We are two months away from "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life," and I could not be more excited! I have spent the last few weeks catching up on the first seven seasons of "Gilmore Girls" on Netflix in preparation for the big revival, and the closer we get, the more I can't wait. I've also had plenty of time to speculate as to what might happen in the next four installments of this fantastic show. So as we stock up on Chinese food, way too much coffee,and plenty of Poptarts for the premiere, check out this list of what I want to see (and what I don't want to see) on the "Gilmore Girls" reboot!
1. What I want to see: What kind of phone Lorelai is using.
It’s been a long time since we last visited Stars Hollow. Watching all seven seasons of "Gilmore Girls" is like a walk through memory lane, especially when it comes to technology. Rory used a beeper - that’s right, a beeper - constantly in the first few seasons of the show, and by the end, the latest and greatest technology was texting via SideKicks. All these years later, I’m sure everyone has taken the plunge into using smartphones. So I’m really curious as to what kind of person Lorelai is: is she an iPhone person, or a Samsung person? Yeah, I know it’s just about whichever company decides to buy into the show - but a girl can dream! I think that someone like Lorelai would have pretty strong opinions on which company she would prefer to endorse. We’ll just have to wait and see!
2. What I don't want to see: "Jurassic World" - level product placement.
I mean, I’m pretty sure there are less Samsung logos in the Samsung headquarters than in "Jurassic World." I always enjoyed that, for the most part, "Gilmore Girls" actually used real brands throughout the show rather than create their own “knock-off” brands. It made the show feel more realistic. Hopefully, the reboot will continue with this tasteful amount of brand-use, rather than go the way of the "Jurassic Park" reboot.
3. What I want to see: Rory getting a dose of reality.
Don’t get me wrong - I love Rory, she’s one of my favorite television characters and I don’t wish her any harm! But let’s face it, her entire existence has been more than ideal, and I think she could use a small dose of reality. I mean, she got into Chilton (and didn’t pay for it), was valedictorian of Chilton even though she transferred there in her sophomore year, got into all of the “big three” Ivy League schools (and didn’t pay for it went she went to one, again), and she graduated from Yale on time even though she took off a full semester. She was literally never turned down by a guy she liked - except for that guy in the laundry room. She was given not one, but two cars, throughout the series. She had a solid group of friends and was never hurting for a social life. And to top it all off, she got hired for her “dream job” in her field right out of college, following the campaign trail of someone who would become President for the next eight years. Good for Rory, but that’s not really how life works. I’m not suggesting Rory’s life suddenly should become bleak and miserable, but a little dose of reality would make her character more relatable.
4. What I don't want to see: Pregnant Rory.
I said a little dose of reality, not a truckload. It’s not that I think Rory being pregnant would be the absolute worst storyline, but it would have to be done right. I really don’t want to see Rory gearing up for a life of single-parenthood. I have nothing against Rory being a mother, or single-parenthood in general, but in the context of the show I think this would be a mistake. Lorelai spent so much time trying to make sure Rory wouldn’t make the same mistakes she did, and it would be a huge blow to her and to the audience to see Rory compromise all she worked for to accidentally wind up pregnant. However, I think Rory being pregnant at the end of the series, with a valid storyline leading up to that moment, would actually be a great way to end the series. It would complete the mother-daughter-mother-daughter cycle. Wouldn’t it be awesome if the infamous, yet-unknown last four words of the show were, “Mom, it’s a girl?” I think so. But struggling single-parent Rory? Hopefully not.
5. What I want to see: Rory and Jess. Duh.
I mean, is there anyone who actually disagrees with this? I highly doubt there are many. I understand everyone who would rather see Rory with a brand new guy, but if she has to end up with an ex-boyfriend, it had better be Jess. He was obviously the best and most compatible of Rory’s boyfriends, and while his personal life was definitely rocky in the beginning, he managed to get his act together by the end of the series. I think a bit of my soul died when Rory tells him she still loves Logan - like really, Jess was a messed up teenager but did he cheat on you with an entire bridal party? No. No, he did not. I think it was good that Rory and Jess broke up when they did, but it would be nice if they got back together by the end of the revival.
6. What I don't want to see: Dean. At all.
I know this is a moot point because Jared Padalecki already filmed for the revival. But I am really not looking forward to the return of Dean (is anyone, really?). Of course, Dean had his place on the show and in Rory’s life - he was the perfect first boyfriend and was a pretty cool character before he became a really clingy goody-two-shoes. But he doesn’t have a place in Rory’s life today. He overstayed his welcome in the original series as it is. I guess seeing what Dean is up to these days briefly wouldn’t be the end of the world, for closure purposes, but I hope that’s the extent of it.
7. What I want to see: Lorelai and Luke. Duh, again.
I don’t think I need to explain this one. The only relationship plot more disappointing than Rory and Jess is quite obviously Lorelai and Luke. We spent seven seasons watching the romantic tension between these two, only to be left hanging at the end. I mean, did the writers really expect a little kiss to be enough to sum up the whole Lorelai-Luke thing? We are left wondering, did they get back together? Are they married? Was this just another attempt at a relationship that didn’t end up working out? We do know from pictures that Lorelai and Luke are “together” in some form or other, but I hope by the end of the revival they are definitively “together forever.”
8. What I don't want to see: Lorelai the spinster.
Poor Lorelai really got the raw end of the deal the entire series. She put off having a relationship for sixteen years in order to protect Rory, and when she finally did start seriously dating again, she constantly found herself heartbroken and conflicted. I mean, she was engaged to Max, engaged to Luke, and married to and divorced from Christopher. That’s not even mentioning the multiple times things didn’t work out with Christopher before that, and the whole unfortunate relationship with Digger. Honestly, even if Lorelai somehow doesn’t end up staying with Luke, I really hope she can find happiness with someone by the end of this reboot. She’s worked too hard to wind up alone!
9. What I want to see: Lane and Zack being awesome parents.
Steve and Kwan have some pretty cool parents, and I’m excited to see how Lane and Zack have raised their twin sons. I think Lane’s parenting style will probably fall somewhere in between Lorelai and Mrs. Kim. She’ll definitely be more liberal than her own mother, but she probably will find it hard to be as easygoing as Lorelai is. As for Zack, having kids probably made him mature quite a bit! I think it’ll be fun to watch this family dynamic unfold in the revival.
10. What I don't want to see: Lane and Zack give up music.
Maybe this is just because I myself am a musician, but I really hope that Lane and Zack are still making music. Things with Hep Alien were kind of left up in the air at the end of the series, with Lane giving birth to twins and Zack opting to stay home and help Lane with the kids rather than go on tour. I’m glad they decided to be responsible parents, but Lane and the band had way too much invested in their music to just give it up. Even if Hep Alien broke up, I hope that Lane and Zack have still found a way to continue making music. Maybe they work at the music shop and give lessons, or maybe they are super cheesy and started a family band with Steve and Kwan, but it would be so disheartening to think they gave up music entirely.
11. What I want to see: A proper send-off for Richard Gilmore.
The passing of Edward Hermann definitely will be setting the tone for where "Gilmore Girls" will be going from here. Richard Gilmore was one of my favorite characters from the beginning, and having the show go on without him will be very impactful for the viewers, the cast, and of course, the characters. I know that this will be a major part of the series, and I hope that it is done right. We don’t know where the series will be picking up. While there is no way of knowing for sure, Amy Sherman-Palladino’s explanation that the three Gilmore women will each be undergoing a major change in their individual lives leads me to believe that the series will begin with Richard’s passing. This will be a huge part of the story for all the characters, but primarily Emily. Hopefully she is able to pick up the pieces, and carry on like the strong woman we know she is! However, hopefully we’ll be able to see a more vulnerable, human side of Emily too.
12. What I don't want to see: Lorelai and Emily indefinitely at odds with each other.
Of course half the fun of watching the "Gilmore Girls" is seeing Lorelai and Emily’s spats with each other, but I hope that the ultimate end of the show leaves us feeling like they are in each other’s good graces once and for all. The original series sort of tries to sum up the Gilmore family’s relationship for us, with Emily and Richard acting agreeable at Rory’s going-away party - but that the extent of it. “Agreeable” is not the adjective I want to use to describe Lorelai’s relationship with her mom. While there is no way two women as different as these will ever see eye-to-eye completely, I hope the revival gives us a bit more closure to their relationship than the original series did, and hopefully it is a positive one!
Do you agree with my list? What are your predictions for "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life?"