Anything can happen in a New York minute, something Maddie learns the hard way in the Season 5 premiere of “Sweet Magnolias,” now streaming on Netflix.
Season 4 ended with Maddie receiving a dream marketing job at a Manhattan book publisher, a journey that took her hundreds of miles away from Serenity. When we pick up with Maddie in Season 5, she’s thriving in her new career, which her fellow Magnolias get to see firsthand during a visit to the Big Apple. (Our favorite moment is obviously when the trio encounters a “Sex and the City”-esque group of women drinking cosmos, and Maddie tells them, “We prefer margaritas!”)
Unfortunately, Maddie’s new chapter turns out to be a short one. Following a successful book launch event, Maddie’s boss Lucas informs her that their imprint is shuttering due to an acquisition. Her position is secure, but she’s going to lose one of her newer writers, someone whose career Maddie was hoping to develop and nurture. When Lucas doubles down on having to let the author go, Maddie gives one of her classic speeches about following her heart and staking a stand — only it doesn’t go over as well in New York as it would in Serenity, and Lucas fires her on the spot.
If you were surprised by Maddie’s sudden loss of her dream job so early in the season, you’re not alone. “When I read it, I was like, “Oh my gosh!'” JoAnna Garcia Swisher tells TVLine of her character’s big twist. “I never asked for spoilers from [showrunner Sheryl J. Anderson], but now that I’m directing a bit, I do have to know some things. I want to be on the journey with the fans, and I always want to play the moment.”
Still, Garcia Swisher wouldn’t change a thing about Maddie’s consequential reaction. “I’m proud of her for that,” the actress says. “I think she always knew Lucas wasn’t the kind of boss she wanted to have, and that job wasn’t in alignment with her compass. She was there to try to make the best of the situation because it was an opportunity to do something she’s really passionately about, but the moment she saw that she was just so insanely misaligned with the whole thing, I don’t think she could help herself.”
Why JoAnna Garcia Swisher will always remember Maddie’s New York City breakdown
Shortly after being booted from her dream job, Maddie endures a painfully uncomfortable FaceTime call with Cal and the kids back home, sharing in their excitement as she chokes back tears. Maddie could share the bad news with her loved ones, but she chooses not to. Instead, she finds comfort in the arms of her visiting Magnolias — but not before taking a moment to cry in front of a New York City landmark.
“That moment was actually the last scene we shot when we were [in New York],” JoAnna Garcia Swisher tells TVLine. “The sun was about to come up, and it was just me walking down the street super melancholy. Radio City was right there, and I just had this really emotional moment thinking about what a unique job and journey this has been for me. It was a very powerful moment. It was a moment I’ll never forget. And if you’re going to have a breakdown anywhere, it might as well be in front of Radio City Music Hall, right? Why not?”
There’s a reason behind Maddie’s ‘unfair ending’
At this point, you may be wondering why “Sweet Magnolias” would pull the rug out from under Maddie so early into her new career. As showrunner Sheryl J. Anderson explains to TVLine, this major setback plays into the season’s overall theme of shifting dreams, rabbit holes, and unexpected conclusions.
“Even though we wanted to look at going after a big dream this season, there’s always the risk that your dream either won’t pan out or that it will not look in reality the way it looked in your head,” Anderson says. “The fact that Maddie comes to this sudden, abrupt, and rather unfair ending, but then is able to, with the help of her two best friends, reform the dream and still go after it, but in a way that actually winds up making her even happier, was our goal for her this season.” (That last part is a mild spoiler, but come on, did you expect this show to give Maddie an unhappy ending?)
OK, let’s talk: Were you shocked to see Maddie’s big city dreams fizzle out so quickly? And what was your favorite part of the Magnolias’ trip to New York? Grade the episode in our poll below, then drop a comment with your early thoughts on “Sweet Magnolias” Season 5.
