For many of us, the beginning of fall means that it’s officially Gilmore Girls rewatch season. The familiar tune of ‘There She Goes’ as the first episode begins is a comforting reminder that while school and the chaos that comes along with it cannot be avoided, Gilmore Girls is always there to show us the good parts of fall, school, and, well, life. Gilmore Girls is a reminder to romanticize the ordinary parts of life, but of course, the Gilmores are anything but ordinary…and the same goes for Stars Hollow, the town where they live.
I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t be okay with living in Stars Hollow, at least for a little while. Personally, I would love to go to Luke’s, town meetings, and kooky town events with the rest of the Stars Hollow residents. But why do we all want to move to a fictional small town in Connecticut so badly?
Stars Hollow is many people’s idea of the perfect place to live. The community is tight-knit and full of unique traditions. Each shop and restaurant is a local establishment, and all decisions about those establishments have to be debated at (of course) a town meeting. All in all, it’s not too far from Needham, right? But just like looking at life through rose-colored glasses, the warm tones and grain on the tv screen make Stars Hollow feel much further from our hometown.
Gilmore Girls also reminds us that everything is going to work out. Gilmore Girls is so close to realistic that it could almost be real life (if in real life we could always have perfect comebacks and pop culture references). And while nothing ever goes exactly according to plan (it is a sitcom, after all), everything always turns out alright in the end.
In dramedies like Gilmore Girls, there is a balance of character development to light-hearted jokes that allows viewers to truly get a peek into the lives of the characters. In my personal opinion, dramedy is the best genre of television because it has the relatability of a sitcom with the character dynamics of a drama.
And let’s talk character dynamics: Gilmore Girls is primarily based on relationships between characters, the most important of which are the relationships between mother and daughter. Unlike many popular shows, which center around romance, Gilmore Girls centers around family and the platonic relationships involved (and, okay fine, maybe there’s a few boyfriends once in a while). Either way, the focus on character exposition instead of an action-heavy plot creates a show that is easy and enjoyable to watch…and rewatch…and rewatch.
Finally, regardless of peoples’ conflicted feelings about Rory and Lorelai, it is undeniable that we all want to be like them on some level. Who doesn’t want Rory’s academic drive and ambition? Or Lorelai’s wit and creativity? People tend to rewatch Gilmore Girls at the beginning of the school year because it is a very autumnal show, but the beginning of the school year is also a time of change for many people. A reminder of the traits we want to emulate and a familiar environment makes for a relaxing brain break for some of us who just might be a little burnt out already. And hey, no matter how good or bad your school year is going, at least you haven’t gotten hit by a deer!