There’s nothing quite like that hideous moment of limbo between Netflix shows. You’ve been lovingly devoted to something for weeks on end, devouring all four seasons in back-to-back evening binges and now suddenly it’s gone. Finished. Kaput. Over. And so you’re left with no other choice but to find something new to start a love affair with.
Will anything live up to the obsession from the last series you watched? Will you ever fall into such committed TV viewing relationship again? And even if you could, is there even anything good out there at the moment?
We get it. Which is why we thought we’d round up some of the best things we’ve watched over the past year and give you a bit of a lowdown about what each show is and what it’s similar to in case it gives you inspo ahead of your next Netflix and snack sesh.
We hope you find something that makes you stay up past 10pm.
The Bold Type
Sex And The City + The Devil Wears Prada + Important 2021 issues
Filling your appetite for easy millennial girl gang viewing is The Bold Type. The show is set in New York (because when isn’t it?) and follows the relationship between three besties who meet whilst working at a women’s magazine. We love it because it not only strikes that perfect balance between aspirational and relatable but because it focuses on a lot of important current issues: racism, religion, the LGBTQIA community, online trolling and more. It’s not perfect by any means but it’s a step ahead of the rest.
Firefly Lane
This Is Us + Any chick flick with Katherine Heigl
Based on the book series by Kristin Hanna, Firefly Lane is a Netflix original which focuses on female friendship. So far, so not particularly ground-breaking. For me it was the unexpected chemistry between two two main characters (Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke – otherwise known as Elliot from Scrubs), and the flicking between past eras (the she show is set in the seventies, the nineties and in the current day). There’s only one season so far (and no confirmation of a second one… yet) so not an intimidating amount of episodes to get through.
Bridgerton
Downton Abbey + Gossip Girl
Officially the most watched Netflix show ever – but you probably already know that. What makes it so great? Not only is it a damn fabulous period drama – another book adaption, this time from Julia Quinn – it’s produced by Shonda Rhimes, whose CV boasts Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder. It’s funnier and more relatable than you expect, promise. There’s just one season so far, but two, three and four have already been confirmed.
Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina
Riverdale + The 1990’s Version Of Sabrina The Teenage Witch + American Horror Story
A few episodes into this remake of one of our fave childhood shows and you’ll realise it’s almost nothing like the OG (it’s more closely based on the Archie comic books of the same name). It’s dark, it’s twisty, there’s a lot of bad magic stuff (hell, demons etc etc), but it still has all your fave characters, albeit in different guises: Aunt Hilda, Aunt Zelda, Harvey, Salem and obvs Sabrina. There’s four seasons, with all episodes about an hour-long.
Below Deck
Selling Sunset + Your first ever waitressing job + Your dream holiday
The show that makes zero addiction sense on paper, but in reality is just everything you need to watch after a long day of existing, and more. The reality series focuses on Captain Lee and his gaggle of crew members as they take rich guests on charters through the Caribbean on a super yacht. There’s bitching, there’s sex, there’s suspect stains on cushions, and there’s a giant inflatable slide you’ll be livid you can’t take a go on. There’s two seasons on Netflix, but more are being added on May 1st (or you can pay for a Hulu subscription to watch the rest).
Workin’ Moms
Catastrophe + your IRL girl gang from NCT
We love a great, semi-relatable-but-also-kinda-escapism parenting show, and Workin Moms in one of our all-time faves (The Let Down on Netflix is also well worth a mention). It’s based in Canada and follows a group of mums (and a stay-at-home dad) who meet at a baby-and-toddler class. It’s funny, it’s a bit silly, but it focuses on real issues too that will resonate if you’ve got a kid under-five. Episodes are short two at just under half an hour, and there’s four seasons currently on Netflix.
Ginny & Georgia
Desperate Housewives (2021 style) meets Gilmore Girls + classic teen angst
Trashy? Definitely. Addictive? Absolutely. This Netflix Original series follows “cool mom” Georgia and her straight-laced teenage daughter Ginny (along with half-brother Austin) as they relocate to a quaint New England town after the untimely death of Georgia’s very wealthy ex-husband. With just 15 years between them, the titular duo are more like (constantly bickering) sisters than mother and daughter, and the pacy series – sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the multiple storylines – explores the turbulent mother-daughter dynamic, Georgia’s chequered past and pivotal topics like coming of age, self-harm, LGBTQ+ relationships and sexual abuse. It has, however, been criticised for the way it handles Ginny’s race (she’s biracial), addressing it mainly through the lens of racist microaggressions and discriminations, instead of portraying the complete Black experience.
Grace & Frankie
The Golden Girls + Will & Grace + A big hug from your grandma
Combining the sun-soaked, palm tree-lined LA escapism of The O.C. with the gravitas of stars Jane Fonda (Grace) and Lily Tomlin (Frankie), Grace & Frankie is a joy to watch. The octogenarian duo find themselves living together after their husbands (longtime partners in a law firm) leave them for each other. It’s an unlikely pairing – Grace is a successful alpha female, Frankie a joint-smoking artist and activist – but during the six series, the pair become firm friends as they navigate being newly single later in life, blended family dynamics and running their own sex toy company. Yes, really. Worth a watch for Lily Tomlin’s one-liners alone.
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