#16: Why I'll Always Go Back To Gilmore Girls

Dear Reader,

Lately, my friends and I have had one too many discussions about Gilmore Girls, a TV show which came out in the 2000s. Extensive debates about plot lines, character developments, who was right for whom, the characters’ blunders, took place. The show isn’t perfect, they let the  last few seasons slip, but there’s something which always pulls me back and makes me click on Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel’s face on Netflix and begin watching. I usually stick to 20 minute sitcoms because it’s generally easier to go around my schedule and squeeze an episode or two in, but this is an exception. It’s like how most people I know keep rewatching The Office instead of starting a new show(sorry for the attack).

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Gilmore Girls is a comedy-drama which follows Lorelai Gilmore, played by the radiating Lauren Graham,(I’m not kidding, watch the show and you’ll see how she literally glows) and her daughter who is jokingly also named Lorelai, but is called Rory, played by Alexis Bledel, and their life in the fictional town of Starshollow. Producer Amy Sherman-Palladino has made this show feel no less like home. I’m too enthusiastic to write about this topic, and my thoughts are all over the place, aaaaahhhhh. Okay hi I’m back, let’s break this series down, right from the opening theme - Where You Lead by Carole King. This song is heartwarming, wholesome and gives you a sense of every little thing’s going to be alright! Here’s how it goes - 

 If you're out on the road

Feeling lonely, and so cold

All you have to do is call my name

And I'll be there on the next train

Where you lead, I will follow

Anywhere that you tell me to

If you need, you need me to be with you

I will follow where you lead

Sounds moving right? Add this to videos of Lorelai and Rory together, and there you have it, it’s perfect! To give you some backstory, Lorelai had Rory at sixteen, and was made to move out of her rich parents’ place at Hartford to Starshollow, and make a life of her own. Lorelai takes up a job at The Independence Inn to make a living, and slowly works her way up to the managerial position. The show begins when Rory is sixteen,(such a coincidence that the number 16 is being thrown around a lot here and that this is also edition #16) with Lorelai and her being as close as ever. Rory gets offered a place at Chilton Preparatory School, and Lorelai has no other choice but to go to her semi-estranged parents for financial support.

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Gilmore Girls takes place in the ever quaint Starshollow, a town so cozy that it puts the Danish obsession with hygge to shame. It definitely does not give small town creepy, serial killer vibes, but exudes warmth and familiarity. There’s the usual Town Hall, Doose’s Market for groceries, the ever famous Luke’s for your caffeine fix and an insane amount of pancakes, a Bookstore, Gypsy’s Garage, Kim’s Antiques, Sophie’s Music Store and much more. The town has its fair share of quirky characters, with Luke being grumpy as if someone just woke him up, all the time, but somehow being the sweetest guy ever as well. One more character who is worthy of mentioning for his uniqueness is Taylor Doose, the person who holds the Town Meetings for the most trivial of things, also owns the market and is a known arch rival of Luke. I won’t mention anything further, go watch the show for yourself!

Rory’s best outfits

Here are a few things I adore about the show. First of all, the portrayal of relationships. Everything isn’t sunshine and rainbows and although Lorelai and Rory are more friends than mother and daughter, they have their fair share of highs and lows and fights and smiles. Rory’s friends change as she moves from school to college and the whole dynamic is shifted as well. A friend was saying that they’ve written Rory’s character to be flawed, when I remarked that she kept making bad choices. Regarding Rory’s boyfriends, I feel like I can write a whole another piece just on this topic, but well, I’m just going to say that Jess will always be my favourite and for those of you who disagree, do watch the later seasons and the revival and you’ll know!

*swooooooon*

I was born in 2000, so when I watched this show, it had an immense amount of pop culture references to the 90s and I didn’t quite understand, but I loved imbibing this as I watched. One more thing I loved was the banter. It was super entertaining and Lorelai keeps making these witty retorts and she never stops talking, it’s fast paced and even if each episode is 40 minutes, there’s never a dull moment. I’m pretty sure this show fuelled my obsession with coffee, I have now become an addict. One can make a drinking game(with coffee maybe?) with how many times Lorelai and Rory mention or drink coffee. As everyone knows, 90s fashion is and will always be elite. I thoroughly enjoyed revelling in the array of stunning, well paired outfits. It also helps that Rory has her head in a book 80 percent of the time. I gained a plethora of amazing book recommendations thanks to Rory’s exemplary taste. 

Me when I’m not allowed to drink more than two cups a day

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At the end of the day, when I’m feeling tired of everything, I know that when I see Lorelai and Rory sitting at their designated(they claimed it as their own of course) table at Luke’s, pleading for more coffee yet again, everything that is bothering me ceases to exist.

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Links you’ll love

1. A Party In A Shared Google Doc(times are wild).

2. History of the Saree.

3. My cousins and I had game night last week and this is pretty much how it went!

4. The last children of Down Syndrome.

5. Productivity tips to boost your brain power - I have to start focusing on prioritizing my work(not clickbaity I swear).

6. The Eiffel Tower in its earliest days.

7. The real history behind The Sound Of Music, one of my all time favourite movies.

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Small Wins of the week

This week I zeroed in on a newsletter topic way earlier than usual. What normally happens is, D day arrives and I’m still indecisive about the few topics I have, but this week was different :)

Here are a couple of messages that I received:

N managed to set up her sleep schedule right after nearly four months. She definitely feels the difference when she’s crashing early and hopes to hold on to this.

R felt nice to meet a friend after a few months and has started teaching again, so he felt satisfied to do something productive.

P woke up at 6am everyday this week.

M was able to exist in the same space with someone who destroyed her a few years ago, she felt powerful and strong and even smiled more than once!

S learnt a new experiment at the lab she’s at. In January, someone was teaching her the lay of the land, but now she’s teaching someone new who joined the lab. She’s come full circle :)

If you, dear Reader, want to share your small win of the week, do message me and it shall be included, anonymous or not, that’s up to you!

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— adithi.