This Gilmore Girls Episode Is Hard To Rewatch 21 Years Later

by

Even though Gilmore Girls had its share of flawed storylines and inconsistent character development, one plot from 2004 still feels particularly disappointing when watching the show today. The acting was consistently strong across the board, but unfortunately, the writing wasn’t always up to par.

While the acting in Gilmore Girls was consistently strong, the show’s writing wasn’t always as reliable. Several seasons suffered from storylines – both minor and major – that felt illogical or unsatisfying. The show disappointed fans with certain plot points, like Luke keeping his daughter a secret from Lorelai and the heartbreaking direction of Lane’s pregnancy story.

These issues appeared in the later seasons of the show, after the initial critical praise had begun to fade. Therefore, it’s not unexpected that some weaker episodes and storylines emerged in seasons 6 and 7 of Gilmore Girls, especially considering the show had a change in leadership during the final season.

Dean Cheating On With Rory Is So Much Darker After A Year in the Life

The biggest problem with the show isn’t Rory’s earlier mistakes, but a specific plot point in season 4, episode 22, “Raincoats and Recipes.” That episode features Rory losing her virginity to a married Dean after a period of uncertain flirting, and it feels like a significant and problematic shift for her character.

As the series progresses, Gilmore Girls starts to show Rory’s flaws more openly, and she begins to resemble her mother, Lorelai, in her behavior. In the earlier seasons, Rory is consistently idealized, and the show often conveniently explains away her mistakes. However, after her affair with Dean, she’s treated as a more independent and responsible adult.

Seeing Rory make mistakes and be imperfect, like her mother Lorelai, was a difficult development for viewers. Though Dean was the one already in a relationship, Rory wasn’t doing anything wrong by reconnecting with him. Despite this, it’s still considered one of her most questionable decisions throughout the series.

Dean and Rory’s Affair Was Always A Misjudged Gilmore Girls Moment

When Rory confesses her actions to Lorelai, her mother makes her realize she’s now involved in a complicated situation with Dean – essentially becoming the ‘other woman’ in his marriage. While Rory isn’t responsible for Dean and Lindsay’s problems, it’s a significant shift in her character. For the first three seasons, Rory was known for being exceptionally well-behaved, a stark contrast to the more rebellious Jess.

It’s shocking to see Rory compromise her values for a relationship with Dean, revealing she wasn’t as virtuous as we thought. When things were good with Dean or Jess, she would have never considered getting involved with someone who was already married.

After her breakup with Jess hurt her pride, Rory quickly started dating Dean again, hoping to feel better about herself. It was a regrettable decision, and she stubbornly defended it when Lorelai called her out. In fact, you could argue that Rory never really admitted she was wrong about it throughout the rest of the series.

Rory makes some impulsive decisions during season 5, including sailing away on a yacht with Logan and neglecting her schoolwork. While she does manage to graduate with honors and land a good job as a journalist right away, the later series A Year in the Life shows she didn’t follow through on that potential, and her career stalled.

The Gilmore Girls revival proved controversial, largely due to Rory’s questionable behavior. She carelessly cheats on her boyfriend, Paul, with her former love, Logan, despite knowing he’s engaged to someone else. Just as her previous relationship with Dean marked a turning point for her, this affair reveals the direction she’s ultimately chosen in life.

In A Year in the Life, Rory often comes across as incredibly self-absorbed. She frequently complains about not finding the right job, yet she also rejects opportunities and neglects the work she already has. This is a particularly frustrating side of her, but the show actually hinted at this behavior back in season 4 with the reappearance of Dean.

Rory And Dean’s Hook-Up Started Rory’s Gilmore Girls Character Devolution

Rory’s brief affair with Dean isn’t what ultimately harms her; it’s her insistence on justifying it, and even trying to rekindle the relationship, that reveals she prioritizes being right over personal development.

Despite Rory’s desire to leave Stars Hollow and experience new things, A Year in the Life shows she actually cherishes the town and its inhabitants more than she does facing the difficulties of a life beyond it. The fact that she ends the series by writing a memoir is particularly revealing.

Rory, much like Jay Gatsby, seems stuck repeating past mistakes, which ultimately prevents her from moving forward. Her inability to acknowledge her errors, particularly regarding her relationship with Dean, suggests she may not be ready to truly grow up and learn from them.

Read More

2025-11-15 16:59