With fall finally making its way to New York, I, along with so many others across the country, and like I have many times before, made my way over to Netflix and hit restart on THE fall staple show, Gilmore Girls. I watched the show for the first time right before my freshman year of high school, and since then, the series has practically never left my “Continue Watching” on Netflix. Now, as a freshman in college and with countless rewatches of the beloved show under my belt, I decided to take on the near impossible but thrilling task of narrowing down the 153 episodes of the show, spanning over seven seasons, to the top 5 in celebration of Gilmore Girls’ 25th anniversary.
#5. S2.E22 ∙ “I Can’t Get Started”
To kick off the list, we’re starting right in the peak of the show at season two. “I Can’t Get Started” is the perfect mix of what makes Gilmore Girls the show we all love today. Centered around Sookie and Jackson’s wedding at the Inn, it allows for a perfect mix of all the show’s beloved and perhaps some not-so-beloved characters. We still get a glimpse of the iconic Friday night dinner, and with that, a fan-favorite quote from Lorelai with “Oy, with the poodles already!” I find this moment even more hilarious, paired with the fact that Lauren Graham admitted in an interview with Conan O’Brien that she didn’t even remember the iconic moment.
#4. S6.E13 ∙ “Friday Night’s Alright for Fighting”
“Friday Night’s Alright for Fighting” earned its spot on this list solely because of the scene the episode is named after. The first Friday night dinner after Rory moved out of Emily and Richard’s house and went back to Yale, which Christopher has started to pay for, set the scene for perhaps the most drama-induced dinner in the entire series. The camera work and acting in those scenes alone could’ve won an Emmy, which, fun fact, the show only earned one for “Outstanding Make-Up for a Series” because of the episode “The Festival of Living Art,” but let’s get back to the list. This episode also provides for a great academic comeback storyline for Rory with her efforts to put out the latest issue of the Yale Daily News on time, making this yet another well-rounded and iconic Gilmore Girls episode.
#3. S3.E22 ∙ “Those Are Strings, Pinocchio”
I may be a little biased with including this episode, as I graduated from high school just a short 5 months ago; either way, “Those Are Strings, Pinocchio” makes for a heartfelt episode and memorable addition to the series. Once again, we get a great mix of all the show’s beloved characters and Rory’s valedictorian speech that perfectly encapsulates her relationship with her family and the world of Gilmore Girls as a whole.
#2. S3.E7 ∙ “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?”
What would this list be without mention of a wacky and stupidly authentic Stars Hollow town event? The 24-hour dance-a-thon that the episode “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?” revolves around once again allows us to get a taste of a plethora of the town’s quirky characters. Full of ridiculous banter that keeps me laughing throughout the episode and the start of Jess and Rory’s relationship—sorry to my team, Dean people out there, this episode is one I can come back to over and over again without getting sick of it. Lastly, the cherry on top of this episode is, without fail, my favorite Kirk moment in the entire series, when he claims his triumphant victory in the dance-a-thon.
#1. S4.E22 ∙ “Raincoats and Recipes”
Finally, at number one, we have the season four finale, “Raincoats and Recipes.” This episode is such a pillar in the series, marking the long-awaited start of Luke and Lorelai’s relationship, along with the not-so-welcomed rekindling of Dean and Rory’s relationship, both of which lead to some great and iconic television. The opening of the Dragonfly Inn, an iconic moment in itself, yet again gets all of the series’ favorite characters in one place, making for a hilariously memorable episode and a true staple in the series.
That concludes the top 5 episodes for the 25 years of Gilmore Girls list! I hope you’ve enjoyed looking back on some of the best moments in the series run as much as I did. Here’s to another year of Gilmore Girls rewatches and happy fall!