So have you watched Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life yet?
I watched it this weekend. I stretched it out over two afternoons, while Flea was out with her Dad. Then watched the whole thing again – with Flea.
Confession: I’ve loved Gilmore Girls for a long time.
I first picked up the Season one box-set on Amazon.com in 2002 when it was recommended by other people who’d bought another TV show I loved called Felicity.
For many years, it was a case of waiting for each box set to be released, and then a long 2-3 weeks for them to ship from the US, so I could play them on the special DVD player I’d bought on Tottenham Court Road.
Each series has been watched, over and over, front to back and start to end. Flea and I are somewhere in the middle of our second viewing of the Gilmore Girls box set, which we now own on iTunes, since the DVDs started to get a bit old and worn.
So to say we were excited by the news that Netflix would be reviving the show is something of an understatement. I’m in the Netflix Stream Team, which means I’m given free Netflix so I can share stuff like this with you, but I’d pay for Netflix JUST for this show. Twice over. At least.
And my verdict?
It was perfect.
Spoiler Alert
OK – fair warning – if you haven’t watched Gilmore Girls, stop reading.
Seriously.
Spoilers ahead.
OK?
So those four little words – the way the series had to end, according to its creator. Like most people I was fully, “WTAF??” when it happened. How could THAT be the ending?
But actually – how could it not?
That Ending
The original end to Season 7 of Gilmore Girls saw Rory heading off on the Obama campaign trail, and Lorelei enjoying her happy ending with Luke. Rory ditched the useless but charming Logan, and was ready to set the world on fire.
When A Year in the Life kicked off, it seemed cruel that Rory’s life had stalled so badly. But it’s a situation common to lots of graduates – job falls through, crap relationship, moving back home…
And it gave Jess the opportunity to do what he’s done before – to provoke Rory into taking stock and changing direction (remember when she dropped out of Yale?)
As the show drew to a close, it seemed like we were being lined up for a lovely happy ending. Magical wedding in a gazebo? Check. Rory creatively fulfilled? Check. Emily kicking ass in Nantucket? Check.
All we needed was for Lorelei to announce she was pregnant, as each episode had teased as a possibility. But then… bombshell.
Rory: “Mom…”
Lorelai: “Yeah?”
Rory: “I’m pregnant.”
It seems like a horrible end. Lorelei gave up everything to put Rory through school and college, working towards Rory’s dreams as though they were her own. And now Rory is single, pregnant and lost? Ugh.
Circle of Life
But when you think about it, wasn’t the show a perfect circle?
Emily and Lorelei are back in the place they started. Emily and Lorelei toasted their new arrangement as life turning full circle – and Rory’s ending is just another example.
Rory has defied all the high expectations of her family and ended up pregnant, just like Lorelei.
If you think about the confusing scene between Rory and Christopher, it makes total sense once you realise Rory is pregnant. She goes to see what her father felt about being a parent – and realises he’s unable to parent either of his children, or to escape family expectations. He’s charming, he loves Lorelei, but he’s weak.
He’s Logan. And Rory will raise her baby alone, just as Lorelei did.
It also makes total sense that the last we see of Jess is the longing/creepy look he throws Rory through the window. He’s Luke. The guy she’s supposed to be with, but isn’t quite ready for.
Like Lorelei said – circle of life.
Yes, it would be awesome to have more Gilmore Girls episodes – although if we can have a bit more Paris and a lot less Bunheads-suck-up-musical-scenes that’d be good. But really, we don’t NEED them. Because we’ve already seen exactly how the story ends.
Haven’t we?
What do you think, fellow GG fans?
May you all find someone who looks at you the same way Jess creepily looks at Rory through the porch window #GilmoreGirls pic.twitter.com/ZjuVNCFtWo
— Rachel Paige (@rachmeetsworld) November 27, 2016
Hmmm. I still haven’t seen this. Somebody said the other day that it was a bit like Friends. And if that’s true then I’d love it. I’ll have to get around to watching.
Nat.x
It’s not REALLY like Friends. It’s more akin to something like Parenthood or Brothers and Sisters (ensemble family dramas) mixed with a quirky, slow-burn comedy. It’s not snappy or superficial like Friends. But I recommend it, I really do 🙂
Ok, I read to the bit where you said stop reading and I stopped reading. I’m good like that.
I have only just discovered Gilmore Girls and have watched 3.5 seasons in about 2.5 weeks. I’m addicted!! I can’t wait to see who ends up with who and then watch the latest series. Exciting stuff.
I love Gilmore Girls. I don’t think the ending is disappointing as the world has changed so much in the 25 years since Rory was born. And she will have the support of her mother unlike Lorelei who ran away from her parents. Single parents can conquer the world these days – as you well know Sally, :).
I am so late to the party. But I have been thinking of taking a look! I never really watch any TV or series. I don’t know how people find the time if I am honest!
One of the greatest things our friendship brought me was Gilmore Girls. Seriously Stars Hollow kept me sane when my own life was falling apart. I LOVED it. I LOVED the new stuff. I sussed the ending, but that didn’t make it any less perfect.
I’ve never watched it, but then I’m slow to get to these things. I’ve only just discovered Parks & Rec. I just started reading a thousand page book so I might be ready for it once I’m out the other side of that.
It was unspeakably perfect. And as I walked away from the screen to go find a celebratory (and emotional) coffee, I literally pinged a lightbulb with the Christopher scene.
Yes, yes and thruce yes.
I told you this recently, but thank you for making me watch the Gilmore Girls. Xx
thruce??? Ffs…
I love love love Gilmore Girls since it was first on air and I had to find ways to watch the shows erm, let’s leave it there. Then it was brought over seas and I loved it all the more. Everyone wants to live in Stars Hollow don’t they and have a relationship like Lorelai and Rory? I have waited 10 years to hear those final 4 words that the writer Amy always said she’d end the show with. I think it’d have been very different had she and Dan been able to write Season 7 and finish it that way when she was only 22 compared to now. I loved the new episodes, especially 1 and 4. I agree on the music scenes. I’d love to see it back so much. Fingers crossed.
Confession time…I’ve not seen any of this series. I’m one of those people who can’t start watching half way through. I have to go back to the beginning. I have a feeling a I have a lot to catch up on…I’m sure I’ll forget the spoilers!
Overall I was really happy with A Year In The Life. I was nervous it was going to be a complete flop, but after an awkward first 10 minutes, it was just like the old days again. November was basically Gilmore Girls month on my blog, I couldn’t help but write about it, despite it being verya niche subject for my readers. I am with you on most of what you said in this post. And as much as I kind of want to have more, just so I can see more of where the Rory and Jess story was going, and because I will always watch more, no matter how pointless it becomes, I think this was really the perfect place to end it.
Definitely I felt nervous because so many re-boots are so disappointing, but this one I loved – I’m totally with you on Rory and Jess, I’d love to see it, but the story makes sense without it.