It’s been nine years since the show ended but fans welcomed Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life back with open arms. There’s so much to say about the new four-episode series and so much excitement springing around on the internet about it. So here’s a quick overview of each episode and what we’d rate it.
Winter- Episode 1
The first episode is everything we’d all hoped it would be. It’s got the strongest characters and it was great to see the people they’ve become, 9 years on. With Rory working on a new project, we begin to see her start to fall apart. Although this is not exactly what was expected from the Yale graduate, it certainly showed the natural struggle of life. From the wittiness of Rory forgetting the man she’s been in a relationship with for two years, to finding out she’s secretly got an ‘agreement’ with Logan, the first episode brought hope to us all. Watching the Winter episode made it feel like the Gilmore Girls never left.
We’d rate this episode 4/5 stars because it was a fantastic opening to the rest of the series, but it still had a few things that we’d wish we’d been able to see, and that includes Sookie. The episode held promise for fans and the chemistry between the characters were still strong.
Spring – Episode 2
One of the best scenes in this episode is when Rory and Paris go back to visit Chilton, where they went to school together. The difference between the two girls is immediately obvious, just like it used to be, but the strong personality of Paris mixed with Rory’s softer side works well. At the end of the episode, Rory moved back home, and it’s clear that she has nowhere to go and no choice.
To this episode, we give a 3.5/5, and this is because it’s when we start to see Rory fall apart. She does things that the old Rory wouldn’t do and doesn’t excel in the field that we all expected – so where is she going?
Summer – Episode 3
The episode began with April over for tea and Rory ended up giving her advice. It showed the wise Rory that we know and love. Rory’s determination is evident in this episode when she becomes the editor of the Stars Hollow Gazette when the newspaper is under threat of being shut down.
We rate this episode 3/5, and this is mainly due to the unnecessary length Stars Hollow Musical scene. Was it so important for us to see the whole thing? Perhaps not. This episode is when Jess advises Rory to write a book about the relationship between her and her mum, and that’s when the sparkle finally comes back, and we get to see Rory excited about the future again.
Fall – Episode 4
Wow. The big shocking ending, right? Pregnant?! However, when you think about it, this is probably how it’s supposed to go. The best part about this ending was how it finished on a huge cliffhanger, meaning there HAS to be another series or else the show won’t truly be ended. That was one of the main reasons for the reunion – to offer closure and finish the story how it was supposed to be. The setting for the wedding in this episode was beautiful; the perfect scene for a perfect day.
We’d rate this episode 4/5 stars because of the shock-factor and how it finally gave us some direction as to where Rory is going with her life. A couple of the other episodes felt disappointing because Rory was mainly running around trying to find a job, but in this episode it felt like she could finally be at peace with what she was writing. The main downfall of this episode was that when Sookie finally came back for a short time, it just wasn’t the same.
There were many good things about the series and a few things that could be worked on, but let’s hope that another season (if it is renewed) can bring us more and iron out the lingering questions.
