As a die-hard fan of “Gilmore Girls,” my expectations for the show’s sequel, “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life,” were high to say the least.
I hoped for a beautiful ending, filled with everything that season seven lacked, especially considering that the original writer, Amy Sherman-Palladino, came back to write the sequel. Instead, I wasted eight hours of my life watching a failed attempt to modernize a nostalgic show. After watching this disappointing sequel, only one phrase came to mind: if it ain't broken, don't fix it.
There is a major disconnection between the original series and the sequel. It wasn't written to give fans of the original series a sense of finality. Instead, it feels like a bitter attempt to improve the show’s plotline after season seven, which was an absolute disaster.
“Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” was meant to take place 10 years after the final season; yet, none of the characters developed or solved their problems. Luke and Lorelai, for example, seemed like they have never talked about their relationship, nor figured out a way to fix their ongoing conflicts. Their uncommunicative relationship should have been resolved in the past; however, I was forced to watch them bicker for half of the sequel.
My biggest problem with the show is Alexis Bledel’s character, Rory Gilmore. At the end of season seven, she embarks on her solo journey to begin her “successful” journalism career. However, when she comes back to visit her mother, she is jobless and homeless at the age of 32, and she thinks her situation is completely normal. She denies all job opportunities that she deems to be beneath her and sticks with jobs that have no foreseeable benefits for her future. If her younger self saw the way she is behaving, she would be distraught.
As if Rory didn't learn her lesson the first time, she continuously engages in an affair with her ex-boyfriend, Logan Huntzberger, while both of them were in “committed” relationships. She rejected his original engagement proposal, just to go crawling back to him 10 years later. Instead of having Rory grow from her past mistakes, the sequel transforms her into a serial cheater. Some things never change.
On the other hand, there is a character, written so perfectly that I have no complaints: Emily Gilmore, played by the remarkable Kelly Bishop. Emily was raised in the upper class and was taught to be an eloquent lady in society. She held remarkably high standards not only for herself, but for everyone around her. Living this way made her quick to manipulate and play the victim in situations that didn't uphold her standards.
In the sequel, Emily is faced with the overwhelming grief that follows the loss of her husband, Richard Gilmore (played by Edward Herrman). She slowly begins to move on and decides to live in a new way—a less lady-like way. She begins allowing things that once repulsed her into her life, like having a television in the living room. Her proper manners get thrown out the window as she begins to notice the stupidity of her demure lifestyle.
Bishop completely blew me away; she truly shined. Each choice she made was layered with careful planning and intention. She completely transformed Emily into a new woman, while still honoring her past. Emily Gilmore quickly became my favorite character in the sequel and was the main reason I kept watching.
Jess Mariano (played by Milo Ventimiglia) made a small, yet impactful comeback that I think made up for everything else. He met with Rory for a quick moment to catch up, just as old friends. Jess spoke positively about how well life was treating him while Rory, on the other hand, is struggling to stay afloat. Ironically enough, their roles were reversed compared to the original series, and this allowed Jess to sympathize with Rory’s struggles.
Their relationship has always been rocky, but during this moment, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that Jess truly loved Rory.
These shining moments almost made me love the show, until I realized there was over an hour left of the episode. Half the charm of “Gilmore Girls” was its fast-paced, 45-minute episodes. However, the revival’s episodes pushed 2 hours long and made me grow grey hairs.
Many scenes didn't fit in with the general ambiance of the show, specifically the musical episode. Broadway stars Sutton Foster and Christian Borle starred in this episode, and while they were spectacular, the musical was completely irrelevant to the plot.
At the time of the show's release, the Broadway sensation “Hamilton,” written by Lin Manuel Miranda, was doing exceptionally well. This episode was evidently written in an attempt to grab the attention of Broadway lovers while disregarding the original target audience, “Gilmore Girls” fans.
Why is bringing in significant revenue above creating a remarkable show? If the screenwriters prioritized the original fans above drawing in new fans, both high revenue and a happy audience could have been successful.
To say the least, my disappointment is immeasurable. I saw potential in the beautiful moments that the show had, and if only that could have been translated into the rest of the show, it would have been everything. It’s clear that this monstrosity was not written with fans in mind; it was for the quick cash grab.
Interested in taking a year off your life? “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” is available to watch on Netflix.
