Sweet Magnolias boss addresses Carson Rowland absence following dramatic season 4 finale

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Season 5 of Sweet Magnolias is now streaming on Netflix, and the charming small town of Serenity, South Carolina, is once again filled with plenty of drama and secrets.

But one person who wasn’t around to experience any of it was Maddie’s eldest son, Ty. After a limited appearance in season 4, when the character was away touring Europe with his band, he is completely absent from season 5 after actor Carson Rowland decided to step away from the series.

“It was his choice,” showrunner Sheryl J Anderson confirmed to Deadline, after previously discussing Rowland’s desire to pursue other opportunities, which have included Ryan Murphy’s body-horror series The Beauty and YA adventure feature The Queen’s Jewels.

And like Rowland himself, Ty’s absence is explained by his decision to continue exploring life beyond Serenity – although he remains an important presence in the story as those closest to him grapple with his absence, especially Annie.

We last left them on a fraught note, casting doubt on the future of a relationship that had been years in the making. When Annie chose not to join Ty overseas, instead opting to study photography in California, a giant question mark was left hanging over the pair.

Could they resolve their differences and find a way to make long-distance work?

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Season 5 doesn’t resolve whether Ty and Winnie will get back together, but there are hints they might. Ty texts Winnie saying he misses her, and he even tries to video call her during Helen and Erik’s wedding – though she’s with Noah when he calls.

Anderson has suggested there’s more to the story of Annie and Ty, explaining after season four that young love often faces challenges. He noted that while people initially believe love is all you need, building a lasting relationship requires effort and growth as individuals and as a couple, and that Annie and Ty still have work to do on their relationship.

Deadline reports that the actor might be willing to come back if the show is renewed, giving fans hope that Ty and Annie’s story isn’t over.

According to Anderson, both of them are still trying to understand what the future holds. She emphasized that love is complicated and doesn’t simply disappear overnight; it requires time to process and resolve feelings. They’re hoping for new opportunities and information that might lead to a solution.

Both Ty and Annie, and Dana Sue and Ronnie, face uncertain futures as the show potentially moves into a sixth season. The couple Dana Sue and Ronnie had a particularly tough season, leaving their marriage in question.

Okay, so Ronnie storing those cheap e-bikes in the garage definitely made the fire damage way worse, but honestly, Dana Sue has been hinting for ages that things weren’t good between them. It felt like they just couldn’t talk to each other, and secrets were driving a wedge between them all over again. In the end, she decided she needed to move out and have some space to figure out what she wants – not just for herself, but for their relationship too. It’s sad, but I get why she needed to do that.

So, are Dana Sue and Ronnie built to last? Or is this the beginning of the end for them?

If Sweet Magnolias returns for another season, the couple clearly have some difficult conversations ahead.

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Authors

Abby RobinsonDrama Editor

Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor at TopMob, where she writes about TV dramas and comedies. Before joining TopMob, she worked as a TV writer for Digital Spy and as a content writer for Mumsnet. She holds a degree and a postgraduate diploma in English Studies.

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2026-06-11 15:04