10 TV Shows To Watch If You Love Gossip Girl

During a rough time or after a long, tiring day, some people don't really look for something heavy to watch. They'd probably want something light, something comforting; a guilty pleasure watch, perhaps, like digging into some seriously greasy fast food. You know it's not the best on your tummy, but you still reach for it. If that's you and you love binge-watching "Gossip Girl" while doing it, you're in the right place. There are some really solid guilty pleasure alternatives here in case you want to mix things up.

So, what's so special about "Gossip Girl" and a posse of privileged teens? Perhaps, it's the over-the-top scheming and the mystery behind the titular figure that pulls you in. If that's the case, there are several series in this list that offer just as much (if not more) mystery, with plenty of juicy secrets to keep you guessing throughout. Or maybe it's the van der Woodsen family tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you're open to watching a more family-oriented series but a lot lighter — and with the humor turned up a notch — there's another series in this collection that may be right up your alley. Without further ado, let's talk about some TV shows you can watch if you enjoyed "Gossip Girl."

Missed watching a bunch of rich teenagers get into all sorts of trouble? If yes, "The O.C." could be a fun next watch. The series follows a wealthy lawyer and his family from Newport Beach in Southern California's Orange County, who take in Ryan, a misguided teen from the other side of town. Rufus Humphrey and Lily van der Woodsen are among the many fan favorite couples on "Gossip Girl." Do you want to see a similar couple dynamic? Sandy Cohen and Kirsten Cohen from "The O.C." will likely remind you of them. There are other characters who feel somewhat similar. Ryan Atwood has some Dan Humphrey vibes going for him. Serena van der Woodsen and Marissa Cooper have things in common too. Are both of them pretty? Yes. Are they rich? Yes. And are they struggling with teenage angst? Also, yes. 

According to casting expert David Rapaport, the actors from "The O.C." served as inspiration for "Gossip Girl." As he said to Entertainment Weekly, the creators of the latter show told him, "'We need the next Mischa Barton and the next Adam Brody.'" While "The O.C." and "Gossip Girl" have some things in common, they're also very different. The creator of both shows, Josh Schwartz, touched on the same while speaking to TV Guide. He explained, "The tone of ["Gossip Girl"] is entirely different ... Obviously, New York gives it a much different feel, it has a more gothic kind of quality to it tonally and in terms of the characters, they're very different. But I think both shows take a sort of epic view of adolescence and high school."

There are things only adults notice in "Gossip Girl," including how Manhattan's Upper East Side felt like a character itself. Some rich kids were proud to be from there, and some outsiders like Jenny Humphrey initially wanted to be a part of it. If you were into that, "Beverly Hills, 90210" gives you a different wealthy neighborhood to get lost in. And yes, it is Beverly Hills. In "Beverly Hills, 90210," siblings Brandon and Brenda Walsh relocate with their family from Minnesota to Beverly Hills. This setup might sound a little familiar. It's because it is. Brandon and Brenda will likely remind you of the Humphrey siblings, who also adapted to life with wealthier peers.

The series follows a group of privileged teens at a Beverly Hills high school. And where there are teenagers, there's probably some teen drama. You don't have to guess with this show, because there is a lot of teen drama. Brandon and Brenda befriend Kelly Taylor, Dylan McKay, Donna Martin and more. The show features storylines that include complicated friendships and relationships, just like "Gossip Girl." Basically, there is a lot to keep you busy here.

In "Gossip Girl," social hierarchy is a big deal among Blair Waldorf and her minions. Blair was the queen bee at Constance for a long time, and there were power struggles between her and some of her peers. They were in high school when this was all playing out. If you've ever wondered what it would be like if the dynamic remained even after they grew up, then you might want to check out "Palm Royale." We get to see a lot more of the social hierarchy struggles bleeding into storylines in this mature series. And "Palm Royale" has two queen bees: Evelyn Rollins and Norma Dellacorte.

Then there's the plotting. "Palm Royale" is set in 1969 and follows Maxine Simmons-Dellacorte as she schemes her way into the Palm Beach high society. Like Dan and Jenny Humphrey from "Gossip Girl," Maxine is an outsider who quickly learns to adapt to new surroundings in "Palm Royale." The difference is, she appears to be more committed to making it happen and in the process makes a bunch of enemies. In both shows, there's also the possibility of one day's enemy becoming the next day's ally.That's not where the similarities stop. Remember the Gossip Girl blog? "Palm Royale" has a different version of it called The Shiny Sheet, which reports on the fashionable elites of Palm Beach.

Did you enjoy rich people making terrible decisions on "Gossip Girl"? If yes, the 2017 "Dynasty" reboot has you covered. The show follows the cunning Fallon Carrington, who is disappointed to learn that her father has no plans to promote her within the family business but, rather, introduces her to Cristal Flores, her father's new partner. The truth about "Dynasty" is that the show only gets more fun from there — think family drama, lots of complicated romances, and high fashion. Do you remember how "Gossip Girl" had overdramatic storylines like secret siblings, kidnapping, and faking deaths? "Dynasty" does too. Some entertaining catfights are peppered in too. 

An outsider also enters the wealthy world plotline in both shows. In "Gossip Girl," Rufus Humphrey marries Lily van der Woodsen, a socialite from Manhattan's Upper East Side. Similarly, Cristal marries a wealthy businessman, Blake Carrington, in "Dynasty." Interestingly, the actress who plays Lily (Kelly Rutherford) on "Gossip Girl" even makes an appearance on "Dynasty." What's more, if enjoyed Blair Waldorf's personality on "Gossip Girl," "Dynasty" gives us some of that through Fallon. As put by Gossip Girl Wiki, "If Blair had her sights set on being the wealthiest CEO in America, then she would probably end up exactly like Fallon Carrington." And who wouldn't want to see that? You might be wondering how the two shows share so many similarities. There's a behind-the-scenes connection between the two: Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, who developed "Gossip Girl" for TV, also worked on the "Dynasty" reboot. So, if you were looking for a "Gossip Girl"-like flavor in a new show, "Dynasty" might be it.

"Gossip Girl" had many fun episodes. Among them is the one where Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf went off to Paris. Remember that? Season 4 actually opens with the two of them enjoying themselves there. It was a nice change of setting. The fashion was catchy and there were plenty of beautiful locations. If those episodes made you wish the show stayed in Paris a little longer, "Emily in Paris" gives you much more of that escape. "Emily in Paris" follows American marketing executive Emily Cooper, who moves to Paris for work. She also makes some amazing friends along the way and, like "Gossip Girl," there is no shortage of love triangles. 

It's not all fun and games, though. Emily also has to adapt to a new country, new social customs, and she has to win over her boss, Sylvie Grateau. Interestingly, there are some similarities between Sylvie and Blair Waldorf. While she is certainly not Blair Waldorf 2.0, "Gossip Girl" fans may see a little of that Queen B energy in Sylvie. Emily's boss is quite fashionable, blunt, and initially not very impressed by the outsider who has suddenly entered her Parisian professional world with an American style of doing things. There's another familiar ingredient here: Social media. The mysterious figure in "Gossip Girl" used her Gossip Girl blasts to spill secrets, and in "Emily in Paris," the main character uses her Instagram account @EmilyInParis to document her life in Paris. Have you noticed that the title of both the shows are tied to their characters' online identities in some way? That's another thing both the shows have in common.

In "Gossip Girl," Serena van der Woodsen had a pretty complicated relationship with her mother, Lily van der Woodsen. But that was nothing compared to the friction between Lily and her own mom, Cece Rhodes. On the other hand, Blair Waldorf's relationship with her mom, Eleanor Waldorf. wasn't a picnic either. "Gilmore Girls" takes that kind of family tension and puts it right at the heart of the show, which is set in the cozy town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. But that's not all. We also get peeks at Lorelai's love-hate relationship with her own mom, Emily Gilmore.

What kind of "Gossip Girl" viewer doesn't enjoy juicy romances? Well, don't worry because "Gilmore Girls" has that too. In fact, there's so much romance that fans are divided on which suitor is best for their favorite comfort character, Rory Gilmore. Where "Gossip Girl" has team Chair (Chuck and Blair) and team Derena (Dan and Serena), "Gilmore Girls" has team Logan (Huntzberger), team Jess (Mariano), and team Dean (Forester). So, there's a lot of emotional messiness that goes around with both Rory and Lorelai Gilmore, but that's not all. There are some other things that feel familiar to "Gossip Girl." For example, "Gilmore Girls" has its own elite private school: Chilton. And if you miss the high-class society seen in "Gossip Girl," Lorelai's parents bring some of that snobbery to "Gilmore Girls" as well. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the Upper East Side, however, "Gilmore Girls" features a much warmer, small-town feel. Here are 10 TV shows to watch if you love a "Gilmore Girls" fall rewatch.

Siblings Dan and Jenny Humphrey were outsiders in "Gossip Girl." They were from Brooklyn and were trying to figure out life with Manhattan's rich Upper East Side crowd. Now, what if the roles were reversed? Say someone from the privileged side of town was adapting to a rural place. That's what we get in "My Life with the Walter Boys," which sees young Jackie Howard rebuild her life after moving from New York City to a ranch in Colorado with a new family.

So, why would you enjoy "My Life with the Walter Boys" if you're a "Gossip Girl" fan? There were a bunch of love triangles in "Gossip Girl." Serena van der Woodsen had a difficult time picking between Nate Archibald and Dan, while Blair Waldorf was confused between Chuck Bass and Dan for a bit. Whether you agreed with their picks or not, one thing we can agree on is that the tension made for a fun watch. We get some of that romance in "My Life with the Walter Boys" as well. Here, Jackie's pick is between two brothers, Cole and Alex Walter. While we won't spoil what happens, what we can say is that it is a pretty entertaining storyline. Need we say more? If so, know that there are more than two Walter brothers, who all come their own romantic interests and other interesting plotlines. So, one thing you won't miss out on is teen drama. There's loads and loads of it here.

If you enjoyed the will-they-won't-they drama on "Gossip Girl" and don't mind a few vampires, werewolves, witches and more, "The Vampire Diaries" could be a fun watch. While Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass' relationship had a lot of obstacles in "Gossip Girl," so did Dan Humphrey and Serena van der Woodsen's. Fans of tragic romances and sizzling chemistry will adore "The Vampire Diaries," which features one of the most romantic TV scenes ever. The series follows Elena Gilbert, a teenaged girl from the small town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, who loses both parents in an accident and soon finds herself in the center of serious vampire drama after meeting brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore. 

You know how in "Gossip Girl," even if your heart was set on a particular couple, a new dynamic could make you question if your favorite character was better suited for another romantic interest. "The Vampire Diaries" has plenty of those, not to mention a few love triangles. In fact, you never know who your next comfort character could even be on "The Vampire Diaries." It could possibly even be a secondary character or even a villain. For example, one formidable villain on the show, Niklaus Mikaelson, even received his own spin-off show with his vampy family members, "The Originals." That's how captivating the villains are on this supernatural show. As such, "The Vampire Diaries" has a huge fan base, and you'll find people shipping several characters. So, if you enjoy picking a favorite pairing and debating it with other fans, there's plenty of that for you here.

Remember thinking who was behind the Gossip Girl blasts? Some people were on board with Dan Humphrey being Gossip Girl, while others weren't. Whichever category you fall into, what we can probably all agree on is that it was a fun storyline. If you enjoyed that particular mystery, "Bridgerton" has something similar in store. Here, Lady Whistledown is an anonymous writer who writes juicy and sometimes damaging gossip on the private lives of the elite class. It became such a thing that even Queen Charlotte in the show wanted to know who is behind it all.

The setting, on the other hand, couldn't be more different. Where "Gossip Girl" gives us modern Manhattan, "Bridgerton" begins in Regency-era London. There is still something in common. Any guesses? Here goes. Both shows spend a lot of time among people near the top of the social ladder. If you enjoyed having a peek at the life of the wealthy in "Gossip Girl" and are curious about what that would look like in a fictional Regency-era London, it might be worth giving "Bridgerton" a shot. Then there is the romance. If the complicated relationships kept you hooked on "Gossip Girl," "Bridgerton" really leans into that side of things. Each season mostly spends time on the romance of a different Bridgerton sibling with an accompanying trope. (Here's the "Bridgerton" family tree explained.) In Season 1, we had fake dating; in Season 2, we saw enemies to lovers; in Season 3, friends to lovers, and so forth.

If you enjoyed watching Penn Badgley as Dan Humphrey on "Gossip Girl," you're in for a treat with "You." He's the main character here, but he plays a very different guy. Maybe not entirely different, though. Dan spent years watching the Upper East Side from the outside in "Gossip Girl." Spoiler alert: He even confessed to being "Gossip Girl" in the final episode. As gossip girl, he used anonymous tips, kept tabs on his peers, and spread damaging information through his blog. Now, imagine that energy — "You" takes that behavior somewhere much darker. In "You," Joe Goldberg uses social media and physically stalks his romantic targets and those he views as threats.

Viewers progress through the series through the eyes of the main character, Joe Goldberg, who holds many secrets and carries out untold horrors on his so-called loved ones. So, why should you give "You" a shot? In speaking to the similarity between "Gossip Girl" and "You," Penn Badgley told SiriusXM, "There is some kind of ... like dialogue between these two shows that are very different, but at the same time, there's this very similar vein. There's this similar kind of bingey frothiness." If you ever wondered how Penn Badgley really feels about his "Gossip Girl" character, his next comment pretty much sums it up: "At the end of 'Gossip Girl,' technically speaking, Dan was revealed to be a total sociopath." Despite the surface-level differences, it's safe to say Badgley sees some overlap between Dan and Joe.