Did Ryan leave Sweet Magnolias? (Is Ryan in season 2?)

Sweet Magnolias season 2 is now streaming on Netflix and if you happen to be a fan of Michael Shenefelt’s character Ryan Wingate, chances are you’re currently enjoying season 2 but wondering if we’ve seen the last of Helen’s former flame.

First introduced in season 1, Ryan’s arrival seemed to initially spell trouble for the Magnolias as he set out to prevent them from proceeding with their plans to turn his aunt’s home into a spa.  However, as we quickly discovered, the play was more about getting Helen’s attention than anything else as sparks quickly flew between the old flames.

After years apart, the pair decided to give their relationship another try. Unfortunately, in the season finale, Helen decided to call things off with Ryan after coming to the realization that the pair wanted different things in life — namely when it came to having children.

Following their breakup in the finale, Ryan’s fate was left up in the air. The hope among fans of the couple was that the breakup would just be temporary and that the pair would find their way back to one another.

Instead, Ryan seems to have taken a back seat in season 2 but have we truly seen the last of the character?

Warning: The following post contains Sweet Magnolias season 2 spoilers. 

Is Ryan in Sweet Magnolias season 2?

Fear not, Michael Shenefelt does return as Ryan in season 2 of Sweet Magnolias, though we will warn audiences that Ryan does not appear in as many episodes this season as he did in season 1.

While Ryan is named dropped many times in the season’s early episodes, Ryan doesn’t actually make his first appearance in season 2 until episode 9 when he returns home for his aunt’s celebration of life.

Upon returning, Ryan quickly makes waves telling Helen he’s changed his stance on wanting kids and confesses that his aunt’s passing made him realize how precise life is. As Ryan tells Helen, he doesn’t want to run out of time with her and wants to get back together which eventually leads him to get down on bended knee in the final moments of the season with an unexpected proposal.

Although the credits roll before we learn Helen’s answer, the fact that Ryan was part of one of the finale’s major cliffhangers seems to suggest we’ll see more of the character in season 3 which is something Ryan and Helen fans are surely going to be excited about.

Sweet Magnolias season 2 is streaming now on Netflix.