Is 'Sweet Magnolias' on Netflix a Christian Show?

Sweet Magnolias has won over millions of fans with its romance and drama but many Netflix viewers are wondering whether it is classed as a Christian show.

Season 2 of Sweet Magnolias launched on Netflix last week, exploring the lives of three friends in South Carolina. The second season ended on a cliffhanger, leaving viewers wondering whether Netflix will commission a third season of the popular show.

Originally based on a series of books by Sherryl Woods, the complications of love and relationships are explored in Sweet Magnolias, but how much of a role do faith and religion, specifically Christianity, play in the lives of the characters?

Is Sweet Magnolias a Christian show?

There is evidence both for and against Sweet Magnolias being classed as a Christian show on Netflix.

The creators of the TV series haven't confirmed whether or not it is specifically a Christian-based show. There are eleven Sweet Magnolias novels written by Woods that the TV show is based on, but the books aren't confirmed as being specifically Christian either.

Netflix doesn't have a Christian-based category specifically, but there are faith-based categories filled with dozens of TV shows and movies — Sweet Magnolias is conspicuously missing from this category.

However, while there is no confirmation from Netflix, or from the creators of the book or TV show that Sweet Magnolias is specifically a Christian story, there are signs that is could fall into the category.

Faith appears to be a strong part of the lives of the characters who live in the town of Serenity, South Carolina. They often attend church and are seen praying, but the characters' religion is rarely a pivotal point of the plot within Sweet Magnolias.

The creator of the Netflix adaptation of Sweet Magnolias, Sheryl J. Anderson, is a devout Christian, and has previously spoken publicly about her faith. While she has not spoken about Sweet Magnolias specifically being a Christian show, Anderson has mentioned that she tries to put elements of her faith within her TV shows, which include the likes of Charmed and Ties that Bind.

In October 2020 while speaking at John Paul the Great Catholic University, she said: "I wаs very fortunаte, becаuse there were а lot of people of fаith on the show [Sweet Magnolias]. It wаs criticаl to me thаt everyone on the show hаve the opportunity to give bаck by using their tаlents for God's glory аnd to support their fellow аrtists."

Based on how it is categorized and marketed by Netflix, it's fair to say that Sweet Magnolias is officially not a Christian show but it contains themes and elements which make it appealing to people of all faiths.

Seasons 1 and 2 of Sweet Magnolias are available to watch on Netflix now.