Celebrating 25 Years of Gilmore Girls 

When I was about 10 years old, my parents and I spent a few days in southern California for the perfect touristy vacation. I've always had a deep love of the entertainment industry, especially television. So, we'd gone to Disneyland, then did the LA thing – Going on a tour of, then, NBC Studios, where they filmed Days of Our Lives, Access Hollywood and more. Then, we went to Bob's Big Boy for the first of many times to come. Finally, we took a tour of Warner Bros. Studios, which to me, was the epitome of Hollywood grandeur. 

 

I was just excited to see a real movie studio. During our time on the backlot, they talked a lot about this new show called “Gilmore Girls.” I'd never heard of it, but was excited to see the sets and imagine the possibility of running into a movie or TV star. The show was getting ready to go into its second season, at the time. 

 

They took us on the soundstage where Richard and Emily's house/back patio was filmed. We were able to step on the Gilmore living room/Dining Room set, which I remember vividly. And I recall seeing the Rory Gilmore portrait. Later, they took us over to the Midwest section of the backlot, which we all know now as Stars Hollow. They let us out of the cart and wandered around. I remember standing in the gazebo, excitedly stepping on the Growing Pains porch. Then, my parents told me to take a picture in front of the Luke's Diner sign, which was apparently a big deal on the show (I had no idea how important this sign and photo would become to me). I rolled my eyes and asked something along the lines of, “why? we don't even watch this show!” But, I obliged and smiled just under the coffee cup that reads “Luke's.” 

 

Always, listen to your parents, children. 

 

A year or two later (the timeline is always fuzzy to me), I happened to flip through the channels one holiday weekend. There was a sort of “Gilmore Girls” marathon on Fox/ABC Family (now Freeform). I stopped there and was hooked. I had no idea how that single day was actually going to change everything (not to be dramatic or anything) - bringing so much joy, excitement and fun throughout the rest of my life. 

I watched the reruns for several seasons, as they'd usually come on the following summer or year. So, I was a little behind in the series, but always very involved in scoping out whatever set secrets and spoilers I could find, anxiously awaiting each Tuesday.

 

My obsession with the show only grew, and I brought my mom along for the ride. She eventually got into it and we watched all the time. We started joining the weekly airings of Gilmore Girls during season 5, all the way to the end. Meanwhile, I asked for Gilmore Girls seasons on DVD for birthdays and holidays, so I could go back and watch everything in order. And I did…Daily, for hours, after school, when I was sick, on the weekend just for funsies, and whenever I could, honestly. I would replay my favorite moments and episodes. 

 

Through my teen years and beyond, I've struggled with loneliness. Even if I had friends, I've always managed to feel left out or like I just didn't quite fit in. Now I know a lot of that was anxiety.  But, Gilmore Girls made me feel understood and made me feel like I had a place to go when the world was crazy or I didn't know what to do next.

 

Here was a girl who was best friends with her mom, which is how I'd always felt my mom and I were. They were into pop culture and always referencing some crazy obscure moments, like my mom and I did. And also loved coffee…A LOT. I related to the young, adolescent girl having bigger dreams than the small town she grew up in; ambitious, dreamer, worked hard. Rory, like me, was the “quiet one" who just sort of did her own thing and focused on what she wanted. I felt “weird” because of being focused on my goals or having things I wanted to accomplish at that age.

 

This show had such a different effect on me than anything else I'd ever seen. In the early days of being a fan, I'd always made this sort of pact with myself that I didn't want to know too much about the actors or meet them. What if they weren't like I imagined and it ruined the illusion of the show for me? This place felt so real, it seemed like breaking that fourth wall would remind me that it was just Hollywood magic and fictional people on screen.

 

During that final season of Gilmore Girls filming, my parents and I went back to Warner Bros. Studios for another tour, since it had been years since that first visit. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the set or the actors on the lot filming or prepping for a scene. While we didn't see anyone, they did drive us through the Stars Hollow set and past Luke's Diner. They told us a bit of a spoiler for the season premiere “The Long Morrow,” where Kirk crashes his car into the diner after installing a camera at the signal light. The flash goes off and he's blinded by the light, and goes through the window. They'd just filmed it earlier in the day. So that moment always has a special place in my heart, knowing I was there when some of the episode was created. 

 

Since then I've had so many great memories on the lot with the Holidays Made Here events, meeting members of the cast and crew, visiting locations (outside of the backlot) that were used on the show, meeting and swapping stories with other Gilmore fans while we all debate our “teams” and analyze Luke and Lorelai's relationship. 

 

The Gilmore Girls community stays alive and well through those next few years. We had strong thoughts and opinions about the ending, and had wished that Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino would come back in some way for that final season, or that we'd hear about the final four words Queen Amy had planned for the series. I read books and religiously checked the Warner Bros. website, or would stop by the studio store when in town, just hoping they'd have something new I could add to my collection.

 

So, we all let the magic live on in the reruns. Until 2015, when it was announced that Gilmore Girls was coming back for “A Year in the Life," and Amy and Dan would be at the head of the story once again. They signed a deal with Netflix and the rest is history. While we all have strong opinions about AYITL, and question whether we should have let it be as it was in the orginal or led us only to more questions with that ending…It revived a new wave of Gilmore Girls fans, inspiring more merch with Warner Bros. Studios and Scott Patterson creating his own coffee line in a nod to Luke's and the Gilmore coffee drinking habits. It's delicious! It sparked up the Holidays Made Here/Lunch at Lorelai's event on the studio lot and other events, conventions and more. 

Milo Ventimiglia was one of several to have a prolific career in the industry, taking on projects like Heroes on NBC, films and becoming the beloved dad, Jack Pearson on This is Us. He took on the movie “The Art of Racing in the Rain” based on a book by Garth Stein in 2019. He and Amanda Seyfried would be the leads. As they got closer to the release of the movie, they did a meet & greet with the author at Barnes & Noble. My mom and I made a day of it, and had the best time. They were all so kind, and the author answered my question about his process for writing the book before everyone else joined him. Milo is a dreamboat in person and so kind. Another one who took his time looking people right in the eye and making the moment count, even if there wasn't much time to exchange. Amanda Seyfried, while not on Gilmore Girls, was also very sweet and bubbly; so pretty in person, as well. Another great day that confirmed for me that the cast of Gilmore Girls were good people, and I would love to meet any of them. 

In January 2024, my mom and I attended Scott Patterson's LIVE podcast recording for “I Am All In," a Gilmore Girls rewatch podcast, since Scott had never seen any of the episodes before. We had great seats, which included coffee, a shirt, a bag of goodies (with more coffee to take home) and a meet and greet with Scott himself. He's a very personable guy and loved meeting with everyone, signing all the things, taking all the pictures and chatting it up with all the fans. It was such a fun time. Luke is one of my all-time favorite male characters, so meeting Scott Patterson was a big dream come true. It was such a fun night being able to see some of our favorite characters get together for a mini reunion on state, hearing more of the behind-the-scenes stories of their time on the show together, thoughts on their characters and what they're up to now. I also got to meet Vanessa Marano, who plays April Nardini, the one we all loved to hate because she ‘broke up Luke and Lorelai.’ Now, after thousands of rewatches, we can all realize that while she was 

Now, through the power of social media, I've been able to connect with the Gilmore Girls fan community, making closer friend connections via Instagram and meeting others in person at live events. I've also been able to connect with cast and crew from the show, including Scott Patterson, Scotty P.'s Big Mug Coffee, Stan Zimmerman (writer), Valerie Campbell (key set costumer), Louise Goffin (Carole King's daughter, who is also a musician herself and sings the theme song with her mom for GG), Katie Walder (Janet, Rory's roommate at Yale during her first year) and Patty Malcolm (Lauren Graham's stand-in on the show). It has led to so many cool opportunities. 

 

Earlier this year, in March, my mom and I attended the Paley Fest event celebrating the Multiverse of Amy Sherman-Palladino, creator of our Gilmore Girls, Maisel, Jezebel James and the latest project on Amazon Prime, Etoile. The Paley Center for Media asked my question I submitted for the panel and she actually acknowledged that I exist. She knows I'm out there now. HAHAHA. One of the other best moments of my life. I also had a chance to meet Valerie Campbell and Liz Torres (Miss Patty). I met up with other Gilmore friends and met new ones that I've connected with online. 

As you can see, Gilmore Girls has had a profound impact on me. It opened up a whole new world with the fact that creating and writing a TV show was a possible job. It inspired me, and many others in our writing, the way we imagine and develop worlds of our own. 

 

These days, I'm investing more time and effort into my Gilmore Girls Instagram account. It's another fun space to escape to, chat about all things Gilmore and cozy items, like fall, coffee, antique stores, small towns and more. I'm forever grateful for the community it's helped me create. And that all of us “misfits” were able to find our place. 

 

Over the course of the week, I'll be celebrating Gilmore Girls with my favorite episodes, favorite moments, the “team I'm on” and why, interviews, Gilmore-isms and more on “Oy with the Gilmores, Coffee & Books." 

 

Happy 25 years, Gilmore Girls! (And thank you, Amy Sherman-Palladino for creating this classic story that we can all hold onto and return to every year).