In October of 2025, it will have been 25 years sinceGilmore Girlspremiered, and in many ways, we’re watching the series as if not a day has passed. For many contemporary fans, their first time watchingGilmore Girlswasn’t when the series originally aired onthe WB (later the CW), but years later when the show became a standby of streaming television. Starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as Lorelai and Rory,the series follows pivotal years of the women’s lives as they grow up together in their quirky town of Stars Hollow,handling problems eccentric and otherwise.
Gilmore Girls
Cast
In the fictional town of Star’s Hollow, single mother Lorelai Gilmore raises her high-achieving teenage daughter Rory. Mother and daughter rely on each other throughout their own life changes, romantic entanglements, and friendships.
Created by and primarily written by Amy Sherman-Palladino,the style in which she wroteGilmore Girlshas come to define much of her later work. Sherman-Palladino also createdThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, a series that draws many parallels toGilmore Girls, as it’s difficult to watch thePrime Video serieswithout feeling as thoughGilmore Girlswould’ve looked even more similar had it had a bigger budget. However, the small-town feel and realism ofGilmore Girlsis what makes it so vividly relatable today, and its continued success proves the longevity of Sherman-Palladino’s work.
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Like so many TV shows that have been off the air long enough for fans to rewatch them in their entirety many times over, there are plenty of compiled lists and in-depth analysis of the best and worst of the series.The later seasons, particularly Rory’s narrative arc, have especially garnered a lot of criticismwith time, but Sherman-Palladino wrote her correctly. It might not always be easy to watch Rory and Lorelai self-destruct and make the wrong choices, but it makes for incredible television. For all their routines and habits, the Gilmores keep us guessing.
Even the characters who are the most unlikeable on the surface, like Emily and Richard Gilmore, brilliantly brought to life by Kelly Bishop and Edward Herrmann, are given depth and complexity throughout the seasons. While the secondary characters who populateStars Holloware relegated more to bit parts, they’re equally loved because Sherman-Palladino consistently took the time to give them lives of their own. It’s true that Lorelai and Rory go through life thinking the world revolves around them to a certain extent, butGilmore Girlswouldn’t work without the lived-in world and nuanced characters.
At the end of the day, the women have not only themselves but each other.
Of course, it’s impossible to discussGilmore Girlswithout touching upon the notorious boyfriend debate and getting into the nitty-gritty of who should’ve ended up with Lorelai and Rory. Everyone has their favorites, and most of these opinions change with age, butromance isn’t the heart ofGilmore Girls, even if it is one of the most fun aspects of the show.Love comes and goes inGilmore Girlsbecause it investigates life itself, and good and bad love interests come with the territory. At the end of the day, the women have not only themselves but each other.
Despite its many timeless elements, there are parts ofGilmore Girlsthat haven’t aged well and characters that never got their due, namely Lane (Keiko Agena). The direction and editing are far from perfect and the show doesn’t make many visually interesting choices. However, these are issues of time and circumstance rather than an irredeemable aspect of the series' legacy. Being critical of the parts ofGilmore Girlsthat warrant it doesn’t make it any less beloved.Maintaining discussions about what it could’ve done better is what will keep it alive.
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Writing offGilmore Girlsas a guilty pleasure or a show meant for easy watching would be a mistake. There’s no question thatGilmore Girlshas gained fame as a comfort show that aligns with the changing of the seasons, making for cozy viewing during the fall and winter months. However, there’s an innate sense of tragedy and disappointment that follows the Gilmores through everything they do.Gilmore Girlsis at its best when it’s striking the perfect and ephemeral balance between this comedy and tragedy,something Sherman-Palladino has consistently proven she understands intimately.
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It might be cliché to say, but they don’t make TV likeGilmore Girlsanymore. It has the self-awareness and referential spirit that’s so common in film and television today. But the series understands when it’s time to stop winking at the camera and take itself seriously, leaning into the drama and relationships that propel the narrative.Gilmore Girlsisn’t for everyone, but what show is? For those it resonates with,Gilmore Girlswill never lose its sheen and the jokes will always land as effectively as if Lorelai and Rory were in the room with them.
