14 Years Later, This Forgotten Drama Series on Hulu Is an Ideal ‘Gilmore Girls’ Replacement

Even after more than 25 years, Gilmore Girls remains one of the best comfort TV shows, with its hilarious cast, memorable mother-daughter relationship, and idealized small town. As easy as the show is to rewatch, sometimes fans need something new, and the best answer to that question is the too-often forgotten Bunheads. Premiering in 2012, the Amy Sherman-Palladino series played to the writer’s strengths, yet it didn’t catch on like Gilmore Girls. ABC Family cancelled Bunheads after a single season, yet even with limited time, the series remains a compelling story.

Bunheads follows a struggling Las Vegas showgirl who impulsively marries and moves to a small town to teach at a ballet school with her new mother-in-law, whom she’s never met. With these two women at the center, the show is reminiscent of Gilmore Girls, though it offers an entirely new, equally complex family dynamic. And the similarities don’t stop there. While it’s not Gilmore Girls exactly, Bunheads has all the ingredients that made fans fall in love with the iconic series, featuring small-town charm, fast-paced witty dialogue, and an undeniable matriarch played by Kelly Bishop. Ultimately, the similarities that come from a shared creator and the drama-filled story make the short-lived series a must-watch for anyone who wishes for more of Gilmore Girls.

Related

Netflix’s 3-Part Series Is Quietly Becoming the Perfect ‘Gilmore Girls’ Replacement

The Netflix series takes a more dramatic turn from the beloved classic TV series.

What Is ‘Bunheads’ About?

Bunheads thrives by taking an unlikely situation and making it a hilarious basis for the story. Michelle (Sutton Foster), a Vegas showgirl growing tired of the chorus, agrees to marry her persistent fan, Hubble (Alan Ruck). This decision turns her life upside down with a move to the small town of Paradise, California, where Hubble’s mother, Fanny (Bishop), disapproves of her. It’s a volatile situation, and it’s made more so when Hubble is almost immediately involved in a lethal car crash. Now the owner of everything, from the house to Fanny’s dance studio, Michelle, somewhat reluctantly, settles in the town, finding a new place for herself as a teacher at her mother-in-law’s dance school, though it isn’t without conflict. Not only does Fanny distrust her, but small-town life is overwhelming, especially when everyone has opinions about her life choices. While Hubble’s ex, Truly (Stacey Oristano), and the rest of the town judge her, Michelle must figure out what she wants in life and what to do with the unforeseen fallout of her impulsive choice.

Related

10 Movies To Watch if You Love ‘Gilmore Girls’

We got us a Pippi virgin!

Michelle may be the lead, but there is much more going on in Paradise, especially with the dance school. While Fanny and Michelle clash, the students become prominent characters. Some of the most dedicated students, Boo (Kaitlyn Jenkins), Sasha (Julia Goldani Telles), Ginny (Bailey De Young), and Mel (Emma Dumont), quickly come to see Michelle as a mentor even as they face their own problems. As high schoolers, these four have plenty to figure out. The self-doubting Boo struggles with her body image, especially as it clashes with her dreams of being a dancer; meanwhile, the over-confident Sasha rebels to get her parents’ attention. Ginny and Mel’s stories both revolve around them finding themselves and exploring other interests, and all of this is combined with the drama stemming from young love. Between these leading characters, Bunheads is an eventful series more than capable of holding the audience’s attention.

‘Bunheads’ Plays to All of Amy Sherman-Palladino’s Strengths

Much like Gilmore Girls itself, Bunheads displays everything Sherman-Palladino is known for, with strong female leads and fast-paced, witty dialogue. Michelle herself is a flawed but hardworking character trying to make her own way in life, appealing to fans who love Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and, of course, Fanny, being played by Bishop, instantly draws comparisons to Emily Gilmore, though not quite so classy. Once the students are thrown in, Bunheads also follows three different generations of women, but this time, they are connected by a love of dance rather than blood.

While Amy Sherman-Palladino has created several popular shows, most notably The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Bunheads is the most like Gilmore Girls, because it includes one key ingredient: a small town. Like Stars Hollow, Paradise exudes charm and drives the story as Michelle adjusts to a life where everyone knows her and gossip spreads fast. Although it is tragically short-lived, Bunheads is a series that every Gilmore Girls fan should watch, especially while it is easily accessible on Hulu.

Bunheads is streaming on Hulu in the U.S.

Release Date

2012 – 2013-00-00

• 

  Sutton Foster

  Michelle Simms

• 

  Kelly Bishop

  Fanny Flowers

• 

  Kaitlyn Jenkins

  Bettina Jordan

• 

  Julia Goldani Telles

  Sasha Torres

• 
  

•