If the explosion of articles on the internet in the past month are any indication, it should be no secret that all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls have recently been made available to stream on Netflix.
I’m warning you right now. Be prepared to sacrifice your social life.
For those of you that have been living under a rock since the age of Nirvana and Beanie Babies, Gilmore Girls changed primetime television for the better with a mother-daughter duo that were cool and aspirational.
The show unironically presented daily life in a small New England town, with the help of other town characters like a snotty French inn clerk and a misanthropic diner owner with a heart of gold.
Gilmore Girls ran from 2000 to 2007 without receiving much critical attention. But it amassed a lively, cultish following similar to that of Friends or Veronica Mars.
At the time of its premiere Gilmore Girls gained attention for its re-defining of what it meant to be a family. Never had viewers experienced the story of a successful single mother raising the genius daughter, whom she had given birth to when she was only sixteen. Lorelai and Rory Gilmore quickly became household names.
The show also kickstarted the careers of many of today’s television stars, like Melissa McCarthy, who played an exuberant and meticulous chef named Sookie before she ever became a Bridesmaid. Chad Michael Murray and Adam Brody also had recurring roles before they went off to One Tree Hill and The O.C.
The reasons to watch Gilmore Girls are truly endless. Notorious for its fast-paced, witty dialogue, the mix of personalities creates an interesting combination of comedy, drama and romance.
Gilmore Girls is a show that never gets stale because each time you go back to re-watch an episode, you stumble upon another obscure pop culture references you hadn’t caught the previous time around.
Pop culture is a huge part of the charm of Gilmore Girls, which regularly compares the thought of hip bed and breakfasts to understated Nicholas Cage movies and asking friends to swear on the soul of the lead singer of Blur.
The music was some of the best on any television show, using eclectic artists such as PJ Harvey, Bjork, Wilco and The Shins. It has been seven years since Gilmore Girls went off the air, but the wisdom the show imparted is still relevant today. That goes double for those navigating college (even though Rory used a Walkman through her high school years). Here is just a bit of that wisdom the show passed down:
Relationships aren’t everything
The debate over which of Rory’s three serious boyfriends was best for her is one that still exists today. Dean was sweet and had nice hair. Jess was intelligent and brooding and had even better hair. Logan was the daredevil rich kid who bought her a Birkin bag.
Regardless of her love life, eventually Rory realized that sometimes it’s better to be single and indulge in Chinese food, as well as the hilarity of Donna Reed, than try to go out with some not-so-awesome-guy just because it’s convenient. No one has to conform to the college hook-up culture.
The importance of coffee
The Gilmores always had coffee on hand, and that is not an exaggeration. Whatever your caffeinated beverage of choice is, they understand.
Not only do the main duo drink coffee, they only drink the good coffee. Is it safe to say the Gilmores would feel right at home here in Portland with regular trips to Barista or Stumptown? Undoubtedly.
Being culturally aware is cool
How almost everyone got each other’s obscure references remains a mystery, but suspending that particular disbelief makes for more clever banter.
Lane, Rory’s best friend, is the perfect person to help you activate your inner pretentious persona. She never settles for socializing with someone who listens to Avril Lavigne but not the Clash. Rory’s other friend, Paris Geller, is a feminist icon.
The struggles to get creative with food
Neither Rory nor Lorelai are cooks, so they have to improve the takeout they always order. The best tip they offered? Sprinkling parmesan cheese on frozen pizza. I have personally tried this and it makes all the difference.
Going back to Gilmore Girls evokes the same feeling as drinking a really good cappuccino, or finding your dream Kate Spade handbag at half price.
There’s a magic in the show’s writing that keeps bringing you back episode after episode, until you’ve accidentally watched 13 in a row.
But one more won’t hurt, right?
