Fans of Sweet Magnolias’ Ty and Annie—or rather, #TyAnnie—finally got what they have waited nearly five years for in the romantic drama’s fourth-season premiere. (Warning: Spoilers ahead for all 10 episodes.)
“Annie, I have loved you for as long as I can remember, and I always will,” Ty (Carson Rowland) passionately tells Annie (Anneliese Judge) before they share their first kiss. She returns the long-awaited sentiment by kissing him back and declaring its “about damn time!”
About damn time, indeed. After plenty of longing looks, sweet—though platonic—PDA, and years of being each other’s rock, baseball player turned musician Ty Townsend finally realized he didn’t want to waste another minute without telling Annie Sullivan how he felt. And for nearly four more episodes, #TyAnnie fans got to relish their new relationship, which culminated in the exchange of “I love yous” in episode five.
But episode five is where the onscreen romance pressed pause, as Ty went off on tour with his band while Annie stayed behind in Serenity. It wouldn’t be until episode 10 before the two would reunite again—temporarily—until their future plans ended up getting in the way. Annie tells Ty she got into a prestigious art school in Monterey, California, while Ty tells her that he and the band got a gig opening in Europe. He wants Annie to come with him for this “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” but she stands firm in her plans to go to school. After all, she says, he took 17 years to tell her he loved her, so if they can’t make this work, maybe she has the answer.
Of course, the future isn’t so black and white. For one, he didn’t take 17 years to tell her he loved her; let’s be realistic—they’re teens! Life is confusing and complicated and scary enough without declaring you’re in love with your childhood friend. But also, the timing of #TyAnnie getting together isn’t ideal, as both are getting ready to leave Serenity.
So, what’s in store for the now-estranged couple should there be a season five of Sweet Magnolias? And why was Ty off the canvas so long this season without even seeing him on FaceTime? Below, showrunner and executive producer Sheryl Anderson reveals everything about their romance this season, from their first kiss to what comes next.
