In addition to baking pumpkin bread and going apple picking, watching “Gilmore Girls” should be added to your fall itinerary
By SOPHIE DEWEES — arts@theaggie.org
It’s the time of year for crunchy leaves, steaming cups of apple cider, pumpkin patch visits and, for me, rewatching “Gilmore Girls.”
The series — for those who may not have seen it — revolves around a coffee-fueled mother and daughter duo who share a unique bond due to their 16-year age difference. They always have impossibly snappy comebacks on hand, run almost solely on caffeine and junk food and seem to have seen every film and musical ever produced. While some have critiqued the two as being a bit high-maintenance and self-centered, they are nevertheless loveable and endlessly entertaining.
The mother, Lorelai Gilmore, has a complicated relationship with her parents and their conversations are hilarious and brilliantly written. The characters will also often discuss what might otherwise be a dull conversation topic, such as the size of candy bars given out around the neighborhood for Halloween, but the clever writing makes these seemingly mundane topics interesting. And, I might add, part of the brilliance of this show is that they have conversations made to mimic real life.
While watching “Gilmore Girls,” I am often struck by the realistic nature of the series. Despite the manufactured elements of the show, such as backgrounds in California that look vaguely like they might be on the East Coast or the Burbank Hills, the relationships and dialogue feel like they could have actually been snippets from a real conversation.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve watched “Gilmore Girls,” but each year when fall rolls around, I cannot help but feel inspired to start it again. Although the series was filmed on a Hollywood set, the story takes place in an idyllic small town in Connecticut that is regularly lined with seasonal decor that transports viewers. There are annual town events that are dedicated to one season or another, but while the seasons change throughout the series, the entirety of the show has an autumnal feel to it. This is partially due to the red and orange trees in the opening credits and the warm tones of many of the scenes. The characters also regularly engage in classic fall activities such as sipping coffee from oversized mugs and enjoying crisp New England weather in funky, early 2000s clothing.
There’s something so comforting about settling in to watch an episode that’s reliably fun and silly, while at the same time offering interesting dialogue and complicated characters and familial relationships. So next time you’re scrolling through Netflix looking for something to watch while snacking on pumpkin-spiced Trader Joe’s treats, I recommend rewatching (or watching for the first time) this witty and highly entertaining series that is sure to put you in the fall spirit.
Written by: Sophie Dewees — arts@theaggie.org
