Adulting is hard, and sometimes a girl’s night is just what you need to re-regulate your nervous system. It’s a sweet reminder that our friends are often the only thing keeping us from crashing out in our daily lives. Your girls really put the whoo in whoosah, which is exactly what makes them such incredible friends. And there is nothing more cathartic than snuggling up with your besties for a good movie or marathon of your favorite TV show.
Girls’ night is a sacred evening of peace and friendship that is never truly complete without the perfect movie to end with. Instead of spending an hour scrolling through Netflix and fielding everyone’s votes and opinions to find the ideal show, we’ve done the legwork for you. Check out this batch of TV shows and movies to set the tone for a flawless sleepover.
Disney Channel really did its thing when they created The Cheetah Girls movie. It was the dreamy, sassy girl group we didn’t know our little hearts needed. Starring Raven-Symoné and Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, this show was Black and brown girl representation at its cutest. Fun fact: The film was also produced by Whitney Houston.
The Cheetah Girls movie is a pop musical journey centered around a group of teenage girls from New York City navigating their trek to stardom and the challenges that come with it. So fire up Disney+, sing your heart out, and let the 20-year-old choreography move through you. This movie will turn you and your girls back into preteens, which is sometimes just what we need.
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Adulting is hard, and sometimes a girl’s night is just what you need to re-regulate your nervous system. It’s a sweet reminder that our friends are often the only thing keeping us from crashing out in our daily lives. Your girls really put the whoo in whoosah, which is exactly what makes them such incredible friends. And there is nothing more cathartic than snuggling up with your besties for a good movie or marathon of your favorite TV show.
Girls’ night is a sacred evening of peace and friendship that is never truly complete without the perfect movie to end with. Instead of spending an hour scrolling through Netflix and fielding everyone’s votes and opinions to find the ideal show, we’ve done the legwork for you. Check out this batch of TV shows and movies to set the tone for a flawless sleepover.
Disney Channel really did its thing when they created The Cheetah Girls movie. It was the dreamy, sassy girl group we didn’t know our little hearts needed. Starring Raven-Symoné and Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, this show was Black and brown girl representation at its cutest. Fun fact: The film was also produced by Whitney Houston.
The Cheetah Girls movie is a pop musical journey centered around a group of teenage girls from New York City navigating their trek to stardom and the challenges that come with it. So fire up Disney+, sing your heart out, and let the 20-year-old choreography move through you. This movie will turn you and your girls back into preteens, which is sometimes just what we need.
2. Girlfriends (2000-2008)
Girlfriends is a Mara Brock Akil-produced banger. (Akil is the brain behind Being Mary Jane and The Game). Girlfriends, starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Jill Marie Jones, and Persia White, kicked off at the turn of the century in 2000 and touched on the frustrations and fun of being a Black woman in her early 30s. It gave a very raw interpretation of growing friendships, as seen in Tony and Joan’s oftentimes tumultuous relationship, and the support and love they offered Maya during her divorce and ultimate reconciliation with her high school sweetheart Darnell. Girlfriends is a deep and critical dive into Black sisterhood layered in a comedy that leans beautifully into humor by and for women.
3. Harlem (2007)
Think Emily in Paris, but it stars Megan Good in Harlem. Megan plays Camille, a wide-eyed adjunct professor at Columbia University with a talent for romanticizing the world around her. As she navigates love and her career—all with the help of her girls—her journey is both exciting and genuinely fun to watch. The show is a steamy, laugh-out-loud series set against a beautiful New York City backdrop. Harlem is not a show you throw on in the background but is fueled by a relatable plot that makes you feel seen.
4. Living Single (1993-1998)
This is Mother. Living Single was Friends before Friends and is responsible for almost all the Black women-led comedies on this list. The show is about six young Black people in their twenties learning to navigate life, all from their Brooklyn brownstone. This group of housemates will leave you in stitches and have you reminiscing about the beauty and fashion of the ’90s.
5. Waiting To Exhale (1995)
Waiting To Exhale is a classic that stars Angela Bassett, Whitney Houston, Lela Rochon, and Loretta Divine. You have to be in a certain mood to enjoy this flick, but it’s a masterpiece you should definitely watch once, so why not with your girls? The issues these women deal with are grown and heartbreaking, but their friendship and support for one another will inspire you. It’s the perfect tear-jerker for you and your girls.
6. A Different World (1987-1993)
Dive back into the HBCU scene! If you’re looking for something positive, nostalgic, and filled with ’90s fine eye candy, you’ve come to the right place. A Different World explores the lives of Black college students and the lessons and fun they experience within their academic bubble. This show first served as a spin-off for The Cosby Show and was meant to show Denise Huxtable’s journey to higher education. A Different World became a classic in black television and, as you get older, is always worth revisiting.
7. Insecure (2016-2021)
Insecure is always worth rewatching because, unlike many series, the love story is for the besties (Molly and Issa). The cinematography, writing, and actors are one-of-a-kind and fresh. Insecure captivated an entire generation through its raw expression of friendship and what it truly means to figure it out as a young Black person. The dramedy grabs you right in the feels but is also very funny. So relive the series with your girls and analyze/deeply judge all the shenanigans Issa and her girls get themselves into.
8. Cinderella (1997)
Brandy is Cinderella in this ’90s remake. Starring Whitney Houston as her fairy godmother, this movie has incredible music and songs you will find yourself singing in the shower. Cinderella is a whimsical fairytale told through a diverse lens that only adds to the film’s beauty. It’s a cute and well-crafted remake that’ll make the little girl in you sing.
9. Girls Trip (2017)
Girls Trip is a hilarious adventure from beginning to end. The cast is an all-star batch that includes Tiffany Haddish, Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, and Regina Hall. As these women enjoy their vacation in New Orleans, they show the unbreakable bond that is sisterhood and that no matter where you are in life, your girls have your back. Girls Trip can be described in one word as “unhinged” and is so incredibly funny that you might make it a girls’ night staple.
10. Set It Off (1996)
Set It Off shows that sisterhood isn’t always about mimosas and men. Sometimes, it’s a little less glamorous yet equally important. Kimberly Elise, Vivica Fox, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Queen Latifah take us on an adventure in this Black women-led heist movie. The film is about four women who desperately yearn for a financially stable life at any cost. Through their scheming, we experience their love for one another, which only makes the stakes of their crimes that much higher.
11. One of Them Days (2025)
Shout out to Issa Rae for giving us the Black women-led buddy comedy we didn’t know we needed. Starring Keke Palmer and SZA, this movie is written for the everyday girl just trying to be OK. When their rent money is stolen, these besties have to pull out some serious Black girl magic to save their apartment before they are evicted. Unfortunately, that’s not the only problem that derails their day. One of Them Days is a roller coaster but a fun and sweet ride to the end.
12. Bring It On (2002)
There are many Bring It On movies, but none quite like the original. This movie tells the story of a silly San Diego cheerleading team working to maintain their reputation, but they later discover their success may have been at the expense of another team. This movie is raunchy, hilarious, and filled with early 2000s humor that just doesn’t exist anymore. Along the way, this super fun flick still organically and poignantly touches on aspects of race and privilege. And if you’re still not seated, Gabrielle Union is in this one, so grab your fellow Clovers and have a cheerful girls’ night.
Now that we’ve helped you narrow down the perfect watch for your girls night, crack open that wine and pass the pizza. We promise you and the girls are going to have a time!
