Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Gilmore Girl?

"It's a show?" "It's a lifestyle. It's a religion."

Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) is a popular TV drama featuring a mom named Lorelei Gilmore and her teen daughter, Rory. It is famous for its quick quips and cultural references, spanning from Elizabethan literature to pop culture. When the show was released, it quickly gained fame. Even now, years later, fans prove their love of the show by clocking in over 500 million viewing hours from January to June of 2023 (1). Unlike many other fandoms, Gilmore Girls fans have no cutesy name for fanbase, instead using quotes from the show to relay their love. 

"Oh my God, he kissed me!"

Rory's Boys (3)

There is a common debate among fans of the show on which man fit best into each Gilmore girls' life. From Lorelei, we see Max, Christopher, Luke, and Jason. More commonly, fans debate Rory's love life of Dean, Jess, or Logan (shown in the image on the right). Fans are known for having their personal favorites, based on looks and personality. Each boy shows different relationship styles and characteristics that impact Rory in the show. From these opinions, many online quizzes have been formed, which claim to point fans in the right romantic direction. These Buzzfeed quizzes, which are created by fans, claim to point fans to their perfect match.

"Life's short. Talk fast."

"Gilmore To Say" (@Gimoretosaypodcast)

The show gained popularity for allowing fans to feel comforted. This feeling is created with lighting, characters, and most importantly, with the soundtrack. True fans recognize and relate to the general background music, which has its part in creating the magical world of Stars Hollow. "Where You Lead", by Carole King, the iconic theme song, created the perfect ambiance for the show. Along with the theme song, fans appreciate the rest of the music by creating playlists on popular streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music, featuring songs included in the series.This playlist from Spotify  has 399 songs and lasts almost 22 hours, claiming to have every song included in the original series and it's spin-off show. Along with the music, many fans speak about the show with podcasts such as Gilmored. on Spotify, Gilmored to Say on Apple Music, and many more. These specific podcasts discuss the cultural references of the show, as well as the multitude of speculations and theories questioned by fans. 

"The Germans wore gray, you wore blue, 'Casablanca' is such a great movie..."

Gilmore Girls Merchandise (4) 

Many fans express their love for the show by creating merchandise with specific references. Etsy features a multitude of items to pick from including clothing, cups, stickers, bags, and more. Other brands have picked up images, phrases, and logos from the show and incorporated them to show their support. Some of the most popular images are those of coffee cups, business logos, or caricatures of the characters. The brand shown on the image to the left is a great example of some popular items. The Gilmore Girls Store is another online shop made by fans which promotes the show with merchandise.

"In Omnia Paratus"

Social media was created to bring people together and Gilmore Girls fans are no exception. Plenty of Facebook groups were created by fans to express their love and build community surrounding the show. Some, like GilmoreGirls Scenes show clips and scenes from the show, while others such as Stars Hollow Mercantile pose questions and trivia for members to interact with. This group also shares merchandise for fans to support their love of the show. By creating these platforms for fans to come together, they have been able to plan events and activities in person as well as online. There is also a direct fan page called Gilmore Girls Wiki, which allows fans to share their take on popular quotes from the show. These groups, which are started by fans, make it possible that events such as the Firelight Event are created. 

Twinkle Lights:

Gilmore Girls Showing (3)

In the show, the town of Stars Hollow was famous for having a multitude of events and town-wide celebrations. Fans of the show also make a point to recreate its most popular events. Jennie Whitaker and her husband Marcus, longtime fans of the show, have found a way to host their own version of a Firelight Event in Guilford, Connecticut (3). This three-day-long event took place on October 18th of this year, drawing together fans of all ages. The events were held throughout the town and included learning to knit, tap dancing lessons, making friendship bracelets, a costume contest, and karaoke, all of which are nods to events in the TV series. A consistent showing of the series was also held outdoors (shown to the right). Along with the festivities, many of the original cast members were in attendance. Meet-and-Greets were held with nine cast members and one costume designer from the original show. 

"I Don't Know If She Ever Realized The Person I Most Wanted To Be Was Her"

It is amazing how a show with such a simple theme could touch the hearts of so many people. Though the show only aired for seven years, it continues to be loved almost twenty years later. Fans have and will continue their support for generations to come, though no generation will be as lucky as the 2004 kids, as their obsession started in the womb. This show emphasizes the connection between mother and daughter, and what could be more fan-worthy than that?

Works Cited

1. Cable, Madison, and Madison Cable. “The Enduring Appeal of Gilmore Girls - the Comment.” The Comment, 11 Apr. 2024, commentbsu.com/2024/04/the-enduring-appeal-of-gilmore-girls/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.
2. Nguyen, Jayden. ““Gilmore Girls” Festival “the Firelight Event” Heads to CT This Week.” New Haven Register, 17 Oct. 2024, www.nhregister.com/things-to-do/article/gilmore-girls-firelight-festival-2024-guilford-ct-19841649.php. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.
3. Vaughan, Kelly. “Kelly Bishop Reveals Her Favorite of Rory’s “Gilmore Girls” Boyfriends.” TODAY.com, TODAY, 17 Sept. 2024, www.today.com/popculture/tv/gilmore-girls-rory-boyfriends-rcna170851. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.
4. Horniacek, Julia, and Phillips, Ashley. “16 Essentials You Need to Get Ready for the “Gilmore Girls” Revival.” Best Products, 22 Nov. 2016, www.bestproducts.com/lifestyle/g2165/gilmore-girls-merchandise-accessories/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.
5. Contributors. “Gilmore Girls/Famous Quotes.” Gilmore Girls Wiki, Fandom, Inc., 2024, gilmoregirls.fandom.com/wiki/Gilmore_Girls/Famous_Quotes. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.