What To Watch
12 Shows and Movies That Pair Perfectly with Gilmore Girls
The only thing that’s missing is coffee from Luke’s.
By Kevin T. Porter and Erin Corbett
Sept. 16, 2025
12 Shows and Movies Like 'Gilmore Girls' with Peak Stars Hollow Vibes - Netflix Tudum
For Gilmore Girls fans, a fluency in popular culture isn’t just appreciated, it’s vital. Amy Sherman-Palladino’s classic, long-running series is packed with reference-filled dialogue, steeped in homage, and indebted to so much television and film that came before.
Perhaps you’ve blazed through all 153 episodes (and four mini-movies!) and you’re considering another start-to-finish rewatch. Or maybe you’re looking for something else to stream next that still has that Stars Hollow spirit. If that’s the case, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re looking for crackling romantic comedy, grounded high school drama, or some popcorn flicks you could imagine Lorelai and Rory making a marathon night out of, here are a few titles to fill that Gilmore-shaped hole in your heart.
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Ginny & Georgia
If a series centered on a 30-something mother raising her teenage daughter in an idyllic New England small town sounds familiar to you, you’re not alone. The characters themselves have enough self-awareness to describe themselves as “like the Gilmore Girls … but with bigger boobs.” And while the parallels to the original Gilmores are vivid, Ginny & Georgia is its own addictive blend of intrigue and dark humor that puts a 2020s twist on a classic (and perhaps unhealthy?) mother-daughter dynamic. Created by Sarah Lampert and starring Brianne Howey and Antonia Gentry, Ginny & Georgia has two seasons now streaming, with a third (and fourth!) on the way.
Virgin River
When Mel Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) arrives in Virgin River, California, she’s looking for a fresh start. The nurse practitioner and midwife from Los Angeles is grieving a personal tragedy and wants to rebuild her life in a new place where nobody knows her. Turns out, remaining anonymous isn’t so easy when you’re the new person in a town where everybody knows each other. The gloomy Virgin River has all the small-town charm of Stars Hollow — it’s just a bit moodier, and has a dark criminal underbelly. You’ll also want to swap a coffee at Luke’s for a whiskey at Jack’s, the endearing local bar owner played by Martin Henderson, who shares a swoon-worthy, slow-burn romance with Mel.
My Life With the Walter Boys
This coming-of-age story follows 15-year-old Jackie Howard (Nikki Rodriguez) who is forced to leave her life in Manhattan behind after she loses her family in a terrible accident. Jackie moves across the country to live with her mother’s college best friend, Katherine Walter (Sarah Rafferty), in the rural town of Silver Falls, Colorado. Like Rory, Jackie is academically driven — a straight-A student, she’s determined to get into Princeton. She learns that small-town life has its charms, and in fact, she shares a roof with two of them. As time goes on, Jackie finds herself caught between two brothers: the bookish Alex Walter (Ashby Gentry) and the mysterious and troubled Cole Walter (Noah LaLonde). It might feel like a familiar love triangle to anyone who was ever on Team Dean, Team Jess, or Team Logan.
Sweet Magnolias
If charming small towns are your thing, Sweet Magnolias is here for you. The show centers on three lifelong best friends who call themselves the “Sweet Magnolias”: Maddie (JoAnna García Swisher), a recently divorced mother of three; Helen (Heather Headley), an ambitious lawyer; and chef extraordinaire Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott). The three women support one another as they each navigate life, love, and their careers in Serenity, South Carolina. Plus, they join forces professionally to open up a spa, much like best friends Lorelai and Sookie St. James, who go into business together to open the Dragonfly Inn in Gilmore Girls. Pour yourself a cup of sweet tea and watch this one with your girlfriends.
Love Life
Love Life is a natural next watch for fans who enjoy Gilmore Girls for its mix of sharp dialogue, authentic relationships, and relatable growing pains. The rom-com anthology series starring Anna Kendrick (Season 1) and William Jackson Harper (Season 2) follows one character’s romantic journey, each episode bringing them closer to finding “the one.” It blends lighthearted charm with moments of real introspection, making it perfect for viewers who connect with stories of love, lessons, and all the messiness in between.
Maid
If Gilmore Girls was a screwball comedy version of a family dynamic, Maid is the dramatic side of the same coin. Based on Stephanie Land’s moving memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive, the limited series explores the economic realities of single parenthood and the complicated ways mothers give love to their daughters. Margaret Qualley stars in an Emmy-nominated performance as Alex Russell, a young mom fleeing her abusive ex-husband (Nick Robinson). Qualley’s real-life mother, acclaimed actor and ’90s rom-com star in her own right, Andie MacDowell, plays Alex’s mother, Paula Langley, an intimidating matriarchal presence that would give Emily Gilmore a run for her money.
The Chair
Some of the most interesting stories Gilmore Girls told came in Seasons 4–7 as the show focused on college campus dynamics and Rory’s time at Yale University. The 2021 mini-series The Chair is another sharp take on academic life. Starring Sandra Oh as the freshly appointed chair of the English department at a university and Jay Duplass as a pot-stirring professor making her job more difficult, the series is a singular blend of academic satire and romantic comedy. Created by Amanda Peet and Annie Julia Wyman, The Chair is both an endearing portrait and vicious takedown of campus life, accomplishing in just six episodes what some series can’t do in six seasons. For extra credit, it’s worth a watch solely for the ingenious casting of David Duchovny as a deliriously heightened version of himself.
Sullivan's Crossing
If Stars Hollow is your safe space, the quaint appeal of Sullivan’s Crossing will feel instantly familiar. The heartfelt drama (from the executive producers of Virgin River) follows neurosurgeon Maggie Sullivan (Morgan Kohan) as she returns to her hometown to rebuild her life. She finds herself drawn back into the rhythms of community, family, and unexpected romance. And for an extra dose of nostalgia, Scott Patterson — everyone’s favorite gruff-but-lovable diner owner Luke Danes — stars here too, bringing the same grounded presence that made him a crowd favorite in Gilmore Girls.
The Life List
A strong mother-daughter bond is at the heart of Gilmore Girls, and The Life List is no different. The film stars Sofia Carson as Alex Rose, a young woman whose late mother leaves her a list of childhood dreams to fulfill, setting her on a journey of self-discovery that’s as moving as it is uplifting. Like Lorelai and Rory’s story, it celebrates the ways mothers shape us, challenge us, and continue guiding us even when they’re gone.
Always Be My Maybe
Chemistry is perhaps the most important ingredient for any romantic comedy. It can’t be bought and it can’t be manufactured, so it’s lucky for us that Randall Park and Ali Wong put their overabundance of it to good use. This 2019 rom-com is first and foremost a showcase for the dynamic between these two incredibly funny and charismatic performers. Wong and Park (who also co-wrote the script alongside Michael Golamco) star as two childhood friends who reunite after falling out of touch for years. Has enough changed for them to give romance another go? Directed by Nahnatchka Khan, Always Be My Maybe is sure to hit the sweet spot — plus, it includes a scene-stealing performance from Keanu Reeves as … Keanu Reeves.
Never Have I Ever
From creators Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, Never Have I Ever is another entry in the tradition of coming-of-age high school comedies. Loosely based on Kaling’s own adolescence, the show follows high school student Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) as she and her friends try to make it through high school in one piece ... and maybe get laid, too. Equal parts wholesome and horny, the series balances its comedy with themes of trauma, sexual identity, and grief — and features the delightfully abrasive narration of tennis legend John McEnroe.
Set It Up
One of the great balancing acts of Gilmore Girls was how it navigated both the dramatic familial conflict and the romantic comedy elements of Lorelai and Rory and their respective suitors. The show was indebted in large part to the legacy of the rom-com, from the Howard Hawks movies of the 1950s to the genre’s apex in the 1990s. The 2018 film Set It Up is a glorious throwback to that golden age. Directed by Claire Scanlon, Set It Up is a comedy following two wildly attractive assistants, Harper (Zoey Deutch) and Charlie (Glen Powell), as they attempt to set their workaholic bosses (Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs) up on a date. The script by Katie Silberman (Booksmart, Don’t Worry Darling) crackles with banter and chemistry and makes for a delightful movie night — because at the end of the day, don’t we all just wanna watch gorgeous people flirt?
Find Your Next Netflix Obsession on TudumWhatever you love to stream, we’ve got tips on the latest releases, true crime, book adaptations, stand-up comedy, award-winning films and more.
All About Gilmore Girls
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Behind the ScenesCheck out BTS photos of Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson in Mexico.By Jean BentleyMarch 13
Deep DiveThere’s births, a death, celebrations, breakups, and even a kidnapping.By Jean BentleyMarch 13
What To WatchStreams to keep you company until Mel and Jack’s Season 7 return.By Tara BitranMarch 12
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