Netflix’s hit series Sweet Magnolias is a romantic drama that's sweeter than a cold glass of southern sweet tea. Based on the novels of the same name by Sherryl Woods, the series was developed for TV by Sheryl J. Anderson. Sweet Magnolias stars JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Brooke Elliott, and Heather Headley as three long-time best friends navigating life as they manage family, friendships, and romance in a small South Carolina town. After a well-received first season, Netflix renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on February 4, 2022. There has yet to be a renewal announcement, but the series did manage to grab a spot on the Netflix top 10 lists after Season 2’s premiere.

While you wait for news about Season 3, check out some of these shows with a similar feel to Sweet Magnolias.

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Image via Netflix

Related:‘Sweet Magnolias’ Cast and Character Guide: Who's Who in the Netflix Original Romance Series

Virgin River

Image via Netflix

Based on the novels by Robyn Carr, the Netflix original Virgin River is a romantic drama series about starting over and embracing new challenges. After the death of her husband, Mel Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) decides to move from Los Angeles to the small, remote town of Virgin River to work as a nurse practitioner and midwife. Her arrival is exactly warm and welcoming, as the renovated cabin she was promised by the mayor turns out to be more of a run-down hunting shack, and her new boss, “Doc” Mullins (Tim Matheson), is not too pleased to work alongside Mel. However, a budding relationship with Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson), a local bar owner and former Marine, might just be enough to convince Mel to give her new home a second chance.

Virgin River tackles some pretty heavy topics like PTSD, abuse, and grief. However, it does this in an exceedingly gentle manner that makes this show an easy, calm watch. If you’re looking for a series with high-stakes drama but a comforting atmosphere, add Virgin River to your Netflix queue.

Dawson’s Creek

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Image via WB

The 90s to early 2000s series Dawson’s Creek is a window into a simpler time. James Van Der Beek stars as Dawson Leery, a teenage boy living in Capeside, Massachusetts, who dreams of becoming a director. He spends his time making films starring his best friends, Pacey (Joshua Jackson) and Joey (Katie Holmes). When a new girl named Jen (Michelle Williams) moves in next door, Dawson turns to his favorite movies to guide him in pursuing a relationship with her. Over the course of six seasons, these four friends take on the trials and tribulations of growing up, falling in love, and discovering who they want to be.

This series has romance, drama, and comedy all wrapped in a perfect nostalgic bow. Though Dawson’s Creek did start off as a show geared towards teens, anyone of any age is sure to fall in love with these characters and their stories.

Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce

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Image via Bravo

Lisa Edelstein and Beau Garrett star in Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, a comedy-drama series based on the book series of the same name by Vicki Iovine. The show follows Abby McCarthy (Lisa Edelstein), a self-help author whose marriage recently came to a disastrous end. After having a bit of a meltdown at a book signing, Abby’s new book deal is canceled and her career is put in peril. With her life beginning to fall apart, Abby has to lean on her friends Phoebe (Beau Garrett) and Lyla (Janeane Garofalo), who are also divorcées, for support as she attempts to start fresh and find love again.

Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce is a series about female friendships and independence. If you loved Sweet Magnolias but are looking for a series with a little more steam, Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce could be your next perfect binge-watch.

Related:Why Forgiveness Matters in ‘Sweet Magnolias’ Season 2

Gilmore Girls

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Image via Warner Bros

Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, Gilmore Girls is a story about growing up, finding yourself, and connecting with your family. Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) are an inseparable mother-daughter duo living in the small town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. After Lorelai became pregnant with Rory as a teenager, she became estranged from her wealthy family and left to build a life of her own. However, when Rory is admitted to a prestigious school, Lorelai is forced to reconnect with her parents in order to get their help with paying tuition. Over the course of seven seasons, Gilmore Girls explores the twists and turns of Lorelai and Rory’s lives as they take on the world together.

Gilmore Girls is a classic comfort watch. This is a series centered around strong female characters and their everyday lives, which makes it the perfect show to dive into after finishing Sweet Magnolias.

Drop Dead Diva

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Image via Lifetime

Drop Dead Diva stars Sweet Magnolias’ own Brooke Elliott. The series follows a young woman named Deb (Brooke D'Orsay) who is killed in a car accident. After entering heaven, Deb is told by the gatekeeper, Fred (Ben Feldman), that she performed zero good deeds and zero bad deeds during her time on earth. While Fred is distracted, Deb manages to press the “return” key to be sent back to life on earth, except Deb’s soul is accidentally sent into the body of a smart, kind, and charitable lawyer named Jane (Brooke Elliott). Now Deb has to adjust to her new life and learn to be a better person while pretending to be Jane with the help of her best friend Stacy (April Bowlby) and Fred, who is now assigned to be her guardian angel.

Drop Dead Diva is a show about self-acceptance and caring for others. It has the perfect mix of comedy, drama, and heart-felt moments to appeal to any Sweet Magnolias fan.

Chesapeake Shores

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Image via Hallmark Channel

Based on a Sherryl Woods book series of the same name, Chesapeake Shores is a Hallmark original drama series. Abby O'Brien-Winters (Meghan Ory) is an ambitious woman living in New York trying to maintain her career and raise her two daughters on her own. She returns to her hometown of Chesapeake Shores to help her sister Jess (Laci J. Mailey) save a local inn. She now has to reunite with a family she hasn’t seen in years and face her first love, Trace (Jesse Metcalfe), who she left broken-hearted six years prior. Will these tricky relationships send Abby running back to New York, or could coming home give her the second chance she’s been looking for?

If you love snuggling in to watch a Hallmark movie, then you will definitely love watching Chesapeake Shores. This is a great series to check out after Sweet Magnolias for some more light-hearted drama and romance.

Hart of Dixie

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Image via The CW

Rachel Bilson stars in Hart of Dixie as Zoe Hart, a doctor from New York who moves to the town of Bluebell, Alabama to work as a general practitioner. The series centers around Zoe as she transitions from big city life to living in a small, southern town and takes over a medical practice she inherited from a father she never knew. Zoe will have to learn to let go of the walls she has built up to connect with her new neighbors, but that won’t be an easy task. A rivalry brews between Zoe and a local woman named Lemon Breeland (Jaime King) after Zoe begins developing feelings for Lemon’s fiancé, George (Scott Porter). As if things weren’t tricky enough for Zoe, she also finds herself stuck in a love triangle between George and her neighbor, Wade (Wilson Bethel).

Hart of Dixie has all of the southern comforts that you find in Sweet Magnolias. If you’re looking for a series full of romance, drama, and heart, be sure to check out Hart of Dixie.