Despite some major plot differences,Ginny & Georgiaactually has quite a bit in common withGilmore Girls,yet the 2021 series is able to admit a flaw that the beloved 2000s comedy never could.Ginny & Georgiais an ongoing Netflix series that follows the eponymous Ginny and Georgia,a mother-daughter duowho are constantly at odds, especially after Ginny starts discovering Georgia’s dark secrets. Meanwhile,Gilmore Girlsfollows Lorelai and Rory, another mother-daughter duo who handle the ups and downs of their unique lives in an idyllic Connecticut town.

The most obvious difference betweenGinny & GeorgiaandGilmore Girlsis thatGeorgia hides a dark past from Ginnyfull of domestic abuse, manipulation, and murder. Georgia’s life is one secret away from imploding, and her daughter Ginny is right in the danger zone.Gilmore Girlslacks all of this darkness, and instead, has a more eccentric and lighthearted tone. Yet, the shows are rooted in the same concept: mothers and daughters and their close relationships. The only problem is,Ginny & Georgiahas been able to explore an issue thatGilmore Girlscould never fully accept.

A composite image of Georgia looking perturbed in front of Ginny, Georgia, and Austin standing together in front of the house in Ginny & Georgia

Ginny & Georgia Season 3: Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know

Ginny & Georgia season 3 is officially coming back to Netflix, and here’s everything we know about the mother-daughter dramedy’s third installment.

Ginny & Georgia Addresses A Harsh Parenting Reality That Gilmore Girls Never Could

Ginny & Georgia’s Darkness Is Pivotal

In bothGinny & GeorgiaandGilmore Girls,the main characters have a mother-daughter relationship that is different from most. Because of their rather young ages,Georgia and Lorelai are more like best friends to their daughtersthan strict parents. While parenting certainly does happen, the boundaries are much more blurry. Over two seasons,Ginny & Georgiahas been able to explore the consequences of this casual mother-daughter relationship in a way thatGilmore Girlsnever could.Ginny & Georgiashows the downfalls of a mother who is more like a friend. Meanwhile,Gilmore Girlsusually used that problem as a brief conflict.

Ginny & Georgia’s Biggest Character Complaints Miss The Point Of The Show

Those who watch Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia may find faults in the main characters, but that is exactly the point that many audience members miss.

In many ways,Ginny & Georgia’sdarkness is what allows the show to be so open about this kind of mother-daughter relationship. Although Georgia’s issues are far from normal or realistic, they make her relationship with Ginny that much more obvious. Georgia cares for her daughter and treats her like an equal, but must protect her from her crimes. This creates a difficult dynamic whereGinny wants to trust Georgia, but can’t. She also can’t view her as a firmly responsible parental figure either. Thus, the pair are in a strange limbo that only hurts Ginny as time goes on.

Antonia Gentry and Brianne Howey as Ginny and Georgia in Ginny & Georgia

Ginny & Georgia’s Mother-Daughter Relationship Feels More Realistic Than Gilmore Girls'

Gilmore Girls Was Never Meant To Be Realistic

BecauseGinny & Georgiais more open to examining the problems with Ginny and Georgia’s relationship, their bond feels much more realistic than the one between Lorelai and Rory. Ginny is a very stereotypical teenager who fights with her mom and rebels. Her unclear relationship with her mother affects her in numerous ways that are both sweet and problematic. On the other hand,Gilmore Girlsnever really views Lorelai and Rory’s relationship as a problem, and everything is usually resolved in the course of just a few episodes.Gilmore Girlsis made for happy endings, butGinny & Georgiais not.

To be fair, the intent ofGilmore Girlswas likely not supposed to be realistic.

Ginny and Georgia lying on a bed and staring at each other in Ginny & Georgia

To be fair, the intent ofGilmore Girlswas likely not supposed to be realistic. In fact, the comedy-drama is really supposed to be a fantasy. Lorelai and Rory live in thegorgeous and quirky Stars Hollow, have support from Lorelai’s rigid yet wealthy parents, and Rory is the perfect daughter. The stakes were never meant to be as high asGinny & Georgia.Ultimately, the shows are trying to do different things.Gilmore Girlsis soothing and carefree, whereasGinny & Georgiais intenseand suspenseful. Yet,Gilmore Girlsstill may have benefited from a reality check.

Gilmore Girls Never Went Deep Enough Into Lorelai & Rory’s Issues

How Gilmore Girls Could Have Been Different

In some ways,Gilmore Girlsmight have been better if it had taken more time to examine Lorelai and Rory’s non-traditional relationship. For the most part, the show focused on the two women separately, narrowing in onRory Gilmore’s social relationshipsand schooling and Lorelai’s love life. However, likeGinny & Georgia,the show could have done a better job at exploring how Rory’s decisions were informed by her relationship with her motherand even her grandparents. It doesn’t make sense for Rory to walk away from such a unique family dynamic unscathed.

Arguably,Gilmore Girlswould not have changed all that much if Lorelai and Rory’s relationship was exploredin more depth. It may have gotten more serious at times, but that would not have jeopardizedGilmore Girl’sfeel-good ambiance. In some ways, it might have made the good times feel even better. Additionally, the show may have improved in quality because the characters would be more aware of their shortcomings rather than charging into silly or frustrating situations. Luckily,Ginny & Georgiais now doing whatGilmore Girlsnever could.

Lorelai and Rory eating snacks on the couch in Gilmore Girls

Ginny & Georgia

Cast

Ginny & Georgia is a television drama series that follows fifteen-year-old Ginny Miller as she navigates life feeling more mature than her vibrant thirty-year-old mother, Georgia. Set in picturesque New England, the series explores themes of family, identity, and the shadows of Georgia’s past threatening their quest for normalcy.

Gilmore Girls

In the fictional town of Star’s Hollow, single mother Lorelai Gilmore raises her high-achieving teenage daughter Rory. Mother and daughter rely on each other throughout their own life changes, romantic entanglements, and friendships.

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