Shows Like ‘Gilmore Girls’ on Netflix

If you haven’t heard the news by now, brace yourself.

Earlier this month, Netflix announced on X that Gilmore Girls will no longer be available on the platform starting June 30. The show that has captivated viewers’s hearts and is responsible for the hours many of us have spent rewatching the story of Lorelai and Rory and all their shenanigans.

The show isn’t leaving because of viewership, but because Warner Bros. has regained ownership of the IP and its licensing. So, the original series will likely find a permanent home in HBO Max. Netflix’s 2016 limited series, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, should be sticking around on the streaming service.

Some may find the bad news hard to digest, but there’s always a bright side. There are an endless amount of comfort shows that will fill the Gilmore Girls hole in your heart. So, here’s are seven classic series that will instantly become your next comfort show on Netflix.

1. ‘Derry Girls’

   Derry Girls is not your typical show about growing up. In fact, it might be the opposite of Rory’s idealized teenage years in quaint Stars Hollow. Derry Girls highlights the awkwardness of five teenagers growing up during the turmoil of 1990s Northern Ireland. The show has such a unique sense of humor. It’s the type of show that embraces the cringe, yet simultaneously will have you emotionally invested in the story and characters from the start of the first episode. The show wrapped up in 2022 with its third season, but is responsible for introducing the world to Nicola Coughlan, who is absolutely hilarious as Clare, my personal favorite character.

3. ‘Ginny & Georgia’

   Netflix original Ginny & Georgia follows a gorgeous young single mom and her clever teenaged daughter as they struggle to improve their lives in a cute small town full of characters. Sound familiar? While Ginny & Georgia might initially seem like a Gilmore Girls retread, it comes with a sharper bite. The pop culture references are more satirical, the storylines darker, and the characters’ backstories are full of real desperation. Nevertheless, you’ll fall for Ginny and Georgia as easily as you did for Lorelai and Rory.

4. ‘Grace and Frankie’

   If Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin star in a long-running comedy, you have no choice but to watch. Grace and Frankie focuses on Grace (Fonda) and Frankie (Tomlin) as two women who have no choice but to form a friendship after their husbands announce they are in love and leaving them. It’s not your average premise for a show, but there’s nothing like watching two acting legends share the screen. In a weird way, I find it to be an interesting companion piece with Gilmore Girls . Throughout the seven-season-long show, you get to watch an unlikely, but beautiful friendship develop, leading to one of the most heartwarming series’ finales I’ve ever seen.

5. ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’

   I may be biased, but I’ve never had a show fill me with so much joy and make me laugh until it hurts like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt has. The series is one of the most interesting comedies you’ll ever watch. The plot sounds bizarre: Kimmy Schmidt (Ellie Kemper) finally escapes from a bunker she’s been trapped in for decades and decides to move to New York City. The show has such a special place in my heart, and it doesn’t hurt that it was co-created by Tina Fey, with her signature sense of humor present throughout the series. Also, Titus Andromedon (Titus Burgess) is one of TV’s greatest characters ever!

6. ‘Schitt’s Creek’

   Schitt’s Creek, you will never not be iconic! The series, co-created by Eugene Levy and his son Dan Levy, is another show about family. However, this series focuses on a family who must move to a small town, Schitt’s Creek, that they had no idea they owned until after losing all their money. In my opinion, the best part of the show is the performances from some of the best comedians in show business. I started the show in 2020, and Catherina O’Hara’s (R.I.P.) performance as Moira Rose got me through COVID and Alexis Rose’s performance of (Annie Murphy) ‘A Little Bit Alexis’ is a scene I can never watch without laughing.

7. ‘The Chair’

   The Chair is a show that deserved better. The comedy was canceled after only one season, but perfectly creates that type of academic atmosphere often seen on many episodes of Gilmore Girls. The series stars as Sandra Oh as Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim is the new chair of the English department at a struggling university, and must try her best to adapt to the times. It’s only six episodes and makes for an enjoyable binge thanks to Oh’s leading performance and the interesting subject matter and comedic portrayal of academia.

8. ‘Portlandia’

   If you’re familiar with Portlandia, this may seem like a random series to be labeled as a “comfort show.” However, Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen made a sketch comedy that is my go-to show whenever I need to decompress. There’s not really a structure to the show which makes it the best choice to watch any of 77 episodes, depending on your mood. There are some legendary sketches in the show, some of which have recurring characters and moments throughout, including my personal favorite, “Did You Read it?” It’s the perfect show to turn off your brain and just laugh!