Confession time: this writer has been obsessed with Gilmore Girls for as long as she can remember. I’ve taken the quiz to find out whether I’m more Lorelai or Rory, I’ve rewatched every episode at least twice, I’ve long obsessed over the Netflix reboot, and I even own my very own Stars Hollow hoodie (it’s baby blue, awesome, and always triggers an “oh my god, I love your jumper!” comment from someone whenever I wear it).

So, why do I adore the coffee-guzzling, pop tart-chomping, fast-talking world of Gilmore Girls? Well, because the show is packed to the brim with pop culture references, laugh-out-loud moments, lovable characters (think Melissa McCarthy’s Sookie) and scenes that make me want to cry my little heart out. 

It’s also set in the most charming fictional town of all the fictional towns ever seen on screen: Stars Hollow is based in the oh-so-picturesque Connecticut, and has everything you could ever wish for – right down to the quintessential American diner frequented by friendly locals. 

Best of all, though, was the show’s focus on the awesome mother-daughter relationship between Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel). So, when I heard that Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia is being touted as a darker Gilmore Girls dialled up to 11, my interest was obviously piqued.

Here’s what you need to know about the new series.

What’s the plot of Ginny & Georgia?

As per the official Netflix synopsis: “Angsty and awkward 15-year-old Ginny Miller often feels more mature than her 30-year-old mother, the irresistible and dynamic Georgia Miller.” 

So far, so Gilmore Girls. But then…

“After years on the run, Georgia desperately wants to put down roots in picturesque New England and give her family something they’ve never had… a normal life. But it’s not all carpool and Kombucha as Georgia’s past threatens her and her family’s new way of life… and Georgia will do anything to protect her family.”

Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Stars Hollow anymore. 

If Gilmore Girls was the ultimate in comfort TV, Ginny & Georgia seems hellbent on being the exact opposite – all while revelling in its similarities to Amy Sherman-Palladino’s hit show. (At one point, Georgia literally says the words: “We’re like the Gilmore Girls, but with bigger boobs.”)

Expect, then, flashbacks aplenty to a dark and best-left-forgotten past, ruthless con artists, absent fathers, difficult ex-husbands, a shady private investigator (or two), love triangles galore, and Desperate Housewives-esque levels of drama.

It’s basically like Jacqueline Wilson got hold of Gilmore Girls and gave it her own trademark twist, isn’t it?

Is there a trailer for Ginny & Georgia?

Scored by an impossibly perky pop song, and featuring plenty of shots of its own gorgeous small town setting, the trailer for Ginny & Georgia feels very, very, very Gilmore Girls for the first half.

Then, though, it leans into the heavy stuff. You know, like Georgia asking Ginny’s friends for drugs, temporarily losing her cool when she spots a police officer ahead, and a heavy-handed hint as to the nature of Georgia’s tortured relationship with Ginny’s dad. 

Check it out:

“I’ve done things I’m not proud of, but I’d do them again,” promises Georgia as the trailer reaches its end.

“I’d do anything to protect my kids like nobody protected me. Anything.”

Who stars in Ginny & Georgia?

The Exorcist’s Brianne Howey dazzles as Georgia, while Antonia Gentry stars opposite her as onscreen daughter Ginny.

The cast also boasts the talents of Diesel La Torraca, Jennifer Robertson, Felix Mallard, Sara Waisglass, Scott Porter, Raymond Ablack, and Mason Temple.

What are people saying about Ginny & Georgia?

Well, creator Sarah Lampert says she and showrunner Debra J. Fisher both “absolutely love” Gilmore Girls, but insists they didn’t set out to craft a remake.

“It was definitely an inspiration, but no more so than My So-Called Life, Buffy, Veronica Mars,” Lampert tells TVLine, adding that any stories that had “strong, dynamic, smart, funny, witty, powerful female characters just inspired what I wanted to write about.” 

Lampert adds: “I think that a relationship between a mother and a daughter, especially a teenage daughter, is one of the most complicated, nuanced, messy, push-and-pull relationships that you have in your life, and I think there’s room for, honestly, hundreds of shows about them.

“Mother-and-daughter relationships are so interesting to me, and every Mother’s Day, I just send my mom an apology card for the high school years.”

So, for all those tuning in expecting a Gilmore Girls-esque show, Fisher says firmly: “Ginny & Georgia is its very own thing and stands on its own.”

Over on Twitter, meanwhile, people are loving the series for all its wacky weirdness.

“Five minutes into Ginny & Georgia and I knew I would love it but then they mention Harry Potter and Pretty Woman and I’m [dancing]!” reads one tweet.

Another adds: “This is some of the best representation of current teen life and struggle I’ve seen in recent years.

“It gets a 10/10 from me.”

And still one more, revelling in the show’s fondness for breaking the fourth wall, notes: “Georgia quotes Friday Night Lights. On a show where Jason Street is the mayor. 

“I love it so much.”

When is Ginny & Georgia coming to Netflix?

Ginny & Georgia is now available to stream on Netflix from 24 February. 

Images: Netflix