This is not a drill: Gilmore Girls is coming back. After a seventh season without the series creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and original executive producer, Daniel Palladino, many fans were left wanting more. Sherman-Palladino has been taunting fans for years by stating in multiple interviews that she had the final four words of the series picked out since creating the show. Now, she’s finally getting the chance to reveal those four words in four 90 minute episodes available exclusively through Netflix. We can’t wait to see what the Palladinos have in store for us, but in the meantime, there’s nothing to do but speculate. In honor of this long-awaited eighth season, here are eight things we need to see in our last meeting with the Gilmore girls.
- A glimpse of Sookie, Jackson, and the kids. Sookie was always an essential part of the show, and it would be so much fun to see her back in action, especially now that Melissa McCarthy is so big in Hollywood. Who wants to bet she would bring some of that sass back to Stars Hollow?
- Rory’s kickass career. When the series ended in 2007, who would have thought that the presidential candidate she was following as a journalist would actually become the president for the next eight years? That would have been some seriously amazing exposure for Rory, and I want to see just how far she’s been able to go.
- Emily Gilmore coming into herself as an independent single woman. Edward Hermann, the actor who portrayed Richard Gilmore, tragically passed away last December of brain cancer. As much as we would all love to see him back in the Gilmore household, the show will have to write him out in a way that honors the man that Hermann was. Hopefully, though, this obstacle shows Emily that she a strength within her to grow as an awesome woman.
- The Dragonfly Inn. Lorelai and Sookie’s dream had taken off by the end of the series, and I’m sure its successes didn’t end with the show. Is Michel still rolling his eyes at the customers? Did Sookie ever catch the kitchen on fire again? We need answers!
- What happened with Luke and Lorelai?! The will-they-won’t-they relationship that lasted seven years needs a resolution after eight years of viewers wondering: did they or didn’t they?
- Paris Geller running (and quite possibly terrorizing) the world. Last time we saw Paris, she had just decided to go to med school and becoming a doctor. She could have made a great Christina Yang protege. If she doesn’t come back to Gilmore Girls, maybe she could be a guest at Seattle Grace Hospital… Hint, hint, Shonda Rhimes.
- Modern pop culture references. Gilmore Girls was always known for its fast-paced, pop culture filled dialogue. As much fun as it is to see old episodes refer to The Bangles and Nick @ Nite as timely forms of entertainment, it’s going to be so much fun to see how Lorelai and Rory bring Taylor Swift and the new Star Warsinto conversation.
- Jess Mariano. This is a personal request: Amy Sherman-Palladino, please bring Jess back. It can just be for a minute or two; I just need to see what my favorite pouty poet is up to these days. Bonus points if he and Rory end up together.