Gilmore Women and the Baffling Case of Shitty Human Beings.

As a girl growing up in the 90's and 00's, I had no shortage of white women to watch on TV (women of color were certainly slim pickin's except on UPN, RIP). Buffy, Charmed, CSI. If anything, Gilmore Girls was the least relatable of all the shows I watched. It was no parts nerdy teenage angst, based in the Bay Area, or about murder which had always fascinated me. So why did it stand out and why do I still have such a fondness for it that I'm willing to overlook some of it's greatest offenses? Perhaps this is my channel of empathy for the Trump supporter.

I think Gilmore Girls represented a lot of what I wanted in my life and a lot of what I didn't have, but thought would be charming. What can I say? GG made teenage pregnancy and living in a claustrophobically tiny, boring ass town look like the American Dream. Even Lorelai and Rory's sadness seemed enviable and glamorous. I always felt like I grew up watching Rory as just a step ahead of me, going to an Ivy League and then becoming a journalist (which practically makes sense since I was 10 when the show started, when Rory was fictionally 14 all the way to when she graduated college as I was graduating high school).

Well dreams die people. Adulthood really ruins it all for you.

So, how did I feel going into this revival? Excited, but nervous because based on the trailers, I already had a unsettling feeling in my gut. I don't need to rehash the events of the show. Lots of places you can do that (EW's recaps are thorough). But there were a few pieces I wanted to hit, some good and lots bad.

People of Color.

I think when Gilmore Girls ran from 2000 to 2007, I wasn't yet at an age where I was equipped to think critically about messages and diverse representation in shows, plus (not that it's excusable) in the 90's, it was simply more acceptable to have token people of color. I was so starved for Asian representation in TV that I thought Lane and Mrs. Kim was not just a victory, but an incredible unicorn.

Time's a different now, folks. There was an interesting Verge article from a few days ago and flagged all the black people that appear in the show. There were 4 in 6 hours of TV, with a grand total of 2 speaking lines. One poor soul was on the receiving end of what was unfortunately, one of the best lines in the show, delivered flawlessly by Liza Weil. (see Buffy and Feminist Theory quote). Honestly I actually feel like, in some seemingly IMPOSSIBLE way, we've actually BACKSLIDED. At least in the original show, I remember a smattering of Asians and black people with speaking roles.

Also, I'm speechless about how offensively racist Emily's gag about the family help was. God help us all.

Lorelai.

She still remains the shining pillar of this show. She has always been and will always be the best, most honest and genuine thing about Gilmore Girls. Her emotions towards her father's death I think were treated with a guttural sentiment that felt very true and real. She's fabulous. Which is weird because she birthed and raised...

Rory, aka the entitled child who never grew up aka White Privilege at it's absolute worst.

Rory is where Sherman-Palladino's old-school, 90's racist entitlement rears it's ugly head the most. The Atlantic has a hilarious takedown of why Rory is just the worst, but I can sum up my sentiments concisely:

She's never been told no and despite claiming her mother is her role model slash guiding light, she's 32 now, complaining that work for Conde Nast and web reporting are both beneath her, despite the latter decision being after a hideous interview where she blatantly showed how much she lacks creative ideas or any kind of knowledgeable opinion on anything. It's actually a shocking moment of anger for me. Like I finally saw a woman I looked up to for a long time and realized that I became a better person than her. Your heroes will always turn on you somehow, kids!

The Boys.

I'm going to stop you right there, betch. Anyone out there who is trying to pull some shit about Team Dean/Jess/Logan and the like, let me remind you that they are ALL SHITTY HUMAN BEINGS.

Exhibit A: Dean yells at Rory for a myriad of things, including hanging out with friends, wanting to be by herself, wanting to break up. Sounds like emotional abuse to me.

Exhibit B: Jess literally tries to force himself on her at a party. She says no and he gets angry at her. Looks like borderline sexual abuse.

Exhibit C: Logan, aka "I take it back, THIS GUY is white privilege at his worst" (Life and Death Brigade is just another name for White Supremacists). At least he's rich I guess.

Closing Thoughts.

Amy Sherman-Palladino. I think you're a smart woman in a position of power. You've beautifully written some female characters with sharp wit and ambition. Your show passes the Bechdel test every single episode. That's an accomplishment that's still shockingly rare in 2016. Lorelai still remains one of my favorite TV characters to this day. She is as strong and empowered as they come, and you clearly have a fondness towards her. I just wish you'd get your head out of your ass, join the rest of us in 2016 and bring your characters with you.