Copyright Screen Rant
Gilmore Girls is widely considered the ultimate comfort TV show, especially during fall and winter, but there are other shows that are better comfort ones, for different reasons. Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, Gilmore Girls takes viewers to the small town of Stars Hollow to meet Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel). Throughout seven seasons, Gilmore Girls follows Lorelai and Rory through many ups and downs in all areas of their lives, but they always have each other’s backs. Gilmore Girls is a perfect comfort show (even with its occasional infuriating moments), but there are other equally comforting shows that are worth watching. Sweet Magnolias Sweet Magnolias is a romantic drama TV series developed by Sheryl J. Anderson and based on Sherryl Woods’ novels of the same name. Set in the small South Carolina town of Serenity, Sweet Magnolias follows lifelong best friends Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), Dana (Brooke Elliott), and Helen (Heather Headley). The three have known each other since they were kids, so they have been there for each other in the best and worst times. Now, as adults, they support each other through break-ups, romances, career changes, and other personal and family issues. Just like Gilmore Girls, Sweet Magnolias has that small-town feel. Sweet Magnolias’ main focus is the bond between Maddie, Dana, and Helen, rather than a mother-daughter dynamic like in Gilmore Girls. Sweet Magnolias is currently preparing for its fifth season, so it’s a perfect choice for a comfort show that continues to be active. Parenthood For something focused on family dynamics without the heaviness of family dramas, there’s Parentood. Developed by Jason Katims, Parenthood is a family comedy-drama series loosely based on the 1989 movie of the same name, directed by Ron Howard and starring Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Keanu Reeves, Dianne Wiest, and more. The movie had previously been adapted to TV in 1990. Set in Berkeley, California, Parenthood introduces the Braverman family: father Ezekiel, mother Camille, and children Adam (Peter Krause), Sarah (Lauren Graham), Crosby (Dax Shepard), and Julia (Erika Christensen). Each of the Braverman children has their own families, and with that, their own issues. Despite being well-received by critics, Parenthood failed to find its audience, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad show at all. The presence of Lauren Graham will give a sense of familiarity to fans of Gilmore Girls, and Parenthood’s mix of comedy and drama gives it a different sense of comfort. Hart of Dixie One of the most underrated (and, unfortunately, forgotten) TV shows from the 2010s is Hart of Dixie, created by Leila Gerstein. Hart of Dixie follows Zoe Hart (Rachel Bilson), a surgeon in New York City who fails to get into her dream internship due to her poor bedside manner. If that isn’t enough, she gets some family news that completely changes her life. Zoe inherits half of the practice from her biological father, whom she never met, and so she moves to the small town of Bluebell, Alabama. To keep her half of the practice, she has to bring in 30% of the patients, which isn’t easy, as, being from a big city, her personality and ways clash with those of the town’s residents. On top of that, Zoe goes through some drama in her love life as she develops feelings for local attorney George Tucker (Scott Porter), who is engaged to Lemon Breeland (Jaime King), who wants Zoe to leave town. Hart of Dixie has that small-town vibe that makes it and Gilmore Girls comfort shows, and it has a good dose of romance and family drama. Firefly Lane Firefly Lane is a drama TV series created by Maggie Friedman and streaming on Netflix. Based on Kristin Hannah’s novel of the same name, Firefly Lane centers on friends Tully (Katherine Heigl) and Kate Mularkey (Sarah Chalke), who have known each other since they were 14, when they became neighbors on the title street. Tully and Kate were there for each other through their teenage years and all the way into their adulthood, supporting each other through the best and the worst times in their lives. To better explore their stories and special bond, Firefly Lane goes back to follow Tully and Kate when they were younger. Firefly Lane’s “comfort show” quality relies on the strong bond between its main characters, but it must be said that it’s a lot more towards drama than Gilmore Girls. Still, for those looking for something more balanced between drama and comfort, Firefly Lane is a great option. One Day At A Time One of the most underrated Netflix TV shows, and one that was unfairly canceled, is One Day at a Time. Based on the 1975 sitcom of the same name, though with a lot of changes to the characters and premise, One Day at a Time introduces the audience to a Cuban-American family, led by Penélope (Justina Machado). Penélope is a United States Army veteran and mother of Elena (Isabella Gomez) and Alex (Marcel Ruiz). One Day at a Time follows not only the family’s daily lives, alongside Elena’s mother, Lydia (Rita Moreno), but also their many struggles, such as Penélope’s return to civilian life and her struggles with depression and PTSD. One Day at a Time has a perfect balance between comedy and drama, and its focus on family dynamics is different from most family shows. One Day at a Time gets serious and real when it has to, but without sacrificing its comforting qualities, its characters’ personalities, and the show’s tone. The Marvelous Ms. Maisel If The Marvelous Ms. Maisel feels similar to Gilmore Girls despite being in completely different time settings, and having different stories and characters, that’s because they are both creations of Amy Sherman-Palladino. For The Marvelous Ms. Maisel, however, Sherman-Palladino chose to take the audience all the way back to the late 1950s and early 1960s. The Marvelous Ms. Maisel follows Miriam “Midge” Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan), a housewife and mother who is suddenly dumped by her husband, Joel (Michael Zegen). With her marriage over, Midge decides to pursue a career in stand-up comedy, which isn’t easy in a male-dominated industry in the 1960s. The Marvelous Ms. Maisel is now regarded as one of the best sitcoms of all time and ranks among the best TV shows ever, being praised for its writing, stories, characters, and performances. The Marvelous Ms. Maisel is different from Gilmore Girls, and it's stronger in areas where the latter lacks, but they share a comforting vibe. Schitt’s Creek One of the best sitcoms and comfort shows of all time is, hands down, Schitt’s Creek. Created by Eugene and Daniel Levy, Schitt’s Creek introduces the audience to the wealthy Rose family: father Johnny (Eugene Levy), mother Moira (Catherine O’Hara), son David (Daniel Levy), and daughter Alexis (Annie Murphy). When the family loses their fortune after their business manager embezzles their business, they have no other choice but to move to their sole remaining asset: the remote town of Schitt’s Creek. Living in a run-down motel in town, the Roses do their best to adjust to their new lifestyle, often coming into conflict with the locals.
