Best Small Town Life

Guiding Light, which ran from 1952 to 2009, holds the distinction of being the longest-running drama in American television history. Set in the fictional town of Harmony, Illinois, the show explored t...

Craig Thompsons 'Blankets' is a sprawling, beautifully illustrated coming-of-age memoir that chronicles the author's upbringing in a strict evangelical household and his first love. The book is celebr...

Sheila Riley's Sister Agatha series presents a unique twist on the cozy mystery genre, featuring a Roman Catholic nun who investigates crimes in a quaint English village. Sister Agatha's faith and com...

Northern Exposure is a quirky comedy-drama that follows a New York doctor who is sent to practice medicine in the remote Alaskan town of Cicely. The shows eccentric characters, philosophical musings,...

Dandelion Wine (1957) is a semi-autobiographical novel that captures the magic and wonder of childhood summers. Told through the eyes of twelve-year-old Douglas Spaulding, the story evokes a sense of...

When Calls a Heart is a heartwarming series set in a small Canadian coal-mining town in the early 20th century. The show follows Elizabeth Thatcher, a young teacher who leaves her privileged life to e...

Gilmore Girls follows the lives of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, a mother and daughter with a close and unconventional relationship, as they navigate life in the charming town of Stars Hollow. The shows w...

Diane Mott Davidson's Goldy Schulz series introduces readers to a caterer in Colorado who finds herself solving mysteries within her close-knit community. Goldy's culinary skills and her keen observat...

Green Town is a collection of stories set in Bradburys fictional hometown, a nostalgic and idyllic place that serves as a backdrop for explorations of childhood, memory, and the passage of time. The s...

Rectify is a slow-burn character study following Daniel Holden, a man released from prison after serving 19 years on death row. The shows deliberate pacing, nuanced performances, and exploration of gu...

Katherine Reay's The Beach House Mysteries follow the adventures of a young woman who inherits a beach house and finds herself solving mysteries within her new community. The series combines engaging...

The Wonder Years (1988-1993) chronicles the life of Kevin Arnold as he grows up in suburban America during the 1960s. Narrated by an adult Kevin, the series explores themes of family, friendship, firs...

Everwood follows a widowed doctor who moves his two children from New York City to the small town of Everwood, Colorado, to be closer to his estranged father. The series explores themes of grief, heal...

Joyland (2013) is a nostalgic coming-of-age story set in a small-town amusement park in the 1970s. The novel follows Danny Torrance as he takes a summer job at Joyland and becomes entangled in a decad...

Wings is a sitcom centered around the lives of brothers and their employees at a small airline in the New England countryside. The shows humor stems from the quirky characters, the aviation setting, a...

Leslie Meier's 'The Patchwork Puzzler' introduces Penny Farmer, a quilter who finds herself solving mysteries in her small Connecticut town. The series is known for its charming setting, quirky charac...

After death, before reincarnation, the souls of the deceased transit through a fantastical realm known as, Another World. Gudo is a spirit that helps to guide these transient souls to their reincarnat...

Let's All Kill Constance (1976) is a darkly humorous and satirical collection of short stories centered around the eccentric residents of a small town. Bradbury uses exaggeration and absurdity to crit...