The enduringly popular US comedy-drama Gilmore Girls, starring Alexis Bledel as Rory Gilmore, has come under retrospective scrutiny, with critics identifying several episodes and key storylines that are seen as problematic by today’s standards. While the series remains a ‘comfort show’ for many, its depiction of relationship dynamics and character development, particularly for Rory, has drawn criticism in the streaming era, according to Collider.
Episodes Facing Modern Criticism
Collider has highlighted several episodes from both the original run and the 2016 revival that ‘simply don’t hold up today’. One example is the Season 2 episode, ‘A-Tisket, A-Tasket’, which is now considered problematic for normalising ‘toxic male behaviour and unhealthy relationship dynamics’. This episode features Rory, her boyfriend Dean (Jared Padalecki), and Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) competing over Rory’s charity picnic basket, and is seen as foreshadowing Dean’s future problematic actions.
Another criticised episode is ‘Girls In Bikinis, Boys Doin’ The Twist’ from Season 4. This episode, featuring Rory and Paris (Liza Weil) on spring break, is described as ‘divisive’ and ‘poorly aged’ due to its reliance on 2000s college tropes and spring break clichés. It also takes an ‘unnecessary “cool-girl” stance’ where the intellectual Rory and Paris are depicted judging other young women enjoying their holiday. Rory also gets drunk and calls Dean in this episode.
While not problematic in terms of character behaviour, the Season 3 episode ‘Here Comes the Son’ is criticised for being a storytelling misstep. Intended as a ‘backdoor pilot’ for a spin-off that never materialised, its narrative shift to focus on Jess’s journey to meet his estranged father disrupts the show’s ‘nuanced, heartwarming drama’ and distracts from Rory’s major life event of preparing for prep school graduation.
Rory Gilmore’s Controversial Season 6 Arc
Beyond individual episodes, the core format of Gilmore Girls is widely considered to have broken down during Season 6, specifically during the nine episodes depicting the estrangement between Rory and her mother, Lorelai (Lauren Graham). This period ‘flies in the face of everything viewers had signed up for’, according to Comic Book Resources (CBR), as it fractured the central ‘female camaraderie’ that defined the show.
The estrangement began after Rory’s decision to quit Yale, which Lorelai did not support, leading Rory to move in with her grandparents. During this time, Rory’s ‘entitlement escalates’ as she takes a job with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and ‘loses sight of her education’. CBR states that Rory ‘becomes a shell of her former self’, with this arc foreshadowing a ‘dark direction’ for her character, particularly evident in the later revival series, A Year in the Life.
Her immersion in ‘wealth and privilege’ after Lorelai’s initial fight to put her in public school, and later at Chilton and Yale, is cited as a significant factor in her ‘ultimate downfall’. Negative feedback from Mitchum Huntzberger is described as having ‘shattered her worldview’ and ‘altered the entire course of her life’. The portrayal of Rory’s developing selfishness and entitlement during Season 6 is seen as reinforcing these issues into her adulthood.
Wider Implications for Other Characters
Season 6 also introduced other narrative choices that alienated fans, including the sudden appearance of Luke Danes’ (Scott Patterson) illegitimate 12-year-old daughter, April. Luke’s decision to hide April’s existence from Lorelai led to a ‘piling up’ of resentments, contributing to the ‘dissolution of Luke’s character’ and his relationship with Lorelai, further impacting the show’s original feel.
FAQ
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Why is ‘Gilmore Girls’ facing modern criticism?
The show is receiving retrospective criticism for how some episodes and storylines, particularly those featuring Alexis Bledel’s Rory Gilmore, address gender roles, body image, social sensitivity, and relationship dynamics, which are seen as outdated through a modern lens, according to Collider.
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Which specific episodes of ‘Gilmore Girls’ are mentioned as problematic?
Episodes highlighted for not holding up today include ‘A-Tisket, A-Tasket’ (Season 2), ‘Girls In Bikinis, Boys Doin’ The Twist’ (Season 4), and ‘Here Comes the Son’ (Season 3), with reasons ranging from normalising toxic behaviour to storytelling issues, as reported by Collider.
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What significant storyline broke the show’s core dynamic in Season 6?
The nine-episode estrangement between Rory Gilmore and her mother Lorelai, following Rory’s decision to quit Yale, is widely considered to have broken the show’s core format of female camaraderie, according to Comic Book Resources.
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How did Rory Gilmore’s character develop problematically in later seasons?
In Season 6, Rory’s entitlement escalated as she moved in with her grandparents and lost sight of her education, becoming a ‘shell of her former self’. This arc, influenced by her immersion in wealth and privilege, foreshadowed her ‘downward spiral into chaos’ and continued selfishness in adulthood, as detailed by Comic Book Resources.
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