I've recently started watching Gilmore Girls . I was too old, serious, reasonable, or whatever to watch the show when it first aired so I'm a bit late to the craze. But, someone informed me that I "must" watch the show. Then, I realized that since I'm a white woman it's practically required anyway so I started the series last weekend. 24 episodes later, I feel compelled to share my list of complaints thus far. No worries, this list will be spoiler free if there's another person out there who still hasn't tuned in.
1. This story is predictable. Like, from the first episode it's crystal clear a certain someone likes a certain someone else who feels the same way and neither will not do anything about it for a while. Then there's the thing one person wants more than anything else in the whole world and it's crystal clear that thing won't happen despite the writers trying desperately to sell me (and, I suppose other viewers) that it will happen. It has to happen for said person to ever find happiness. THAT, friends is a tell. I have stayed away from spoilers and do not know the details of the storylines so I'm tuning in to learn and I hate myself for it.
2. Watching the series on Netflix stinks. You know how when you watch stuff on Netflix there's a thumbnail to preview the next episode? Well, Netflix is using some cute but boring looking dark-haired young man on that thumbnail. Eff you, Netflix! The show is called Gilmore Girls, let's see if we can have an actual Gilmore Girl for the thumbnail. Or, if not a Gilmore, at least a girl. Lane would be a great choice: she's smart, funny, and adorable enough to keep up with Lorelai and Rory. Paris would be a good choice: she's smart, brooding, adorable, and hateful enough to keep me interested. Get yourself together, Netflix and get that dude (who maybe I'll discover soon and change my mind about all this anyway) off the thumbnail! I hate myself for not being outraged enough by this to quit watching. I hate that I have to know why he merits being the face of a show called Gilmore Girls.
3. Emily Gilmore is the greatest of the Gilmore Girls so far. The show is set up to make me (and, I suppose other viewers) hate Emily. No, I will not hate Emily. She is the matriarch. She knows who she is and is completely unapologetic about being true to herself. We need more women like Emily. Okay, not so much in the uptight, east coast elitist, blue-blood kind of way, but in the strong, uncompromising, Imma be me kind of way. Still, Emily is trying to grow emotionally, something that Lorelai has yet to do. Emily has the most potential for growth, perhaps, because she is emotionally cut off, but she has a desire to know her adult daughter as an adult while battling her desire to control said daughter. I want Emily to grow but I also want her to remain the same. I'm as conflicted as she is. I love Emily and I kinda hate myself for it.
4. Stars Hollow is the worst town name in all of television history. Okay, Charming from Sons Of Anarchy was a worse town name, but the show was so much better than Gilmore Girls so that doesn't count. The town of Stars Hollow is perpetually clean and well-kept. It's so perfect that of course, the name drips honey just like all the residents. I hate that I keep watching a show set in a town with his name.
5. There are lots of continuity problems. Here's one example: in a particular episode that has some pretty substantial moments (well, for GG, anyway) Rory has a certain class first period. A few episodes later, it's her last class of the day. This is a small thing but it bothers me. It's also never dark in this town except when it's always dark. One episode has Rory up at 6 am and it looks like noon with full sun. Also full light at 7 pm in the winter. I might consider living a place with a terrible name if it's the land of perpetual daylight only I know it isn't because a few episodes take place primarily in the dark despite the hour. Again, these are small details but I hate the show for these misses. Not enough to stop watching, mind you, but I hate it.
6. Mothers and daughters should not be best friends, especially at Rory's age. Look, I get it, Lorelai had Rory at 16 and now Rory is 16; Lorelai never fully grew up. However, I'm a therapist and I'm uncomfortable with Rory being the parentified child. Yes, it happens every day all across our great land but GG makes the parentified child a running gag. It's cool that they have fun and think alike, talk alike, and look alike but it's uncool that Rory has to pick up the pieces of mother's decisions. I hate that Rory has to be the grown-up when she is surrounded by grown-ups.
7. Why does everyone feel the need to remind Lorelai she got pregnant at 16? She is well-aware. Rory is aware. Emily is aware. Everyone in whole damn town is aware. I keep watching out of morbid curiosity. I want to see if the series can go three episodes in a row without reminding us of this fact. Yes, it would've been approximately 1984 when she got pregnant, but in the 80's we were past the scandal of a teenage pregnancy. And if we weren't, we certainly should have been. And by 2000, anyone who needs to remind Lorelai she got pregnant at 16 is just an ass. By the time this show originally aired, the sexual revolution was nearly half a century old. I hate that the townspeople are still so scandalized by their favorite resident and aren't shy about naming it.
8. The men are too perfect. Now many might not see a problem here, but in the episodes I've watched, the men have been treated badly by the women and are completely understanding about it. I love that they are understanding, but where's the edge? Why are the men so fully formed and perfect while the women are so flawed? Are the women so charming, their wit so quick, that the men don't understand what is happening? Is their beauty so enticing that all men just somehow see beyond their personality disorders? The men come across as boring and they do not have to be boring for the show to remain focused on the women. I hate that I want more conflict between the men and women but all this understanding is just ridiculous.
9. Are there no people of color or LGBTQ people in this town? I love that Lane is Korean and gives us a glimpse inside her family's neuroticism. Michel is great, too. But must the rest of the town be white, straight, cis folks? I hate that I'm watching yet another show that does not represent the full spectrum of the American experience. I hate that I keep watching with the hope Stars Hollow will become more representative of the 21st century than Mayberry was the 20th.
10. No one told me Melissa McCarthy was on this show! Sure, when the reboot was being filmed, I learned this fact but didn't care because MM has become a sought-after leading actress. I hate that I did not know about her in this terrific supporting role. I also hate that her character's name is Sookie but whaevs, she is fantastic!
11. For all it's flaws, GG is a wonderful, hope-filled, charming show. I hate charming characters. I hate charming towns. I hate hope-filled storylines. I hate this show for being so delightful and awesome.
