TV shows and movies perfect for fall — and how to stream them

It’s officially sweater weather and pumpkin spice latte season. 

The coziest time of year is here, bringing brisk winds, colorful foliage, Halloween decor and the urge to watch (or re-watch) some modern classic TV and movies that conjure up the perfect seasonal atmosphere. 

If you want to get in the mood, here are the best TV shows and movies to bring in the fall feels. 

“Gilmore Girls”

Where they lead, fall will follow. Nothing says autumn vibes like spending time in the quaint town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, with Rory (Alexis Bledel), Lorelai (Lauren Graham), Luke (Scott Patterson), and the rest of the quirky citizens. Whether you’re watching Lorelai down countless cups of coffee as she banters with everyone, or Rory as she’s torn between Dean (Jared Padalecki) and Jess (Milo Ventimiglia), or kitschy townwide festivities (such as the 24 hour “dance-a-thon,”) there’s an endlessly cozy fall feel to the show – starting right from the opening credits. 

Where to stream: Netflix.

“When Harry Met Sally”

This modern classic 1989 Nora Ephron film starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal is about so much more than the question of whether it’s possible for men and women to be friends. It’s about Crystal’s comfortable looking fall sweater, their famous walk through Central Park among the colorful leaves, the changing seasons on their friendship and romance. It’s a seasonal staple. 

Where to stream: Max or Prime Video.

“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”

This short-lived witchy Netflix show might have lasted for just two seasons, but it made an impact as one of the ultimate Halloween vibes shows. Starring Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina Spellman (also played by Melissa Joan Hart in a slightly less dark and spooky version, “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”), the show’s elaborate costumes and sets felt like walking into your local pop-up Halloween shop. 

Where to stream: Netflix.

“You’ve Got Mail” 

The modern classic 1998 Nora Ephron rom-com starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks follows a romance between book store rivals. It’s set in New York in the fall, there’s plenty of cozy outfits (sweaters, turtlenecks) and pumpkin decor, and the very premise is full of nostalgia, for the days before e-readers and ordering books online.

Where to stream: Prime Video.

“The Vampire Diaries” 

The town of Mystic Falls – where this show is set – has similar vibes to Stars Hollow in “Gilmore Girls,” with countless quirky town events like carnivals and outdoor movies (and endless school dances with elaborate themes). But, this eight season CW show starring Nina Dobrev as Elena (and her sort of evil twin, Catherine, it’s complicated), a girl torn between vampire brothers Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley), also adds in more supernatural creatures and dramatic deaths, on top of the quaint autumn small town feels. So, with “The Vampire Diaries,” you get two for the price of one: spooky season vibes, and a quaint fall small town atmosphere.

Where to stream: Peacock.

“Knives Out”

There’s a reason that the term “cozy mystery” exists. This star-studded 2019 movie, starring Chris Evans (and his famous sweater – important for a fall feels movie), Daniel Craig, the late Christopher Plummer, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis and Michael Shannon, delivers a charmingly oddball and twisty mystery that makes you want to watch it curled up on a couch while drinking a warm beverage. It’s got it all: fall fashion, a fabulous house and some murder.

Where to stream: AppleTV, Prime Video.

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”

While it’s true that Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) lives in Sunnydale, California, where there are more palm trees than fall foliage, the cult classic show still brings in the seasonal atmosphere. Its various monsters (not just vampires, but also demons, witches, and a mayor who turned into a giant snake) give it plenty of spooky thrills that were so fun, they hold up today, even with some dated special effects. Plus, the show constantly had “back to school” plots, at least in the first handful of seasons. 

Where to stream: Hulu.

“Practical Magic”

The 1998 cult classic starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman may not have gotten good reviews when it first came out, but it plays like a checklist of a fall movie. It’s got witches, a gorgeous (but slightly spooky) house, family bonding, a small town setting in the Northeast, and characters who have bad luck with love — until they finally don’t. 

Where to stream: Hulu.

“Virgin River”

This Netflix show, which is currently still streaming (renewed through Season 6)  brings the fall vibes for those who want them without any witches, vampires or otherwise spooky material. Similar to “Gilmore Girls,” it’s set in a quaint small town where everybody’s lives intersect in ways that occasionally get messy — such as a plot line with a bafflingly long pregnancy.

Where to stream: Netflix.

“Good Will Hunting”

How do you like them apples? The ultimate “back to school” season movie, this 1997 modern classic –that launched Matt Damon and Ben Affleck – is a timeless feel-good underdog story about a brilliant janitor with a rough life who has big dreams. 

Where to stream: Max, Prime Video, Apple TV.

“Stranger Things” 

Although recent seasons of the Netflix 80’s hit (which will end with Season 5) have spiraled out to involve Russian prison camps and characters refusing to stay dead, the first few seasons are full of seasonal fall nostalgia. Halloween is an active part of the plot, as the gang dresses like the ghost busters in Season 2. There’s plenty of “back to school” storylines, too, feel-good banter and adventures, and spooky thrills from the demogorgon creatures. There’s a reason this show was a resurrection for Winona Ryder’s career, and a star-maker for David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Joe Keery, Sadie Sink, Finn Wolfhard, and the rest of its cast. 

Where to stream: Netflix.