Television series

Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce

Name: Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
Released: 2014
Cast: Alanna Ubach, Beau Garrett, Lisa Edelstein, Necar Zadegan, Retta

Drama

A sharp, funny drama about a self-help author whose perfect-life brand collapses when she divorces. Abby and her circle navigate dating, co-parenting, and friendship in their 40s with wit and genuine mess. It's *Sex and the City* for the separated set—warm, gossipy, and unafraid to let its characters be petty and flawed.

TVMaze rating

3.8

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you want a warm, sharp comedy about divorce where the funniest lines come from friends bluntly dissecting each other's messes, and you don't mind the romance threads being a little soapy.

Skip it if you want a gritty, grounded look at separation, since this stays glossy and breezy, with the heartache kept light and the friendships doing most of the work.

What it asks of you: Each episode runs an hour at an easy, chatty pace across five seasons, so it settles in best as a steady companion rather than a marathon.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Fleabag2016

A woman in her 30s talks directly to camera, lies constantly, and somehow remains utterly lovable despite chaos. Like Girlfriends' Guide, it finds comedy in shame and heartbreak while never losing sight of real emotion.

But The constant fourth-wall breaks can feel mannered if you're not in the mood for theatrical storytelling. Some find it too self-consciously clever.

Schitt's Creek2015

A wealthy family loses everything and must rebuild their lives in a small town. It shares Girlfriends' Guide's warmth, ensemble charm, and ability to make material loss and reinvention both hilarious and genuinely touching.

But The early seasons lean harder on broad comedy. If you want sharp satire from frame one, the setup takes a few episodes to find its groove.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel2017

A 1950s housewife becomes a stand-up comedian after her divorce. It's got the same DNA: a woman reclaiming her life after marriage ends, surrounded by loyal friends, finding her voice through talking—and comedy.

But The rapid-fire dialogue and production design can feel exhausting. It's also considerably glossier and more aesthetically stylized than Girlfriends' Guide.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Bridesmaids2011

Both center female friendships as the story rather than men; both balance cringe comedy with genuine stakes; both understand that adult women can be selfish, flawed, and loyal all at once.

Kristen Wiig as a woman falling apart before a wedding, surrounded by complex women who are also messy and hilarious. It has Girlfriends' Guide's DNA—ensemble comedy rooted in real vulnerability, where friendship is the actual plot.

But It's a film, not a series, so no time for the slow relationship building. The humor is much cruder and body-focused in ways TV can't quite match.

Divorce2016

Sarah Jessica Parker navigates a messy, protracted split with HBO's unflinching eye for marital dysfunction. Both shows refuse to make divorce tidy or romantic—they're about the actual work of rebuilding.

But It's notably darker and more cynical. If you want lighter moments and found-family warmth, this will feel bleaker.

Living Single1993

A group of unmarried friends in Brooklyn support each other through dating, careers, and life. The template for ensemble female friendship comedies. Less focused on divorce, but same spirit of chosen family over romance as the center.

But It's a 90s sitcom with a sitcom's DNA—broader performances, more traditional structure. The tone is quite different from Girlfriends' Guide's drama-comedy blend.

Grace and Frankie2015

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin become unlikely friends after their husbands leave them for each other. Pitch-perfect on friendship, aging, and starting over. Warm, funny, and genuinely wise about reinvention at any age.

But It leans toward feel-good sentimentality, especially in later seasons. Some may find it too soft compared to Girlfriends' Guide's willingness to show characters being genuinely awful.

Curb Your Enthusiasm2000

Larry David navigates social life through absurdist comedy that finds mortification and consequence in everyday interactions. It shares Girlfriends' Guide's willingness to make characters mess up spectacularly and sit in the discomfort.

But It's often deeply mean-spirited and cringe-focused. If you want characters you root for, this will frustrate you—Larry rarely learns anything.

Cougar Town2009

Courteney Cox leads an ensemble of divorced and single women in Florida navigating dating and friendship. Lighter and more wine-fueled than Girlfriends' Guide, but same warmth about chosen family and second chances.

But It's noticeably broader and less interested in dramatic weight. The tone can shift into silly territory that lands differently than Girlfriends' Guide's balance.

Penny Dreadful2014

A moody ensemble drama where damaged people band together against impossible odds. Like Girlfriends' Guide, it builds deep connection and loyalty between misfits, though in a Gothic horror register rather than domestic comedy.

But It's genuinely dark and grotesque. If you're watching Girlfriends' Guide for lightness and humor, this will feel like the inverse of what you want.

Stories We Tell2012

Both examine how people construct and reconstruct their identities after upheaval; both understand that reinvention means reckoning with the stories you've told; both treat the messy middle seriously rather than rushing to healing.

Michael Apted's film about a family uncovering secrets about their mother's past is a documentary that feels like intimate drama. It explores how we narrate our own lives and what happens when the story we told ourselves breaks.

But It's a real documentary with no plot in the traditional sense. If you want character arcs and resolution, it's deliberately fragmented and ambiguous.

Transparent2014

Both series center identity reconstruction and chosen family; both feature ensembles where everyone is grappling with their own reinvention simultaneously; both understand that life-altering change is about learning to live in the wreckage, not escaping it.

An ensemble family drama where a parent's transition upends everyone's sense of identity and belonging. It's devastating and complicated, treating adult relationships with the weight they deserve. Gorgeous and genuinely risky storytelling.

But It's very heavy—grief, dysphoria, and family trauma are not mined for comedy here. If you watch Girlfriends' Guide for lightness, this will feel like the opposite register entirely.