Four Reasons Why You Should Watch Gilmore Girls

Gilmore Girls is an iconic show for anyone who is looking for a quick-witted and heart-to-heart drama to enjoy. The seven-season show follows the mother-daughter relationship of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore and the challenges they go through to achieve their dreams. Viewers fall in love with the show as they watch the girls encounter the victories and challenges of life together, from falling in love to pursuing unique career goals. The story’s plot is enhanced by small details that make a show come alive and become a staple rewatch for many people. Here are a few reasons I enjoy it so much. 

Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

Reason #1: The Academic Focus (“Who cares if I’m pretty if I fail my finals?” – Rory Gilmore)

As a student for the entirety of the show, Rory’s academic career is a striking feature of the series. The first episode begins with Rory transferring to Chilton, an expensive private school, which launches her academic journey. She aims high and is an excellent student, gaining acceptance into prestigious colleges like Harvard and Yale. The show follows her through college, where she tries to balance studies, romance, and family responsibilities. 

Rory’s ability to multitask motivates other college students. Her entire educational journey from high school to college proves that if students do their best, they can achieve their academic goals and build a brighter future. For instance, Rory is a writer for her college newspaper, and as a writer for The Daily Runner, I relate to Rory because I feel like I am going through experiences similar to hers. I consider her a model I strive to imitate in my college journey, and she has probably influenced many college students in the world.  

Reason #2: Small-Town Setting (“This is Stars Hollow. You take three left turns and you’re back in the center of town.” – Luke Danes)

Lorelai and Rory live in the small town of Stars Hollow, where they are a part of a welcoming yet nosy community. The town’s quirky characters have a unique bond with Lorelai and Rory and provide the support they need through their journeys. The community hosts a fundraising event for a broken bridge, a dance marathon, and many more humorous community bonding activities. One memorable event is the Living Art Festival, where the people of Stars Hollow reenacted famous pieces of artwork from all over the world. The Stars Hollow community creates a warm and loving atmosphere that inspires viewers to dream of a small-town experience and build their own close circle of people.

Reason #3: Lorelai and Rory’s Relationship (“Thank you, Mom. You are my guidepost for everything.” – Rory Gilmore)

Lorelai and Rory display a loving and honest mother-daughter relationship that is tested many times throughout the show. For instance, they have had disagreements on who the other is dating, but they always find a way to resolve any conflict. Their relationship prompts viewers to reflect on their own relationships with their parents. While they don’t have the perfect parenting formula, Lorelai and Rory’s openness and constant communication are neat characteristics for viewers to consider in their own parent relationships. Whether it is an item of clothing or all their secrets, Lorelai and Rory share everything. This is in sharp contrast to what Lorelai experienced with her own parents, whom she has a tenuous relationship with throughout the whole series. Her distant relationship with them, causes her to draw closer to Rory, and through Rory, Lorelai is able to reconnect with her parents and repair this rift in their relationship. The parent-child relationships displayed throughout the show illustrate the difficulty of maintaining them but also the value of striving to repair them.  

Reason #4: The Love Interests (“It’s all any of us wants, to find a nice person to hang out with ‘til we drop dead.” – Lorelai Gilmore)

The love interests in Gilmore Girls are extensive; Rory falls for the boy next door, the loner, and the trust fund baby in the span of seven seasons. Meanwhile, Lorelai’s search for love leads her to date many interesting individuals, from a Chilton teacher to her high school sweetheart. Each of Rory’s boyfriends allows the viewers to watch as she matures from a high school to college graduate. Her first boyfriend, Dean, teaches her that love depends upon trust and loyalty. On the other hand, Jess helps Rory to challenge herself and leads her to search for her intellectual equal. Logan pushes Rory to take chances on love and her career, even when she does not know how events will play out. 

Lorelai ventures through a similar journey, jumping from one love interest to another; however, Luke finally helps her realize what true love is through his years of dedication. This is foreshadowed when each of Lorelai’s love interests hints that they will never know her as Luke does. Both Rory and Lorelai have exciting love stories that emphasize the importance of dedication. 

While Gilmore Girls is full of sarcasm and clever one-liners, it has many heartfelt moments that teach lessons on relationships and finding oneself. This show is a comfort because no matter what comes their way, the mother-daughter pair resolve any problem life throws at them. Through this show, I learned that, as life progresses, we go through positive and negative experiences, but what matters is having the right person by your side. Whether it is your mother or best friend, they will be the ones to hold you accountable. Like Lorelai says, “We’re almost there and nowhere near it. All that matters is that we’re going!”  

If you are convinced to start Gilmore Girls, you can stream it on Netflix.