Netflix has hundreds of thousands of shows, but out of all the shows on Netflix, one show has become increasingly popular the last few years, reaching almost 500 million hours watched. This show has become so popular that Warner Brothers created a studio tour for its 25th year airing this 2025. This one show, unlike others, has placed in the top 10 ever since the 2000s.
The show is Gilmore Girls. Gilmore Girls is a show about a woman named Lorelai Gilmore, and her daughter, Rory Gilmore. They live in a small town called Stars Hollow. People have become obsessed with their lives, memorizing scenes and watching all of the 153 episodes in the show. There are thousands and thousands of people who love this show so much, like one of my friends, who has bracelets with all of the places shown in Gilmore Girls.
When I first learned about Gilmore Girls, the first thing I wondered was, how did a show like this become so popular? In the 2000s, when Gilmore Girls was created, the most popular shows were Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, and Gilmore Girls, placing 2nd the year it was created. Today, the show surpasses hit shows on Netflix like Seinfeld and Stranger Things . I talked to some of my friends about their thoughts of the show before I started to watch Gilmore Girls. One of my friends told me, “Gilmore Girls is my life! I literally watch it everyday.” Another one of my friends mentioned, “I love all the different personalities of the characters and how they all get along with each other, despite their differences.” When I started watching Gilmore Girls, I started to get addicted to the show as well. I understood when people told me that you would never want to stop watching, and you’ll never have a moment where you get bored.
I picked an episode called You Jump, I Jump, Jack to focus on (Season 5, Episode 7). This episode started with Rory seeing a girl in a ballgown at her college Yale University that said “In Omnia Paratus.” Rory decides to investigate and learns about a secret society themed from the 1930s called the Life and Death Brigade. When Rory takes a trip with the society, she finds out that it has some unique and unusual rules. For example, no one says the letter ‘e’ and they dress in a 1930s antique style. When Rory gets there, she doesn’t feel like she fits in. At Rory’s high school Chilton and now at her college Yale, Rory feels like an outcast multiple times. Even with Rory’s grandparents, Emily and Richard, she is an outsider compared to their formality. In addition to feeling awkward from their formality, her mother Lorelai has arguments with her mother, making situations difficult for Rory. When Rory feels excluded, she feels awkward and wants to be included in the situation. Unlike Rory, when Lorelai feels like an outcast at her parents’ house, she either wants to pick a fight or to flee the situation. Lorelai has an instinct to flee awkward situations which is why I believe that she moved out of her parents’ house as soon as possible. Similar to Lorelai, Luke, her boyfriend, feels similarly and wanted to flee when he was first introduced to Lorelai’s parents.
At Rory’s high school Chilton, Rory felt a lot of academic pressure. This made Rory feel insecure and left out similar feelings with her grandparents. This feeling of being excluded and ‘different’ continues at her college. At Yale, she ends up dropping out of school from the pressure, feeling.unwanted until she finds a box in her tent from a boy named Logan. She opened the box to find a beautiful light blue ball gown, fitting perfectly with what all of the other members are wearing. This is one of the first times that Rory has seen someone make an effort to include her and it really impacted her relationship with Logan. Not only does it mean a lot to Rory, but it also foreshadows how one day they might start a relationship from how much Logan understands Rory. This is an example of how small acts can have lasting impacts. Though, when Logan and Rory do start a relationship, Lorelai doesn’t approve of Logan and believes that he is too dull for Rory. Even though Lorelai doesn’t approve, Rory still likes Logan and continues to hang out with him. I believe that the reason why Rory still likes Logan after her mom disapproves is because of how he tried to make her feel included ever since the start.
After putting on her new dress, Logan wants Rory to jump off of a high platform. This is a tradition at the Life and Death Brigade, and Logan believes it would be a fun experience for them to do. At first, Rory doesn’t feel like it is a good idea because she believes it isn’t safe. After some convincing, Logan convinces Rory to jump. The moment before they jump together, Rory says the phrase, “You Jump, I Jump, Jack”. This phrase shows how much trust Rory puts in Logan and how she’s willing to face her fears as long as it is with him. In the end, they both jump off of the platform together, holding each others hands.
This one episode has so much meaning and it shows the audience many different things. Ultimately, I believe that this show highlights the importance of our connections in our life and how we will put ourselves in uncomfortable situations for the people we love. It shows how Rory put her trust into Logan even though she had just met him, only because he gave her a dress to make her feel more included. This show takes a closer look at how people all have different personalities, but that doesn’t mean they cannot create meaningful connections. Logan and Rory before they were friends were distant because Logan seemed more refined, and to Lorelai, Logan seemed too bland. Though, after some time to get to know each other, they started a relationship, despite their differences.
Gilmore Girls also has many young women who watch it, and Gilmore Girls tells young women many things. Gilmore Girls tells young women how there will be struggles with the people around you, like Lorelai’s mother, but that shouldn’t stop you from being yourself. Gilmore Girls shows how small things can create big impacts, like what happened in You Jump, I Jump, Jack with Rory and Logan. On top of that, some people are harder to make connections with, but that’s okay. Gilmore Girls shows the viewers how it isn’t a bad thing to have a smaller group of friends than a larger one, just like how Rory at all of her schools has kept her friendship circle smaller than larger. The show also teaches its viewers to persevere because by persevering you can achieve much more than you thought you could, just like how Rory was able to jump off of the platform. As well as that, Gilmore Girls teaches its viewers to be confident and people will say bad things about you, like how some of the people at the Life and Death Brigade said to Rory for not fitting in. Gilmore Girls shows realistic situations that people go through daily, and teaches the viewers that it’s okay to make mistakes, and that in the end you will get through it.
So, to answer my question in the beginning, why is Gilmore Girls so popular? After watching Gilmore Girls, I think that people continue watching Gilmore Girls, episode after episode for a couple of different reasons. One reason is sometimes hard to recognize, but in every episode there are many situations and watching Gilmore Girls reminds me of talking with a friend, relating to each other about struggles or achievements you have been through. Gilmore Girls makes you feel included in a life so similar to your own and takes a closer look at how the people around you can impact you in different ways.
Gilmore Girls reminds us of all of the connections we make in our lives, as well as how important it is to us. Gilmore Girls teaches us to improve our mistakes, but making mistakes is totally okay. Gilmore Girls tells us that the amount of friends you have doesn’t matter, though what matters is the connections you’ll create. Gilmore Girls shows the viewers how you will have struggles, though you also will find that you have many achievements. Gilmore Girls gives us realistic situations that we go through in our life instead of unrealistic situations like other shows. Lastly, Gilmore Girls tells us in the end, you are able to get through any struggles that you go through with perseverance and confidence.
Alaina Gourley is a 13 year old girl who lives in California and enjoys writing, reading, and theater in her free time.
