Gilmore Girls: The Best Storyline In Each Season

Gilmore Girls has been deemed a teen drama classic, especially since it became available for streaming on Netflix. New fans have emerged over the past 20 years since it first premiered, and with those fans came a lot of opinions as to which Gilmore girl is the favorite, which season is the best, and which Gilmore Girls love interest was the most romantic.

Not every season of a TV show can be a winner, and Gilmore Girls definitely had some duds but also boasted some near-perfect storylines and character arcs. Through it all, there was always at least one plot that made the season worth watching, one that left viewers coming back week after week back then and pressing “next episode” now.

Season 1 – Rory & Dean’s Romance

In the first season of the show, precocious Rory Gilmore had never had a boyfriend or even been kissed. That all changed when she met Chicago native Dean Forester the day before she was due to leave behind Star Hollow High School and begin her education at Chilton.

While most of season 1 was all about Rory and Lorelai finding their footing and navigating Friday night dinners, new schools, and mean girls, the most enjoyable storyline was watching Rory go from being an awkward teenager to one hopelessly in love. Though it was a rocky road, Rory’s first love shaped who she was going to be for the rest of the series, and at time Dean was a pretty great first boyfriend. The good news is, there are plenty of Gilmore Girls episodes for fans missing Rory and Dean.

Season 2 – The Jess/Rory/Dean Love Triangle

Despite their love story being the best part of season 1, Dean and Rory’s teenage romance wasn’t built to last. The biggest threat to their relationship came in the form of Luke’s nephew, Jess Mariano, who attempted to woo Rory from the second he stepped foot in town.

Love triangles on television can often be played out and boring, but Gilmore Girls managed to keep fans entertained with this one. Viewers couldn’t seem to pick who was better suited for Rory from one week to the next, and still to this day argue Rory should have been with each love interest. Ultimately, season 2 was so great because of the love triangle and the drama between other characters, like Luke and Lorelai, that ensued because of it.

Season 3 – Lane Joining Hep Alien

Rory’s best friend Lane Kim often got the short-end of the stick when it came to storylines because, as Rory moved on with her academic career at Chilton, Lane was left in Stars Hollow. Thankfully that changed in the third season when she joined a band and had her first major love interest in Dave Rygalski.

Lane joining Hep Alien allowed her to have more screentime and the show to become more balanced between life in Star Hollows and life in Hartford. The tension between Lane and her mother as she joined the band and pursued Dave provided for more mother-daughter drama, which was exactly what the show was about in the first place.

Season 4 – Lorelai Opening The Dragonfly Inn

Lorelai had hopes of opening and running her own inn since the very first season, and it finally became a reality in season 4. Her purchase of the Dragonfly allowed for plenty of other great storylines to happen, like the demise of her relationship with Digger, the separation of her parents, and Dean coming back into Rory’s life.

Lorelai’s independence and a newfound business venture with Sookie and Michel also led to her blossoming romance with Luke. Their first kiss took place on the steps of the inn she created and went on to be one of the most iconic scenes in the show’s history.

Season 5 – Richard and Emily’s Wedding Vow Renewal

When Richard and Emily separated in season 4, fans knew it wasn’t going to be forever. The relationship between the two of them needed work, but was always one that was founded on true love and mutual respect.

Their vow renewal gave viewers some of the best scenes in the entire show, like their first dance and Rory and Logan’s hookup. It also created a lot of drama, such as Christopher making a fool of himself (and Lorelai) and Lorelai telling her mother that she was done with her. The storyline showed the complexities among family members, and how a happy event can very quickly turn sour.

Season 6 – Rory and Lorelai’s Road To Reconciliation

One of the most difficult storylines to watch on the show was the estrangement between Rory and Lorelai at the beginning of season 6. Beginning with a rocky moment in Luke and Lorelai’s relationship timeline when they get engaged without Rory’s knowledge to the younger Gilmore girl moving in with her grandparents and taking time off from Yale, the estrangement storyline was difficult to stomach for a lot of viewers who loved their mother-daughter bond.

However, the estrangement was realistic and much needed as the Gilmores continued to grow and mature. The road to reconciliation between the two was long and sometimes drawn out, but it also reminded fans of what made the show so great; the real love between a mother and a daughter and the complicated relationship that goes along with it.

Season 7 – Rory’s Graduation

Much of season 7 was unfortunately lackluster in terms of storytelling. Opening with Lorelai and Luke breaking up due to her sleeping with Christopher after their big fight, the episodes kind of dragged on from that point forward, keeping the fan-favorite couple apart for the entirety of the final season.

However, the bright spot in an otherwise dull season was the final few episodes that revolved around Rory’s college graduation. After watching her grow up for nearly seven years, viewers finally got to see what was becoming of Rory Gilmore. She turned down Logan’s proposal to make sure she got the future she wanted and had a grand grad party Stars Hollow-style, where loose ends were tied and many tears were shed.

A Year In The Life – Emily’s Grief

While the Gilmore Girls Netflix revival A Year In The Life was met with a lot of criticism from original fans of the series (especially in terms of Rory’s storyline), viewers were happy with the parts that centered around Emily Gilmore and the aftermath of Richard’s death.

Emily finally began to attend therapy with her daughter, though it didn’t always go as planned. She also left behind her rich Hartford friends at the DAR in order to do things that made her truly happy, such as being with her family and giving back to others. It was one of the best full-circle moments in Gilmore Girls and proved that Emily had learned from her relationships with her daughter and granddaughter after all.

About The Author

Emily Proctor
(213 Articles Published)

Emily Proctor is an entertainment writer and avid television fan. She recently graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in Communication, Media, and Theatre Arts. In addition to writing for Screenrant, Emily frequently publishes personal essays on her Medium profile and personal blog SheWritesTV.com. She is also an aspiring actress and songwriter.

You can follow Emily on Twitter at @emproct for more of her opinions on pop culture, the latest TV and movies, and links to her work.

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