It’s been nearly 17 years since Lorelai Gilmore walked by the Stars Hollow sign and begged Luke for her morning coffee, thus beginning a series that would captivate a generation of women for seven seasons with its relatable situations, fast-talking banter, and feminist vibes – before its revival went against everything feminist its predecessor ever stood for.
Before “Gilmore Girls: Seasons” decided the only way the show could possibly end was to have Rory Gilmore pregnant (couldn’t have given her a Pulitzer first?) here are 8 reasons why the original “Gilmore Girls” series is hands down the most empowering show of all-time and totally Netflix binge worthy.
1. Amy Sherman-Palladino not only realized female friendships exist, but filled her show with them.
Rory and Paris. Sookie and Lorelai. Rory and Lane. Miss Patty and Babette. The Gilmore girls supported, encouraged and boosted their friends and when they did fight, it wasn’t over a boy.
2. It was created by a woman, about women. Lots of women.
Rory Gilmore, Lorelai Gilmore, Sookie St. James, Lane Kim, Paris Geller, Emily Gilmore, Mrs. Kim, Miss Patty, Babette and Gypsy are only some of the many awesome females on this show. Any male character in Stars Hollow plays a part in the female’s storyline, and very rarely has a dominating one of his own. And while there are many, many conversations about a guy, there are also many, many conversations that feature no talk of men whatsoever.
3. The majority of women on the show want a career, and they work hard to achieve their dream.
Lorelai goes to school to get a degree so she can pursue her dream of opening an inn – and she succeeds. Rory works hard to get into a prestigious university so she can ultimately become a world-class news journalist in a field that is still primarily dominated by men. Sookie has no interest in marriage – at first – and would rather spend her days as a renowned chef in Lorelai’s inn. Lane wants to be a known rockstar. Paris can’t make up her mind between becoming a doctor, lawyer or the first woman president. Miss Patty runs her own dance studio.
4. When Rory Gilmore stumbles (and she does, majorly), she is able to pick herself back up and shine.
Rory has a rough year during college. She falls back in love with her married ex-boyfriend and becomes the town harlot for getting between him and his wife. On top of that, she is told by Mitchum Huntzberger that she doesn’t have what it takes to make it in journalism, and consequently drops out of Yale and becomes a Daughter of the American Revolution living with her grandmother. But, once she pulls herself out of her slump, she returns to Yale and decides she will keep fighting for her dream regardless of what Huntzberger says.
5. It adequately, and significantly, portrays the relationship between mothers and daughters.
Obviously, the main mother/daughter relationship is that of Rory’s and Lorelai’s, who are more of best friends than parent and child. Lorelai and her mother, Emily, spend the entire series working through their past issues so they can come to a good place in the finale. Lane rebels against Mrs. Kim and is kicked out for going against the life her mother wants her to have, but ultimately Mrs. Kim comes to terms with her daughter and accepts her choices.
6. Every woman on the show can stand on her own without a man.
While all of the women have several different relationships (Rory and Lorelai especially,) they know that they don’t need a man to define them. If Lane Kim hadn’t married Zack Van Gerbig, she would probably shrug it off and go rock out in the Big Apple, or freelance for “Rolling Stone.” Sookie isn’t even sure she wants to be married, and it’s Jackson who waits patiently for her to decide if she’s ready for that step.
7. Paris Geller is the feminist to end all feminists.
Loudmouthed, bitchy, no-nonsense Paris stands in front of her Yale Daily News team and tells them she is not their mother or hugger and her door is never open to them. She calls out sexism at every turn, even while sitting in her headmaster’s office as a teenager, stating that of course she and Rory were fighting over a boy because they’re girls and there’s no other possible reason they’d be arguing. She also goes after what she wants and doesn’t let anything or anyone stop her, even getting rejected from Harvard.
8. There is a female mechanic.
And I’m pretty sure Gypsy knows more about cars than half the male population in Stars Hollow.
