On both Gilmore Girls and Pretty Little Liars, high schoolers live in small towns where they date, spend time with friends, and think about the future. While mother-daughter duo Rory and Lorelai aren't being stalked by a figure named "A" and the liars aren't that close with their parents, the series are both considered fan favorites by those who love TV dramas.
These series have characters with too much screentime and minor players who needed more. And both shows are the focus of discussion on Reddit, where fans explain why they enjoy watching PLL or GG, and what unique element each series has.
Pretty Little Liars: The Mystery
For many fans, the mystery on Pretty Little Liars is what keeps them coming back. In a Reddit thread, one fan wrote, "the mystery vibe, the whole 'whodunit' thing, 4 pretty girls being stalked in a small, beautiful city where everyone is a suspect and hides something." Another viewer noted that they enjoy watching the Scream franchise and they started tuning into PLL as well.
This is definitely something that this show has over Gilmore Girls. It might be weird that Luke has a "dark day," but nothing scary is going on in Stars Hollow.
Gilmore Girls: Watching Sookie And Lorelai Run An Inn
Gilmore Girls is a better TV drama because viewers get to watch Sookie and Lorelai run an inn. A fan posted on Reddit that they enjoy the fourth season because it's all about getting the Dragonfly Inn up and running.
While the characters on PLL do grow up and start jobs, the show is mostly about their time as teenagers, and they're focused on finding out who "A" is rather than college and career ambitions, although they do think about those things too. Lorelai and Sookie go through it all, from fighting to celebrating, and their journey is a unique feature of this series.
Pretty Little Liars: The Love Stories Are Fantastic
In the same Reddit thread, a few fans pointed out that they really enjoy the love stories on Pretty Little Liars.
While Luke and Lorelai's love story is wonderful and Rory has many romantic interests, the relationships on PLL seem better crafted. It might be because the characters are all teenagers for most of the show. There's a lot of conflict between all of the major couples, from Spencer and Toby to Aria and Ezra, as the girls see their boyfriends become part of the "A" team for various reasons. That adds an extra level of tension and drama.
Gilmore Girls: It's Comforting And Family-Friendly
The relationship between Lorelai and Rory keeps a lot of fans coming back, and according to a Reddit thread, fans love Gilmore Girls for its comforting feeling and because it's a show that mothers and daughters can watch together.
One fan wrote, "like comfort food. It just makes me feel better." Another said that they watched it with their mother and that was a special memory. The same thing definitely can't be said of PLL because it just doesn't evoke those same warm emotions.
Pretty Little Liars: The Girls Have Incredible Style
A fan wrote on Reddit that they checked PLL out because of how the characters dress. They said, "Not ashamed to say I started watching it for the fashion. It had been on for 4 seasons and the outfits kept popping up in all my fashion magazines."
It's true that the characters always look sharp, and Hanna especially is known for fashionable choices. Rory and Lorelai's outfits have a sweet 2000s era vibe to them but they don't dress as well at all.
Gilmore Girls: It's A Hilarious Series
Lorelai has faced tough moments but for the most part, she smiles and jokes around, and the Stars Hollow residents appreciate her fast-talking and clever personality.
One fan pointed out on Reddit that Gilmore Girls has a "witty sense of humor" and this is something that stands out to them about the show. While Hanna can be sarcastic, PLL isn't really all that funny, especially not when the characters are constantly worrying about being killed.
Pretty Little Liars: Spencer Is A Solid Character
Fans shared on Reddit that Spencer is a fan favorite, as they feel that Troian Bellisario is a talented actress and the character is intelligent and also great at looking into the mystery of "A." Some viewers pointed out that the other girls can be frustrating and they don't stand up for themselves the way that Spencer does.
While Rory and Lorelai are iconic TV characters and people love them, many PLL fans cite Spencer as the reason why the show is so good.
Gilmore Girls: It Reminds Fans Of Being Younger
The nostalgic factor of Gilmore Girls can't be underestimated. In the same Reddit thread, a fan said that "nostalgia" is one reason why they enjoy the series so much. They said that they remember watching GG when they went through a difficult time in their twenties and now they look back fondly.
Other fans watched when they were pre-teens or in high school, and that's something that sets Gilmore GIrls apart from Pretty Little Liars. Whenever fans want to smile, they just need to go back to Stars Hollow and they're transported back in time.
Pretty Little Liars: A Satisfying Series Finale
While some viewers didn't want Spencer to have a twin and thought that wasn't the way to end the show, a fan pointed out on Reddit that "every character had a happy ending."
When viewed through that lens, the finale of PLL is great, as the characters are with the partners they should be with and the future looks optimistic. This is one way that PLL is better than Gilmore Girls as creator Amy Sherman-Palladino wasn't able to end GG the way that she wanted, so the seventh season finale wasn't what she planned. While fans were able to see her "final four words" play out at the end of the Netflix revival, it's a massive cliffhanger and no one is sure what Rory is going to do, so it's not necessarily the best ending.
Gilmore Girls: It's Positive, Meaningful, And Has Great Dialogue
Sometimes a light-hearted TV show sounds perfect but if something is too light, it can get dull.
That's not the case with Gilmore Girls. A fan wrote on Reddit that the show is positive and "feel good" with nicely crafted dialogue. They also noted that the show is meaningful, and that's definitely true, as Rory and Lorelai have some trouble in their relationship, and Lorelai has problems with her own parents. While some episodes fall flat now, the overall feeling is that the fans will always hold Gilmore Girls in high regard.