Netflix’s newest quirky drama, Ginny and Georgia, is one part Gilmore Girls, one part 13 Reasons Why  with a dash of Riverdale and one part entirely a creation unto itself. It is funny and mysterious and campy and moving and creative and completely a delight to behold.

The story focuses on 15-year-old Ginny Miller and her 30-year-old mom, Georgia. Georgia is a master of reinventing herself and surviving on the strength of her wit and charms. Ginny, on the other hand, is just trying to survive her teen years. Together, with younger brother Austin, they move to Wilmington, Massachusetts to begin again – again.

Despite Georgia’s abusive past, she strives to carve out a life for her kids while following a few dreams of her won. Unfortunately, even her best efforts cannot protect her little family from the ghosts of the past as friend and foe from years gone by pop up and threaten the peace of her new life. All the while, Ginny is struggling to find her footing in her new school, among her new peers.

There are many great things about this series, though it feels chaotic at times. The honest and painfully awkward depiction of mid-teen life is spot on in so many ways and watching Ginny navigate being the new girl again is very relatable. The portrayal of LGBTQ+ teen relationships is also really terrific as is the representation of the deaf family as a key story point. How the show address teen mental health and self-harm issues is also is very well done. The only disappointment is how the show approaches it’s lead character’s biracial identity.

Ginny’s father is black yet all mentions and encounters that touch on her blackness are awkwardly handled and seem to be a collage of missed opportunities. Time and again Ginny encounters microaggressions and blatant racism but she never fully confronts the attacks. I’m not sure if this is an intentional character point meant to highlight the difficulty a biracial teen would encounter owning her identity when raised by a white parent or if the writers just couldn’t figure out how to properly address this reality in a meaningful way. Hopefully, this will be fleshed out more in season two as it really is the only fault in this otherwise engaging drama.

Brianne Howey and Antonia Gentry make a brilliant mother/daughter duo. They have really groovy chemistry and individually they fill the screen as they inhabit their characters with confidence and authenticity. Felix Mallard and Sara Wineglass also give notable performances as Ginny’s twin besties. Finally, Scott Porter, of Friday Night Lights’ fame, joins the cast as the entirely likable and lovely Mayor Paul Randolph.

All in all, Ginny and Georgia, is a well written and entertaining watch that could easily become a favourite.