After streaming on Netflix and, of course, the revival A Year In The Life, Gilmore Girls has never wavered in popularity, and fans are comforted by watching old episodes. There are so many aspects of the series that win praise, from Rory and Lorelai's special bond and love of movie nights and junk food to all of the relationships that the characters have. No other show has quite so many heartwarming elements, and it's both a teen drama and a family story.
While some parts of Gilmore Girls are always going to be warm and comforting, and it's always going to be a favorite show for many, there are other storylines and pieces of dialogue that are offensive and haven't held up well.
10 Haven't Aged Well: Luke's Breastfeeding Comments
Fans adore Luke's diner and all the dramatic moments that have taken place here. But while Rory and Lorelai ate here daily, and Luke kept them happily caffeinated, the diner owner wasn't perfect.
Luke hated breastfeeding and said many offensive things about it. He commented, "This cannot be sanitary," and also said, "When did that become acceptable? In the old days, a woman would never consider doing that in public. They'd go find a barn or a cave or something. I mean, it's indecent. This is a diner, not a peep show." It's strange and confusing to hear these words on the show, as there's no reason to shame people for breastfeeding.
9 Timeless: Depiction Of Single Parenthood
Gilmore Girls has many sweet moments between Rory and Lorelai and the show excelled in showing what it was like to be a single mother.
Lorelai was very careful with her dating life and she had many rules. She didn't want dates to sleep over and she waited to introduce her partners to Rory. When Lorelai dated Max, it was a big deal because she hadn't been serious about someone in a long time. Lorelai was always a great single mother, finding money to cover Rory's education, making sure she had books and opportunities, and support no matter what. This part of Gilmore Girls will always be relevant.
8 Haven't Aged Well: Emily's Fat-Shaming
While Emily knew a lot about polite society, there was a side of her that was really cruel, and she could insult people like no one else on the show.
When getting ready for a party, Emily said some horrible things about party guests: "Good lord! If someone needs that much room to get around a chair, they shouldn't be at a party. They should be on a treadmill." This quote hasn't aged well and it's hard to imagine this piece of dialogue appearing on a show in 2021, thanks to the body positivity and neutrality movements.
7 Timeless: The Staples Of Small Town Life
While some lines are offensive on Gilmore Girls, one part of the show that will always be classic is the way that it depicts life in a small town.
Whether volunteering at a festival, attending town meetings, eating at the local restaurants, or being nice and friendly to the townspeople, Rory and Lorelai were always a big part of Stars Hollow. Fans relish the chance to visit this charming place in each episode — and wish it was real.
6 Haven't Aged Well: Rory's Language
In season 2, Rory callously used the R-word when lamenting that she needs to look good for colleges by volunteering to work with the neurodiverse. It's shocking to hear a TV character use this word and it's not necessary at all.
Rory had no excuse for expressing herself this way. She wanted to get into an Ivy League college and was looking for extracurriculars, but she could have found plenty of clubs to join at Chilton and volunteer opportunities on the weekends, and she didn't need to make this comment.
5 Timeless: Rory's Young Adult Journey
Rory made some confusing decisions but she was always on the journey of studying hard and looking to her future as a reporter. Her young adult life with all its twists and turns, heartaches and disappointments and big dreams, and is always going to feel timeless.
Rory isn't perfect and fans have many opinions on the life choices that she makes, but she does try her best to grow up and balance her relationship with her mom and grandparents.
4 Haven't Aged Well: Luke Poking Fun At Mental Health Struggles
In one scene, when Lorelai asked Luke if he knew where Sookie and Jackson were, Luke said, "Have you tried the insane asylum where everybody in this room is supposed to be?"
Luke sometimes made comments like this one, and this part of the show hasn't aged well. There is no shame in talking about mental health and in 2021, many want to be open and honest about this topic. Luke would never get away with jokes about psychiatric hospitals and "crazy people" today.
3 Timeless: Rory And Lorelai's Long-Term Friendships
Gilmore Girls did a great job of showing the main characters' long-term friendships and how they evolved over time. Rory stayed friends with Lane and Paris, and while their lives were so different, they were still important to each other.
While it was sad that Sookie didn't work at the Dragonfly Inn in the revival, she and Lorelai were still close, and they cared about staying in each other's lives. Lorelai also stayed close with Michel, which was sweet to see. It's not always realistic to portray long-term friendships as being exactly the same after many years, and Rory and Lorelai's relationships did change a bit, which felt real.
2 Haven't Aged Well: Rory And Paris Don't Recognize Their Privilege
Rory and Paris were enemies who turned into friends and recognized what they had in common: a love of education and a dream of getting into Harvard.
These two characters were always worried that they wouldn't be accepted to a good college and they never discussed their privilege. It's amazing to think that they were so worried when it seemed obvious that they would get in most places they applied. Rory was grateful to go to Chilton and felt her Ivy League chances were better, but she never recognized the wealth and opportunities that she had access to because of Emily and Richard. This seems like a big piece of the puzzle that's missing.
1 Timeless: Sense Of Humor And Quick Wit
While fans have some strong opinions about Lorelai, she was never without a witty comment or joke, and that's something that viewers always appreciate.
Gilmore Girls will always feel timeless because of its sense of humor and how fast the characters, Lorelai and Rory in particular, talk. This is what keeps people coming back and it's what makes episodes feel fresh and fun, even when fans have watched them numerous times.
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April 23, 2021 at 05:30AM
