Warning: This assessment incorporates spoilers.
It had been an extended, anxious anticipate the return of Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott), Helen (Heather Headley), and the opposite residents of Serenity’s sleepy little southern city. There was nice anticipation to see the fallout of Cal (Justin Bruening)’s indignant outburst on the restaurant, Ryan (Michael Shenefelt)’s return and shock proposal to Helen, the arrival of a mysterious new adversary, and the late Miss Frances’ shock reward to Dana Sue. On this reviewer’s opinion, the season 3 return of Netfilix’s #1 drama lands with a thud.
The vast majority of the episodes of the third season of Candy Magnolias are uninteresting and plodding, typically tedious to get via. The complete season spends an excessive amount of time wanting again and never shifting ahead. Nothing of any main significance occurs till the fifth episode entitled “On This Basis” which sees Noreen (Jamie Lynn Spears) come to work on the Spa, Ronnie (Brandon Quinn)’s disgruntled sister, Kathy (Wynn Everett), disrupting Annie (Anneliese Decide)’s particular sixteenth celebration, Chef Eric (Dion Johnstone) contemplating a job supply from Dana Sue’s restaurant’s largest competitor and a serious blow-up between the Candy Magnolias themselves.
The complete season simply appears “off,” as if the present normally misplaced a few of its appeal and shine. There are quite a few odd or questionable costume decisions, lackluster, predictable, or pointless storylines corresponding to Kathy’s revenge (utilizing ways straight out of junior highschool), and it was laborious to get invested in Maddie and Cal’s restart to their romance. Moreover, it was so apparent that since his return Ryan had one foot out the door to go away once more. General, there was little to no character progress for the title characters. In reality, the argument could possibly be made that in a single case this season engaged in full-blown character assassination of one in all its leads.
The way in which the character of Helen was handled by the writers and the way in which she uncharacteristically handled different characters has come shut to creating her completely unlikeable. Her remedy of Chef Eric following Ryan’s return and proposal was nothing wanting abominable. She spent nearly all of the season making an attempt to persuade herself she was completely happy when it was clear she wasn’t, and worse when her pricey buddies attempt to level out the plain to her, she cruelly lashes out at them. A number of strikes in the course of the latter a part of the season, i.e., Helen taking in CeCe (Harlan Drum), the emancipated teen who desires to complete college in serenity, and convincing reporter Peggy (Brittany L. Smith) to run for mayor, and Headley’s efficiency in these scenes are all that save the character this season.
Simply it was a big portion of secondary characters that shined and commanded viewers’ consideration this season. Among the many standouts are Tracey Bonner as Pastor June, Logan Allen as Maddie’s youngest son Kyle, and Dion Johnstone as Chef Eric. Nevertheless, the secondary gamers that confirmed the best character progress and basically saved the season with their watchability and attention-grabbing storylines have been Carson Rowland as Tyler, Maddie’s oldest son, Anneliese Decide as Annie, Dana Sue’s daughter, Jamie Lynn Spears as single mother Noreen and Chris Medlin as Assistant Chef Isaac.
Rowland exhibited nice depth and maturity as Tyler guided his youthful brother Kyle via his first heartbreak and supplied quiet assist for Kyle’s plan to renovate the neighborhood park. He additionally confirmed Tyler’s progress within the cautious, considerate method he determined and satisfied his dad and mom his choices to not play baseball or go to varsity as a result of he favored working together with his fingers was the trail he wanted to take. He was additionally the MVP pal of the season by serving to Annie via her painful romance although he was rising to take care of his previous pal. Decide’s Annie has grown tremendously in the course of the present’s three seasons and capped it off by recognizing and leaning on Tyler when she wanted it and expressing that what she needed was a relationship like her mom’s with the Candy Magnolias. The present rigorously and easily units that up by the season finale.
Additionally having a stellar season was Spears as Noreen continues her quest to reinvent herself to be accepted in Serenity. She proves herself an adept caregiver which leads to her operating the daycare on the spa. She can be a real and supportive pal to Isaac. One of many smarter strikes the present made this season was to convey again natural farmer Jeremy (Chase Anderson). As a substitute of setting him up as an impediment to Dana Sue and Ronnie’s reunion, they’ve correctly positioned him as a doable love curiosity for Noreen. Medlin does superbly in displaying Isaac’s progress by being an excellent and protecting pal to Noreen and the newborn, and stepping up on the restaurant when Chef Eric took a break. Spears and Medlin have a simple highly effective chemistry between them that the present correctly took benefit of this season.
The third disappointing season ended with the Candy Magnolias making up and coming collectively to provide Dana Sue and Ronnie a memorable marriage renewal ceremony. Nevertheless, the present didn’t supply a major cliffhanger to propel them right into a fourth season. A fourth season can be effectively served by letting the unique Candy Magnolias and their tales take a step again and as a substitute give attention to the brand new era of younger folks in Serenity and the potential new Candy Magnolias that have been fashioned.
The SpoilerTV season score for Season 3 of Candy Magnolias is a 7. What score would you give it? Which episode of this season’s Candy Magnolias was your favourite? Have been you glad with the way in which the season ended? Depart your ideas within the feedback under.
