By: Amelia Morris
“Gilmore Girls” originally premiered on October 5th, 25 years ago. All this time has passed and the show still remains popular with fans. Every Autumn, audiences return to the show to transport themselves back to fall in the early 2000s.
The series centers on the mother-daughter duo of Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) Gilmore as they navigate their lives in Stars Hollow, Connecticut. Season one opens with Rory’s acceptance to a prestigious private school but to afford it, Lorelai must rekindle the relationship between her and her wealthy parents. Lorelai’s mother, Emily, agrees to pay on the condition that Lorelai and Rory attend Friday night dinners at the family home.
Rory learns to navigate life at a new high school, her relationships and eventually her transition to college. Lorelai focuses on growing her career, fostering her relationship with Rory and exploring her own love interests. Over the course of the series, Lorelai finds bits of herself in her mother through their rekindled relationship. Together, the Lorelai-Rory duo learns to conquer life’s unexpected challenges and conflicts, all while living in a quirky small town.
Rory and Lorelai are the pinnacle of a mother-daughter relationship. They have an impromptu comedic bit for every moment and every situation, sometimes involving metaphors that take several watches or even various pop culture knowledge to understand. The relationship between the young women at such pivotal moments in their lives is what keeps audiences coming back, even a quarter century later. While many think the title “Gilmore Girls” only references Rory and Lorelai, it can be argued that Emily, Lorelai’s mother, is a “Gilmore Girl” herself. This multi-generational story is the foundation of the show itself.
The most distinguishing characteristic of the series is how fast paced the dialogue is between characters. The quick spats and references to past and present pop culture weave together the fabric of the series. Rory and Lorelai’s quick wit is often attributed to their massive coffee addiction. Other characters must keep up or get out of the way.
The “Gilmore Girls” audience continues to return to the show because of how realistic the town, conflicts and relationships are. Stars Hollow is a unique place with unique individuals. I think a little part of everyone wishes they could live in a town like that. The world the “Gilmore Girls” live in is one we wish we were in ourselves.
There’s a certain level of nostalgia that gives viewers a time capsule to transport themselves into. The fashion, the decor and the references bring audiences into the world of “Gilmore Girls.” Through seven seasons and a bonus anniversary special called “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life,” the story of Lorelai and Rory is told in quippy references and dialogue.
“Gilmore Girls” is one of my favorite series and I return to the show every year around this time. Similar to rewatching Christmas classics, I return to “Gilmore Girls” every fall season. While the entire series is not perfect, the first five seasons are the definition of perfect television.
“It’s like Scott Patterson [known as the character Luke Danes in the show] said: Fall is for family. And for many families, “Gilmore Girls” remains a shared tradition,” (New York Times, Gonzalez).
Fall is a season that brings families together. People watch “Gilmore Girls” to relish this season and watch as the Gilmores come together as a family.
Overall, “Gilmore Girls” is a classic that deserves to be watched all the way through at least once. The series premiered 25 years ago but still maintains its popularity today. Popular recent shows like ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ have even been compared to it. While I do not agree with such a comparison, I do think “Gilmore Girls” has maintained its relevance over the years.
Every Fall, the beloved small town of Stars Hollow returns to screens to ring in the season of fallen leaves, cool weather and pumpkins.
“Gilmore Girls” is currently streaming on Netflix.
Amelia Morris is a freshman journalism major and writer for Cedars A&E. She loves reading, writing and being in nature with her dogs.
Pictures courtesy of Warner Bros.
Sources: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/arts/television/gilmore-girls-25th-anniversary-fall.html
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