By now, almost everyone who loves Stars Hollow and its eccentric cast of characters has watched Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. I consumed it in one weekend and enjoyed new material from old, reliable characters.
I was most looking forward to these new episodes because I felt like there was no closure at the end of the Gilmore Girls series. I know this is mostly because Amy Sherman-Palladino did not work on season seven, and never got to wrap up her masterpiece the way she wanted to.
Let me just say, I enjoyed the new series. It was witty and silly and fast-paced, just like the original. However, the new series reaffirmed that the most interesting, moving relationship in that show is not between Lorelai and Rory, but between Lorelai and Emily.
Frankly, Rory was a bit of a disappointment in the series. Her Ivy League education left her talented, but cocky and without direction. At the end of the original series, Rory has just graduated and was off to cover a Senate campaign. Ten years later, we find her couch surfing and riding the success of one article published in The Atlantic. I’m sure this wasn’t the writer’s intent, but Rory’s character development showed that an Ivy League education does not equal success. It does not matter where (or if) you go to college.
Look at Lorelai! She got pregnant at sixteen, dropped out of high school, ran away from home, and worked at an Inn. Now she’s a successful owner of a business and an important (albeit insane) member of her community. A diploma from a fancy school is no substitute for hard work.
I don’t want to spoil the ending (in case you haven’t had a Saturday to shamelessly watch all four episodes), but I will say that I was disappointed. I know “The Last Four Words” has been a mystery to Gilmore Girls fans for years. I always believed that those magic words were all I needed to hear in order to have closure. Here are my thoughts on the infamous “Last Four Words”:
- The ending would have worked when Rory was 22, not 32
- They did not offer closure, but rather left me with more questions than the original series (LAUREN GRAHAM AGREE WITH ME*)
- I think the ending is completely out of line with the character development that Sherman-Palladino cultivated for all of those years
- I could have accepted these words had the circumstances on the show been different
My strong opinions about the ending aside, if you love Gilmore Girls, watch this series. The cast was perfect and the writing just as witty and fast-paced as the original series.
* When you finish the series, read Lauren Grahm’s Talking As Fast As I Can (one of our November picks). She gives all of her opinions about Gilmore Girls and I loved it.
Live, Love, Learn,
Candice & The Write Teacher(s)