30 Shows Like Ginny And Georgia You Need To Watch

At first glance, Netflix's "Ginny and Georgia" appears to be a 2020s version of "Gilmore Girls." A dramedy, it follows a teenage girl named Ginny (Antonia Gentry) and her mother, Georgia (Brianne Howie), who had Ginny at 15. But even in the first episode, it's obvious Ginny's got an edge, Georgia has bite, and this definitely isn't "Gilmore Girls" 2.0.

Ginny loves her beautiful and guarded mother, but she resents her as well. Georgia has kept Ginny and her little brother Austin (Diesel La Torraca) on the continual move, at the whims of Georgia's many romantic relationships. This nomadic life frustrates Ginny — she longs to put down roots and stay somewhere long enough to make friends. But perhaps these moves aren't just about romance: Georgia has secrets, and a killer instinct honed by the traumatic past she's eternally running from.

Suffice it to say, "Ginny and Georgia" has a lot going on under the surface. Fans have fallen in love with its heartfelt drama and clever humor — but you can only rewatch a series so many times. Hungry for shows that nail that classic "Ginny and Georgia" blend of emotion and wit? We've got you covered. If you love "Ginny and Georgia," these 30 shows should be next on your to-watch list.

"All American" is a departure from "Ginny and Georgia" in that the central character is a teenage boy, but its deep emotionality will please any committed fan. Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) is a rising football star at South Crenshaw High School. When coach Billy Baker (Taye Diggs) from the Beverly Hills High football program asks Spencer to play for him, Spencer is thrown into an unfamiliar world of rich white kids, fancy cars, and luxe mansions. Like Ginny, Spencer must adjust to this enormously different environment. Beverly Hills' academic challenges aren't a problem — Spencer is a straight-A student — but socially, he's out of his element.

Episode 1 introduces a mystery "Ginny and Georgia" fans will appreciate, which involves Billy's history with Spencer's mother, Grace (Karimah Westbrook). This isn't the only enigma Spencer stumbles upon, especially once the students of Beverly Hills High become his friends. As Ben Travers of IndieWire put it, "What starts as a fun reminder of just how bankable rags-to-riches stories can be, results in a relevant original series that's a whole helluva lot of fun."

"Cruel Summer" follows Jeanette (Chiara Aurelia), an awkward 15-year-old who transforms into one of the most popular girls in school after fellow student Kate (Olivia Holt) goes missing, circa 1993. But by the summer of '95, Kate is home, and Jeanette has become a universally despised person. Like "Ginny and Georgia," this intriguing series explores a central mystery and multiple timelines as it pieces together what really happened.

"Ginny and Georgia" is a considerably lighter show than "Cruel Summer," which is an out-and-out thriller. But the two productions have one major thing in common: Their gripping portrayals of small town relationships. "'Cruel Summer' is custom-built to be an object of social media obsession," according to Alexis Gunderson of Paste, who added, "the show is playing on Expert Mode." Although it's geared toward teens, it has the grit, complexity, and authenticity needed to draw fans from multiple generations. Plus, for those of us who were teenagers in the 1990s, the nostalgia is top-notch.

"Dear White People" follows a group of Black students as they make their way through Winchester University, a storied Ivy League institution. It's also a predominantly white school, which presents a daily onslaught of cultural bias and microaggressions. Tired of feeling out of place, Samantha (Logan Browning) gives voice to her frustrations, which stirs up controversy on campus. Intelligent exploration of race, sex, and identity in general ensues. 

To say that "Dear White People" is incisive is an understatement — but it's also laugh-out-loud hilarious. As David Wiegand of SFGATE put it, "The entire cast is outstanding, and Simien's script is masterful. On the one hand, he is dealing with very complicated identity issues ... On another level, though, he's writing exceptionally funny comedy." If you love Ginny's take-down of her AP English teacher in Episode 1 of "Ginny and Georgia," you'll love hearing what Samantha has to say.

"Firefly Lane" is told through two alternating timelines. One is set in the 1970s, the era in which teenage Tully (Ali Skovbye) and Kate (Roan Curtis) become best friends. The other is set in the modern day, and features Katherine Heigl as Tully and Sarah Chalke as Kate. They're still best friends, but life looks a whole lot different by this point. Like "Ginny and Georgia," this series features a complex mother-daughter bond — in this case, between Tully and her hippie mom, Cloud (Beau Garrett). It also explores sexual orientation, especially through Kate's brother Sean (Quinn Lord and Jason McKinnon).

At its core, "Firefly Lane" is about lifelong friendships and the destructive effect secrets and lies have on our most intimate and enduring relationships. While other, lesser shows would take this to a melodramatic place, the nuanced characters of "Firefly Lane" make it a must-watch drama. As Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair pointed out, "the schmaltz isn't even that schmaltzy; 'Firefly Lane' has more of an edge than its gentle, ethereal title might suggest." Like "Ginny and Georgia," this Netflix series walks the line between soap and substance.

Like "Ginny and Georgia," "Gilmore Girls" centers around an unusual mother-daughter duo. Lorelai (Lauren Graham) had Rory (Alexis Bledel) as a teen, and is now trying to guide her little girl through her own adolescence. They call Stars Hollow home, a Connecticut town populated by a quirky group of supporting characters portrayed by an excellent ensemble cast. Although "Gilmore Girls" is more innocent than "Ginny and Georgia" and lacks its mystery element, it doesn't shy away from the conflicts that naturally arise between a mother and daughter — even when they're best friends.

Known for its coffee-fueled, rapid-fire dialogue, "Gilmore Girls" is also a major fan favorite. As Saul Austerlitz of The New York Times said, "For many fans, Stars Hollow has always been their happy place." The love is so strong that Netflix revived the show with the 2016 miniseries, "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life." If you're hungry for more mother-daughter antics and small-town drama, "Gilmore Girls" is unbeatable.

This soapy teen drama about a group of friends and frenemies at an elite Manhattan school became a massive success, launching the careers of Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley. Narrated by an omniscient blogger called "Gossip Girl," this series follows a group of moneyed teenagers as they date, betray, and menace each other. Like "Ginny and Georgia," "Gossip Girl" spends much time exploring its teen characters' complex relationships with their parents. Things are significantly more dramatic on the Upper East Side, what with an anonymous gossip-spiller divulging their secrets, but the fundamentals remain the same.

The ongoing mystery of who Gossip Girl is, combined with the scandalous secrets everyone is hiding, will keep "Ginny and Georgia" fans coming back for more. Moreover, while it's directed at a teen audience, this series definitely gives adults important roles. All in all, it's a sexy and stylish guilty pleasure. As John Maynard of the Washington Post said, "At times, it's overboard ... But overboard is exactly where 'Gossip Girl' wants to be."

Hulu's "Little Fires Everywhere" is set in Shaker Heights, Ohio, a picture-perfect neighborhood with a whole lot of secrets. Like "Ginny and Georgia," it centers a mother, Mia (Kerry Washington), and her teenage daughter, Pearl (Lexi Underwood), who are always on the move. Their lives collide with that of Elena (Reese Witherspoon) and her family, who have the sort of stability Pearl dreams of. But all is not as it seems. This stirring series deconstructs race and class in America during the "colorblind" '90s with vision, empathy, and incredible performances.

Like "Ginny and Georgia," "Little Fires Everywhere" alternates between multiple timelines, which follow Elena and Mia as young women, new mothers, and eventually denizens of Shaker Heights. When their families become intertwined and transformed, long-guarded secrets are revealed. Kelly Lawler of USA Today called the series "the successful meeting of style and substance, combining great acting, superb costuming and production design, [and] sharp scripts that expand on the acclaimed source material." If you like the teen angst and mystery elements of "Ginny and Georgia, you must see "Little Fires Everywhere."

"Maid" centers around young mother Alex (Margaret Qualley), who hasn't worked since she had her daughter Maddy. This has made her reliant on Sean (Nick Robinson), her abusive boyfriend and Maddy's father. In Episode 1, Alex leaves in the middle of the night. Freedom is precious, but hard-won: Eventually, Alex must take refuge in a domestic violence shelter, face the justice system, and get back on her feet by working as a maid. 

"Maid" is a true-to-life depiction of a woman trying to escape domestic violence without significant family support or financial independence. Its portrayal of abuse, young motherhood, and a troubled mother-daughter relationship are just a few of the thematic links it has to "Ginny and Georgia." It can be a tough watch, but it also opens a dialogue regarding subjects that, until very recently, were only whispered about. That it does so courtesy of phenomenal performances, nuanced writing, and powerful direction makes it even more impressive.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

After the tragic death of his wife Sarah, search and rescue commander John (William Baldwin) moves himself and his three kids back to his Ontario hometown, so that his sister-in-law Charlie (Kathleen Robertson) can help them adjust. But John's eldest daughter Maddie (Amalia Williamson) is going through a rebellious phase, and her mother's death seems to have brought her anger to the surface. Soon enough, this leads her to family secrets.

"Northern Rescue" is more family-friendly than "Ginny and Georgia," but both shows feature a complicated mother-daughter relationship and an exploration of the way destructive secrets can bring a family to the brink. They also have beautiful scenery in common. Furthermore, "Northern Rescue" is probably the only show to ever have its central family live in an abandoned aquarium with adorable penguins, following a devastating house fire. If that's not an out-of-the-box set-up, we don't know what is.

When you think "teen thriller," there's a good chance the first show that comes to mind is "Pretty Little Liars." A year after their friend Alison (Sasha Pieterse) goes missing, four friends — Spencer (Troian Bellisario), Hanna (Ashley Benson), Aria (Lucy Hale), and Emily (Shay Mitchell) — receive manipulative and threatening text messages from a mysterious stalker known as "A." Ruined relationships, even more secrets, and buckets of drama ensue: A seems to know all their dirty laundry.

For the entirety of high school, this group of friends is tormented by their unknown enemy. The series then jumps ahead five years, bringing the young women back together in their hometown as college graduates. Those who love the secrets buried in "Ginny and Georgia" should pay special attention — this propulsive series is full of many, many more. Stylish and seductively dark, "Pretty Little Liars" just might be your next favorite series.

Brash, funny, and smart, "Sex Education" is one of the best teen shows on television. Moordale Secondary School's students struggle with the usual troubles of being modern teenagers. When Maeve (Emma Mackey) discovers Otis' (Asa Butterfield) mom is a sex therapist, and that Otis has a knack for advising his peers, she approaches him about starting an underground "clinic" at their school. But while Maeve seems to be motivated by money, Otis might only agree to have an excuse for spending time with Maeve.

Like "Ginny and Georgia," this series offers a frank exploration of teen's sex lives. It also features unusual, cringe-worthy, and incredibly laugh-inducing parent-child relationships. It's not all jokes, though — "Sex Education" explores serious subjects with uncommon compassion and insight. Even more impressively, it somehow always hits the right note.

Like "Ginny and Georgia," "Spinning Out" features a fraught mother-daughter bond. Kat Baker (Kaya Scodelario), a 20-something figure skater and Olympic hopeful, is trying to come back from a traumatic injury. Her mother Carol (January Jones) had Olympic ambitions as well, before becoming a teen mother. Kat and Carol's relationship is further strained by their shared diagnosis: Both women live with bipolar disorder. What's more, Kat's half-sister Serena (Willow Shields) has ice-bound dreams too, but lives in the shadow of her talented sibling.

"Spinning Out" explores a variety of subjects, including young love — Kat's relationship with her skating partner Justin (Evan Roderick) injects some major drama into the story. But it's not all sequins and diva-drama: "Spinning Out" tackles self-harm, mental health, and sexual abuse. Packed with talent portraying layered women with secrets and surprising substance, it's sure to impress any "Ginny and Georgia" fan.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

"The Politician" is a satire with heart. The students of Saint Sebastian High School, located in chi-chi Santa Barbara, exude pampered California confidence. They also plot to win their school election at all costs. Payton Hobart (Ben Platt) has wanted to become president of the United States since he was just 7 years old, and has concluded, after exhaustive research, that being elected class president before attending Harvard is the ticket to his prized future. But when popular and handsome River (David Corenswet) runs, Payton's confidence lags. His political advisors cook up a strategy to win the sympathy vote: He should choose Infinity (Zoey Deutch), a teenager with cancer, as his running mate.

As you might expect, this series gets brutal with its humor: Glenn Garvin of Reason called it "a rollicking meditation on fakes, frauds, and phonies." It also has a terrific ensemble cast, including Gwyneth Paltrow as Payton's adoptive mother and Jessica Lange as Infinity's manipulative grandmother.  If you love Georgia's political machinations in "Ginny and Georgia," you'll enjoy the wheeling and dealing of "The Politician."

Brought together by a shoplifters' support group modeled on Alcoholics Anonymous, three teenage girls with very different personalities and wildly divergent social circles form an unexpected bond in "Trinkets." After her mom dies, Elodie (Brianna Hildebrand) has to move from Albuquerque to Portland, Oregon to live with her dad and his new family. She's lonely, grieving, and missing the girlfriend she left back in New Mexico. But when she makes friends with Moe (Kiana Madeira) and Tabitha (Quintessa Swindell), she gets the fresh start she needs. 

In bringing these three lonely teenage girls together, "Trinkets" demonstrates the importance of connection and community. "Ginny and Georgia" fans will doubtlessly appreciate this focus, as well as the series' clever writing and sharp sense of humor. Roxana Hadadi of RogerEbert.com praised "Trinkets" as "a surprisingly engrossing diversion," boasting "snappy pacing, clear narrative arcs, and thoughtful engagement with timely issues regarding race and addiction."

Like Georgia, Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) of "Weeds" is a newly widowed mother of two who turns to crime to support her family. Specifically, she becomes a low-level marijuana dealer in her cookie-cutter community, Agrestic. Nancy is a multi-layered woman, who is rarely portrayed as an entirely sympathetic character. In fact, the show seems to like the other characters much more than Nancy, despite the fact that it revolves around her. This is refreshing in a way "Ginny and Georgia" fans are sure to appreciate: Like so many male antiheroes before her, Nancy is a morally gray figure who is neither a pushover or a shrew.

Back when "Weeds" first landed on screens in 2005, this was rare. Today, it's a lot less so — and the show deserves some credit for that. Viewers might not be as ready to embrace messy characters like Georgia if they hadn't met Nancy first. Though critics cooled on the series as its final seasons aired, it's still a landmark production widely hailed for, as Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times put it, "carefully calculated stillness and sudden reckless displays of fearlessness."