Gilmore Girls: Why Michel Didn’t Leave The Dragonfly

Gilmore Girls left viewers with a lot of unanswered questions, but the series did explain why the embittered supporting character Michel stuck around so long despite his desire to leave. The WB hit Gilmore Girls was a firm favorite for fans of quick-witted dramedy, but its 7 seasons and revival miniseries left a lot of plot threads hanging.

However, fans may be surprised to discover that Gilmore Girls did actually offer an explanation (and a pretty convincing one at that) for why the sardonic hotelier Michel stuck around despite hating his job (and often his co-workers Sookie and Lorelei, too). Michel was always talking about how much he despised the Dragonfly and working in service, so why did he stay rooted in Stars Hollow for the entire duration of the series?

In one season 6 episode, Michel wins big on The Price Is Right and manages to net himself an RV worth $100,000. Of course, this being Michel he’s immediately heartbroken that he opted for the prize and not $50,000 in cash instead as it would have been more convenient. That said, $100,000 is still a life-changing sum of money (in RV form or otherwise). It’s particularly promising for a man who’s never been happy in his job as a hotel clerk, so why didn’t he leave the Dragonfly (and Stars Hollow, for that matter)? The answer would seem to be that he can’t bear to part with old friends Sookie and Lorelei and that, despite himself, he has a sentimental attachment to the place. But that’s actually not the real cause.

The show’s much-maligned revival A Year in the Life brought the older, but no wiser Rory and Lorelei back to the small screen, and in this miniseries, it’s revealed that Michel does eventually leave the Dragonfly behind and move on to the prestigious and more lucrative W Hotel (although why he opted to stay working in hospitality when he has such an intense disdain for people is unclear). So it’s clear that the character wasn’t kidding when he claimed to want out, and it’s understandable—unlike Sookie and Lorelei, Michel doesn’t have a financial stake in the success of the inn. And unlike most of the community-minded townspeople (save for Rory’s best friend Lane Kim), Michel’s most notable characteristic is that he longs to leave Stars Hollow for bigger and better things.

The actual reason that he stays is buried in the episode. Gilmore Girls‘ season 6 maintained more character consistency than Gilmore Girls‘ much-hated season 7, so it’s no surprise that the in-story justification for Michel’s persistence is more in-character than anything sentimental. Although the RV is worth $100,000, Michel is stuck selling it himself and the melodramatic supporting character is so despondent that he almost gives it away for a fraction of its worth, $20,000. Lorelei may have stepped in before the depressed Michel could seal the deal, but even if the RV went for more than $20,000, odds are that the sale didn’t leave Michel with enough. It’s a great touch as this episode explains why Michel, despite not being a partner in Lorelei and Sookie’s business, still stuck around in Stars Hollow for so long. Gilmore Girls puts the reason for his consistent residency down to his money mismanagement rather than his love for the town, offering a satisfying explanation for fans that fits the character and the bittersweet tone of the series.

About The Author

Cathal Gunning
(1446 Articles Published)

See also  How Katy Perry Balances Being A Mom & Performing

Cathal Gunning has been writing about movies and TV online since 2020. His obsessions include The Simpsons, Stephen King, the Scream series, and the horror genre in general. He has spent more time thinking about Stranger Things than the writers of Stranger Things, and he has never seen a Star War.

More From Cathal Gunning