Beyond Season 7--Virtual Gilmore!

[LostWithSawyer]

I hope I haven't missed a discussion on this topic, but I am currently obsessed with Virtual Gilmore and am hoping that some of you are as well and would like to discuss it! I recently discovered these excellent additions to the Gilmore universe. For those who don't know, Virtual Gilmore in an incredibly detailed imagining of Seasons 8, 9 and 10. They pick up directly following the series finale and resume a protrayal of every aspect of Stars Hallow characters and storylines. Every plot is covered and all characters are re-visited, ranging from the development of Luke and April's relationship to Rory on the campaign trial.  I am still reading Season 8 (I can't believe there are actually "scripts" for 22 episodes in this season!) and I am really enjoying the plot developments. It actually feels like the story has continued on in a very authentic way--almost as if they are true cannon of the series. Has anyone else read this?

 

 

[lulu1960]

I've read it and also participated in the writing of it.

[JayInChicago]

I'm liking it way more than I thought I would. I'm through episode two season 8. Usually for me when a show`s done it's done, but this is challenging that! (:

[Taryn74]

I loved our virtual seasons!!!

[blueray]

I've heard about this but never read it. I of course don't have time now but I heard it was  written by fans.

[lulu1960]

It was written by a group of us that were posters on TWoP. I participated in season 9 and 10.

[Kohola3]

Where does it reside?

[deepfriedcake]

Virtual Gilmore Girls

 

Wow, just seeing the names involved with this tremendous effort made me all teary. So many good memories! You saved me, ladies. I remember so distinctly reading the first episode. I was still so broken over the disaster of Season 6 and 7 and reading this virtual season made me whole again. I remember the excitement of Tuesday nights, coming home to read the next episode, and actually being able to visualize the action! Thank you a million times to all who were involved. Once Season 8 was over, I took the plunge into fanfiction reading and never looked back.

 

If you haven't already read this, I can't recommend it highly enough!

[BkWurm1]

Discovered the Virtual series two days ago and pretty much marathoned the first season.  Could not stop reading.  It's different than your standard fan fiction.  It really captures the feel of the show the way every episode revolves around something specific, the way all the characters are weaved in, and the way the scenes are broken down to about the length that you'd expect on the show.  At times it even frustrated me like the real show, leaving me wanting more only for it to be over. 

 

I'm a few episodes into season 9.  (Adored the season opener.)  I'd highly recommend the series to anyone missing the show.  The character voices are just, POW, right there.   

[lulu1960]

BkWurm, it was specially written like an episode. Teaser, scenes, closer. It was an interesting process to be involved in.

[BkWurm1]

BkWurm, it was specially written like an episode. Teaser, scenes, closer. It was an interesting process to be involved in.

The effort to achieve a consistently quality product showed.  So many different writers involved but it rarely was noticeable. 

 

I finished the last episode in the wee small hours this morning.  I'm already having withdrawals and difficulty remembering where the televised show ended and where the virtual season started.  More than once as I've been catching up on these boards, I've found myself wanting to reference something that happened in the virtual season as some sort of proof.  I worked hard to be ok with the ending the we got on TV, I mean, I have a pretty healthy imagination and I too (in my head) sent Lorelai off on a boat trip with Luke after she dropped Rory at the airport, but oh, the sheer amount of lovely moments and milestones that the virtual season provided! 

 

It just reinforced my original opinion on how much the show needed to have at least another season or two of Luke and Lorelai getting it right this time.  The virtual seasons aren't syrupy or over done.  There is a light hand and a deft touch that keeps everything balanced and very believable.  Such natural progressions of so many storylines.  Even the overall season pace and focus was replicated.   

 

There were small parts were I'd have preferred it to perhaps go a little differently, but that's the same with watching the show and like even when I'd have wished Emily might have been a tiny bit more balanced, she was never out of character. 

 

Oh and for any prospective readers worried about a Logan or a Jess showdown, they get mentions and there is some small interaction but neither are ever at all romantically entangled with Rory.  And even though I'm still not so secretly rooting for Rory and Jess, the way it ended didn't bother me in the least.  Rory is still so very young.  (She's only twenty two I think when the virtual series ends) She has a lot of life to live and in my ideal world, she and Jess wouldn't get together until they are closer to thirty anyway. (Maturity looks best on that particular pairing)  And hey, anyone with a hankering for a Logan ending can always imagine something similar.     

 

But stepping back to the Java Junkie stuff.  There was such quiet and simple affection between the pair written with humor and tenderness and all the Luke cringing moments and it was wonderful to see it deepen as their ability to communicate grew.  I'm not saying they had a hard time communicating early, just that they got even better at it in a way that always seemed appropriate and natural.  I didn't even realize how much they grew until I thought back about the whole series.  It all just flows.

 

And did I mention it's funny and sweet and wry and touching?  Yeah, if you haven't read the virtual season, you are absolutely missing out. 

 

Thanks again to all the many noggins that knocked together to produce such a special body of work.