On my way to get takeout!
I was absolutely excited about the return of the Gilmore Girls, thanks to Netflix. The character Sookie was one of the main reasons why I not only watched the show but decided to learn how to really cook and bake. I was never a fan of Rory’s but Lorelai Gilmore rocked my world, always inspired me and made me wish I was a more witty individual.
When the four episodes premiered on Netflix last week I went out and got a ton of takeout and even a McDonald’s milkshake in honour of the show.
I was all set. Rarely has there been a show that has embraced women eating takeout food (or drinking coffee) more. I was ready to be bad and have fun hanging out with my favourite mom and daughter duo.
WARNING!!! SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
I watched Winter… Unimpressed. The acting felt forced, the subject matter of the death of the grandfather was so sad (understandably, of course) and where the hell was Sookie?
Over the weekend I watched the rest of the seasons of the Gilmore Girls (with much less junk food) and got more and more depressed. I hated the storyline. I personally turned on the show, from a lover to a hater, during the painfully long town play scene which just felt mean to us fans who normally would love the surreal Stars Hollow performances. But there we were with Lorelai saying, “What The Hell?!” All of a sudden the town that she (and we) loved turned into something she no longer understood, that no longer made her happy. I had to fast forward most of it, it was just too awful.
Lorelai’s attempt to run away and find herself was understandable but felt kind of cliche. Still, my desire for her to be happy was so strong I just wanted her to figure things out. By the time Sookie did finally show up I was so depressed, nothing could cheer me up. It also felt so unnatural for them to be back together again, like it was just too late. The magic was gone. Which made me even MORE depressed. Still, I am glad she made a cameo but that really is all it was. Sookie was such a central part of the show that making a dozen wedding cakes for Lorelai was just not enough. Not for me.
I tried really hard to ignore Rory’s part in this mini series, which I did for the last two seasons of the show. Logan has to be one of my least favourite characters of all time and her saying no to him when he proposes to her in the show finale was one of the highlights of television for me. Finally Rory did something right! So to see her back with him, cheating both on her boyfriend and being the other woman to his fiancé… Bloody Hell.
Yet it was her desire to tell her mother’s story as the subject for her book without any thought to how her mom would respond that pissed me off the most. Her lack of sympathy for her mom’s desire for privacy made my dislike of her character turn to hatred. It also clearly showed she has no identity of her own. Her big “reveal” at the end of the show made her all the more pathetic to me, not because of her situation but because she could not even come up with her own story. She just repeated her mother’s…. How original Rory!
The only storyline I enjoyed was that of Emily’s, the one character I wanted to strangle on a regular basis during the many years I watched the show. She really steps into her own by the end of the year and her acceptance of Lorelai’s over-the-phone story of Richard was beautiful.
Still… Nine years and this is what we are given and now have to deal with emotionally? I wish I had never watched it. I had closure before and was happy for most of the characters. To come back and feel like Lorelai is being hurt by just about everyone she loves, not to mentioned abandoned, was downright cruel. I have no idea what they were trying to do with this story. Rory is pathetic. Lorelai’s worst fear about her daughter is realized…. But at least she finally got married!
Total bullshit. No amount of takeout food can make up for my disappointment. Netflix, you know I love you, but how could you? You ruined Gilmore Girls for me. My happy place is dead.
~ RANT OVER~
I’m sorry you were so disappointed. Here is what I thought about it – it’s in ZERO order:
I felt like it was was forced at first but the more I thought about it, I felt like the revival did the show justice. About Rory, in the show she had things pretty easy, she did well in school, her mom and grandparents adored her like she could do no wrong and she pretty much got whatever she wanted. Now, at 32 she’s this entitled, weak flake. If she wants to be a writer or journalist so badly, she should write anything, not everything is going to be handed to her on a silver platter and she actually has to work now and pitch ideas and shocker, she’s not being praised anymore, she’s actually being turned down. Growing up, everything was handed to her and I don’t think she learned that she has to actually work hard. Also, the past 10 years she’s lead this vagabond life while her friends have settled down and started to be adults, she’s still living as if she’s 22 as evident through her relationship with Logan, the way she flirted with Dean and her heart eyes for Jess.
The musical wasn’t too terrible – it was very much Stars Hallow BUT I do think they could have used the time in the episode more wisely. I also wish they made 6 – 1hr episodes rather than 4 – 90 minute episodes.
I thought they dealt with Richard’s death really respectfully and it was well done. It really showed what an impact Richard had on all of them. His sudden death really shook all 3 ladies and threw them off their path – it’s like they’ve all had to face reality and do some self-reflection which is understandable when a death (and in this case a sudden death) of a loved one happens.
I read that Melissa McCarthy could only commit a limited number of time due to scheduling conflicts but I wish they would have still had her there in spirit rather than have her take a two year sabbatical to do whatever she was doing. I wish we could find out what’s going to happen with the Inn, if Michele is going to stay, if Sukie is coming back and etc.
I didn’t feel that Lorelai was being abandoned or that Rory meant to hurt her about the book. It is not just Lorelai’s story but it’s Rory’s too. She experienced everything with her mom, I think she was doing it more to honour her mom than anything else. She’s probably realized “holy crap, at 32, the age that I am now, my mum was raising a 16 year old on her own and had to make so many sacrifices.” I don’t think Lorelai was abandoned as much as she needs something to focus on.
I think it was appropriate for Lorelai to go and “find herself”. She had to grow up so fast at 16 and she did an amazing job raising her daughter, becoming a successful business owner and now everything is probably at a standstill for her and going well. Her dad’s death shook things up and probably made her question a lot, hence the whole baby thing with her and Luke. I’m glad that she is using the business development money that Richard left Luke for her own business – girl power! She’s such a strong person, her daughter could learn a lot from her.
In all, while I didn’t like it at first as it progressed and the more I came to terms with it the more I liked it. I’m glad that not everything turned out perfect for them, that never does in real life! I like that they kept the quirkiness of the town folk, the whimsy of Stars Hallow and it seemed realistic how all the relationships evolved over time.
I agree with laura.
I loved the show. I think In This day and age your twenties is where you really flounder and struggle to find yourself. Her relationship with Logan, while I didn’t like it either, fits with her character and her bad relationship choices throughout her years.
The sadness about Richard was real as he passed away in Real life and they were trying to honor him.
I do agree the musical was over the top bad. That was painful to watch!
I want to rewatch it.
To pick up on the little pieces I may have missed the first time.
I understand your disappointment about sookie not being in it much, she is a great character but the cameos in the kitchen I thought were fun. There’s no replacing her! Too bad Melissa McCarthy is just such a big hit! I love her!
My youngest daughter and I always enjoyed “Gilmore Girls” together, before she went off to college. She’s now 32, so I guess she’s the same age as Rory!
I haven’t seen these episodes yet–I will binge watch it at my other daughter’s over Xmas, because I don’t have Netflix. But I actually appreciate the spoilers! I’ll understand the whole thing a lot better now. 😀