With 2016 being a record year for hot messes, one of the greatest things possible has come out of it: the Gilmore Girls reunion many of us have been waiting for since its unexpected end in 2007.
Gilmore Girls has been my favorite show since its original airing on the WB. I’ve seen every single episode more than 10 times each and I’m shamelessly obsessed with Lorelai, Rory and the town of Stars Hollow.
Below are the best and worst parts of each episode with ** spoilers** (But don’t worry, I won’t be spoiling “the final four words” for those of you who did not waste your Thanksgiving Break withering away on the couch while analyzing every scene of each episode.)
WINTER
BEST
Seeing the girls together again! The opening conversation between Lorelai and Rory ends with the perfect nod to their audience: “Winded,” Rory says. “Haven’t done that in a while,” Lorelai says. “Felt good,” Rory responds. And the crowd goes wild.
Luke and Lorelai are in a steady relationship and living in Lorelai’s house. Though it has been somewhat updated, most of it looks exactly the same – especially Rory’s room. Somehow, Paul Anka the dog is still alive and well, despite Lorelai’s past failures at raising pets . . . and the fact that he’s about twelve years old.
Paris Gellar. Liza Weil did not miss a beat in her revival of the intelligent, frightening Paris. She’s now running a fertility clinic and pairs surrogates with families. In this case, it’s Lorelai and Luke she’s finding a surrogate for, though they’re on the fence about the situation.
WORST
Of course, the death of Richard Gilmore. The flashback to his funeral includes a huge fight between Lorelai and Emily, who have not spoken since. All Emily wanted was a nice memory, but instead, she was humiliated in front of her friends when all Lorelai could think to say was that her father was always absent.
Rory and Logan’s “What Happens in Vegas” policy. The two have been consistently seeing each other when Rory is in London, though they both have other romantic partners while fans everywhere recall “the Dean Disaster” of season four with a collective “huh?”
SPRING
BEST
The scene between Lorelai and Rory in their New York City hotel room, having a conversation that reminds us they are friends first. Rory admits to having her first ever one night stand with a Wookiee (yes, you read that right) and Lorelai doesn’t bat an eye. Rory confesses her relationship with Logan and her mom calls her a slut. It’s a conversation that you can imagine having with your best friend.
Rory and Paris’s return to Chilton for an Alumni Day. They each separately tell a classroom full of students what inspires them the most. Rory tells a story about a music composition class she once took, while Paris admires Josef Stalin. Once again, Paris is perfect. She scares an old teacher, petrifies the girls in the bathroom when she kicks them out and nearly forces herself into a panic attack.
The Mr. Kim sighting!
WORST
One of Richard’s last wishes was to franchise Luke’s Diner. Emily sets up a meeting with a realtor so they can go look for another location, much to Luke’s dismay. It’s clear throughout the scene that this is the last thing Luke wants, but as usual, Emily pays no mind.
Rory’s interview with the fictional “Sandee Says,” an online magazine that hopes to someday take over the Huffington Post. Though the editor, Sandee, has been dying for Rory to work for her, their meeting immediately goes from a friendly to hostile interview in sixty seconds. In a very uncharacteristic fashion, Rory is unprepared and has no pitches ready. Sandee decides to “hire internally” to Rory’s chagrin. She moves back home soon after.
SUMMER
BEST
Jess is back in Stars Hollow and my heart is beating so fast. I’ve been in love with Jess Mariano since my first sighting so many years ago. He visits Rory at her new desk in the Stars Hollow Gazette office, where they share a liquid lunch and he tells Rory to write a book. The topic is a no-brainer: her relationship with her mother. Once again, Jess saves Rory’s career (which never would have happened if he didn’t talk her into returning to Yale!) #TeamJess forever.
WORST
Stars Hollow the Musical dragged on for entirely too long. Lorelai’s reaction matched all of us watching at home. Though it stars Sutton Foster and Christian Borle, it is most definitely the most tedious part of the four-part series. It was the only time in my six-hour binge that I had to force myself to stay awake.
April is back in town and as pretentious as any recent college grad could be. She hints at her love of marijuana (that she’s only tried once) and only watches German films. She snidely comments on Rory’s move back to her childhood bedroom and it takes everything in me not to throw something at the television. (I swear this isn’t my hatred for her in the original series boiling back up!)
Emily, Lorelai and Rory go to Richard’s gravesite to approve the fifth headstone that has been created. Once again, Emily finds something wrong with it. That’s not the worst. The worst is the fight that Lorelai and Rory have right in the middle of a cemetery, where people are mourning nearby. Lorelai doesn’t want Rory to publish a story of her life, yet Rory selfishly disagrees. She quickly storms off.
FALL
BEST
Emily quitting the DAR at the same they reject her. Her use of profanity is on point and I’ve never heard the word bullshit used so eloquently. Hilariously, Emily gives up on the Daughters of the American Revolution, of which she was once the president. Sadly, she announces that that part of her life died with Richard.
Lorelai gives Emily the perfect memory of Richard. On her 13th birthday, Lorelai was upset because her boyfriend broke up with her. She cuts school to go to the mall, where she runs into her father. He takes her to the movies and they never speak of it again. It was her best birthday.
Luke and Lorelai’s wedding has finally arrived. After sixteen years of watching their chemistry, wondering will-they-or-won’t-they and then witnessing their initial engagement crumble, we finally get what we’ve been waiting for. There are no words that can properly do the scene justice, but with “Reflecting Light” playing, there are so many tears falling. Remember: this is the song Luke and Lorelai danced their first dance to at Liz’s wedding. We can finally see Lorelai be truly happy with the man it always should have been.
WORST
Rory’s scene with the Life & Death Brigade seemed forced and unnecessary. It was nice to see her unravel and have fun with old friends, but it felt extremely out of place. The scene seems to be a set-up for the closure that Rory will get from Logan as their relationship is coming to a close.
Lorelai “doing Wild” – the book, not the movie! Lost and feeling as though she’s spiraling away from everything, Lorelai sets out to “do Wild” and hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Though she spends most of her time watching television and trying to pack her backpack, the idea itself seems out of character for Lorelai. The best part about it is that it leads to her revelation about marriage and we never have to watch her actually hike since she doesn’t get that far.
If you haven’t heard those final four words, I won’t be the one to tell you. Just know that you are in for the ride of your life with the Gilmore girls and the ending will bring you all of the closure you need.
Or will it?
Though everything in me is waiting for a revival season two, I won’t hold my breath. I will always love the Gilmore’s and now I have an additional six hours to binge the next time I start the series over.