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Fall-ing into the Season – The Ultimate TV and Movie Guide to Embrace Autumn

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal State Chico chapter.

Although it feels like summer here in Chico, we can still embrace the essence of the fall season by curling up on the couch and watching our favorite movies and shows in true homebody fashion. If you’re looking to spend an evening…or three cuddled up on the sofa with the A/C on, here are my recommendations for my favorite fall-esque comfort movies and TV shows. 

Gilmore Girls walking through Fall Festival
Warner Bros. Television

Starting strong, no one does fall better than Gilmore Girls. If Stars Hollow was a real place, you better believe I’d be spending some of the fall season there. This show’s scenery is nothing short of what you’d imagine an East Coast small town to look like during this everchanging season. From the lively downtown, decorated streets, cozy attire, and coffee consumed throughout this show, it truly embodies what I picture as the perfect fall scenery. If you’re looking for an easy-to-follow, low-stakes, humorous, and minimal drama TV show, this one is for you! 

I am new to the Harry Potter train – the Hogwarts Express, if you will – but man, what a wild ride! I used to only catch bits and pieces from each movie, but I recently rewatched them in order, and I honestly wish I had done it sooner. If you haven’t seen the Harry Potter series in its entirety or just really enjoy the franchise, then I 1000% suggest putting it on your fall watch (or rewatch) list. Throughout the films, most of the storylines take place in the fall and winter seasons, representing the start of a new school year at Hogwarts. I highly recommend these films if you want to cross something off your movie bucket list and are in the mood for seasonal nostalgia! 

The next TV series I recommend for the fall season is Vampire Diaries. Set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, the series follows high school junior Elena Gilbert, who has just lost her parents and has to move on with the help of her younger brother, her two best friends, and her mysterious new boyfriend. This show spans eight seasons of secrets, supernatural entities, drama, romance, plot twists, and intense character development. It is the perfect binge-worthy TV show for the fall season, as it also depicts a small-town feel and has just the right amount of spookiness. 

My next all-time favorite fall film is Practical Magic. This film follows two sisters from a long line of family witches in a small coastal New England town. One sister (Sandra Bullock) tries to conceal her power and lead a normal life, while the other (Nicole Kidman) lives a wild lifestyle. When one sister falls into trouble, they put their differences aside and channel their craft to beat a family curse. This film is one of my favorites because of the storyline, the humor, and, let’s be real – the soundtrack! If you’re in the mood for a movie with the perfect mix of witchy vibes, sisterhood, and romance, then I definitely recommend this movie! 

tim burton\'s 2024 beetlejuice with jenna ortega
Warner Bros

My final movie recommendation for the ultimate fall-feels is, of course, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Is it a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? You get the best of both seasons with this classic film. I always use this movie as a “transition” film to enjoy towards the end of October, when it becomes appropriate to start putting up the Christmas tree. Honestly, any Tim Bourton movie provides the eerieness you are looking for this fall season, such as Corpse Bride, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, and Beetlejuice. 

So, whether you’re looking for a quick two-hour getaway to a quaint small town or a longer journey with a binge-worthy series or wizardry franchise, I highly recommend any of these films and shows to get you feeling this fall season. Despite it still feeling like summer, these recommendations will certainly get you into the autumn mood, no matter the weather outside!

Alexandria Ramirez

Cal State Chico '25

Alexandria is a fifth-year student at California State University, Chico. She is majoring in Agricultural Science – Communications and Leadership and is expected to graduate in Spring 2025. Alexandria is also pursuing minors in Agriculture Business, Marketing, Journalism, & Public Relations. While at Chico State, Alexandria has been an active member of the professional agricultural sorority Sigma Alpha. She served as Chapter President during the 2023-2024 school year. Additionally, Alexandria was the Student Lead for the Agricultural Educational Exchange program in Puerto Rico. In this role, she helped plan and coordinate the trip for ten College of Agriculture students. Alexandria spends most of her time working at the University Farm at the Chico State Meats Lab. Here, she has learned the fundamentals of harvesting and processing livestock animals. In her free time, she enjoys engaging in activities that promote personal growth, such as reading, taking Barre classes at the WREC, or walking in Bidwell Park. After graduation, Alexandria plans to pursue a master's degree in Agricultural Communications.