There's a very specific time of year when I feel the overwhelming urge to move to a fictional small town, drink an unreasonable amount of coffee and make questionable life decisions while surrounded by autumn leaves.
Yes, it's Gilmore Girls season.
Every autumn, like clockwork, I find myself back in Stars Hollow. I've seen the episodes more times than I care to admit, I know exactly what's going to happen, and I still have very strong opinions about Rory's romantic decisions. Team Jess, obviously.
But eventually, even the most dedicated Gilmore Girls enthusiast reaches the end of their annual rewatch. And then comes the inevitable question: what on earth am I supposed to watch now?
Thankfully, I've got a few suggestions. Not all of them are particularly similar to Gilmore Girls, but they all deliver some combination of comfort, drama, small-town charm and characters you become far too invested in.
Virgin River
Where to watch: Netflix
If your favourite thing about Gilmore Girls is the small-town atmosphere, Virgin River is probably the most obvious place to start.
Set in a ridiculously picturesque Northern California town, it follows Mel, a nurse practitioner looking for a fresh start. Naturally, her plans for a quiet life don't quite work out, because apparently nobody in a fictional small town is allowed to have a normal Tuesday.
There's romance, complicated relationships, beautiful scenery and enough local drama to keep the entire population permanently occupied.
It's a little more serious than Gilmore Girls, but it has that same comforting quality that makes you want to abandon your responsibilities and move somewhere with a population of approximately twelve.
Good Trouble
Where to watch: Disney+
Good Trouble follows sisters Callie and Mariana Adams Foster as they move to Los Angeles, start their careers and discover that adulthood is, quite frankly, a bit of a scam.
The series is technically a spin-off of The Fosters, but don't let that put you off if you've never watched it. I went into Good Trouble without seeing a single episode of The Fosters and had absolutely no trouble following along.
Living in a communal apartment building called The Coterie, the sisters find themselves surrounded by an eclectic group of neighbours, complicated relationships and enough drama to make you grateful for your own relatively uneventful Tuesday evenings.
What I love about Good Trouble is that, underneath all the chaos, it's really about finding your feet, navigating friendships and figuring out what you want from life. Much like Gilmore Girls, the characters make some spectacularly questionable decisions, but you can't help getting invested in them.
And honestly, as much as I love the idea of having a ready-made friendship group living under one roof, I think I'd last approximately 48 hours before demanding my own kitchen and some peace and quiet.
Pretty Little Liars
Where to watch: BBC iPlayer, Prime Video and HBO Max
Admittedly, this one is a slight change of pace. We're going from coffee at Luke's Diner to anonymous threats, suspicious disappearances and teenagers making absolutely appalling decisions.
But hear me out.
Pretty Little Liars has that addictive, slightly nostalgic quality that makes it perfect for a rewatch. The fashion, the friendships, the ridiculous plot twists and the fact that absolutely nobody in Rosewood seems capable of contacting a responsible adult.
It's also surprisingly atmospheric, particularly during its autumn and Halloween episodes.
Is it completely ridiculous at times? Absolutely. Will I continue watching? Without hesitation.
Only Murders in the Building
Where to watch: Disney+
If you enjoy the witty dialogue and eccentric characters of Gilmore Girls but fancy adding a little murder to the equation, Only Murders in the Building is an excellent choice.
Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez play three neighbours who become unlikely friends through their shared obsession with true crime. Before long, they're investigating suspicious deaths in their New York apartment building and making a podcast about it, because apparently that's a perfectly reasonable hobby.
It's funny, clever, occasionally chaotic and has some of the most wonderful autumn-in-New-York atmosphere.
Plus, the chemistry between the three leads is brilliant. It's one of those shows where you genuinely enjoy spending time with the characters, even when they're making decisions that would have most sensible people calling the police and going home.
Good Witch
Where to watch: Netflix
Sometimes you don't want murder, scandal or a complicated mystery. Sometimes you just want a charming little town, a beautiful house and the vague suggestion that something magical might happen.
Enter Good Witch.
Set in Middleton, the series follows Cassie Nightingale and her daughter Grace as they navigate everyday life with a little extra intuition and magic thrown in.
It's gentle, comforting and wonderfully easy to watch. There's a strong sense of community, plenty of seasonal celebrations and very little that requires you to concentrate particularly hard.
Essentially, it's the television equivalent of putting on your favourite pyjamas and deciding that whatever needs doing can absolutely wait until tomorrow.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch (The Original, Obviously)
Where to watch: NOW and Sky Go (selected seasons)
I'm talking Melissa Joan Hart, Salem the sarcastic talking cat and Aunt Hilda and Aunt Zelda. Not the darker Netflix version. Although that has its place, sometimes I just want my childhood television back.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch is pure nostalgia. The outfits, the questionable special effects, the wonderfully ridiculous magical mishaps. It's everything I want from a comforting autumn rewatch.
And can we take a moment to appreciate Salem? An absolute icon who somehow manages to be the most relatable character despite being a talking cat.
It's light-hearted, funny and wonderfully 90s. Sometimes that's all you need.
Final Thoughts
Finishing Gilmore Girls always feels a little like saying goodbye to a place you've been visiting for years. You know you'll be back, probably as soon as the first leaf turns orange next September, but there's still that awkward period where nothing quite fills the Stars Hollow-shaped hole in your television schedule.
Fortunately, between charming small towns, questionable teenage decisions, cosy mysteries and sarcastic talking cats, there's plenty to keep us entertained until the next rewatch inevitably begins.
And if all else fails? Just start Gilmore Girls again. I'm certainly not judging.
UK streaming availability is correct at the time of writing (October 2026) and may change.
Molly
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