LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 18: Actors Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham attend the premiere of Netflix’s ‘Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life’ at the Regency Bruin Theatre on November 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Gilmore Girls: A Day in the Life brings us right back to the magic of Stars Hollow and into the lives of Emily, Lorelai, and Rory. Here are the moments in the four part series that gave us the most feels.
Ever since Gilmore Girls ended in 2007, fans of the show have eagerly been waiting to see the end of the series the way creator and writer/director Amy Sherman-Palladino intended. Palladino led the show for six seasons, but did not return for the final one, leaving fans wondering if her version would have been different from the one we saw. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life is the answer to that question, the Netflix special bringing back the entire cast and the creators to give the fans the ending they have been wondering about for nine years now.
The four episodes, “Winter”, “Spring”, “Summer”, and “Fall” bring us right back into the lives of Emily, Lorelai, and Rory and the charming small town of Stars Hollow. The fast talking and junk food eating and weird town traditions have all returned. It is wonderful being able to jump back into the world of these characters so seamlessly as if no time at all has passed.
But alas, time has passed. The characters are all older, yet not all of them act like it. The series suffers from this uneven development especially regarding Rory and her behavior and some strange choices (like the super bizarro musical). However, it’s easy to forgive (if not forget) some of the faults of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life because it does give us our girls (and almost everyone from the original series) back. For every WTF moment, there is a moment of pure joy, a call back to the original show, or a new reveal that makes you love an old character even more.
Here we take a look back at the Gilmore Girls revival and count down the 15 moments that made us laugh, cry, and experience all the feels.
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15. The Opening
“Winter” is the first episode of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life and it opens in an unexpected way. Instead of the classic “Where You Lead” by Carole King, we get a black screen with the credits for the main actors overlaid with classic quotes from the original series including Lorelai’s first ever lines to Luke requesting coffee, Michel’s ever relevant, “People are particularly stupid today”, and Rory’s “I love you, you idiot” for the members of Team Dean. If you didn’t instantly start crying at these memories from episodes past I don’t know what else would get you.
Using quotes from the show is a great way to start the new series. It is honoring the memory of the past while jumping into the future. Hearing those quotes puts you into the mindset of hearing those lines for the first time and what they have come to mean now.
It is also a little meta in a show so immersed in references to use lines that have become such a part of our own pop cultural lexicon. You can buy any number of items now emblazoned with “Oy with the Poodles Already” and “Copper Boom!” We quote Gilmore Girls the way they quote 80’s music and obscure movies. It’s pretty cool when you think about it.
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14. Lorelai’s Song
Taking place during “Summer”, Stars Hollow: The Musical is the town at its peak crazy. A musical journey through the history of the area including a Hamilton inspired rap number and for some reason ABBA, it is a general mess- until the very end. Lorelai has some serious problems with it as well, until Taylor calls her back to hear one last song, “It’s Never or Now” sung by Violet (Sutton Foster).
The song with lyrics like, “I am unbreakable/I am breaking right now” perfectly mirrors Lorelai’s current situation. After her fight with both Rory and Luke she finds herself at a crossroads. She has always been an unflappable character, but for the first time she is unsure of what to do next.
The dark stage with the spotlight on both Violet and Lorelai adds heightened emotion to the scene. Through the lyrics you can almost imagine a montage of Lorelai’s life and past mistakes. It even brings back memories of time at the end of season 7 when Lorelai poured her heart out through song to Luke by drunkenly karaoking “I Will Always Love You”. It’s one of those full circle moments A Year in the Life does so well.
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13. Dean
The return of all Rory’s former boyfriends to A Year in the Life was eagerly anticipated as fans waited to see which one (if any of them) she was going to end up with. We see Logan almost right away and wait a little longer for Jess and finally near the end of “Fall” get a glimpse of Dean, Rory’s first and some would say best boyfriend. We last saw Dean in season 5 leaving Rory’s grandparents’ house after realizing he no longer fit into her life.
Rory runs into Dean at Doose’s Market (of course) and it’s all hugs and fond memories and catching up. Dean is married again, but now with three kids and another on the way (which is not too far off from Jared Padalecki’s real life). He looks good and he seems happy which is all anyone could want for Dean. Unfortunately out of all the candidates he seems most unlikely to get back with Rory again.
Rory tells Dean that she wouldn’t be the person she is today without him and that he, “taught her what safe feels like.” In her own rambling Rory way she is telling him that he was too good for her and she didn’t deserve him (at least the first time around). This reconciliation is one of the few moments we see Rory showing that in some ways she has grown up. It’s a small, but touching moment acknowledging the past these two characters had and what they meant to each other. (Although it’s a pretty crushing moment for those Team Dean holdouts.)
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12. Emily Calls BS
Emily has gone through a lot in A Year in the Life. She is a grieving widow, trying to figure out her place without her husband by her side. Much of the series is her mourning the loss and trying to move on with her life. However, Richard’s death in some ways is a good thing for Emily because it gives her freedom and independence as well as clarity. She realizes that she has had enough of pretending and wants only a life that will bring her joy.
This leads to a confrontation between Emily and the members of the DAR. These women are people she once considered friends. Richard’s death has helped her see that certain things she once cared about don’t matter any more. When vetting a new member for the organization, Emily decides the proceedings are, “bullsh*t” and calls out the other women for their petty ways.
This moment is Emily at her best. She’s back. It’s such an unexpected and laugh out loud moment that fills your heart with joy because Emily is just so happy telling off those stuffy women. For too long Emily has had to play the perfect wife and host and woman of society. She is finally breaking free and it feels so good, for her and for us.
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11. Paris Being Paris
Paris is a successful business owner/doctor/lawyer/part time dentist, but she is still reduced to a puddle of jelly around Tristan Dugrey (not Chad Michael Murray)? Sounds about right. Paris’ storyline in the revival makes the most sense (minus her unfortunate divorce from Doyle) because of course Paris would be running her fertility practice while also raising her kids with help from a nanny and scaring people at every turn.
In one of the best scenes of the entire Gilmore Girls revival, Paris breaks down in the Chilton bathroom because she feels like a fraud. Every successful woman at one time or another has felt this way. For Paris all it takes is an encounter with an old crush to make her remember the insecure, awkward teenager she once was. She even admits to Rory that her briefcase is empty and she only uses one because she thinks it makes her look important.
Paris’ freakout is a great moment that helps us once again relate to her character despite the fact that she “rules the world” as Francie reminds her. It is important to show a strong and capable woman in a position of vulnerability. But it’s also pretty funny scene because it’s Paris being Paris once more and who hasn’t missed that?
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10. Michel’s Goodbye
Michel has always been a character relied on for comic relief more than anything else in Gilmore Girls so it refreshing to see his character fleshed out in A Year in the Life. Michel now has an entire life outside of the Dragonfly Inn including a husband who wants a baby and a job offer at a prestigious New York City hotel. And while the Dragonfly was always Lorelai’s dream with Sookie, it seems hard to imagine without Michel there as well.
One of the most touching moments in the series is in “Spring” when Lorelai tells visiting chef Rachael Ray about how she and Michel became friends. “He always had my back”, she tells Rachael regarding an incident with a stain on her shirt during her first day as the manager of the Independence Inn and you realize it is true. For all of Michel’s constant complaining, he has been one of the few people to remain steadfastly by Lorelai’s side. Even Sookie has abandoned Lorelai, going off to work on a sustainable farm rather than run the Inn with her.
Small moments like Lorelai’s confession and Michel’s (hilarious) goodbye at the Secret Bar in the “Summer” episode are what make this revival so special. It changes the way you think about certain characters and their importance. I never imagined getting choked up about anything regarding Michel, but seeing him and Lorelai saying goodbye while both of them try not to cry really got to me. He is one of those characters you take for granted because you expect he will always be there. It was nice for him to get a chance to shine in A Year in the Life as not only Lorelai’s partner, but also as her (angry) friend.
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9. Luke & Jess
Since Gilmore Girls is mostly about mothers and daughters it is always nice to have a representation of a father/son relationship with Luke and Jess. Seeing Jess hug Luke on the street of Stars Hollow is enough alone to make any fan shed a tear, but it is Jess’ support of Luke and Lorelai’s relationship that really seals the deal.
Jess and Luke are very similar people. Jess doesn’t want his uncle to make the same mistakes when it comes to love that he did. It is Jess who convinces Luke to not be afraid to tell Lorelai how much he cares about her which in turn leads to Luke’s outburst in the kitchen in “Fall”. The fact that Jess shows up at all to help his uncle and later attend his wedding is just another example of how the character has grown and the special relationship they share.
It is nice to see Luke and Jess respecting each other and getting along as equals. They struggled for a long time to get to this place. It just makes it a little sad when Jess isn’t around for the impromptu wedding later on, but seeing him help Luke pick out a tux is enough if we have to take what we can get.
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8. Lorelai & Rory Make Amends
The main argument Lorelai and Rory have is about Rory’s desire to write a book about their life together. Lorelai sees it as a betrayal, while Rory believes her mother is holding her back from her true calling. It is a big fight, but one they are able to get over with time and communication. (And once Rory hears about the wedding.)
Lorelai and Rory have always been better at solving their problems than Lorelai and her mother. They are never able to stay mad at each other for too long because of their deep bond and love. Lorelai is nothing but supportive of Rory. In a moment of selflessness, she gives Rory permission to write the book because she see how much it means to her. Lorelai never wants to be like her own mother, stifling her daughter’s dreams so she is able to set her personal feelings aside. It is another moment that shows just how far Lorelai has come as a character (and perhaps how far Rory still has to go).
The scene of their reconciliation plays out perfectly too with both Lorelai and Rory bringing junk food items to the table in a silent truce. This kitchen, this table, these foods have all played an important role in their story, one they are still writing. But they both know that their relationship is more important than any argument.
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7. The Return of Sookie
Roy Choi, Ina Garten, and Rachael Ray can’t take the place of Sookie St. James. Sookie’s absence is felt throughout the series as Lorelai struggles with the death of her father, her fight with Rory, and her uncertainty about Luke. She has no one to turn to or to ask for help in her moments of crisis. Luckily Sookie returns just in time to bake Lorelai a wedding cake (or ten) and to remind her of the successes they’ve shared.
The moment is short, but it’s a crutial reminder of Melissa McCarthy’s importance to the series. She might not have been a Gilmore Girl, but she was a vital part of the show with her warmth and humor. Having Sookie go off to work on a farm where she can cook and grow the food makes complete sense (especially with her marriage to Jackson) and it is nice to see her have a life and a career outside of her projects with Lorelai.
Just try not to have feels at seeing Lorelai, Sookie, and Michel in the kitchen of the Dragonfly Inn again. With Michel complaining and throwing a tantrum, it’s like no time at all has passed. Sookie might have left to go on to bigger and better things, but she came back to her friends and the place where she started. And she reminds Lorelai that they will be best friends forever. (Hey who started cutting onions?)
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6. Emily On Her Own
Richard’s death has changed Emily. As a woman whose identity was tied to her husband for 50 years, Emily is discovering who she really is for the first time. She has never made any purchases or big decisions for herself because she has always had someone there to do it for her. Besides the time she and Richard separated, Emily has really never been on her own.
Instead of viewing this change as an obstacle, Emily jumps right in, full of excitement and joy at the idea of tackling her new life. The scene where she tells Lorelai she bought a house in Nantucket is heart warming and a little sad; Emily is finally moving on from her life with Richard. She no longer seems crushed by her grief.
For the first time Emily and Lorelai are switching places. Emily is now the independent one taking charge of her own life while Lorelai is entering marriage and a traditional partnership. We see the scenes of Lorelai’s wedding interspersed with images of Emily alone at the Sand Castle looking content. The ending of Emily alone on the beach with her glass of wine looking happy for the first time perhaps all season is enough to make anyone cry. It’s so different from the image of Emily during her separation from Richard in season 5 of Gilmore Girls where she returns to their empty mansion and breaks down in tears. That was their home, this one belongs only to her.
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5. Jess Sets Rory Straight (Again)
Jess was a pretty terrible boyfriend, but he is one of the few characters throughout Gilmore Girls who shows development of any kind. Last time we saw Jess he was a successful author trying to convince Rory to get her life together and go back to Yale. Now he returns in a similar capacity as a friend when Rory is doubting her future once more. He is the one who gives her the idea to stop writing other people’s stories and to instead write a book about what she knows: her relationship with her mother.
Despite all of his faults, Jess knows Rory. He encourages her the way no one else can and believes and supports her. This is the kind of relationship she needs in her life. Not people who enable her, but people who push her. It is nice to see that Jess and Rory still mange to have a relationship after all these years.
This moment is full of feels because it is just so nice seeing Rory and Jess together again. Although Jess isn’t in a lot of A Year in the Life, his presence is felt as an important character in both Rory and Luke’s lives. And for all the Team Jess fans there is a particularly squee worthy moment where Jess looks longingly at Rory from her porch window proving they are keeping hope alive with more than one of Rory’s former beaus.
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4. Rory’s Wild Ride
Logan gets the most revival screen time of all of Rory’s ex-boyfriends from providing her with a place to stay while she is in London to lending an ear when she’s fighting with Lorelai. Despite the fact that he’s engaged to a French heiress (shame on both their parts) he always makes time for Rory. He almost treats her better than when they were actually dating.
Although Logan is back in Rory’s life under questionable circumstances, it is hard to resist his charm. He has grown up less than many of the other characters and really doesn’t know how to be there for Rory other than by using his money and resources to fix problems. So when Rory is down Logan does what he does best, he gathers his buddies from the Life and Death Brigade and takes Rory on a wild ride from Stars Hollow to tango club to a New Hampshire B&B. Say what you will about the Life and Death Brigade, but they sure know how to have a good time.
This moment is super sweet because it is Logan making a grand gesture. Yes it is hard to ignore his upcoming nuptials, but it also hard to ignore those baby blue eyes. He just wants Rory to be happy. He helps break Rory out of her rut and out of their troubled relationship. Logan will always be an example of what could have been, after all he did propose to her first, but he is also someone Rory needs to let go of if she truly wants to move on. And that’s hard to take in.
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3. Luke & Lorelai Finally Get Married
From the moment “Reflecting Light” by Sam Phillips starts playing, the tears start flowing. “Reflecting Light” was the first song Lorelai and Luke danced to at Liz and TJ’s wedding when Lorelai learned Luke could waltz. Using the same song over their midnight nuptials just brings all of those early Luke/Lorelai shipping feelings back. It’s perfect.
The wedding itself is whimsical and beautiful, just like Lorelai herself. It would have been nice if Sookie and Jess stuck around, but it is also great to see Michel and Lane getting their due for supporting both Lorelai and Luke. There is dancing and lots of hats and the town square decorated in lights thanks to Kirk finally getting something right.
This is the moment fans have been waiting to see and we get it all in its glory. Would we have been happy to hear that somewhere in the nine missing years Luke and Lorelai had gotten married? Sure, but it would not have been the same. It is the journey to get to this moment that makes it so special. We finally get to see the ending for these characters that we have previously only hoped for and imagined.
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2. Lorelai’s Memory of Richard
A major theme of both the revival and the original series of Gilmore Girls is Lorelai’s relationship with her parents. Things were always a little easier when Richard was around. He always played the mediator, but now that he is gone Lorelai is left to deal with her mother alone. It leads to a lot of tension and anger as both Lorelai and Emily process their grief in different ways. In typical fashion, Lorelai tells an inappropriate story about her father at the funeral because she can’t think of anything else to say. And as a response Emily lashes out and makes Lorelai question her relationship with Luke.
No matter how many times Emily and Lorelai manage to hurt each other, they always find a way to come back together. While on her Wild (the book) adventure, Lorelai calls her mother and tells her a story about the time she got her heart broken and her father came to her rescue. It is a touching moment. Both actresses deliver incredible performances from Lauren Graham’s teary delivery to Kelly Bishop’s facial expressions at hearing the story for the first time.
These are women who really do care about each other, but who also have been deeply hurt by past events. Their fighting is realistic and their relationship may never be perfect. What is important is that they keep trying to build bridges and extend olive branches like this one.
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1. Luke’s All In (Again)
"“This right here is all I’ll ever need. I never thought in my wildest dreams that would happen. That you and me…that we would happen. But we did…I know I’m not the easiest guy in the world to build a life with…but there is no one who will be more here for you than me.”"
Luke has never been one for words. But when he thinks Lorelai is going to leave him, he goes on a rant that was worth waiting nine years to hear. Sorry Team Dean/Jess/Logan people, but the best couple on this show has always been Luke and Lorelai and them confessing their love for each other even after all this time the moment in the revival that brings the most waterworks.
When Lorelai and Luke first started dating Luke tells her, “I am all in”. In “Fall” he is saying the same thing, but he is also saying so much more. He is sharing his fears that they would never get together. The pain of watching her date other guys. For Luke Lorelai was always the one. She was it. And now they are finally together and on the same page. It’s beautiful.
Their decision to get married is so typical of Luke and Lorelai as a couple. She tells him they should get married and that she’s picked a date, he runs and gets the ring and it is decided. It’s romantic in the unconventional way things have always been between them. They are partners now, in everything including the proposal. It’s a perfect moment from the shock on Luke’s face to the contentment in Lorelai’s voice. These two were made for each other.
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No matter what you thought of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, one thing is for certain, just seeing the girls back on our screens was enough to give all the feels.
The series is currently streaming in its entirety on Netflix.