The Enduring Appeal of Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls has been my favorite show since I was 14. I consider myself a bit of a Gilmore Girls connoisseur, as I have watched the series three times and I am currently on my fourth run-through.
For those of you who do not know, Gilmore Girls is about the quirky and heartwarming mother-daughter relationship between Lorelei Gilmore (Lauren Graham, she/her) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel, she/her), who navigate their way through life in the charming small town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, and share a love of coffee throughout their journey. I enjoy the series because it reminds me of my own relationship with my mom, which is likely relatable for many other viewers.
What else makes this show so addictive, and why is it more popular with Millennials and Gen Zs than when it first aired? According to The New York Times, “In a thread in the r/GilmoreGirls subreddit from 2021, dozens of people shared why they turn back to the series so often: It’s an emotional support show. It’s comfort food. It got me through a breakup. It reminds me of my childhood. Winter is depressing, and Gilmore Girls makes it better. Overall, it has something to do with the relatability and comfort the show offers.”
In an additional interview with Netflix, “[Netflix] recorded 500 million viewing hours for the show from January to June of last year, surpassing hits like “Seinfeld,” “Friends,” and “Stranger Things,” and data released by the research firm Nielsen showed that Gilmore Girls was among the Top 10 most-watched shows across the major streaming platforms in 2023.”
Due to the success and popularity the series received, the producers of Gilmore Girls created a somewhat less popular four-part sequel, Gilmore Girls: A Year In the Life in 2016. The show jumps about ten years to follow up on the characters and who they have become. Many followers of the original series stated that they found it rather depressing and lost the original spark it once possessed, causing them to exclusively watch the original seven seasons.
So whether you’re a die-hard Gilmore Girls fan like me or you have never seen the series and want to join the millions of followers, flip on your TV, relax, and enjoy the show!
