15 Best TV Shows Like Gilmore Girls

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It's been over 20 years since "Gilmore Girls" premiered, and it is still the cozy cup of coffee that we return to. Some seasons of "Gilmore Girls" are better than others, but a trip to Stars Hollow means that you get to travel to a magical place that has a 1950s charm and unique characters, like Kirk (Sean Gunn), who keeps the town running with his many job skills. The show also sprinkles in self-aware jokes, which usually involve Lorelai (Lauren Graham) making sarcastic comments about non-emergencies that Taylor Doose (Michael Winters) has deemed as true emergencies.

There are moments centered in reality as Lorelai and her daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel), face life's hurdles, like Lorelai's choice to end her engagement to Max Medina (Scott Cohen). This mix of fantasy and real life allows for both escape and reflection, turning this show into comfort food. While it's tempting to rewatch your favorite episodes, there are plenty of other shows that serve up lasting friendships and complicated family dynamics. That said, let's take a look at the 15 best shows like "Gilmore Girls."

Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) share Lorelai and Rory's unconditional love for one another, which is why "Laverne & Shirley" is so appealing. They act as each other's voice of reason and help each other out of jams, including the time that Laverne escapes a date with a robber in season 4. Predicaments like this mean that they have to resort to physical stunts to escape, making this series well known for its use of physical comedy.

Yes, Kirk chases a pig, and Luke (Scott Patterson) pushes Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) into a lake, but "Gilmore Girls" largely lacks the physical comedy that makes "Laverne & Shirley" stand out. Lorelai doesn't enjoy physical activities, meaning that physical comedy doesn't make a lot of sense for them. It's worth noting that the 1976 sitcom is set during the 1950s and 1960s, when physical comedy reigned supreme on shows like "I Love Lucy," which could be why these moments are so critical to the show's success. Plus, each stunt shows how far they'll go to save their best friend. 

"Ginny & Georgia" is what "Gilmore Girls" would be if it included dark secrets that allow viewers to piece together a sinister mystery. The series begins as Georgia Miller, aka Mary (Brianne Howey), moves her family to Massachusetts following her husband's death. Lorelai is also a small-town transplant, but we never see the struggles of her transition. Starting Ginny (Antonia Gentry) and Georgia's story at their transition proves that small town life is not the oasis that Georgia was hoping for, as bullies attack Ginny while Georgia has to resort to sly approaches to make projects a reality at the mayor's office. 

The use of flashbacks is heavy in comparison to "Gilmore Girls," but both shows use these moments to explain why Georgia and Lorelai ran from their families. Unlike Lorelai's memories, Georgia's includes characters that helped her grow, and that helps us understand who she is. Her personality is still a mystery to Ginny, who doesn't understand her use of manipulation and guilt. This leads Ginny to deny Georgia's wish for a "Gilmore Girls" relationship, which Georgia is still pulling for amid dangerous secrets. 

While the Gilmores try to paint a picture of perfection, the Bravermans embrace their imperfections through every argument that expresses their viewpoints of each other. This may cause an air of dysfunction, but their willingness to confront each other is what makes their bond so strong on "Parenthood" — a show that also happens to star Lorelai actress Lauren Graham.

The above is especially true when it comes to Sarah (Graham) and her sister Julia (Erika Christensen). Sarah is very aware that Julia lives a different life, and that causes an insecurity in Sarah, which she loudly explains to Julia after her sister sets her up on an interesting date. This moment could have torn them apart, but this isn't the case because they were raised in a family where arguments were reflected on rather than pushed aside. It's a lesson that Lorelai's parents could learn from, and they do learn as Lorelai teaches them to confront the past. That does mean that they have to give up their perfect personas, but as the Bravermans know, the gift of a close family is far better than perfection.

Based on the books by Sherryl Woods, "Sweet Magnolias" follows three best friends in the town of Serenity, and their story begins as Maddie Townsend (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) divorces her husband while opening a spa with her pals, Helen Decatur (Heather Headley) and Dana Sue Sullivan (Brooke Elliott). It's a venture that mirrors Lorelai and Sookie's (Melissa McCarthy) Dragonfly Inn, but the dynamics of these friendships mean that there are different risks associated with each business. 

Sookie and Lorelai were co-workers before they became friends. They know that their friendship can withstand the challenges of owning a business together. However, Helen, Dana Sue, and Maddie have never worked together, and that puts their friendship at risk. It's a big leap of faith that Maddie is unsure of amid the loss of her marriage. However, the doubt that they're feeling leads them to wonder about the power of their friendship, and that's why they press on. They realize that putting time into the business means putting extra trust into their friendship, giving a physical representation of a connection that they'll always maintain. 

In 2003, Chad Michael Murray traded in the slacker persona of Tristan on "Gilmore Girls" for the kind-hearted nature of Lucas Scott on "One Tree Hill." Before Murray's controversial departure, the series focused on Lucas as he navigates the revelation that Nathan Scott (James Lafferty) is his half-brother, and this leads to high school drama that Rory never endured with her half-sibling.

Christopher's (David Sutcliffe) girlfriend gives birth to their daughter, Gigi (Mary Anne McGarry), during season 3 of "Gilmore Girls." Rory is supportive, even though she knows that Christopher will be more of a presence in Gigi's life than he was in Rory's. Unlike "One Tree Hill," "Gilmore Girls" never fully addresses the complexities of their relationship, which would have been great for "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life." While Lucas doesn't resent Nathan, they are basketball rivals who become friends. Their dad, Dan (Paul Johansson), takes a different approach by disowning Lucas, especially during the father-son basketball tournament in season 1. Unlike Dan, Christopher knows that he's made mistakes, and he needs to make the best of his current relationship with Rory. 

"Friends" feels different from "Gilmore Girls" due to its New York City setting. However, this ensemble cast provides Stars Hollow charm to everyone they encounter, and it all starts when Monica (Courteney Cox) brings Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) home after she runs from the altar. Even though they haven't talked in years, Rachel heads straight to Monica for help, and Monica's reaction proves that there is generosity and kindness in a city that feels isolating due to its size. 

Rachel and Lorelai share similar stories because they want to make it on their own, and they immediately run to a safe space that can offer them a fresh start. Lorelai is an established businesswoman by the time we meet her, but that creates a first impression that shows how proud she is of the way that she has changed her life, which is why she is hesitant to ask her parents for money. Meeting Rachel as she starts her journey of independence is crucial since it sets the tone for this show, which focuses on the uncertainty of your late 20s.

"Gilmore Girls" and "Jane the Virgin" use their characters and settings to pay homage to different genres and time periods in television, adding a layer of whimsy while tackling real-life issues. Lorelai and Rory love classic TV shows, and this could be why Stars Hollow is filled with things that you may see in a 1950s sitcom, like a town troubadour and a picturesque gazebo. These details are small compared to bigger moments, like the time that Rory dresses as Donna Reed to prove a point about how society views women. 

Jane's (Gina Rodriguez) storyline on "Jane the Virgin" is just as intriguing as a soap opera plot. The telenovela approach feels natural as we learn that she was accidentally inseminated with her boss' sperm. The show goes all in with the theme by including the narration of a dramatic, sultry voice, which pairs well with other shocking moments that honor common telenovela plots, like evil twins. Like "Gilmore Girls", "Jane the Virgin" has several side stories, but it never loses sight of the fact that it is a story about family, which is key as the series moves past Jane's pregnancy and focuses on her son's childhood. 

"My Life with the Walter Boys" is a book and an underrated Netflix series that follows a young girl who discovers that high school drama can turn into small-town gossip. That connection is something that we miss out on in "Gilmore Girls." We only see a snippet of Rory's time at Stars Hollow High, which includes mean girls and meeting Dean (Jared Padalecki). We never get to see the bigger impact of Rory's time at this school, including how the mean girls treated her in town and how she met Lane (Keiko Agena).

We explore this in "My Life with the Walter Boys," which begins with Jackie Howard (Nikki Rodriguez) joining the Walter family after her family is killed. Because it's a small town, everyone knows everything about Jackie, and they use that knowledge to make fun of her. Like Rory, she uses her quick wit to fight back. When she doesn't have a quick response ready, she knows that the Walter boys will help her, offering their own comebacks while reassuring her that she belongs in their family. 

Lorelai and Rory know that they have an entire town backing them when the chips are down, but Jimmy (Jason Segel) has to spend some time reflecting before he realizes the support that is around him. "Shrinking" begins as Jimmy throws wild parties and struggles to get to work amid his wife's death. He wants to withdraw from his regular routine so that he doesn't have to face reality. His co-worker and relatable therapist, Gaby (Jessica Williams), knows this and makes him take a new client named Sean (Luke Tennie), a veteran who uses violence to cope with PTSD. After a moment of uncertainty, Jimmy and Sean put their trust issues aside and teach each other constructive ways to cope, like MMA. 

Jimmy's daughter, Alice (Lukita Maxwell), also finds an unlikely friendship with his boss, Paul (Harrison Ford), who is rough around the edges. Like her, he feels misunderstood by the world, and they build a relationship that could be compared to Rory and her grandfather, Richard (Edward Herrmann), who is also a quiet man. These men become the listening ears that they wish they had, which is a big deal for Alice since she doesn't want to bother her dad with her feelings about her mom's death. 

"Gilmore Girls" focuses on single parenthood in a modern society where a woman's independence is usually praised. "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" takes a different approach to the single-parent storyline by setting the series in the 1960s, and that allows us to examine an era where societal pressures forced women into a one-size-fits-all mold.

While Lorelai is encouraged to pursue business, Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) has to keep her standup comedy a secret, especially after her sudden divorce shocks everyone. Her divorce left her questioning what everyone thinks about her, especially her mother, Rose (Marin Hinkle), who hopes that Midge will find a new match. These fights become material for her comedy routines, allowing her to process her feelings while showing women that they are not alone, creating a stage presence similar to Ali Wong. Like Lorelai's mother, Emily (Kelly Bishop), Rose doesn't want to go against the rules of society, which is why they're embarrassed by their daughter's decisions. However, Midge keeps going and proves there is life after divorce. 

"Gilmore Girls" uses jobs and town gatherings to add extra dimensions to its characters, especially Kirk (Sean Gunn) who surprises everyone with his filmmaking skills. No one knew his passion for movies, but they could have figured that out if they heard him sing his thoughts, like on "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist."

There's a lot that we could learn about these characters if they had Zoey's (Jane Levy) gift, which she receives during an MRI. She embraces it when she realizes that she can help others heal as she comes to terms with the fact that she is losing her father to a rare neurological disorder. This gift allows her to hear her father talk again, giving them the chance to say goodbye. Allowing Lorelai and Emily to hear each other's thoughts could have helped close their rift, but giving them such a perspective could have taken away from Lorelai's quest for independence, stopping her journey to Stars Hollow. Zoey knows that this powerful gift comes with consequences, helping her understand that she must take control of this gift before it controls her.

What you put out into the world and how you're perceived can be two very different things. Rory learns this through run-ins with Mitchum Huntzberger (Gregg Henry), a newspaper CEO who believes she isn't cut out for journalism despite her impressive portfolio. She continues to struggle with how future employers perceive her in "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life," and that makes her feel underappreciated for her work. It's something that Ji-Yoon Kim (Sandra Oh) comes to terms with in "The Chair." 

Ji-Yoon is excited to be the chair of the English department at Pembroke University. She believes that her hard work got her here, but she soon realizes that she was chosen because the administration thought that she could quietly clean up their messes due to her calm and uncontroversial demeanor. She wonders how disposable she is to the school, and that allows her to connect with the older faculty who feel that the administration is pushing them out as the school hires new teachers who contradict them in class. They respond by fighting for their jobs and even sidestepping university requests, like an event with David Duchovny. It all leads to a revolt that helps them take control of their professional identities. 

When Lorelai moves to Stars Hollow, she wants to start a new life and never look back, allowing her to fully adopt the town's quiet lifestyle. That is not the case for Dr. Joel Fleischman (Rob Morrow), a big-city physician who despises working in the small town of Cicely, Alaska, on "Northern Exposure." 

Unlike Lorelai and Rory, Joel can't escape to a nearby city when he wants a change of pace, and that means he has to fully embrace his new home. Part of his problem is that he struggles to accept other people's interests and philosophies, including the use of natural remedies. Ed Chigliak's (Darren E. Burrows) grandfather highlights their use while denying the modern medicine that Joel is introducing. Joel is frustrated by the fact that Ed's grandfather won't listen, and that helps him realize that he is also shutting out the things he doesn't understand. This moment is what gives Joel the ability to push forward and find the silver lining to his new life. 

"Sullivan's Crossing" is a hit book series and TV show that offers a prodigal daughter story comparable to Rory's on "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life." Rory visits Stars Hollow regularly, but she moves home when she realizes that she has no real direction. The same is true for Maggie Sullivan (Morgan Kohan), a doctor who returns to her father's home amid legal trouble. While Rory tries to mask her failures by talking about uncertain job prospects, Maggie tries to prove her medical skills by sharing unwanted advice. This is shown in the first episode when she offers an examination to a confused man who just needs the care of his friends as he grieves his wife. 

While Maggie's father, Sully (Scott Patterson), is still hurt by Maggie's original departure, he wants to make the most of their time, even making a collage of their lives to show that he cares. Rory and Lorelai always have a strong bond, but Lorelai questions that when she finds out Rory is keeping secrets. However, both families realize that they can get past these differences since they've overcome so much already.

It's easy to believe that Stars Hollow was a tightly-knit community before Lorelai and Rory showed up, but that's really not the case when you observe the constant fights between people, especially Luke and Taylor. That same misperception of community also sets the stage for "New Girl." 

Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel) feels like she is intruding on a tight-knit group when she moves into an apartment with three friends. However, they're annoyed by each other's quirks, which is clear when they introduce a money jar for Schmidt's (Max Greenfield) snarky comments. The guys are not thrilled with Jess' habits either, and Coach (Damon Wayans, Jr.) yells at her for watching "Dirty Dancing" on repeat after a breakup. Jess' empathy feels obnoxious to them, but her interest in their lives helps them find empathy in themselves. They realize this when they leave a party to comfort Jess when a date goes wrong. Like Jess, Lorelai and Rory try to understand their neighbors, even when it's tough, and that sense of care carries throughout the town by showing others what it means to be neighborly.