If you’re lucky enough to have a girlfriend, you’ll probably unlucky enough to have her beg and plead for you to watch one of “her” TV shows on the regular. While your initial reaction might be “hell, no,” you might actually be missing out on some binge-worthy television. From comedy to drama to thrillers, just because a series is marketed at women doesn’t mean it’s frothy, overwrought entertainment. In fact, once you start watching her favorites, you might not be able to stop. (And when you do, perhaps she’ll express her gratitude for your viewing companionship by giving you a happy ending.) These are the 10 TV shows your girlfriends wishes you’d watch with her, so make a girl’s day, why don’t you?
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Watch With Her Movies
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'Orange is the New Black'
This prison dramedy was originally based on the real-life experiences of Piper Kerman, a former inmate who served 13 months for money laundering. Over seven seasons, OITNB has expanded and evolved beyond Kerman's story, allowing viewers glimpses into various characters' backstories and the reasons why they ended up behind bars. At the heart of the series is the love-hate relationship between exes Piper (Taylor Schilling) and Alex (Laura Prepon), which is much more dramatic and sexier on screen than it was IRL.
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'The Affair'
What started out as an erotic mystery in season one has devolved into a seaside soap opera told from multiple characters' perspectives. You'll want to punch every character on this Showtime series but you won't be able to turn it off as train wrecks Noah (Dominic West), Alison (Ruth Wilson), Cole (Joshua Jackson), and Helen (Maura Tierney) flounder in their midlife crises and perpetuate toxic love cycles over and over again. This show will make you appreciate how un-fucked up your relationship is.
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'Sharp Objects'
A gruesome murder of a young girl pulls journalist Camille (Amy Adams) back to her Southern hometown where her prickly mother Adora (Patricia Clarkson) and unruly half-sister Amma (Eliza Scanlen) still live. As Camille's investigation deepens, she struggles to shed her former slutty reputation and confront the demons that still plague her. Drinking, cutting, and casual sex complicate the plot of this creepy but completely satisfying miniseries.
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'Sex and the City'
Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is a 30-something writer enjoying all the fruits of being single, fashion savvy, and gainfully employed in New York City. She constantly consults her no-bullshit BFFs Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), Charlotte (Kristin Davis), and Samantha (Kim Cattrall) about what to do with her main squeeze, Mr. Big (Chris Noth), and the men who fill in for him when the couple is on the outs. The hit HBO series was groundbreaking in its no-holds-barred depiction and discussion of sex from the female perspective. Pay attention and you just might learn something.
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'Younger'
Newly divorced, middle-aged mother Liza (Sutton Foster) wants to return to the workforce but can’t get a gig. She decides to pretend she’s 26, and soon lands a position in a major publishing company owned by tall, handsome Charles Brooks (Peter Hermann). You can see where this is going, but what makes the show worth watching is Liza’s brash and beautiful ladder-climbing co-worker Kelsey (Hilary Duff), her doomed but delicious affair with 20-something tattoo artist Josh (Nico Tortorella), and the clever mockery of the publishing industry.
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'PEN15'
Middle school was living hell for most of us, but now we can look back on it and laugh. That’s the idea behind this Hulu original comedy series featuring grown-up actors Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle playing versions of their seventh-grade selves. Come for the cringey awkwardness, stay for the nostalgia.
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'Transparent'
The Pfeffermans, a Los Angeles Jewish family, lose their shit when patriarch Mort (Jeffrey Tambor) announces that he now identifies as a woman named Maura. As adult siblings Ali (Gaby Hoffmann), Sarah (Amy Landecker), and Josh (Jay Duplass) come to terms with what their father's transition means for the family, they begin to question their own sexual expression, romantic relationships, and religious heritage. It might not sound like a funny premise, but trust us, there's plenty of laughs to be had with these bitter, cynical characters who can't help self-destructing.
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'Dead To Me'
This black comedy follows Jen (Christina Applegate), a widow befriended by Judy (Linda Cardellini) at a grief support group. The two become fast friends, but not all is as it seems. As Judy's past comes to light, Jen begins to question if Judy is the best thing that ever happened to her or a complete sociopath. This snarky-sweet series has a whodunit edge that will keep you glued to your screen.
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'Jane The Virgin'
If you can get over the implausible plot (a 23-year-old devout Catholic woman is accidentally artificially inseminated by her gynecologist), you might enjoy this wildly popular take on the telenovela. Jane (Gina Rodriguez) comically navigates accepting unplanned parenthood, maintaining her romantic relationship, and managing her multi-generational Latina family.
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'Euphoria'
This dark, gritty series examines the underbelly of teen drug addiction. Rue (Zendaya) is newly released from rehab when she meets Jules (Hunter Schafer), a transgender teen who has an affinity for older men. The two form a tight bond as they grapple with sex and drugs in suburban L.A. This hard-hitting series is packed with triggers, which is why your girlfriend will need to hold your hand through it.
