20+ Amazing Shows Like Gilmore Girls | Let The Gossip Flow!

These amazing shows like Gilmore Girls should be on your binge list if you like watching subtle drama with dominant nuances of gossip. 

If you have already seen Gilmore Girls, then as a bonus, you were in for a treat in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, the Netflix revival. Even if you appreciate the fast-paced conversation and eccentric characters, you are left yearning for more. It’s a brand-new program with a similar balance of comedy and drama, with heavier issues but the same small-town atmosphere. Read ahead and find out more about other shows like Gilmore Girls.

20+ Best Binge-Worthy Shows Like Gilmore Girls | Drama That Keeps You Hooked!

Gilmore Girls follows the life of the Gilmore family, consisting of a single mother and her daughter, Lorelai Gilmore, and Rory Gilmore. Both women share big ambitions. Lorelai, the mother, wants to own her own inn in their hometown, while Rory wants to get into the prestigious Harvard institution.

Lorelai’s rich parents, Emily and Richard Gilmore, leave no chance to ridicule them for their choices. The girls are obligated to join them for dinner every Friday, which paves the way for many conflicts within the show. Also, the relationships between the two mother-daughter duos, Emily and Lorelai and Lorelai and Rory, narrate the varied bonds and contrasting issues within the family.

#1 Heartland (2007)

Heartland (2007) is a must-watch for anyone who is a fan of escapist dramas. Heartland follows the life of the Canadian Fleming-Bartlett family, residing on a ranch near the fictional town of Hudson, Alberta. The series is based on Lauren Brooke’s novel series of the same name. 

The family strives to maintain their closeness after a heartbreaking loss. They navigate through the highs and lows of life while simultaneously trying to keep their ranch to themselves.

• Director – Murray Shostak
• Genre – Drama, Comedy
• IMDb Rating – 8.4/10
• Cast – Amber Marshall, Graham Wardle, Michelle Morgan

#2 Virgin River (2019 – present)

The show Virgin River is based on Robyn Carr’s book series of the same name. It also shares a lot of similarities with Gilmore Girls, including the depiction of problematic romantic relationships and dealing with strange life. The show follows Melinda Monroe as she relocates to Virgin River, California, and realizes that the small community has a lot more to offer than meets the eye.

• Director – Sue Tenney
• Genre – Romance, drama
• IMDb Rating – 7.4/10
• Cast – Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson, Colin Lawrence

#3 Sweet Magnolias (2020 – present)

Sweet Magnolias is a feel-good adaptation of Sherryl Woods’s book series. The story centers on three South Carolina best friends who grew up in the same tiny town. They assist one another throughout the series as they cope with relationships, professions, and family concerns.

• Director – Sheryl J. Anderson
• Genre – Drama, Romance
• IMDb Rating – 7.3/10
• Cast – Joanna Garcia, switcher, Brooke Elliot

#4 Hart Of Dixie (2011)

To be honest, Hart of Dixie isn’t quite as good as Gilmore Girls, but if you enjoy weird fictional little towns, you’ll adore it. Dr. Zoe Hart (Rachel Bilson), a New Yorker, intends to take over her father’s medical business. When she moves to Bluebell, Georgia, she discovers that acclimating to southern living is far more difficult than she anticipated.

• Director – Leila Gerstein
• Genre – Comedy, drama
• IMDb Rating – 7.7/10
• Cast – Rachel Bilson, Jaime King, Cress Williams

#5 Jane The Virgin (2014)

Jane the Virgin‘s mother-daughter dynamics will be familiar to Gilmore Girls viewers. Jane and Rory were both raised by women, and they both had powerful grandmothers. The parallels don’t stop there: they’re both aspiring authors who had to respond to emerging pregnancies (actually, Gilmore Girls left Rory’s impending motherhood to the imagination of the audience). 

The satirical, humorous, and bizarre tales, which are reminiscent of classic telenovelas, love stories, and loving family scenes, will appeal to you. Plus, once you’ve caught up, there will be even more episodes to look forward to. It’s a win-win situation.

• Director – Kevin Kiner
• Genre – Drama
• IMDb Rating – 7.9/10
• Cast – Gina Rodriguez, Justin Baldoni

#6 Bunheads (2012)

Bunheads is a no-brainer on this list, with Gilmore Girls writer Amy Sherman-Palladino at the helm. Michelle, a former ballerina turned Las Vegas beauty queen (played by Sutton Foster), ends up getting married and moving to a tiny coastal California town.

Michelle is forced to negotiate small-town life while teaching at a dance school after her spouse passes away unexpectedly. Kelly Bishop (Emily Gilmore) plays Michelle’s intimidating mom, while Liza Weil (Paris Geller), Sean Gunn (Kirk), and Rose  (Gypsy) also appear.

• Director – Amy Sherman-Palladino, Lamar Damon
• Genre – Drama
• IMDb Rating – 7.6/10
• Cast – Kaitlyn Jenkins, Sutton Foster, Bailey De Young

#7 The Mindy Project (2012)

Mindy Lahiri and Lorelai Gilmore would undoubtedly be best friends in a parallel TV reality. They have the same sense of humor, tremendous pop-cultural knowledge, and a penchant for junk food. They’re also both single parents struggling to juggle work, parenting, and tumultuous love lives.

The main character, played by Mindy Kaling, is a successful doctor with colorful characteristics and personal life. There’s also a supporting cast of strange and entertaining people who may give the Stars Hollow townies a run for their money.

• Director – Mindy Kaling
• Genre – Sitcom, romance
• IMDb Rating – 7.4/10
• Cast – Mindy Kaling, Chris Messina, Ed Weeks

#8 Younger (2015)

Younger will appeal to fans of Gilmore Girls’ eccentric array of characters and endless pop culture references. The creator and producer of Beverly Hills (1990), Foothill, and Sex and the City (1998), Darren Star, is behind the series. 

Sutton Foster portrays a 40-something newly divorced lady who decides to leave her suburban house and establish a new life in New York City’s cutthroat book publishing industry. The only snag? To secure an assistant job, she has to fake her age.

• Director – Darren Star
• Genre – Drama, romance
• IMDb Rating – 7.4/10
• Cast – Sutton Foster, Debi Mazar

#9 The Fosters (2013)

The Fosters, a freeform comedy about a multiracial lesbian couple, is a nice place to start if you’re searching for some good old family drama. The Fosters is lovely and nostalgic in the same way that Gilmore Girls is, but it delves deeper into topics of racism, gender, and mental health.

The series lasted five seasons, so if you want a long-winded drama with numerous twists and turns, you’ll enjoy it. Its spinoff, Good Trouble, follows Mariana (Cierra Ramirez) and Callie (Maia Mitchell), two adoptive sisters who settled together in Los Angeles.

• Director – Bradley Bredeweg, Peter Paige
• Genre – Drama
• IMDb Rating – 7.9/10
• Cast – Sherri Saum, Maia Mitchell, Teri Polo

Some Similiar Shows Like Gilmore Girls | What To Watch After Gilmore Girls!

I present to you various other options to choose from. Check them out!

Final Words

While I’m not opposed to a relaxing rerun of Gilmore Girls, there are plenty of other shows to watch when you’re sick of Lorelai and Rory’s antics. If you’re yearning for a sense of nostalgia and familiarity, we’ve compiled a selection of close watches that will provide you with the same comfort.