“Ginny and Georgia” Review

As a self-proclaimed “Gilmore Girls” fanatic, I’m always looking for a new heartfelt mom-and-daughter show to fill my TV void — and Netflix’s newest release “Ginny and Georgia” checks that box.

“Ginny and Georgia” is a 10-episode series that tells the story of Ginny Miller, a 15-year-old sophomore and her mom, Georgia. The two have moved all around the country, as Georgia cycles through several boyfriends and jobs. 

The show begins with the two, along with Ginny’s younger brother Austin, moving to Wellsbury, Va. after the death of their step-dad. The definition of a white-picket-fence town, Wellsbury is a whole different world than their previous home in Texas. Every mom belongs to the PTA, everyone has fancy clothes and — in typical Netflix fashion — every kid has their heart set on an ivy league. 

Ginny and Georgia are complete opposites — Georgia is a makeup-and-heels type of person, while Ginny prefers sweatpants and a sweatshirt. They have completely different views on life and clash at least once every episode. However, their bond is undeniable, providing humorous relief and heartfelt scenes during the more intense moments of the series. 

Ginny has always struggled to make friends but finds her first friend group after her meeting Max, her next-door neighbor and soon-to-be best friend. Max is a happy-go-lucky type of person, bringing Ginny out of her comfort zone and giving her her real first taste of high school. This friendship helped Ginny develop as a character, which was one of my favorite parts of the show.

Settling into her new friend group, Ginny starts to develop a crush for the first time — on two different people. Ginny falls for a smart and agreeable boy in her friend group and Max’s twin brother at the same time, giving the show a classic choosing-between-two-guys plot. I found myself getting invested in each relationship, praying to my TV that she would choose my favorite guy. 

The most intriguing part of the show is the mystery of Georgia’s past. Running away as a 14-year-old and becoming homeless, Georgia earned her money and luxurious lifestyle by doing different jobs and hobbies — some of which weren’t always legal. As the episodes go by, parts of her past are slowly revealed. Each new piece leaves more questions, keeping each episode interesting. 

While the acting gets repetitive and the scenes are more than cheesy at times, the redeeming factor is the awareness of topics like body dysmorphia, self-harm and struggling to fit in which the show tackles through characters such as Ginny and her friend Abby. The topics are shown through hard-to-watch moments of the students struggling alone, creating a nice change of pace from the dramaticized issues in most shows. 

However, as the episodes go on, the storyline becomes too chaotic. The episodes are only filled with pointless drama, which becomes the focal point. The simple, innocent show becomes overly intense — not exactly the relieving break from homework I was looking for. 

That said, “Ginny and Georgia” showed a realistic version of high school, which can be hard to find nowadays The main characters were from all different kinds of backgrounds — from theater to diversity club — showing a different perspective than the normal Netflix show, and allowing me to relate to it more. 

If you’re looking for a good, but short, show to give you a break from the never-ending hybrid workload, I’d recommend “Ginny and Georgia.”