At a glance…
- Gilmore Girls is a comedy-drama series that follows the close relationship between a single mother, Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham), and her daughter, Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel).
- The original show ran for seven seasons and was continued in a 2016 Netflix stand-alone special, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.
- The show garnered a huge following thanks to its fast-paced, witty dialogue filled with pop culture references and its setting in the quirky fictional town of Stars Hollow and its eccentric residents.
- Warner Bros. Television has greenlit a documentary about the series, which is currently in production.
Nearly two decades after the original finale, Gilmore Girls is inviting fans back to Stars Hollow with a documentary about the series coming soon.
Growing up, I used to watch the show religiously every weekend. Then, when it hit Netflix (after Netflix became a thing), I rewatched it nearly every autumn. And I’m not alone. Most millennials of my vintage are likewise obsessed with Lorelai, talking fast, and drinking more coffee than is medically advised or necessary.
Like many, I was so excited for the Netflix continuation series, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, and like many, I was actually quite disappointed. I still love it…but it wasn’t the story I wanted. However, I respect the creator and understand the limits of a continuation of a series nearly ten years after the final season.
This as-yet-untitled documentary is currently in production and coming to HBO Max in the future. According to its synopsis, the documentary will offer a “rare insider view” into the creation behind the show and interviews with its creators, Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, as well as its lead, Lauren Graham pls “additional key cast and crew”. I hope we see a return of Sally Struthers and Liz Torres, who played two of Stars Hollow’s most intriguing characters, Babette and Miss Patty, respectively. And Sean Gunn, whose character Kirk Gleason was a source of delight and ridiculousness; however, he’s embroiled in the Marvel Universe with his brother, director James Gunn, so there could be a big question mark next to his name on the cast list.
While Gilmore Girls wasn’t the very first role for most of its cast, it served as a major launching pad for several actors who later became household names. Melissa McCarthy (Sookie St. James in the series) is arguably the show’s biggest breakout star. She played Lorelai’s best friend and chef for all seven seasons before becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest comedy stars. Melissa earned Oscar nominations for Bridesmaids (2011) and Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018). However, Alexis Bledel, the second lead character of Rory, had almost no acting experience before being cast. Gilmore Girls was essentially her big break.
Also, fans of the show are usually categorised into one of three teams: Team Jess, Team Logan, or Team Dean (I’m Team Jess), so called for the significant boyfriends of Rory, played by Alexis Bledel. All three of the actors have found further success on other sitcoms. Milo Ventimiglia (Jess) went on to star as Peter Petrelli in Heroes before earning three Emmy nominations for This Is Us. Matt Czuchry (Logan Huntzberger) went on to star in The Good Wife, The Resident, and American Horror Story. Jared Padalecki (Dean) was cast as Sam Winchester in Supernatural, a role he played for an extraordinary 15 seasons.
There’s little else info about the upcoming documentary, but I’ll update here when we have some! So, please excuse me while I brew some coffee and rewatch the series for the millionth time. See you after Friday night dinner.
In Australia, you can stream Gilmore Girls and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life on Netflix.
