 by Aprille Hanson
Where you lead, I will follow is what my inner “Gilmore Girls” fan has been saying since the show ended its seven-season run in 2007. A movie? A cast reunion special? Dare I say a TV reboot? I will follow! Well, show creator/writer Amy Sherman-Palladino certainly dared and has signed on for a “Gilmore Girls” revival on Netflix. Amy’s husband, Daniel Palladino will also write and direct the four present-day 90-minute long episodes, one for each season of the year. There is no official word yet on what cast members have signed on yet, but Lauren Graham has already been talking about it on social media. It is likely most of the cast will return, certainly Graham reprising her role as Lorelai, her love interest Luke (Scott Patterson) and daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel). The show will likely have to address the death of family patriarch Richard Gilmore, as actor Edward Herrmann died last year. Fans hoping to see Sookie St. James might be disappointed as her actress, Melissa McCarthy, might just be too big of a star now for Stars Hollow, Conn. At a time like this, fans are bursting with excitement, but it’s got to be done right. Here are my takes on why the revival news is great, why it may not be and what I’d like to see from it. WHY IT’S GREAT More Gilmorisms: The quick wit and back and forth dialogue that Amy Sherman-Palladino wrote for this show is only rivaled by the great Aaron Sorkin (“The West Wing”). What other shows on television at this moment have the creativity to spawn a whole set of phrases so loved and revered they have a name -- “Gilmorisms.” The comedic timing the actors have to deliver the lines oh so perfectly is such a huge part of the show. “It’s all any of us wants, to find a nice person to hang out with ‘til we drop dead. Not a lot to ask!” Well said Lorelai, well said. Those final four words: The Palladino’s left the show before its final season, which left the ending to one of the most beloved shows ever on television out of their hands. Not good at all. We learned Rory is going to jet off to cover Barack Obama’s bid for the Democratic Party nomination for the presidency and most of it revolves around a farewell party for Rory that Luke is throwing. Sure, Luke and Lorelai do kiss at the end despite the shambled relationship, but there’s really no closure. There’s no answers other than Rory leaving. It was not an end and it left many cast members and Sherman-Palladino unhappy. From the beginning of the series, Sherman-Palladino said she knew what the final four words spoken would be to end it all so finally maybe we can hear those words. More kisses: We waited a long time. We watched various men traipse in and out of Lorelai’s life and her continually going to the diner to banter with the curmudgeon that is Luke. They were perfect for each other but they couldn’t see it until the final episode in Season 4, “Raincoats and Recipes” where they shared their first kiss. Here’s to many more between the couple. Mothers & Daughters: There will never be a better mother-daughter relationship on TV than Lorelai and Rory. Period. Won’t happen ever. This reboot is a chance for mothers to curl up with their daughters once again, drink coffee and watch the show. Better yet, it’s a chance for a whole new generation of mothers to go back and binge watch the series with their daughters, then watch the revival. Setting a precedent: Netflix answered the cry of “Gilmore Girls” fans and struck a deal with Warner Brothers to bring it back, even for a short time. Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Yahoo! have been the saviors for a few shows with cult followings (“Longmire,” “Mindy Project,” “Community”) and it might encourage them to bring back other shows that have actually ended too soon. Netflix brought back “Arrested Development” for a bit as well. So who knows, maybe if “Gilmore Girls” brings in the viewers (which it will) maybe other shows we miss can come back. “Firefly” anyone? WHY IT MIGHT NOT BE April Nardini: Who knew fans could hate a little 12-year-old character so much? Well, we did. April was the random character thrown in as Luke’s daughter who he never knew existed. It turned out she caused the demise of Luke and Lorelai’s relationship. The show has to correct this character somehow. Even the actress Vanessa Marano admitted recently that she is such a fan of the show she didn’t even like her character. If they must bring her back, they better make her likeable, if it’s possible or else we’ll revolt in the streets. Nostalgia: Yes, we want a better ending. Yes, we want to see how these characters turned out. But by bringing it back, you’re messing with sacred ground in many fans’ minds. This is “Gilmore Girls” and one wrong move is going to shatter our adolescence, so please be gentle. Luke & Lorelai: I know Sherman-Palladino has said if there was ever a reboot, she’d end the series right. But “right” is all up for debate. If it doesn’t end with Luke and Lorelai together, then we have a big problem. It’s the only right way to do it for the fans. Let’s hope that’s how she sees it too. WHAT I WANT TO SEE Wedding bells: We as the fans need a forever commitment between Luke and Lorelai. We need a wedding. We don’t need Christopher to come in and try to win Lorelai back and we don’t need any more random children to crawl through the woodwork. I want to see that final kiss. We fans deserve it. Best friends: The main focus of the show should always be Lorelai and Rory. That relationship is so unique and special I just want to see how it’s been throughout the years. I want to see good things in Rory’s career and some good bonding time for the two because where it left off, it started to be a little rocky again. And maybe, Rory could start her own mother-daughter relationship. Final words: “Ready to be a grandma?” … OK, five words. Maybe Sherman-Palladino can strip it down to four with more elegance.
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