Are you on the fence about watching the Gilmore Girls Revival? Looking for a review that will ease your mind on which way to go without spoiling the whole experience for you? Then you’ve come to right place! I made a SPOILER-heavy review on my YouTube channel which you can watch at the end of this blog post, but I thought I’d create a non-spoiler-y review for those looking for such!
Winter
The first episode of the revival is a love letter to Gilmore Girls fans in my opinion. It’s got all the beautiful nostalgic moments, characters, and scenes you could ask for. You quickly get back into the witty banter and see what all your favorite characters have been doing these last few years. (And in the case of the town of Stars Hollow, it somehow seems to have stayed exactly the same besides the addition of a little more technology). It also addresses Richard’s death pretty early on and how the three Gilmore women are processing it. And I don’t think it’s too spoiler-y to say that his absence is what propels them forward into many of the events seen in the revival. And it’s this story arc that I found the most true to the Gilmore Girls legacy and also moving and enjoyable.
The only real detriment to this episode is that we find Lorelei in the place where she seems to have backtracked on some of the growth and maturity we saw in the original series. It works for the arc as a whole and is resolved by the end, but for me, it felt somewhat disappointing to her character. I really had expected her to be a little more grown up 8/9 years after the events of the original series.
Spring
Where Winter is mostly fun and nostalgic, Spring starts to introduce the conflicts we know are going to influence the revival’s arc as a whole. For me, Spring was made especially fun because of Paris and her high-school flashbacks and insecurities. I’ve always wondered if I was the only one who felt them! But fear not! Even the amazing and bull-headed Paris Geller isn’t immune to the pull of horrific high school memories!
Summer
Maybe I missed something or I’m just not remembering correctly, but I don’t remember there being a Stars Hollow Community Pool. Nevertheless, there is one now! So don’t let it bother you too much like it did me. This is the only episode I didn’t really like and it was mostly because there’s a GIANT musical in the middle. Not just one scene with half a song to suggest at the idea of a musical, but AN ENTIRE MUSICAL. I’m telling you this now and possibly kind of spoiling it for you, because it’s just so weird and drawn-out and I’ve seen many people complaining about it. I want you to be prepared. I do still think it’s worth watching though, and this episode ends on the classic Gilmore Girls dramatic cliffhanger so power through 15 minutes of slightly disturbing musical for ending drama!
Fall
Where I was not a big fan of Summer, I was very pleased with Fall on the whole. It’s different in many ways than the traditional Gilmore Girls episode, but I feel like by the end of the revival arc, the places that each character is at and the resulting use of setting and cinematography fit with each one. It also ties things up in a nice happy bow, except for those last four words. But you’ll have to watch to find those out!
Other Thoughts and Issues You Might Be Wondering About
Sookie’s absence was sorely felt, but I think it worked well for the journey that Lorelei goes on. She’s missing pieces of herself in several different places and she has to find a way to put herself back together for her future success. So though I missed Sookie’s presence, I didn’t feel like it was a detriment to the story as whole.
Watch, Skip, or Wait?
If you were a long-time Gilmore Girls fan, I would definitely say watch! It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s full of nostalgia, and does address some issues left unresolved in the original series. If you’re only vaguely aware of the Gilmore Girls world, I will warn you that this isn’t your average Netflix release. It’s not truly meant to be accessible by anyone. You do need a decent understanding of the original storyline. I’d say that if you watched or read a recap of the original series and are interested in seeing the revival, go for it! I can’t imagine you’ll experience the nostalgia that my mom and I did while watching, but I think it’ll still be an enjoyable experience.
And is there any reason to wait on watching it or skip it all together? If you’re super invested in the characters as you knew them in 2008, I might suggest skipping it. You have to understand that we’re revisiting the town and story several years later and there are obviously going to be changes. We are also now adding to the story and it’s possible there will be additions that you don’t like, depending on your interpretation of the characters and the world. So basically, skip it if you’re worried your world will be shattered by tiniest change in character development! Good luck! Have fun! And let me know what you think!
And don’t forget about my video review!
i IMAGINE (blank) 
Leave a Reply