Gilmore Girls May Get Revived On Netflix?

[amensisterfriend]

I just recently heard that ASP wanted a L/C pairing and was surprised.

 

I wanted an L/C pairing too, personally, but that's mostly because Lauren Graham always seemed so much more relaxed around David Sutcliffe (I guess because they were friends in real life.) I also thought that Luke behaved so poorly in Season 6**, even before the whole April fiasco, that I thought he and Lorelai were better apart.

 

I never thought they should have gotten back together after breaking up in the middle of S5, but beyond that, yeah, I totally agree with you :) My jaw dropped just now when I read that AS-P wanted L/C as well. I honestly had no idea. Does anyone have the context for that? Did she always feel that way, or was it only after seeing the chemistry (or lack thereof) between Luke and Lorelai? And does she still feel that way now?! (It seems I'm too lazy to Goggle this stuff and would rather hear it from you guys instead!) 

[Smad]

I never thought they should have gotten back together after breaking up in the middle of S5, but beyond that, yeah, I totally agree with you :) My jaw dropped just now when I read that AS-P wanted L/C as well. I honestly had no idea. Does anyone have the context for that? Did she always feel that way, or was it only after seeing the chemistry (or lack thereof) between Luke and Lorelai? And does she still feel that way now?! (It seems I'm too lazy to Goggle this stuff and would rather hear it from you guys instead!) 

Well I'm guessing ASP would use the same crappy excuse LG always used when it came to L/C. Something about wishfullfillment and nuclear family. The show was never set in reality after all. I don't think we will ever really know because ASP was famous for stringing everyone along, especially with regards to L/L. If she now comes out and says she actually always prefered L/C she is making a liar out of herself and would lose most of her cred. Not that she has any left where I'm concerned. I'll never believe anything the woman says ever again. That ship kinda sailed back when the show was still airing.

 

As for chemistry, it makes me wonder about something. I can totally admit that LG and DS have nice chemistry. But why is that enough for people? Is this just an American thing or something? Why are people rooting for a pair just because they have chemistry or because they look hot together on screen. Is that honestly all it takes? If you like Lorelai why on earth would you support her being together with this waste of human genes named Christopher. Because they have chemistry? Blech, that's not a reason.

[amensisterfriend]

Speaking just for myself, chemistry isn't at all about "looking hot together"---the couple I know in real life who I'd say has the most chemistry is not especially attractive at all , in fact :) For me, chemistry is about whether I buy into a real romantic connection and attraction between two people, that magical feeling you can't really quantify or define (which is partly why it's so subjective.) Do they really seem to love and get each other? Do they light up around each other? Does each seem happier around the other and as if they really want them, are drawn to them and maybe even need them (though not, like, in a creepily codependent way!)  Do they seem to love kissing and talking and holding hands and just relaxing together? Do they make each other smile and laugh and seem like their most comfortable, natural selves? Does each make the other seem most alive? When people talk about Luke and Lorelai lacking chemistry, it's often because they seemed so sadly devoid of all that to some of us once they became a couple, and friends without any of that other stuff are generally better off as friends---not to mention that Lorelai and Luke just have fundamentally incompatible personalities, interests, perspectives, attitudes, etc. 

Edited November 12, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[Smad]

Speaking just for myself, chemistry isn't at all about "looking hot together"---the couple I know in real life who I'd say has the most chemistry is not especially attractive at all , in fact :) For me, chemistry is about whether I buy into a real romantic connection and attraction between two people, that magical feeling you can't really quantify or define (which is partly why it's so subjective.) Do they really seem to love and get each other? Do they light up around each other? Does each seem happier around the other and as if they really want them, are drawn to them and maybe even need them (though not, like, in a creepily codependent way!)  Do they seem to love kissing and talking and holding hands and just relaxing together? Do they make each other smile and laugh and seem like their most comfortable, natural selves? Does each make the other seem most alive? When people talk about Luke and Lorelai lacking chemistry, it's often because they seemed so sadly devoid of all that to some of us once they became a couple, and friends without any of that other stuff are generally better off as friends---not to mention that Lorelai and Luke just have fundamentally incompatible personalities, interests, perspectives, attitudes, etc. 

Ok and that's a nice way to explain your POV, which I happen to agree with. But that doesn't describe L/C either. So why? They sure match with what you said about the physical aspects. But any of the other stuff? Nope. Their connection doesn't extend beyond 'remember when...'. They also use each other as crutches. When Chris needs a mommy (or some ass or both) he slinks back to Lorelai. Lorelai loves how easy it is with him because there is no adult relationship that's overly complicated and she is in full control of the relationship which makes it easier for her. It also doesn't hurt that she can be 16 around him when the adult world crushes her. That's not even remotely healthy for either of them. I also don't see the love. Using each other isn't love. What Chris did in WBB is the total opposite of love. The same is true for me in Partings. And the beginning of S7.

 

Yes Luke and Lorelai are fundamentally different in certain aspects but they do have plenty in common, they just show it differently. But I won't list it all again because it's been done to death.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Smad

[Eyes High]

As for chemistry, it makes me wonder about something. I can totally admit that LG and DS have nice chemistry. But why is that enough for people? Is this just an American thing or something? Why are people rooting for a pair just because they have chemistry or because they look hot together on screen. Is that honestly all it takes?

 

Sometimes, yes. Milo Ventimiglia and Hayden Panettiere had crazy chemistry on Heroes that the characters they were playing were not "supposed" to have (well before the actors started dating in real life), and I remember there were a lot of fans of their relationship early on in the show, wrongness (big age difference, Hayden's character was a high school student) notwithstanding. The writers later revealed that their characters were closely related, and I remember speculation at the time that the writers introduced this information as a way of getting around the substantial support the pairing had.

 

That's the weird thing about chemistry between actors. It's lightning in a bottle. It can't be forced or artificially created. Sometimes, it occurs between actors playing characters who have no business hooking up and who should in theory want nothing to do with each other romantically, when these characters' intended mates are played by actors with whom the actors have comparatively less chemistry. This leads to a dilemma for TV writers when the chemistry is powerful enough. Do they 1) ignore it and stick with their plan (and keep the characters paired with other characters where there is substantially less chemistry between the actors) or 2) go with the chemistry between the actors and capitalize on it, regardless of how much violence this might do to the integrity of the characters in question? It's always interesting to me to see whether or not writers will stick with their plan or run with a compelling pairing and worry about whether or not it's in character later.

 

To bring this back to Gilmore Girls, I think the lack of chemistry between the main actresses and several of their respective love interests made it difficult to get invested. The only love interest of Rory's who seemed to have any chemistry with her was Jess (in my opinion). As for Lorelai, my opinion is that the only one she had any chemistry with was Christopher. I don't think that the chemistry negated all the myriad issues with Christopher as a human being and a father, let alone as a romantic partner, but I saw chemistry there that I didn't see with anyone else: not Max, not Digger (I always got a gay vibe from the character, personally), and not Luke.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Eyes High

[Eeksquire]

 

But now that AB is pregnant,  I'm half-hoping, half-fearing they choose another route.

Is it really wrong of me that my fervent wish that Rory will get pregnant, have the baby and choose to raise her (it would have to be a girl, right?) with Paris? Because I would be here for that.  Sort of like how Sookie was there for Lorelai and Rory for most of Rory's life? It'd be the same, only through the looking glass.

[Aloeonatable]

 

Sometimes, yes. Milo Ventimiglia and Hayden Panettiere had crazy chemistry on Heroes that the characters they were playing were not "supposed" to have (well before the actors started dating in real life), and I remember there were a lot of fans of their relationship early on in the show, wrongness (big age difference, Hayden's character was a high school student) notwithstanding. The writers later revealed that their characters were closely related, and I remember speculation at the time that the writers introduced this information as a way of getting around the substantial support the pairing had.

 

 

I think their Heroes characters were always supposed to be niece/uncle well before the exhibited any chemistry. Most series have their story line outlined before they start shooting. Hayden and Milo didn't have any scenes together until midway through the first season. They did definitely have crazy chemistry, which drove the "Halo" fans ( of which I'm not one!)crazy.

 

Since we don't know how far along Alexis is in her pregnancy, even if she is, it may have no bearing on the filming of the series. I can see Rory returning to Stars Hollow because she is at a crossroads in her life both personal and professional and she needs her mother's advice and support. Not sure where TPTB will take Lorelai, but I hope we see a lot of her interacting with Emily. 

[Eyes High]

I think their Heroes characters were always supposed to be niece/uncle well before the exhibited any chemistry. Most series have their story line outlined before they start shooting. Hayden and Milo didn't have any scenes together until midway through the first season. They did definitely have crazy chemistry, which drove the "Halo" fans ( of which I'm not one!)crazy.

 

Since we don't know how far along Alexis is in her pregnancy, even if she is, it may have no bearing on the filming of the series. I can see Rory returning to Stars Hollow because she is at a crossroads in her life both personal and professional and she needs her mother's advice and support. Not sure where TPTB will take Lorelai, but I hope we see a lot of her interacting with Emily. 

 

Yes, I imagine it was planned out beforehand, but I remember there being shipper conspiracy theorists who thought otherwise.

 

In the interests of bringing things full circle, maybe Rory gets pregnant by some random guy who is out of the picture for whatever reason, and the show ends with Rory giving birth to a girl (whom she names Lorelai) and raising the girl as a single mom, just like her mom did, albeit under very different circumstances and with much more support.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Eyes High

[Sara2009]

IIRC, ASP wanted an L/C pairing in season 2/3 but not as endgame. In interviews she always talked about L/L being meant for each other.

Though who knows what her REAL feelings were? I think it's impossible to know.

[Minneapple]

IIRC, ASP wanted an L/C pairing in season 2/3 but not as endgame.

 

 

Lorelai and Christopher were supposed to get married at the end of season 2 but David Sutcliffe's pilot was picked up.

 

Luke and Lorelai continue bickering and sighing their way right down the aisle and then please most non-me fans by discovering that they're going to have their own children---probably twins like the dream from LHCD (interestingly, IMO they had more chemistry and joy in that dream than at almost any point in their actual relationship!) 

 

 

If they're still not married eight years later, then they're hopeless. I give up and so should ASP. And as another poster mentioned, Lorelai would be too old for a pregnancy storyline. 

[Sara2009]

Lorelai and Christopher were supposed to get married at the end of season 2 but David Sutcliffe's pilot was picked up.

If they're still not married eight years later, then they're hopeless. I give up and so should ASP. And as another poster mentioned, Lorelai would be too old for a pregnancy storyline.

Where did you hear/read that they were supposed to get married? I just heard that they were supposed to be a couple?

[Minneapple]

Honestly, I don't remember. It was so long ago, probably linked from the old TWoP forum. But I do remember that for sure, ASP had planned for Lorelai and Christopher to marry before Sutcliffe's show was ordered to a full season.

[Eyes High]

IIRC, ASP wanted an L/C pairing in season 2/3 but not as endgame. In interviews she always talked about L/L being meant for each other.

Though who knows what her REAL feelings were? I think it's impossible to know.

 

The exciting--or terrifying, depending on how you look at it--part of the revival is that we're going to find out what ASP's "real feelings" were, at least in relation to how she intended everything to end up.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Eyes High

[Sara2009]

Agreed.

She sounded pro L/L in this interview, but who knows what she'll do when she actually starts writing?

http://www.glamour.com/entertainment/blogs/obsessed/2015/06/gilmore-girls-creator-amy-sher

[Aloeonatable]

 

In the interests of bringing things full circle, maybe Rory gets pregnant by some random guy who is out of the picture for whatever reason, and the show ends with Rory giving birth to a girl (whom she names Lorelai) and raising the girl as a single mom, just like her mom did, albeit under very different circumstances and with much more support.

 

Bingo, we have a winner.

[Eyes High]

Bingo, we have a winner.

 

Assuming ASP has a vested interest in not enraging either the Rory/Jess nor the Rory/Logan fans by pairing Rory off with the guy they're not rooting for--which I doubt, but let's assume that she does-- a "nobody 'wins'" scenario where Rory winds up a single mom to a child not fathered by either guy seems plausible.

 

Spitballing the four seasons thing, maybe the crisis that leads Rory to come home is an unexpected pregnancy. Because this is Rory, let's imagine that the father is a guy she was in a serious relationship with for a long time--probably since not too long after she broke up with Logan, because God knows Rory can't be single for longer than a goddamn minute--who bailed when she got pregnant. The miniseries then follows Rory over the course of her pregnancy and culminates with Rory giving birth in the last "season" and naming her daughter Lorelai. She would interact with Jess, Logan, etc. over the course of her pregnancy, but I'm guessing her impending motherhood would put the kibosh on the possibility of any romantic overtures, unless they pull a Henry from Mad Men and hit on her when she's obviously pregnant with another dude's child.

 

It pretty much writes itself, to my mind. Stars Hollow is atwitter (and maybe a-Twitter, who knows?) with the news of Rory's pregnancy and scandalous rumours are flying fast and furious about the father's identity. Rory goes into OCD mode trying to ensure the perfect pregnancy, while struggling with worries over what will happen to her career and what kind of mother she'll be. Rory keeps the news from Emily and Lorelai for as long as she can, and she worries that they'll be disappointed in her; drama inevitably ensues when the news gets out (although Lorelai is upset because Rory kept the news from her, and Emily is upset because of the Lorelai 2.0 situation). Luke, outraged at Rory's predicament, volunteers to kick the wastrel babydaddy's ass. Rory reconnects with Lane and they bond over Rory becoming a mom. Paris weighs in long distance from her incredibly prestigious residency to offer bracingly blunt insights on the negative impact single motherhood will have on Rory's career prospects. Logan and/or Jess tell Rory cute stories about their own children--I guarantee you Jess' names for his kids will be insufferable--and sweetly assure Rory that she'll be a good mom. And so on. 

 

As for Rory and Paris coparenting, as suggested upthread, I think Paris would be all "Nannies. Look into it." (On a different show, in the event of an unexpected pregnancy, Paris would be the one reasonably pointing out that abortion was a sensible option, but GG has always been pretty conservative.) That's how she was raised, after all. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Paris would pick the most demanding, time-consuming surgery specialty, so she would have even less time and patience for Rory's bullshit than she had in undergrad. The friendship would probably be reduced to Paris barking advice at Rory over the phone or texting her orders on how to get her shit together in all caps.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Eyes High

[random chance]

I really hope it's not that Rory-centric.  For my money each season could be a town festival of some kind with no big Gilmore drama whatsoever - just small fun stories about their present-day selves.

[vanillamountain]

 

If they're still not married eight years later, then they're hopeless. I give up and so should ASP. And as another poster mentioned, Lorelai would be too old for a pregnancy storyline.

 

Amy Sherman-Palladino did an entire show (The Return of Jezebel James) about a girl who agreed to be a surrogate because her sister couldn't have her own kids. So with ASP's track record, I wouldn't put anything past her. Maybe Lindsay (Dean's Lindsay) could be Lorelai's egg donor? (I kid, I kid.)

 

 

Why are people rooting for a pair just because they have chemistry or because they look hot together on screen. Is that honestly all it takes?

 

I wanted to like Luke and Lorelai together, because that's what the show set up, but Lauren Graham just never seemed very comfortable to me in her scenes with Scott Patterson; in contrast, she seemed to light up in her scenes with David Stucliffe. The writers also wrote Luke as being very aloof and distant, and it didn't seem like he and Lorelai communicated very well. Christopher, at least to me, seemed to "get" her a lot more - to the point where in the final season, he just needed to see the look on her face to realize that she wasn't "all in" where their marriage was concerned.

But I also never saw Christopher as a "bad guy" the way a lot of the fandom seems to. Was he a deadbeat dad? By "real life" standards, maybe, but within the fantasy world of the show, they seemed to go back and forth on how Rory/Lorelai felt about that. In the early episodes, it almost seemed like Lorelai wanted to raise Rory without his interference or input, the way Anna Nardini did with April. We don't know if he paid child support, but Rory and Lorelai were able to eat out for meals 3X's a day and buy the latest fashions, so it wasn't like they were ever truly in need. Lorelai was also so proud about making it on her own that I doubt she would have wanted or asked for child support either.

 

Tl;dr, I always saw Christopher as a guy with a good heart who, to paraphrase Emily, is "weak." I also think, as Lorelai herself admits in the final season, that she and Christopher would have made their marriage work if she wasn't still in love with Luke.

Edited November 13, 2015 by vanillamountain

[Smad]

I wanted to like Luke and Lorelai together, because that's what the show set up, but Lauren Graham just never seemed very comfortable to me in her scenes with Scott Patterson; in contrast, she seemed to light up in her scenes with David Stucliffe. The writers also wrote Luke as being very aloof and distant, and it didn't seem like he and Lorelai communicated very well. Christopher, at least to me, seemed to "get" her a lot more - to the point where in the final season, he just needed to see the look on her face to realize that she wasn't "all in" where their marriage was concerned.

Again it's all about directing. And ASP went overboard with it once they got together.to the point where the actors commented on the weirdness. So I can't really blame them. And if Lauren let whatever uncomfortableness she felt translate on screen then that makes her a crappy actress. And I personally don't mind Luke being aloof and distant, considering the massive trauma he faced in his youth who can blame him. But then that's what character progression/growth is supposed to be for when it comes to TV shows. Unless you are ASP who royally sucks at it. Funny how Luke experienced probably the most growth in S7.

 

And I will never understand the Chris 'gets' Lorelai thing. Unless you mean he gets her on her back. That kind of getting he is good at. He doesn't know a thing about adult Lorelai because he wasn't there. And largely these two assume 'roles' when it comes to each other. Is Lorelai ever really her adult self around him? Or is she 16 year old Lorelai and the two easily fall into their bit? Because that's the only level they really know how to connect on. Before pregnancies, responsibilities, different paths threw a wrench in it. It's not much different in S7. And I can't agree that all he needed was the look on her face to get her. Is this the same S7 where he had to pressure her into dating and then marriage and basically steamroller over her because he knew she was weak and this was his best chance to get what he wanted? That's not the kind of getting I find in any way romantic or acceptable. But different strokes I guess.

 

 

 

But I also never saw Christopher as a "bad guy" the way a lot of the fandom seems to. Was he a deadbeat dad? By "real life" standards, maybe, but within the fantasy world of the show, they seemed to go back and forth on how Rory/Lorelai felt about that. In the early episodes, it almost seemed like Lorelai wanted to raise Rory without his interference or input, the way Anna Nardini did with April. We don't know if he paid child support, but Rory and Lorelai were able to eat out for meals 3X's a day and buy the latest fashions, so it wasn't like they were ever truly in need. Lorelai was also so proud about making it on her own that I doubt she would have wanted or asked for child support either.

I thought the show was always very clear about that. Rory didn't exist for him except when he needed to use her to have an in with Lorelai. They were also very clear about Lorelai giving Chris an 'in' if he wanted to take it. Just watch 'Chrisotpher Returns' again and the final dialogue between the two of them. He chose not be involved. If ASP wanted us to think Lorelai was like Anna it would have shown up in the dialogue. And we can also conclude from that episode that he probably didn't pay child support. They mentioned him flitting from job to job without an stability in that area. Hell in that episode he had his credit card declined. Of course if this were the real world it wouldn't matter since him not paying support pretty much violates the law (at least in my country). He just can't be counted on financially and I'm guessing thats why Lorelai wouldn't approach him about any money.

 

I don't think Chris is evil or anything myself. I'm more amazed by his astonishing lack of any kind of self-awareness, how he forgets Rory is his daughter unless he needs to use her to get to Lorelai, his immaturity and so forth. But then his character is also so 2 dimensional even in the final season when they wasted so much screen time on him that it's hard to summon any kind of feelings towards him. Just not worth it to me. Now Lorelai and how she acts/feels when it comes to him is a whole different matter.

[Kohola3]

Thank you, Smad, for that succinct overview of my feelings regarding Christopher.  You said it way better than I could have.

[dustylil]

I thought the fact that in the very first episode of the series Christopher - then believed to be a successful businessman in California -  was never approached for any of the much needed Chilton funding indicated how little involvement he had in his daughter's life. Hell, even Emily and Richard - two of his greatest fans at the time - didn't even bother to ask Lorelai what Christopher was contributing when she asked them for the loan.

 

And what Smad said.

[HeySandyStrange]

 

And I will never understand the Chris 'gets' Lorelai thing. Unless you mean he gets her on her back. That kind of getting he is good at. He doesn't know a thing about adult Lorelai because he wasn't there. And largely these two assume 'roles' when it comes to each other. Is Lorelai ever really her adult self around him? Or is she 16 year old Lorelai and the two easily fall into their bit? Because that's the only level they really know how to connect on. Before pregnancies, responsibilities, different paths threw a wrench in it. It's not much different in S7. And I can't agree that all he needed was the look on her face to get her. Is this the same S7 where he had to pressure her into dating and then marriage and basically steamroller over her because he knew she was weak and this was his best chance to get what he wanted? That's not the kind of getting I find in any way romantic or acceptable. But different strokes I guess.

 

And this is exactly why I could never get behind Christopher as a character or Lorelai and him as a couple. They seemed to me to be stuck at 16 when together (well, Chris seemed to be permanently 16). IMO, while they "got" each other it seemed to come from a very shallow place. They got the teenage versions of themselves and they got each other sexually, but I didn't really feel a deeper connection beyond them have a similar and shared childhood. I think they used one another for comfort when the big, bad adult world came knocking on their doors because they felt they could be their younger selves with each other. Which is all good and well, but not really the basis for a healthy adult relationship.

[shron17]

I also think, as Lorelai herself admits in the final season, that she and Christopher would have made their marriage work if she wasn't still in love with Luke.

 

No she didn't. 

LORELAI: [sniffles] It's not just Luke.

CHRISTOPHER: Lor...

LORELAI: I mean, you were right. There are feelings there, because... when that ended, I just jumped.

CHRISTOPHER: I pushed you.

LORELAI: I jumped. But if that's all there was -- if that's all it was, we could fix it, you know... with time.

 

Lorelai finally realized all Chris was was a "possibility."  If they both wanted to be together they could have been long before Rory was 21.  I could never understand why Christopher proposed in Christopher Returns only to go back to California.  If a woman who you love turns down your proposal by saying you don't know each other as adults why wouldn't you decide to become a bigger part of her (and your daughter's) life in order to get to know each other as adults?  Answer--because Chris at 32 years old was incapable of taking responsibility for his actions and making a real commitment to anyone.  Instead he ended up moving to Boston for Sherry under duress of losing her, made promises to Lorelai and Rory before breaking up with her, and then apparently left Sherry with all the child care while he traveled for work.  Chris never changed--it was always someone else's fault and always all about him--it was too hard for him to see Rory but not be with Lorelai, so sad that he 'missed out' on Rory's childhood, etc. etc. Yes, I know at least some of the story happened that way because of the actor's schedule but it was still very clear it was never going to work between them.  It would have been nice to see some actual character growth for Chris in seasons 6 and 7 but other than inheriting a bunch of money and being left with a young daughter to raise, I didn't see any change in him at all.

[Smad]

You know sometimes I feel sorry for both Chris and the actor. At least where I'm concerned he was in  lose-lose situation. The character had my irritation with his first entrance ('hey nice shirt, take it off...who says that in the middle of the street when there could be children around?). It also showed with non verbals the non-entity he was in his daughter's life. Seriously Rory's non-reaction the whole time Chris is standing there is telling. And even after Lorelai says his name it takes her while to connect the dots that Christopher = dad.

 

And of course 'Christopher Returns' pretty much cemented my hate for the guy. Showing up and getting in with Lorelai because his life is down the drain again (looked like someone was broke what with credit card declined) and probably looking for her to fix it, just sitting there while his father basically calls Lorelai a whore, Rory a mistake and lets them blame Lorelai for his failures. And to top it all off taking advantage of the situation like he always does, Lorelai is weak so lets get some.

 

I will never understand how this guy had any supporters after that episode, mainly because there was nothing in subsequent Seasons to redeem the character. And charms and looks don't count as reasons for me, ever.

[Kohola3]

And charms and looks don't count as reasons for me, ever.

 

And while he had the looks, not so much the charm a lot of the time.  Even when he moved in with Lorelai, his interactions with the townies smacked of amused condescension. Why Lorelai put up with some of his remarks is beyond me other than the fact that she reverted to being a 16 year Mean Girl when she was with him,

[Minneapple]

Assuming ASP has a vested interest in not enraging either the Rory/Jess nor the Rory/Logan fans

 

I don't think ASP cares that much about enraging people. She never pandered or fanserviced. And actually that's the reason I'm more excited about the revival than I was about the Veronica Mars movie. I enjoyed the VM movie but I knew exactly what it was going to be, particularly regarding Veronica's love life. And sure enough. With this one, at least there's some element of mystery.

[Eyes High]

I don't think ASP cares that much about enraging people. She never pandered or fanserviced. And actually that's the reason I'm more excited about the revival than I was about the Veronica Mars movie. I enjoyed the VM movie but I knew exactly what it was going to be, particularly regarding Veronica's love life. And sure enough. With this one, at least there's some element of mystery.

 

As I indicated, I'm skeptical that ASP wishes to avoid enraging either shipper faction. I tend to think that if she cared about not enraging the shippers, Luke and Lorelai's relationship in Season 6 would have played out pretty differently.

 

I know what you mean about Veronica Mars. I enjoyed the movie, but the writing was on the wall regarding the outcome, and the whole thing smacked of shameless fanservice. (To be fair, given that the affair was crowdfunded, I think failing to include some degree of fanservice would have been biting the hand that fed them.) It felt less like a story than the result of a fandom focus group. 

 

With respect to the Gilmore Girls revival, I am more certain that it won't play out as a love letter to the fans, and I think the revival will be the better for it. I'm of the (admittedly unpopular) opinion that pandering to fans' demands--shippery or otherwise--almost never improves the quality of the show. Similarly, deliberately spiting the fans out of frustration at their desires never improves the quality of the show, either. ("Oh, so you desperately want X and Y to get together, do you? Well, I'll have X TRY TO RAPE Y. Not loving the pairing now so much, are ya? HAHAHAHA.") It seems best to ignore the fandom altogether and let the ratings sort out the show's popularity.

 

That isn't to say that showrunners never set a foot wrong and write developments which are out of character, illogical, or downright offensive. It's just that I find that when showrunners stick with their guns and ignore fans' wishes--either to bow to them or to spite them with gleeful malice--the end result appears to have more structural integrity and to hold together better. I've seen many a show compromised by the writers bowing to fan demands and then having to scramble to make it fit with their overarching plan for the story. In at least one case, it pretty much ruined the show.

 

I do feel confident that whatever ASP will do with the revival, a desire to appease shippers or to throw some fanservice their way will not be a part of it. That doesn't mean that the end result won't necessarily look like fanservice--i.e. if ASP wanted Luke/Lorelai as the endgame, they'll be endgame--but that it won't be out of deference to or to spite fans.

[shron17]

They seemed to me to be stuck at 16 when together (well, Chris seemed to be permanently 16). IMO, while they "got" each other it seemed to come from a very shallow place.

 

I agree with this, and think one of the reasons I didn't see them a good couple was the difference in their adult development/life stage.  By season 7 Lorelai had created a whole new life for herself and Rory, bought a house, raised a child to adulthood single-handedly, and started her own business.  Chris, on the other hand, had only worked a steady job at that point for about 5 years and was a default single parent to a 5-year-old.  Lorelai started young and had experiences more like someone at least 5 years older while Christopher's were more like someone about 10 years younger.  No wonder they had such trouble combining their lives.  Then again, when you consider that at 16 Christopher was ready to accept Richard's job and marry her while Lorelai knew they would both end up miserable, maybe it was more a maturity/personality thing from the beginning.

 

I'm of the (admittedly unpopular) opinion that pandering to fans' demands--shippery or otherwise--almost never improves the quality of the show.

 

I wholeheartedly agree, and would much rather see the vision that the creator of the show and characters had for it rather than what fans wanted to happen. If anyone is so unhappy about what happens in any given show they can always choose not to watch.

[readster]

 

By season 7 Lorelai had created a whole new life for herself and Rory, bought a house, raised a child to adulthood single-handedly, and started her own business.  Chris, on the other hand, had only worked a steady job at that point for about 5 years and was a default single parent to a 5-year-old.  Lorelai started young and had experiences more like someone at least 5 years older while Christopher's were more like someone about 10 years younger.  No wonder they had such trouble combining their lives.  Then again, when you consider that at 16 Christopher was ready to accept Richard's job and marry her while Lorelai knew they would both end up miserable, maybe it was more a maturity/personality thing from the beginning.

That was Chris's major flaw through the series, he took easy ways out if he could. Even when he was stuck with raising Georgia alone, he immediately called Lorelai to help him because he didn't know what to do. Now, having your spouse leave you is one thing but he acted like he had no idea how to deal with a toddler. Working and having a stay at home mom is one thing but in those five minutes, it was like Chris never changed a diaper. Even when he decided to pay for the remaining years for Yale for Rory. He didn't even tell Richard he was doing it, he just did it. Chris acted first and thought later. Lorelai learned to think things through first even though we later found out she was still bad at that. I'm sure we'll end up seeing David Suttcliff return but really at this point in the series, Chris better have figured out how to be a parent, Georgia would be half way through with HS by the time the series starts. I don't want the return of: "Lorelai, help me, I have no idea how to raise my kid." I'll immediately fast forward.

[JayInChicago]

I wonder if GiGi will be at Chilton. And April finishing up at Yale...

[Smad]

I wonder if GiGi will be at Chilton. And April finishing up at Yale...

No way to the first one. GiGi will be too busy with therapy and rehab to be in an actual school, much less one as prestigious as Chilton. And I picture April as more of a MIT type.

Edited November 16, 2015 by Smad

[dustylil]

GiGi will be too busy with therapy and rehab to be in an actual school, much less one as prestigious as Chilton

 

Oh, I don't know about that. Paris had all sorts of issues over the years - including  being raised by a nanny, a sordid parental divorce, parents on the lam,  serious financial problems,  a critical, controlling but distant mother - and she did quite nicely at Chilton.

Edited November 17, 2015 by dustylil

[Smad]

Oh, I don't know about that. Paris had all sorts of issues over the years - including  being raised by a nanny, a sordid parental divorce, parents on the lam,  serious financial problems,  a critical, controlling but distant mother - and she did quite nicely at Chilton.

Yeah but with Paris you have to figure that some of that is genetics. She also knew her nanny for years and they seemed pretty close. GiGi has Chris and Sherry in her gene pool and a new nanny every week. When she is not being handed off to grandma or mommy-of-the-moment.

[dustylil]

Although Paris' nanny had her own family so it wasn't as if she was a Portuguese Mary Poppins able to fully devote herself to Miss Geller in the absence of interested parents.

I too did wonder about the likelihood of any Hayden/Tinsdale intellectual acuity. Christopher appeared to have some brainy interests. However, his lack of ambition and  focus on his own past (Lorelai, 80's music, prep school pranks) didn't impress. As to Sherry, I had my doubts about her when she swallowed his tales of  his devotion to Rory back in the second season. (Of course at least that led to the weekly phone calls between Rory and Christopher.) Personally, I would have rummaged around his apartment looking for his cancelled cheques for child support :)

Edited November 17, 2015 by dustylil

[Eeksquire]

 

I too did wonder about the likelihood of any Hayden/Tinsdale intellectual acuity.

I'm happy to bash Christopher, who seemed to fall backwards into any success he ever had, but Sherry was always shown as a super Type A competitive successful person, as were all of her friends.  I don't remember exactly what it is that she did (marketing?), but when she went into labor early, she was working right up until Lorelai said "No more."

 

Actually, when I watched that season for the first time (I came to GG very late in the game - the first episode I saw live was the one where Rory sleeps with Dean), I remember being a little irritated at how they treated Sherry and her friends as objects of ridicule and/or pity because they were big city professional types who obviously didn't understand that parenthood was great and wonderful and the most important, etc., etc., especially during the episode where Sherry goes into labor and wants to keep working because it was earlier than she expected and she hadn't finished up yet.

 

I wonder if we'll see an update of what Sherry's up to.

[Kohola3]

I wonder if we'll see an update of what Sherry's up to.

 

I somehow doubt it.  Sherry was a bit of a flash in a pan, a plot device designed used to set up a stereotypical yuppie mom as a contrast to saintly Lorelai.  Also used to show how Christopher made the wrong choice.  Not much substance to her character at all.

[readster]

 

I remember being a little irritated at how they treated Sherry and her friends as objects of ridicule and/or pity because they were big city professional types who obviously didn't understand that parenthood was great and wonderful and the most important, etc., etc., especially during the episode where Sherry goes into labor and wants to keep working because it was earlier than she expected and she hadn't finished up yet.

 

 

 I chalked that up with AS-P's view on women in that type of working world. Just like some movies and shows do that with both men and women who are workaholics. Then its: "I can't be a parent, this wasn't my plan!" Are their people like that? Oh yeah, known a few but no where were they to those extremes. Same thing, Sherry was a plot device for Chris to make us feel: "Oh poor Chris, his workaholic girlfriend left him to raise his daughter alone. Because being a mom wasn't in her plans. Wahhhhh!" As said by many, Chris fell into success on many occasions and when things weren't going well for him, he called Lorelai for help. Why his character pissed me off so much. Then he expected people to understand his situation and it didn't help that Emily and Richard and even Lorelai enabled his behavior. Rory was one of the few that said: "Fine dad, be this way, never make a smart decision, just make a reaction decision." Even after Lore and Chris got married, she wasn't happy with it because she knew it wouldn't end well. She was one of the few people that realized her father wasn't perfect but he got through life because people either handed him things or he trip and fell into success.

[dustylil]

they were big city professional types who obviously didn't understand that parenthood was great and wonderful and the most important, etc., etc.,

 

I thought that showed how much Sherry and Christopher had in common. Although in Christopher's case, he came to "big city professional" kind of late.

[Smad]

I kind of felt sorry for Sherry. Besides being a walking cliché they showed her to be blind and dumb in regards to Christopher. He only showed an interest in more contact with Rory to make an impression on Sherry (guess that makes Lorelai and Rory just as dumb) which really should have occured to her. The subject of child-support apparently never came up during the months they were together which makes no sense given Sherry's personality. Of course if it had that might have clued her in as to how much of a faker Chris is. It might also have given her a warning that having a child with Chris might not be the best idea. I could see Sherry considering abortion or adoption but Chris working his 'charms' with platitudes like 'we can do this together' and her giving in. While it was abhorrent that she just up and left her child I can understand it somewhat. In an actual partnership where both parents have jobs they figure out together how to do the parenting and working.

 

If ASP thought I would suddenly feel sorry for poor widdle Chrissy poo then she miscalculated. She tried to turn Sherry into a bad mother and human being by having her up and leave but the episode also made it clear that Chris had abandoned his child for 2 years already at that point. How the hell does he not know how to change a freaking diper? Oh right, he wasn't there.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Smad

[Guest]

Let's try to keep this thread for discussions related to the Netflix revival and all general discussion about past plot lines to the appropriate threads.  "All Episode Talk" is probably most appropriate for a lot of these conversations.

 

On that note, as the revival gets nearer, other than episode threads for each episode, let me know if you have any ideas for separate threads (a spoiler/casting thread, etc.)!

 

Thank you!

[Eyes High]

I wonder if the revival will take advantage of the fact that it's shown on Netflix and get a little raunchier--language, sex, etc.--or whether it will preserve the more family-friendly tone of the show?

[Aloeonatable]

 

I wonder if the revival will take advantage of the fact that it's shown on Netflix and get a little raunchier--language, sex, etc.--or whether it will preserve the more family-friendly tone of the show?

Good question. I've heard that ASP can swear with the best of them, but because the fan base was made up of females in general and young females in particular, I think it will be mostly PG13. 

[txhorns79]

Good question. I've heard that ASP can swear with the best of them, but because the fan base was made up of females in general and young females in particular, I think it will be mostly PG13.

 

I think females can handle some swearing.  However, I think ASP would just try to maintain the general tone of the series, so graphic sex and lots of cussing are probably out.  Sorry to the fans who wanted to find out what really went on at all those DAR meetings Emily always seemed to be attending on the series!       

[readster]

I think females can handle some swearing.  However, I think ASP would just try to maintain the general tone of the series, so graphic sex and lots of cussing are probably out.  Sorry to the fans who wanted to find out what really went on at all those DAR meetings Emily always seemed to be attending on the series!       

 

 I completely agree. As a fan of netflix series like Jessica Jones, Daredevil, ect. I love that they can push a little farther without going out there but for GG. It needs to maintain that same tone. Now, if there was a drop of another type of swearing, I could live with that. You can't tell me someone like Luke, Jess or even Lorelei wouldn't drop a word outside the usual TV troupe. I remember several times both Lorelei and Rory said: "Putz" or "Super Jerk" when you know they wanted to say: "Asshole!" 

[photo fox]

I think they need to keep the original tone. I imagine a lot of people will be watching with their daughters. I, for one, would be pissed (pun intended) if I sat down to watch it with my young niece and a bunch of foul language started flying around. I have no problem with swearing, but I don't want to hear it on GG!

[LostWithSawyer]

I just had a thought for a possible plot line in the revival: I wonder if Emily will move in with Lorelai to cope with the loss of Richard? I could imagine a plot line of her temporarily living in Stars Hollow in the immediate aftermath of Richard's death. That would definitely be a way to bring everyone together and get some interaction between the townies and Emily.

[DisneyBoy]

That would rule. Mrs Kim and Emily - reunited!

[Eyes High]

Crucial question: Will the pop culture references be updated? What's the over/under on a Hamilton reference?

[FictionLover]

I heard on the Gilmore Guys Podcast that they (whoever they is, Netflix, ASP & DP?) is upset the news of a revival was released prematurely. It sounded like possibly all the key players are signed on yet...

[Sara2009]

I heard on the Gilmore Guys Podcast that they (whoever they is, Netflix, ASP & DP?) is upset the news of a revival was released prematurely. It sounded like possibly all the key players are

signed on yet...

This isn't really new info. When the news about a revival was released, it was also said that nobody had officially signed on yet.