After 10 years of "are Luke and Lorelai finally together?," "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" premiered on Netflix on Friday 25th November, and has answered all of the questions that have plagued fans since the day that Rory and Lorelai sat alone in Luke's Diner after Rory's farewell party.
The series begins with events that unfold following the death of patriarch Richard Gilmore
Emily is heartbroken without him by her side and struggles to find her place in the world as a widower. It’s difficult to watch such a powerful woman break down and do things that are completely out of character.
There are highly entertaining moments, too, making Emily’s character arc the most satisfying out of the entire series.
Clearly affected by her father's death, Lorelai finds herself at a crossroads in her life, asking whether or not she is truly happy with everything that she has. It can be difficult at times to follow what she is thinking, and we are forced to rely on our own assumptions to move the plot forward.
Surprisingly, Rory appears to be the least affected by her grandfather's death, and there have been few character developments. She continues to relive the same recycled story lines and make the same mistakes. It’s disappointing to see that she hasn’t changed and that we are no closer to seeing her be the character that she can be.
All of the other great characters that we love return.
Kirk has a pet pig, naturally. Taylor is still running the town. The boyfriends are all back, for better or worse. Lane and the band are still going, but we don’t see what has happened to her since the original series ended. Paris Gellar has not changed, and once again remains a stand out character to watch.
Fans of Gilmore Girls, or newcomers to the series, might be disappointed with the revival. All of the qualities that made the original series great are completely lost here. The characters are shadows of what they once were, and even Stars Hollow has lost its charm. It’s mildly entertaining to watch, and Kelly Bishop is outstanding as Emily Gilmore, but the series mostly provides a flat, lifeless conclusion to what had once been a great show.
