In the first promos for Ginny & Georgia, Brianne Howey‘s Georgia tells her daughter Ginny (Antonia Gentry), “We’re like the Gilmore Girls — but with bigger boobs.” The show quickly started being compared to the teen drama, since it’s, at its heart, about the relationship between a young single mother and her daughter. However, Netflix’s new series, which dropped on the streaming service on Wednesday, February 24, is much more than that.
Howey, 31, was drawn to the story almost immediately after being sent the first script, thanks to a scene during which her character confronts her son’s bully.
“It pretty much knocked me off my chair and I needed to know more about this woman,” the Passage alum told Us Weekly exclusively. “Then when I went to do the chemistry read and throughout the audition process, it was all women. I’ve never been in that situation or an audition where the majority of the people in the room are women — let alone, they’re all women! Everything from creator, showrunner, executive producer, casting director to the lead. So that was incredibly empowering and exciting.”
The series touches on a plethora of topics, highlighting Georgia’s romantic life, her complicated relationship with Ginny’s dad, her role as a single mom that’s only 15 years older than her daughter and much more. Simultaneously, the drama zones in on Ginny’s life as she ventures dating for the first time and attempts to make new friends. Additionally, Ginny finds herself alone as the only half-Black woman in a dominantly white town.
In addition to the relationships at the center of the show, Ginny & Georgia also includes some shocking secrets and dark twists and turns that set the show apart from others.
“Tony and the rest of our young cast, I don’t believe that there’s anything they can’t do,” Scott Porter, who plays the town mayor in the series, said on this week’s “Watch WIth Us” podcast. “These stories need to be told, they deserve to be told and we have so many talented actors of different races, different genders and they all deserve to have as much range as I’ve been afforded.”
Porter commented on the comparisons to other TV shows — which he understands.
“I think there’s been a lot of easy, elevator pitch versions of what we are as a show. I’m here to tell you that we respect all the shows that we get compared to 100 percent, but we really are our own show,” the Friday Night Lights alum, 41, added. “I think it’s so worth watching. I think the people that created the show, that helped us run the show — look at all of our directors, all the people that are in control of our show — they have such strong voices and such unique perspectives, and I can’t wait for people to go along on this ride with us.”
For more from Porter, pick up the latest issue of Us, on newsstands now. Plus, listen to the full interview with him above and subscribe to our “Watch With Us” podcast for more exclusive TV interviews and news.
Ginny & Georgia is now streaming on Netflix.