This may come as a shock to you—but I know very little about this TV series other than I think it may be the whitest show of all time.
I’ve seen like, a handful of episodes over the years but I’ve never like sat through and watched it, but now I’m going to—and I’m going to take you on this journey with me.
That sounded like a threat but I promise it isn’t.
It’s on Netflix, it is binge-watching season, and so I shall do just that. I’m going to watch every Monday and update here with my little list!
I’ll have my little coffee, with my little notebook, and sit in our little Drew Barrymore chair that we got because of Tiktok and I’ll write my thoughts down.
Who are your favorite characters?
Does it get gay—dykey specifically?
Are there Black people?
If you are Black did you watch it?
Is it annoying?
TELL ME ALL YOUR THOUGHTS!!
What I *Knew Before Watching
*Some or all of this may be wrong.
It came out in the 2000s
They use a lot of big words
I don’t think there are Black people in it that are characters of note
They are rich, but also not, but also are…but also not?
Melissa McCarthy is a chef
Laurie goes to Harvard…or Yale
She has a roommate named Paige? Who is kind of a bitch?
New York and Connecticut is where it takes place, I think
The mom was a teen mom who hated her mom and kinda highkey kept the baby outta spite?
There’s a diner ran by a white man of mediocre attractiveness
and that is it.
I also remember the daughter from The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants and one of the most iconic magazine covers to ever exist:
That’s all I knew! So now…let’s get intoooo iiittttt!!!
Thoughts during Season 1 (Episodes 1-13)
So, I am just over halfway done with Season 1 and so far…I have some things to say and feelings to share.
I started watching while I was doing my hair and I’ve been keeping some NOTES. I even got a new notebook to keep track ‘cos I was running through our printer paper with all the things I had to say.
The best way to go about this is to give you a running list. Similar to the way that I used to do some running thoughts when I was over on Autostraddle, with some bigger thoughts in between!
LET’S GO SHALL WE!
I don’t know why, but it infuriates me that the first song to play is “There She Goes Again”, it’s like the Manic Pixie Dream Girl theme song and I’m nervous.
Why does he (Luke) look so mad?
Ew, Creep
Wait 2 Black references 5 minutes in!
Rupaul=shady
Macy Gray=fair
Officer Krupke is crazy
I HATE THIS THEME SONG
okay mid-way through the series and I hate it but I am singing along to it.
JARED PADELEKI? ALEX BORSTEIN? C’MON CASTING!
Okay, real question…is Frenchy a.k.a Michael Black?
I want Rory’s bookbag and sweater–NOW
Her bestie Lane, is Korean. One of two POC characters so far.
Painting your nails in class is INSANE
Ahhh I see, it’s the year 2000, when bullying was still legal. YIKES.
OMG HER MOTHER IS THE MOST PERFECT CUNT GRANDMA
“Protestants love oatmeal” is an insane thing to say. Also now I wanna rewatch Derry Girls.
Okay, this is where I am starting to feel like Lorelai is not the greatest mother and wants to be cool mom so fucking bad.
This is backward. You let your daughter apply to her dream school, tell her she’s accepted and starts in 3 days, and let her get excited while FULL WELL KNOWING YOU CAN’T PAY? AND IF YOU CAN’T PAY SHE CAN’T ATTEND? That’s like…bad parenting?
I would never in a million years leave a school called Stars Hollow High for one called Chilton. Get the fuck outta here. Certainly not.
OF COURSE SHE HAS THE PERFECT JEEEEEEEPPPPP!!
HER MOTHER IS A BITCH IN A SILK SHIRT—I LOVE IT
OMG THEY HATE EACH OTHER I’M SO EXCITED
Okay, so her parents hate her but love Rory?
Bitch, a dinner and a phone call a week to cover your kid’s dream school tuition? EAT UP!
I’m guessing that Lorelai wanted to break generational trauma, got pregnant while doing so, and is a now a young mom who never really had a chance to do the whole chaotic 20’s thing.
Wait, Rory’s real name is also Lorelai?
Okay so their relationship is…toxic?
So Rory met a boy (Dean) and wants to bail on her dream school?
Teen mom, I was right.
“Pull A Menendez” is WILD
I HATE this blonde person (Paris)
She’s a fucking HATERRRRRRRRRR
CHAD MICHAEL MURRAY IS THAT YOU?
Rory’s birthday song is my birthday song! I’ve never heard it on TV except for in 16 Candles!
Love that Lorelai wakes Rory up at the time she was born for cuddles and love.
This Episode (Season 1, Episode 6) made me actually like their relationship. I understand their dynamic more but Lorelai is still like…not a great mom.
RORY GOT MY DREAM COMPUTER FOR HER BIRTHDAY!
OKAY SO—I agree with Grandma Gilmore on this one (Season 1, Episode 9) come to the door to pick my kid up for the dance.
Don’t honk and lay on the horn and expect my kid to come running. It’s not even about tradition it’s more like manners and shows my kid you respect them. It’s a special occasion and I always want my kids to know they deserve the best and will also give it.
NOW, if this is one of their little whatever dates/hangs, sure, honk away. But this is special—lay off the horn and bring your ass to the door.
Also in this episode was Rory delivering this EPIC read—You’re just mad because I screwed up and I did it in front of Grandma and she nailed you for it!—PHEW! STAND UP RORY!
So far in this half of the season, my thoughts are mainly that this show is fine. I don’t hate it but I don’t love it. I can see how people could make this their fav but so far it’s…fine.
Also, my biggest gripe is that if this were A Black family it would never get this kind of vibe. Especially in the early aughts. They would never put a Black single mother on television—who was a teen mom—and basically make her regular as hell. She’d be going through every trauma imaginable and she sure as fuck wouldn’t be living in a quaint town like Stars Hollow. So that stings as I watch it you know.
Also…where are all the Black people? (This is a rhetorical question)
Back soon with Part Two of Season 1!
Thoughts during Season 1 (Episodes 14-21)
TBDDDDDDDDDDDD
If You Liked This Edition of Hi Shelli!
Here’s another you might really fuck with…
Thank you so much for reading Hi Shelli!
As always, all reviews are in front of the paywall and if you like what you read I hope you consider becoming a paid subscriber <3
EXCITED FOR YOU and subscribing now!! I’ve wanted to do an astrology shit talking centered Gilmore girls rewatch series all year!! It’s frustrating and phenomenal, can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
Loveeeee Gilmore Girls. I watched it when I was a kid and rewatching it now is so rewarding nostagia wose. Its one of thise shows that highlighs all the crucial moments in time. The introduction of, flat screens wnd the internet and the death of CDs, etc. It would be dated if it wanst for the evergreen coming of age storylines and tumultuous mother/daught relationships. I hope you love it as mich as I do.