When Sullivan’s Crossing hit Netflix earlier this July, few predicted it would skyrocket into one of the platform’s top trending shows. But here we are—weeks later—and the small-town Canadian drama has not only captured hearts across borders, it’s sparked a frenzy for more cozy-yet-complicated, emotionally rich dramas set in quaint towns with a lot to hide.
Sullivan’s Crossing centers on neurosurgeon Maggie Sullivan (played by Morgan Kohan), who returns to her rural hometown in Nova Scotia after a legal scandal upends her high-flying life. What begins as a temporary escape quickly turns into a journey of reckoning, romance, and rediscovery. Adapted from the novels by Robyn Carr, the show delivers a potent blend of past trauma, simmering chemistry, and scenic charm—and Netflix subscribers can’t get enough.
If Maggie’s journey struck a chord with you, brace yourself. There’s an entire world of equally addictive small-town sagas waiting for you—each one brimming with emotional rollercoasters, rugged charmers, and buried secrets ready to explode.
1. Firefly Lane: Friendship, Flashbacks, and Devastating Choices
Before the era of prestige small-town drama took over Netflix, Firefly Lane was quietly paving the way. Based on Kristin Hannah’s best-selling novel, this series spans decades in the lives of Tully Hart and Kate Mularkey, two inseparable best friends whose bond weathers love, betrayal, and loss. With Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke delivering standout performances, the series shifts seamlessly between decades, revealing how a childhood friendship evolves—and sometimes fractures—under the pressure of adult life.
While Firefly Lane doesn’t take place in a remote village, it captures the emotional intimacy and personal complexity that fans of Sullivan’s Crossing crave.
2. Hart of Dixie: Southern Charm With a Side of Big-City Sass
What happens when a New York doctor ends up practicing medicine in a Southern town she’s never heard of? In Hart of Dixie, Dr. Zoe Hart gets an unexpected inheritance: half a medical practice in Bluebell, Alabama. Suddenly surrounded by nosy neighbors, town festivals, and unexpected love interests, Zoe’s journey is a classic “fish out of water” story—with a lot more heart than it first lets on. Light-hearted and full of charm, this series offers the romantic entanglements and community drama that make small-town shows so bingeable.
3. Ransom Canyon: Where Family Feuds Meet Forbidden Love
One of Netflix’s newest additions, Ransom Canyon takes everything you love about rural drama and dials it up with Texas-sized intensity. The dusty ranches of Ransom Canyon are home to clashing dynasties, land disputes, and unresolved heartbreaks. At the center of it all is Staten Kirkland (Josh Duhamel), a stoic rancher trying to navigate personal grief while dealing with threats to his land and his heart. With sweeping landscapes and tangled loyalties, Ransom Canyon delivers that perfect mix of romance, danger, and family legacy.
4. Sweet Magnolias: Southern Sisterhood and Scandal
In the town of Serenity, South Carolina, lifelong friends Maddie, Helen, and Dana Sue are the heart and soul of Sweet Magnolias. This feel-good drama may look gentle on the surface, but it’s filled with marital strife, business struggles, and long-lost loves. What makes this show truly shine is its portrayal of enduring female friendships and the strength found in community—something that resonates deeply with Sullivan’s Crossing fans who watched Maggie lean on those around her in her time of need.
5. Virgin River: The Sister Series to Sullivan’s Crossing
Of course, no list would be complete without Virgin River, the series that walked so Sullivan’s Crossing could run. Also based on Robyn Carr’s novels, Virgin River follows Mel Monroe, a nurse practitioner who relocates from Los Angeles to a tiny Northern California town after tragedy strikes. She hopes to heal and start over—but quickly learns that the people of Virgin River come with their own baggage, and her past isn’t quite finished with her either.
With its misty forests, slow-burn romance, and deeply personal storytelling, Virgin River is a natural next step for anyone craving more of the Sullivan charm.
The Bottom Line: A Genre That Keeps Giving
There’s something undeniably comforting—and captivating—about stories set in tight-knit communities where everyone knows your name, your secrets, and your history. These small-town dramas offer more than romance; they explore grief, healing, redemption, and the search for a second chance.
As Sullivan’s Crossing continues to dominate Netflix queues, viewers are finding themselves immersed in a genre that blends comfort with catharsis, and escapism with emotional truth. And thankfully, there’s no shortage of stories to get lost in.
