Sweet Magnolias
If you live for the wholesome comfort of Gilmore Girls but are obsessed with the drama of Big Little Lies, Sweet Magnolias is going to have you hooked. An adaptation of Sherryl Wood's popular book series of the same name, the 10-episode Netflix series is about three best-friends who lift each other up, while juggling love triangles, family, and careers in their small, Southern town of Serenity.
It follows protagonist Maddie Townsend, who is looking to fulfil her lifelong dream of opening a spa with her two best friends, after her husband leaves her for his pregnant mistress. It's also packed full of iconic stars, including JoAnna Garcia leading the series. Plus, from what we hear, a season two is already in the works!
Tiny Pretty Things
Arguably a little darker than Firefly Lane, Netflix's Tiny Pretty Things is a great watch for those searching for a something a little grittier in their next binge-watch. Based on the Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton novel of the same name, the 10-episode series follows Neveah (Kylie Jefferson), a ballerina who gets a chance to attend Chicago's only elite ballet academy after the star pupil, Cassie Shore, is pushed to her death from the rooftop of the fictitious Archer School of Ballet. When Neveah arrives, she begins to uncover the dark secrets that the school and fellow dancers are determined to keep hidden.
Grace & Frankie
If you're after another gripping series that follows the complicated, intertwining lives of two wildly different women, Grace & Frankie is for you. The series—helmed by Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin—follows Grace and Frankie, who bond after learning their husbands have left them... for each other. The pair decide to move in with each other (naturally) and quickly become best friends. Just like Firefly Lane, the comedy explores the complexities of female friendship, and the pairing of Fonda and Tomlin is exactly what you're looking for to fill your Tully and Kate void.
Greenleaf
The award-winning drama from Craig Wright (of Lost fame) takes viewers into the world of the Greenleaf family, who runs a megachurch in Memphis, Tennesse. The series follows Bishop James Greenleaf and Lady Mae Greenleaf, who are the patriarch and matriarch of the Greenleaf family, and Grace Greenleaf, their estranged daughter who has returned home after 20 years following the mysterious death of her sister, Faith. The family are quickly plagued by secrets, lies, adultery and sibling rivalry, and with five seasons under its belt you're going to need more than a weekend to keep up with this gripping drama.
Need more convincing? The series even has a special appearance from Oprah Winfrey and
Little Fires Everywhere
From the minute Hulu announced it was creating a limited series of Celeste Ng’s 2017 novel Little Fires Everywhere, we knew we were in for a wild ride—especially with Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington at the helm. And of course, since it's been released, it hasn't disappointed. Set in Shaker Heights in the 1990s, the series followed the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and an enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives.
Gilmore Girls
A series that needs no introduction, Gilmore Girls is one of the most beloved series in television history. Based in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, the early 2000s small-town drama follows Lorelai Gilmore, a single mother raising her daughter, Rory Gilmore amidst the trials and tribulations of their extended family and quirky townspeople. The series is wholesome, witty and with its fair share of drama to sink your teeth into, which is exactly why it's become such a cult-classic series.
Virgin River
Set in a remote town in Northern California, Netflix's romantic drama Virgin River follows the life of a nurse practitioner in mourning who is looking to find a new life in the town of, you guessed it, Virgin River, only she's surprised by what—and who—she finds.
It's not just the series' central themes that have us comparing it to Firefly Lane, but the scenery too, with both Netflix creations filmed in the Vancouver area, with shoots in Vancouver, Snug Cove in Bowen Island, Burnaby and communities in Port Coquitlam.
Dead To Me
Just like Firefly Lane, Netflix's Dead To Me, created by Liz Feldman and starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini, has been awarded for its portrayal of complex female relationships, as well as concepts of grief, only this particular series retrains a sense of black humour that has kept fans coming back for more.
The show follows Jen (Applegate), a grieving widow with anger management issues who recently lost her husband, Ted, in a hit-and-run accident. At a grief counselling group, Jen meets Judy (Cardellini), a bubbly woman who is struggling with a split from her fiancé, who dumped her after she endured a string of miscarriages. The pair strike up something of an unconventional friendship, spending long nights on the phone helping each other with their mutual insomnia before Jen decides to invite Judy to move in with her and her two sons.
Of course, there is already a season two with a season three currently in the works.
Ginny & Georgia
When Netflix announced its new series, Ginny & Georgia, many fans were quick to label it the next Gilmore Girls, so we knew instantly we'd be quickly hooked. It follows a mother and daughter duo who move to the quaint little town of New England to settle down after years on the run. Ginny, the daughter (played by Antonia Gentry), is an awkward 15-years-old who’s dealing with a new prestigious school and complicated love interests. Georgia, the 30-year-old mum (played by Brianne Howey), has a troubled past that may just mess up her chances of a new beginning.
They even have a ‘Luke’—restaurateur Raymond who can’t help but notice when Georgia moves to town.
