that will have you laughing, crying, and feeling all warm inside.
If you're a fan of the more upbeat moments in Sweet Magnolias, you may enjoy comedies like Gilmore Girls or Reba, which are as funny as they are deep. If you're more into watching the sentimental scenes that unfold between friends, something like A Million Little Things or Northern Rescue may be more up your alley. Or, if you're simply looking for something that documents life in a small town in the South — for one reason or another, there's a big market for these types of shows — something like Hart of Dixie might be exactly what you need.
Sweet Magnolias Season 2 is one of Netflix’s highly anticipated February releases. But if you blaze through the series like many fans do, here are more shows to check out — many of which are available with a streaming service or for purchase on popular platforms.
01
Firefly Lane
What it's about: Two friends who navigate the decades with each other by their side
Seasons: 1 (still airing)
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription.
02
A Million Little Things
What it's about: A close-knit group of friends who — after a member of the group dies — realize the importance of friendship and living life to the fullest
Seasons: 4 (still airing)
Where to watch: Episodes air on ABC. All episodes are available for purchase on Amazon Prime TV and Google Play.
03
Cherish The Day
What it's about: A couple's relationship and their most significant moments together, with each episode chronicling one day at a time
Seasons: 1
Where to watch: Episodes air on OWN. All episodes are available with Fubo TV subscription (free trial available), or for purchase on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play.
04
Chesapeake Shores
What it's about: Abby O'Brien, a career woman who gets divorced and moves back to her hometown, where she raises her twin daughters, rekindles her romance with her high school sweetheart, and gets involved in the lives of her siblings
Seasons: 5
Where to watch: All episodes are available for purchase on Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, and iTunes.
05
Dolly Parton's Heartstrings
What it's about: The stories and memories behind Dolly Parton's hit songs
Seasons: 1
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription.
06
Drop Dead Diva
What it's about: A shallow model gets killed in a car crash and is reincarnated as a lawyer (played by Brooke Elliott, who also stars as Dana Sue on Sweet Magnolias); she's then tasked with finding the true meaning of beauty
Seasons: 6
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Hulu subscription (Starz add-on required), a Starz subscription, or for purchase on Amazon Prime Video.
07
Fuller House
What it's about: A sequel to the '80s/'90s sitcom that chronicles the life of the Tanner family (and their neighbor Kimmy Gibbler) as they tackle adulthood
Seasons: 5
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription, or for purchase on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play.
08
Gilmore Girls
What it's about: Quick-witted single mother Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter Rory navigate work, education, ambition, and relationships in their fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut
Seasons: 7
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription, or for purchase on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play.
09
Girlfriends' Guide To Divorce
What it's about: A bestselling self-help author hides her recent separation and relies on her friends as a single woman in her 40s
Seasons: 5
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription or for purchase on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play.
10
Good Girls
What it's about: Three suburban moms who plan a grocery store heist to escape financial hardship, but quickly realize it's not so easy to escape a life of crime
Seasons: 4
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription, or for purchase on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play.
11
Good Witch
What it's about: The magical Cassie Nightingale and her daughter Grace become close to next-door neighbor Dr. Sam Radford and his son when they move in
Seasons: 6
Where to watch: Episodes air on the Hallmark Channel. All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription.
12
Grace & Frankie
What it's about: Two lifelong rivals come together after discovering their husbands have been in a romantic relationship with one another for over 20 years
Seasons: 7
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription.
13
Greenleaf
What it's about: The Greenleaf family, their mansion compound, and their giant Memphis megachurch Calvary Fellowship World Ministries... which has a scandalous backstory
Seasons: 5
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription.
14
Hart Of Dixie
What it's about: New Yorker Dr. Zoe Hart takes a job as a general practitioner in Bluebell, Alabama, after her dreams of becoming a heart surgeon don't come to fruition
Seasons: 4
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription, or for purchase on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play.
15
Heartland
What it's about: Sisters Amy and Lou Fleming, their grandpa Jack Bartlett, and Ty Borden (Amy's husband), as they navigate life on their ranch
Seasons: 15
Where to watch: Seasons 1-13 are available with a Netflix subscription. All episodes are available for purchase on Amazon Prime Video.
16
Northern Rescue
What it's about: Search-and-rescue commander John West uproots his children from Boston to his rural hometown of Turtle Island Bay after the unexpected death of his wife.
Seasons: 1
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription.
17
Reba
What it's about: The recent divorce of quick-witted Reba Nell Hart; her ex-husband Brock and his new young wife Barbra Jean; and their children Cheyenne, Kyra, and Jake.
Seasons: 6
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Hulu subscription, or for purchase on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play.
18
Soundtrack
What it's about: Two struggling artists who are connected through music in Los Angeles
Seasons: 1
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription.
19
The Astronaut Wives Club
What it's about: The real story of the wives and families of astronauts, who became basically American royalty in the Space Race era
Seasons: 1
Where to watch: All episodes are available on ABC, or for purchase on Amazon Prime Video.
20
Virgin River
What it's about: A recently widowed nurse moves to the forests of northern California to work as a midwife, and she meets an intriguing man when she arrives
Seasons: 3 (still airing)
Where to watch: All episodes are available with a Netflix subscription.
21
When Calls The Heart
What it's about: A woman moves to a small Canadian mining community in the early 1900s to become a teacher after her husband dies
Seasons: 8 (still airing)
Where to watch: Episodes air on the Hallmark Channel. All episodes are available on Netflix, or for purchase on Amazon Prime Video.
