With talks of a Netflix revival and all seven seasons currently available to stream, it's no secret that "Gilmore Girls" is a pop culture sensation. It's timeless and relatable for young and old viewers. The question is, how? What draws in the new Netflix binge-watchers and keeps the original fans returning to Stars Hollow?
After watching the series finale, I composed myself long enough to tackle that question.
1. Coffee. So much coffee.
There is no limit to how much coffee the Gilmore girls can drink. Almost all college students can relate to that dire need for caffeine. Coffee, like all good things in life, is timeless.
2. It's practically a cooking show for all of us culinary-challenged college kids.
Nearly every episode features a meal at Luke's Diner or a movie night with five different kinds of candy. When the girls aren't there, they're crafting up a combination of microwave meals that far surpass Easy Mac. This show doesn't judge your 2 A.M. eating habits. If Rory can get into Yale and Lorelai can open the Dragonfly Inn on a diet of mostly burgers and coffee, you can make it through a Monday morning after a night of bad pizza and microwave popcorn.
3. The show is realistic without being an after school special.
Rory deals with the issues of high school and college, everything from her first boyfriend to her first hangover. Lorelai's life lessons may be coated in coffee, but they're still there. She helps Rory decide which college is truly right for her, a struggle the majority of high school seniors know all too well. Rory figures out a few things on her own, too, like how to navigate the college party scene while still being a star student and deal with the many boys she meets along the way.
4. Stars Hollow is home to people from strange and simple backgrounds alike.
There are the Gilmore girls, part of a country club dynasty that Lorelai will do everything to avoid. Lane Kim is a closet music-addict, Miss Patty is a retired dancer-turned-cougar, and Kirk is... well, Kirk. From the main characters to the more recluse members of Stars Hollow, not a single one is by any means boring or typical. The town represents anyone and everyone, which is part of why nearly everyone would love to call Stars Hollow their own home.
5. Speaking of strong characters, it's obvious who runs the world of Stars Hollow.
From the main protagonists, Rory and Lorelai Gilmore, to the supporting plethora of characters, "Gilmore Girls"is stocked full of interesting and unique females. Lorelai is a single mother who starts her own business with her best friend, Sookie. Rory and Paris turn a catty feud into a lasting friendship in which they can challenge and support each other. Then there are the smaller characters, like Gypsy, who is Stars Hollow's mechanic, and she's great at her job.
6. With that said, the boys of "Gilmore Girls" deserve some credit.
Through Lorelai and Rory's multiple failed relationships, there were some gems. Despite the fact that Christopher's emotions seemed to be tied to a yo-yo, he did try to be there for his family. Luke was so much more than Lorelai's boyfriend; he was a father to Rory for all of the times Chris wasn't around. Rory's golden trio of boyfriends -- the good guy, Dean, the bad boy, Jess, and the boy who just couldn't grow up, Logan -- all had their pros and cons. One thing is for sure, though: none of them were bad to look at.
7. Even the best characters are still problematic.
Real people have flaws, and the Gilmore family is no stranger to issues. Lorelai's strained relationship with her parents is partially due to her unexpected teenage pregnancy. Throughout the series, Lorelai makes bad decisions and deals with the consequences. She jumps too quickly into relationships and bails early (usually right about the time wedding bells can be heard in the distance). Rory's had her fair share of mistakes, too. She wears her heart on her sleeve and breaks up a marriage because of it. She drops out of college and moves in with her grandparents in an effort to find herself. What makes these things good, though, is that the Gilmore girls learn from their mistakes and grow from them.
8. There were just enough cliche moments to make our hearts swell up.
In the string of Stars Hollow traditions and outrageous jokes, there were some of those great moments that make you want to cry tears of joy and a little bit of jealousy. There was the time that Dean built Rory a car for her birthday and proceeded to tell her that he loved her. On the night of the inn opening, Lorelai had the kiss we waited four long seasons for. Each and every proposal made me wish I was in something that could be considered a stable relationship.
9. We can't forget the plot twists, either.
Lately, so many shows can turn to surprise vampire attacks to spice things up. "Gilmore Girls," though, was set in a normal human world that lacked cell phones until halfway through the series. Yet, there were quite a few points where the writers made my jaw drop. They found a way to surprise viewers without doing it simply for the shock value. I won't divulge any spoilers here, but Rory sure went back home for more than just a CD the night of the inn opening.
10. Stars Hollow felt like the kind of place you would love to call home.
Almost as if it's from another time period, entirely, Stars Hollow was a place where everyone truly knew each other. They had town meetings and traditions for nearly every day of the year. There was the Harvest Festival, the Festival of Living Art and the Spring Festival (better known, perhaps, as the Hay Bale Maze Festival) to name a few. Who wouldn't want the chance to sit in on a Stars Hollow town meeting?
11. Where Rory leads, Lorelai will follow, anywhere.
The central focus of the show is the mother-daughter relationship between Lorelai and Rory. It is a roller-coaster ride in which they pick each other up and sometimes have to bring the other back to reality. The darkest times of the series were when Lorelai and Rory weren't talking. Still, no mother-daughter relationship would be complete without a few disagreements. Whether they're watching movies and eating Red Vines or downing coffee at Luke's, the Gilmore girls are together until the very end.
