Not only is Amy Sherman-Palladino’s favoriteGilmore Girlsepisode an encapsulation of everything fans love about the show, but it has many elements that a potential season 9 could incorporate to fix the maligned revival. The reasonGilmore Girlshas endured for as long as it has is because of creator Sherman-Palladino’s blend of heartfelt relationships, whip-smart humor, and its cozy, comforting tone. At the center of it all isLorelai and Rory’s loving mother-daughter dynamic, as full of love and care as it is witty banter.
This is why we all rejoiced when the sequel miniseries,Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, was released on Netflix in 2016. Unfortunately,A Year in the Lifewas seen as a flop throughout the fandom, namely because of Rory’s frustrating struggles, the weird way it dealt with Luke and Lorelai’s relationship, and overall not having the magic of the original series. But with ASP and theGilmore Girlscast potentially open to returning for season 9,there’s a way to right the ship, and we need look no further than the creator’s favorite episode.
It Embraces Everything Gilmore Girls Is All About
When Amy Sherman-Palladino was asked to choose a favoriteGilmore Girlsepisode, she singled out a few, including season 2’s “The Road Trip to Harvard” and season 5’s “Wedding Bell Blues,” but her first response was the beloved season 3, episode 7, “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?” (viaElite Daily) It centers around thefan-favorite Stars Hollow festival, the 24-hour dance marathon, in whichthe town residents split up into pairs and compete to see who can dance for an entire day straight. Lorelai is desperate for her and Rory to beat reigning champion, Kirk.
It’s packed full of Stars Hollow quirk, pop culture references, and Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel’s chemistry is at its peak.
The episode has everything aGilmore Girlsfan could want— it’s packed full of Stars Hollow quirk, pop culture references, and Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel’s chemistry is at its peak. Plus, it’s full of Rory relationship drama in the best way possible. Sexual tension has been simmering between her and Jess, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by Dean. No longer able to stand it,Dean breaks up with Roryin front of everybody, crushing her but opening the door for her to be with Jess.
“They Shoot Gilmores” has a perfect ending, withone of the sweetest Lorelai and Rory moments, in which mother comforts her crying daughter on the dance flooras Kirk takes a victory lap with his trophy, having won the competition for the fifth consecutive year.
This Gilmore Girls Episode Showcased The Best Of Lorelai & Rory’s Relationship
A YITL Split Them Up, While “They Shoot Gilmores” Kept Them Together
The show is calledGilmore Girlsfor a reason, and that’s because the most important thing about it is the relationship between the titular characters. A big thingA Year in the Lifewas missing was the sweet dynamic between Lorelai and Rory. Sure, they had plenty of scenes together, butLorelai and Rory’s main storylines — which were unsatisfying and made little sense — were completely separate. Rory was flailing in her career and love life whileLorelai and Luke awkwardly tried to figure out their next stepas she mourned the loss of her father.
“They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?” is the exact opposite, asLorelai and Rory are together throughout the majority of the episode as dance partners. Their mile-a-minute banter has never been fresher, and their physical comedy as they tried to outdance Kirk was in top form — and with cute vintage dresses to boot. But the best moment between them came at the very end.
Rory knew she was safe to let herself be vulnerable, and it’s scenes like this that are whyGilmore Girlsis so special.
For as deeply as Lorelai yearned to finally take the crown of the 24-hour dance marathon, none of that mattered when she saw Rory heartbroken and crying.Lorelai showed why she was a great momin that moment, and Rory knew she was safe to let herself be vulnerable, and it’s scenes like this that are whyGilmore Girlsis so special.
A Year in the Life Didn’t Have “They Shoot Gilmore”’s Blend Of Comedy & Drama
The Gilmore Girls Revival Fell Flat On Both Counts
“They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?” perfectly encapsulatesGilmore Girlssignature blend of hilarious comedy and grounded drama. Much of the show’s humor comes from the wacky residents of Stars Hollow, which is on full display at the dance marathon. We get to see Taylor, Miss Patty, and more, andKirk manages to take a break from his many jobsto hold onto his crown.
While all these characters turn up inA Year in the Life, it felt more like the revival was ticking boxesas opposed to incorporating them into organic, enthralling storylines. It also would have been more fun if we had a zany festival that Stars Hollow residents rallied around. Sure, there wasStars Hollow: The Musical, but that felt more like the miniseries showing off how many Broadway stars they could get rather than honoring theGilmore Girlssupporting characterswe fell in love with. Outside of this, much of the humor inAYITLwas mean-spirited or just fell flat.
But “They Shoot Gilmores” wasn’t all levity and silliness. There was real drama here, as it was the big public breakup between Rory and Dean. Sure, it was a long time coming, and we all collectively breathed a sigh of relief that we wouldn’t have to put up with Dean’s possessiveness any longer, but that didn’t mean our hearts didn’t break for Rory at losing her first love. In contrast,though there were some sweet dramatic moments inA Year in the Life, many were way too serious, which didn’t jive with its unsuccessful attempts at comedy.
A Major Rory Relationship Moment Happened In “They Shoot Gilmores”
Whereas The Revival Saw Her Floundering In Her Love Life
For as sad as Rory was that she and Dean were over,the breakup was bittersweet because it meant that she could finally be with Jess. OfRory’s mainGilmore Girlsboyfriends, many fans are Team Jess — their chemistry is electric, he matches her on an intellectual level, and he never wants her to be anyone other than herself, whereas Dean and Logan both want their personal idealized version of Rory. Sure, when Rory and Jess do date, it’s a disaster, but in “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?,” their relationship is a blank page, which is beyond thrilling.
However,Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Lifecompletely botched Rory’s romances, and it was one of the revival’s most loathed storylines. We were so proud of Rory for turning down Logan’s proposal to pursue her dreams at the end of the original show, so for her to be having an affair with him while he’s engaged inAYITLmade us want to scream into a void. The fact thatRory also has a boyfriend whom she constantly forgets aboutalso shows that she’s regressed in terms of romance.
Many fans wanted Rory and Jess to end up together inAYITL, but given how untethered Rory is in all aspects of her life, it wouldn’t have worked.
Then there’s the Jess of it all. Many fans wanted Rory and Jess to end up together inAYITL, but given how untethered Rory is in all aspects of her life, it wouldn’t have worked. Still,their scenes together were some of the revival’s best, and they haven’t lost an ounce of their chemistry.
Plus, there’sthat lookthat Jess gives her the last time we see him inA Year in the Life.Rory ultimately doesn’t end up with anybody, but should we get aGilmore Girlsseason 9, it could take a page out of “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?” and open up the possibility of her and Jess getting a happily ever after.
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.
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
Acting as a follow-up to the original series, Gilmore Girls, A Year In The Life is a comedy-drama series. Having completed her stint on the Obama campaign trail, Rory now finds herself as a freelance journalist with an inconsistent life. Meanwhile, Lorelei finds herself lost in life before her upcoming marriage to Luke. This four-part mini-series follows the titular mother-daughter duo as they continue to navigate their mother-daughter relationship in Star’s Hollow.
