How Does ‘Gilmore Girls’ Hold Up 20 Years On?

I love ‘Gilmore Girls‘ and I think I must have re-watched it a million times!

So when I found out the first episode was aired 20 years ago, my Mum suggested writing a post all about the show – what I enjoy about it and how relevant it is for viewers today.

I started watching ‘Gilmore Girls’ when I was around 16, and by then the show had already been out for years – so I wasn’t part of the first generation of viewers.

Nevertheless, I instantly fell in love with the show – and my sibling and Mum have since watched it with me, too. Whatever age or time it reaches you in life, it instantly becomes a classic.

I can only imagine how exciting it must have been to watch it on TV for the first time, back in the early 2000s.

‘Gilmore Girls‘ was a progressive show when it first came out, dealing with issues such as teenage pregnancy, unmarried families and relationships in a way that was a little different to other shows aired at the time.

And I think ‘Gilmore Girls’ is still an incredibly relevant show that viewers can enjoy all these years later.

In this blog post, I’ve put together a few reasons why ‘Gilmore Girls’ holds up 20 years on

Relatable Themes

Its relevance is one of the most important reasons why ‘Gilmore Girls’ is still beloved by new generations of viewers.

There are lots of relatable themes in ‘Gilmore Girls’ and I love that even 20 years later, the themes are still relevant for modern viewers.

The show encourages viewers to discuss important issues such as cheating, marriage, career goals, failure and fractious family relationships.

Lane Kim from the series 'Gilmore Girls' wears a t-shirt that reads "Trust God".
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Focusing on a young single mother and her 16-year-old daughter, the show follows their lives, their relationships and their friendships as they navigate the world together.

For a young girl watching this series, it felt like I was growing up alongside Rory Gilmore – experiencing University, romantic relationships and more, just as she did.

Viewers from any generation can relate to the storylines and characters, including people watching in the 2000s, and a modern audience today.

This show has everything, discussing class roles and gender relations in ways that are open and honest.

Strong Female Characters

This show is chock-full of strong, female characters, with Lorelai bringing up Rory from the age of 16, providing for her and building a life for them both in the town of Stars Hollow.

I love how both Lorelai and Rory have flaws, and it’s difficult not to relate to these real, fun and strong female characters.

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As well as Lorelai and Rory, there are plenty of other strong female characters. There’s Lane and Mrs Kim, Paris and the formidable Emily Gilmore (who is definitely one of my all-time favourite characters).

I think one of the best parts of the show is Rory’s high school graduation speech.

She speaks about all the strong female figures Lorelai has filled Rory’s life with, but the fact that it is Lorelai herself who is her ultimate role model in life.

The women in this show make it clear that they don’t need men.

Lorelai never gives in to societal pressure to get married. Instead, she leads her life as she pleases, and encourages Rory to do the same.

Strong Mother Characters

This series features lots of strong mothers – and these characters are timeless even 20 years on.

Lorelai is a single mother who has brought up her daughter on her own from the age of 16, working and saving and putting her through private school so that she can get into Harvard.

She eventually manages to open her own inn with her best friend, Sookie, all while managing to enjoy numerous romances and build a life for herself and her daughter.

As Lauren Graham says in her autobiography, the role of Lorelai Gilmore wasn’t the typical “mum” character cast for shows and films.

She’s a fun combination between the traditional role of “mum” as well as the role of a modern woman who is interested in sex, love and romance. She’s a different kind of mum, and this makes the character so fun, unique and full of life.

Emily Gilmore, Lorelai’s mother, is also a strong mother character. She can be mean, and she’s very stuck in her ways.

She has a plan for Lorelai, and the fact that she hasn’t met this plan causes long-standing arguments between Emily and Lorelai.

But Emily is strong in her own right – and the fact that she is such a different mother to Lorelai makes for a rich and interesting show.

Mrs Kim and Lane are also a fantastic mother/daughter duo, and I love that their relationship grows and changes as the show progresses.

Relationships You Can Get Behind

I’ve had so many discussions with my friends about Rory and Jess vs Rory and Dean, or Lorelai and Luke vs Lorelai and Christopher!

Every time you re-watch this show, you see the relationships in a different light, and the realistic relationships make ‘Gilmore Girls’ an interesting show.

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Every relationship has its flaws, and you can easily fall in love with all the honest and relatable characters in this show.

I also love the friendships in this show, such as Luke and Lorelai or Rory and Lane. These friendships are often even better than romantic relationships, following the characters as they change throughout the years.

Fantastic Writing and Acting

I think this goes without saying for such a long-running show – but it all comes together so brilliantly.

The earlier seasons are definitely the best, but the writing is still engaging and interesting, and you can’t help but fall in love with the characters over and over again.

This show discusses important topics – but it’s also hilarious. It’s the kind of show you can put on in the background, or watch and re-watch with friends and family whenever you need a cosy watch.

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The humour is perfect – and those fast-paced conversations between Lorelai and Rory never fail to entertain me.

All of the characters are sharp and witty – and there are so many relevant references from films, well-known songs and books. You name it, there’s a funny ‘Gilmore Girls’ quote about it.

The acting is also fantastic. From Paris to Lane to Luke to Lorelai, all of the characters are played and cast perfectly.

Have you ever watched ‘Gilmore Girls’? Do you think ‘Gilmore Girls’ holds up 20 years on? Do you want to try out this show?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comment below 🙂

Happy reading x

52 thoughts

  4. My all-time favorite show! I watch part of an episode every night on a loop. And the more I watch it, the more I admire Kelly Bishop’s portrayal of Emily Gilmore. Through subtle reactions, she clearly shows the pain the character feels over the rejection from her daughter and how that leads to her seemingly uncaring ways. And the humor, it never stops being funny no matter how many times I watch it. ❤️. Great post!

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  5. I rewatched again last summer and I even convinced my husband to join me! Loved it all over again! So I think it does hold up! I also noticed a literary connection that I missed in other viewings….l just reread A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and was surprised to see the sentence “I smell snow”…..so that famous line in GG is really from a classic!

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  8. I am such a fan of Gilmore Girls! It’s one of my fave series! I love the small town charm vibe of Stars Hollow. And yes, still so relevant this show even after all this time! In terms of romantic relationships, when it comes to Rory’s, I’m on team Jess then and now. I wish they were able to really get together again. And as for Lorelai, I was first rooting for Christopher when I watched this on TV but when I re-watched it, I could see why Luke is the right guy for her! This series was really good. I love it when Lorelai and Rory make movie and TV references too!

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    1. It’s so fantastic! I think everyone who likes Gilmore Girls wants to visit Stars Hollow 🙂 I wish Rory and Jess had got together too- and Luke and Christopher are both great choices for her- I think Christopher is one who has grown on me. Thanks for commenting, I’m glad me post helped you relive why you love the show

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  10. I remember watching this show in middle and high school and just feeling so drawn to all of the characters! I’ve always identified a little bit with Rory and loved watching her grow. I need to watch it over again!

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  13. I think that happens a lot with shows! Aw thank you- I really hope you enjoy it again (and hopefully get chance to finish it) 🙂 haha thank you- I was definitely singing its praises, and I loveee Gossip Girl too x

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  15. This is probably my all-time favorite show and I agree with everything you said. It is witty, deals with real issues, and has wonderful relationships.

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  19. I love watching this show during my teenage years. The memories just came back with this article. Aside from the mother-daughter relationships, Lorelei and Rory are also friends. Remarkable lessons to learn from this series and as well as entertaining!

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  21. I love Gilmore girls!! It’s one of my favourite shows ever, it is such a feel-good classic! The latest spin-off episodes of life of the characters into future and the way they ended it was just so so perfect!!

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