Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Review (2016) - A caffeine-fueled, witty, strange and bittersweet journey back to Stars Hollow!

Hello there, fellow Gilmore enthusiasts! If you're like us, you were probably delighted when news of the 2016 revival, "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life," hit the airwaves. Stars Hollow, Lorelai, Rory, and all the delightful characters we love were back to grace our screens and initially we were thrilled! While the first iteration definitely is not without its issues, overall the original show was a fun ride! So we were fairly excited for the revival…that is…until we watched it and found that it fell pretty short. We recommend our drinking game for this one, but it is of course, entirely up to you!

Here are some trigger warnings that need to be addressed, death, grief, terminal illness, infidelity, and abusive and toxic family dynamics. These themes are presented in a heartfelt manner overall, but they could evoke strong emotions. Additionally, there are depictions of emotional manipulation (emotional abuse), strained relationships, and characters dealing with existential crises. The show is comedic but it's essential to approach the series with caution.

We are going to do our best here to cover the essence of the show as a whole, the show is 4 movie length episodes long…and it is no LOTR so please keep that in mind when watching or binging. We will also do everything we can to not give too many spoilers in this review but there is likely to be some so please take that into consideration and read cautiously.

First things first, the nostalgia truly does hit you like a truck at the start! The show opens with a classic winter scene of Stars Hollow. Snow is on the ground, town folk are milling about in picturesque winter outfits and we see Lorelai (Lauren Graham) sitting on the stoop of the beloved Star’s Hollow gazebo with coffee in hand. Rory (Alexis Bledel) pops up, they chat and they share a long hug. Stars Hollow hasn’t aged a day, and the rapid-fire dialogue we love is back in full force! They banter and enjoy each other’s company as they walk through Star’s Hollow. It is endearing and cute…until Rory’s cell phone rings.

Rory digs through her purse and pulls out not 1, not 2…but 3 different cellphones! This was odd to us potatoes on a lot of levels. There is absolutely no reason to have so many phones…the writers tried to explain it as Rory needing a work phone…a personal phone, and a “Star’s Hollow” phone…it was a strange choice. But here we are!

Rory is a bit frantic because she is waiting on an opportunity for more journalistic work. She finds the right phone, and runs off to get the best reception. She bumps into her best friend Lane (Keiko Agena) on the way. They speak briefly, and Rory gets back on the phone.

We cut back to Lorelai who is waiting for Rory to get done with her call. She shares an odd conversation with fellow townsmen Kirk (Sean Gunn)…every conversation with Kirk is strange but he is hilarious and we love him! The town apparently chipped in to buy Kirk a Piglet named Petal and she is adorable!

Rory meets back up with Lorelai and they continue on their way to Lorelai’s house. We get a cute little montage of the town with snow falling, complete with the Town Troubadour singing in the background.

Cut to Lorelai and Rory walking up to the house, and inside. Luke (Scott Paterson), (Lorelai’s longtime boyfriend, he is one of our favorite characters!) is in the kitchen cooking, and both Rory and Lorelai start rooting around for more food despite this…it is rude but this does feel in character for them both.

What feels a bit icky about this scene is when Luke expresses some frustration with their snacking while he is making them dinner and Lorelai takes this as an opportunity to poke fun at “fat shaming” and “trigger warnings.” Unfortunately this is not a one time thing…a lot of the jokes in the revival seem to be mean spirited which was disappointing.

We know that this show was released back in 2016, but even so these jokes are seriously outdated and not well thought out. A lot of the jokes and commentary in the revival are poorly written and feels rushed and lazy. Whereas in the first series of “Gilmore Girls” a lot of the jokes were better written and a good many of them still hit well to this day! It is a bit perplexing to us potatoes as the show was written and produced by the original writers but we digress!

Rory and Lorelai run off to Rory’s room to avoid talking about the snacks any further. Rory has apparently shipped some of her belongings to Lorelai’s house…as well as to other people’s homes as well. This was also a really strange choice! Why would Rory ship her belongings all over the place?

Well she has gotten rid of her apartment and claims that this is her time to be “rootless.” Ok, maybe it does not make sense for you to have your own place if you are never home, but we still do not understand why she would not just ship all of her stuff to one place…or even get a storage unit if need be. It felt like the writers did this so Rory would have to go around Stars Hollow visiting people…which again felt oddly lazy, and overly complicated all at the same time.

Moving on! As Rory and Lorelai are chatting, Luke pops in to let Rory know that some guy is there…what guy? Her guy? Oh Paul! Paul (Jack Carpenter) is there for the dinner that Rory invited him to. No one can be bothered to remember this poor man exists or his name throughout the entire series and he is supposed to be Rory’s boyfriend! It is supposed to be funny…but again comes across more as incredibly insensitive, self-absorbed and just a tad cruel.

Rory rushes out to meet Paul. They exchange an awkward hug and kiss. Lorelai and Luke greet him and as soon as he has left the room they are both perplexed as they do not recognize him at all despite having clearly met him before. The implication is that Paul is forgettable and boring. Why? Just because? We do not understand the point of Paul other than to showcase that Rory is a jerk?

He actually comes across as kind, considerate and thoughtful. He remembers a lot of details about Luke and Lorelai. He is helpful, and seems like a genuinely decent guy. Not a “nice guy” just a decent dude. We really felt badly for him, and did not find his plight with the Gilmore self-absorption all that amusing.

We are wrapping it up here so as to not give away too many spoilers! Lorelai’s coffee addiction is as strong as ever, and Emily’s (Kelly Bishop) sharp wit is still cutting through the quaint Connecticut air. Rory was always tough to take at times, and her relationship with Lorelai has always been far more problematic than meets the eye, but in the revival she has become truly insufferable. Luke is still Luke, he still runs his rustic diner, and is still raging at Taylor when need be!

The town is filled with fun and zany characters that we know and love as well as some new ones. They managed to bring back a lot of the actors from the original series which was great to see! Michel (Yanic Truesdale) is hilarious! He was one of the best parts of the revival! But…they did not bring back Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) in the manner that they should have. She was an incredibly beloved and important character…that was a big mistake to us potatoes. Moving forward though!

The writing does continue to excel in witty banter and heartfelt moments. However, while the revival can be a warm, cozy blanket of familiarity, you will also discover that the blanket is full of moth holes! Some storylines felt incredibly forced, like they were trying way too hard to recapture the magic and just could not quite get there. Some character arcs left us potatoes annoyed and wondering…what the hell?

Now, we have to be straight forward, the revival is not great and it does not come close to the charm of the original show. But, at the same time, the revival doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of life. It dives into subjects like loss, unfulfilled dreams, etc. Mental health issues rear their heads. Emily’s journey, especially, sheds light on grief, depression and the search for identity after such a profound loss.

However, dysfunctionality seeps through the Gilmore family's interactions, as per usual, revealing how unresolved issues, generational trauma and lack of communication can lead to emotional abuse. It shows us that no matter how old we get, toxic family systems and abuse can still endure if no actual work has been done around it. It's painful at times to watch, but it's a stark reminder that even the most charming towns and charming families can be hiding dark realties. We liked this aspect of the show a lot, but nevertheless it still let us potatoes down a bit.

One of the most significant letdowns is the evolution (or devolution) of Rory Gilmore. Once a bright, and ambitious character, Rory now comes across as incredibly entitled and aimless. Her lack of direction in her career and personal life is frustrating to watch, especially considering her privileged background and ALL of the opportunities she's been given! Rory's judgmental attitude, lack of accountability and the way she treats others, including her affair with Logan, an engaged man, is gross to say the least.

Lorelai Gilmore, shows signs of regression as well! While her fast-paced banter and coffee addiction still remain, her impulsiveness, Peter Pan syndrome and lack of communication skills are greatly amplified. Her relationship with Luke, which one would think would be stable BY NOW, is marked by stagnation and a ton of unresolved issues! Additionally, the revival portrays Lorelai as somewhat of a bully, particularly in her interactions with her mother, Emily who is far from perfect but who is grieving the loss of her husband Richard. Lorelai is just as judgmental as Rory, and at times comes across as rather unkind, and entitled herself!

Even more annoying is the show’s attempt to paint not just Rory, but individuals in their 30’s who are struggling in one way or another, in general, as “losers.” It is ridiculous especially when you consider the fact that Rory's struggles are a direct result of her upbringing! Growing up with a mother who was more of a friend than a parent, the generational trauma, the privilege, etc.! All of this contributed to Rory's lack of direction, lack of a sense of self, entitlement, judgmental attitude and overall poor decision-making. The show, however, doesn't delve deep enough into this, leaving us with a deep sense of dissatisfaction! There is no real resolution and no real growth for Rory. There is implied growth, but the issue is in the behavior. If the behavior remains the same…it is difficult to buy that Rory has grown!

Another really big letdown for us was the way they chose to portray therapy. Not only did it practically scream BOOMER, therapy is portrayed with cynicism, insensitivity and reeks of misinformation. While this may reflect the characters' resistance to change and vulnerability. The show appears to almost be mocking therapy and presenting it falsely as ineffective, and unnecessary. The therapist is depicted as somewhat inept, reinforcing outdated views on mental health.

This portrayal reinforces harmful stereotypes about therapy. It downplays the importance of seeking professional help, adding to the existing and deeply concerning stigma around mental health care. Despite the show's casual approach, it misses an opportunity to not only give Lorelai and Emily the healing that we would have loved to see for them, but to promote a more authentic, realistic, positive and supportive view of therapy, which could have been empowering and sincerely helpful to their audience.

On a positive note though! One of the only characters to truly grow, and change is, surprisingly enough, Emily Gilmore! Emily Gilmore undergoes a significant transformation and we love this for her! The circumstances around it are sad, and tough as it follows the passing of her husband, Richard. Struggling to redefine herself in the absence of her longtime partner and love, Emily embarks on a journey of self-discovery. It is slow going, and she is still a toxic person, but it is gratifying to see her rediscover herself. She moves away from her traditional life, she questions the D.A.R. and embraces newfound independence!

Is she healed, no longer toxic, and going to much needed therapy regularly or at all? No, but she has made some progress that we as the audience can see and feel! We adored this immensely and it did warm our hearts to see her find a new life for herself.

While "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" offers nostalgic moments and reunites us with familiar characters, it fails to capture the essence and charm of the original series. Was the show completely lacking in humor, charm and wit? Not at all, it was still entertaining at times, marginally amusing, and the dialogue was still fast-paced and witty. But if you are looking for the show to have the same level of magic, engagement, writing, or fun of the original series…you will find yourself disappointed there. It left us questioning the choices made by the characters we once found charming and appreciated, making it a very bittersweet return to Stars Hollow. If you are someone that appreciates some light humor, nonsense, emotional roller-coasters, and interesting writing that will confuse as often at it delights, than you will love this show!

We give this show 2 Irish coffee’s out of 5!

The Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Drinking Game

Take a sip anytime:

1.     The inn has a new chef.

2.     Anyone mentions Sookie.

3.     Rory and Lorelei eat junk food.

4.     Michel complains.

5.     Luke gives someone a fake Wi-Fi password.

6.     Sip to Richard (Edward Herrmann) anytime one of the Gilmore’s mentions him.

7.     Lorelei and Rory bicker or banter.

8.     Rory or Lorelai say anything mean or judgmental.

9.     Lorelai or Rory mention/drink coffee.

10.  Lorelei mentions "Lifetime."

11.  Anyone gossips.

12.  Paris is intense or loses it.

13.  Emily says a backhanded or snarky comment.

14.  Kirk does or says something weird.

15.  Taylor mentions Stars Hollow.

16.  Stars Hollow has a celebration or event.

17.  The Stars Hollow play makes you cringe, uncomfortable, or laugh.

18.  Anyone makes an ass of themselves.

19.  There's a Pop culture reference.

20.  You hear the classic "Lalala" or "Bababadapada".

21.  Rory forgets about her boyfriend, Paul.

22.  Petal the pig runs off.

23.  You see one of Rory's multiple phones or one of her phones rings.

What did you think?? Did you like the Show? Did you hate it!? Do you like the original series? Do you have suggestions for films we should consider?! Any and all thoughts are welcome! Let us know here in the comments and always remember to be safe, take care of you and drink responsibly!