Celebrity Extra: JoAnna Garcia Swisher
By Dana Jackson
Q: I recently discovered the series "Sweet Magnolias" on Netflix and binged all five seasons over the summer. Is there going to be a sixth one anytime soon? -- J.I.
A: Unfortunately, Netflix recently announced that there won't be any more new episodes of "Sweet Magnolias" after the fifth season concluded in June. This has come as a shock to the show's fans because one of the couples, namely Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott) and Ronnie (Brandon Quinn), appeared to be headed toward "Splitsville."
JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Maddie in "Sweet Magnolias". Photo Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
JoAnna Garcia Swisher, who played Maddie, had nothing but kind words for the show, despite the bittersweet announcement of its cancellation. She stated, "'Sweet Magnolias' came into my world during a chapter that held some of my deepest loss [the death of both of her parents] and, somehow, some of my greatest joy."
The series is based on the "Sweet Magnolias" novels that were written by Sherryl Woods. Perhaps fans can find a proper conclusion for their favorite characters inside those pages. Netflix also recently announced that the show's executive producer and showrunner Sheryl J. Anderson is creating a new show for the streamer, called "Ladies of the House." Swisher's set to produce and possibly even star in it, too.
This new series is also based on a set of novels that feature three female central characters. The "Ladies of the House" books are written by Lauren Edmonson.
Q: Is there anywhere I can stream "Murphy Brown"? I've noticed it's missing on all the ones I subscribe to. -- E.D.
A: According to TVLine, the original seasons of the Emmy-winning hit comedy series "Murphy Brown" have been unable to find a home on any of the streaming platforms due to music rights. It's the same reason why shows like NBC's "Homicide" weren't streamable for many years, until Peacock was able to secure the show with partial rights.
According to TVLine, "Murphy Brown" creator Diane English explained that the show "used one and sometimes two pieces of original music" when crafting unique opening sequences for each episode.
But here's a bit of good news: There was a "Murphy Brown" 13-episode revival series that was released in 2018, and you can find these episodes on the free streaming service Tubi.
Q: Is it true that Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan didn't want to work with Tom Hardy on "MobLand" anymore? -- L.L.
A: While the Paramount+ series "MobLand" returned for its second season this September, it was rumored that star Tom Hardy wouldn't be returning for a third. His co-stars Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan recently denied that Hardy was a pill to deal with on set. Mirren stated that she loves working with Hardy, hopes to share more scenes with him in the future, and called him "the most amazing actor."
Some chatter on the internet includes theories that Paramount started the rumors of Hardy being difficult because they didn't want to pay him his worth. Fortunately, the two parties have come to some kind of agreement because Hardy will be back for season three.
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