Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Lifeall but confirmed that Rory is a flawed character. Her relationship troubles were particularly highlighted in theGilmore Girlsrevival, which made the mistakes she made in the original show so much worse by comparison. While her decision to drop out of Yale and cause a rift between her and her mom, Lorelai, is definitely up there as one of Rory’s biggestGilmore Girlsmistakes,A Year In The Lifeestablished that her decision to cheat with Dean was really the worst of them all.
WhileA Year in the Lifehad the potential to show Rory’s growth as a young woman, her actions with Logan and Paul showed thather character stagnated inGilmore Girls. Her inability to remain loyal to others' relationships is one of severalmoments inA Year in the Lifethat was set up inGilmore Girls. How things turned out for Rory inA Year In The Lifemay be disappointing, but it has strong roots in her choices inGilmore Girls.
Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life Doubled-Down On Rory’s Cheating Storyline
First With Dean, Then With Logan
One of the most shocking moments inGilmore Girlsis when Rory loses her virginity to her married ex-boyfriend, Dean. The worst part of this already uncomfortable scene is whenRory tells Lorelai that she slept with “my Dean.“As an outside observer, Lorelai quickly tells her that Dean is married now and Rory is the other woman.Rory and Dean’s romance inGilmore Girlshad its advantages and disadvantages for both characters, but the shocking revelation that they had slept together after Dean was married cements it as Rory’s worstGilmore Girlsmistake.
At least inGilmore Girls, Rory was young and at least had the excuse of immaturity.
It was Rory’s subsequent emphasis that she did not do anything wrong that made the situation so much worse. Unfortunately, the same thing happens inA Year in the Life.Logan and Rorystill see each other despite them both being in committed relationships. At least inGilmore Girls, Rory was young and at least had the excuse of immaturity. InA Year in the Life, on the other hand,both characters are very aware of the harm they can cause with their actionsbut continue seeing each other with no remorse.
Why Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life’s Rory Story Didn’t Work
The Revival Focused On Rory’s Life After Graduating
A big reason why Rory’s story inA Year In The Lifedid not work is because it felt too much likeRory’s narrative was a direct continuation of what her life was like after graduatingfrom college.A Year In The Lifetakes place nine years afterGilmore Girls, yet there’s a sense Rory hasn’t truly grown as a person.
One Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life Change Explains Why It Didn’t Compare To The Original Show
There was one major difference between Gilmore Girls and its Netflix revival A Year In The Life, and it was this change that ruined the revival.
Given Rory’s education and ambition at the end of the original series, it was expected that by 32 she would have a stable career and know what she wants in life. However,the revival goes in a completely different direction. Rory’s messy love life also speaks to her character’s confused sense of direction. Her relationship with Paul is cruel, her one-night stand with a man in a Chewbacca costume is weird, and her ongoing relationship with Logan is a reminder of Rory’s past. Overall,Rory’s story inA Year in the Lifewas vastly different from the expectations set up inGilmore Girls.
Gilmore Girls' “Final Four Words” Plan Hurt Rory In The Revival
Rory Was Set To Repeat The Past From The Beginning
The infamousGilmore Girls' final four words were planned from the start, according to theGilmore Girlscreator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, viaVox. While there were speculations as to what those words could be,Gilmore Girlsnever aired their last season, sothe final words were allotted to the last episode of the revival, nine years later. In “Fall,” Rory tells Lorelai that she is pregnant in the final moments of the show.
Yeah?
I’m pregnant.
The final four words hurt Rory in the revival becauseher destiny to repeat Lorelai’s past meant she had to act younger and more irresponsiblein order to have Sherman-Palladino’s vision come to life. This is also why the revival never worked. To have this ending in the original show would have made more sense because it would have aligned with Rory’s recent history of acting impulsively. By placing this ending inGilmore Girls:A Year in the Life, there is an implication that Rory never learned from her mistakes in the nine years between the shows, which is unrealistic and disappointing.
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
Cast
Acting as a follow-up to the original series, Gilmore Girls, A Year In The Life is a comedy-drama series. Having completed her stint on the Obama campaign trail, Rory now finds herself as a freelance journalist with an inconsistent life. Meanwhile, Lorelei finds herself lost in life before her upcoming marriage to Luke. This four-part mini-series follows the titular mother-daughter duo as they continue to navigate their mother-daughter relationship in Star’s Hollow.
