Denizens of Stars Hollow rejoice! Gilmore Girls is returning for a limited run on Netflix.
On October 19th TV Line announced that the beloved 2000’s television show would be brought back in the form of four 90-minute episodes. All four episodes will be written and directed by series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband Daniel Palladino.
The revival fits in with a trend of television reboots that have been recently announced. Netflix brought back Arrested Development in 2013, a reboot the 90’s classic Full House is in the works, and Fox is returning The X-Files to the air in the form of a mini-series.
Reboots have always seemed risky to me. Recreating the magic of the original series is a tricky balancing act. The tone of the netflix-revived fourth season of Arrested Development stands as a testament to this notion, for it was completely changed from the original series. Writers split up the story by character to work around the original cast’s competing schedules. This ended up removing the group dynamic that worked so well the first time around.
Another roadblock to success is demand. After several years a show can simply lose its audience. No one is really clamoring for a Full House reboot and unless writers and new showrunners change the show’s syrupy sweet formula or reboot the show for the new generation (a la Girl Meets World). I personally don’t see it taking off in today’s television climate.
Nevertheless, the stars seemed to have aligned for Gilmore Girls. Demand has always been high for a revival (Even Madeleine Albright is pumped!). Reruns on ABC Family kept a new generation interested, and fans were elated when all seven seasons of the show were added to Netflix last October. The creation of podcasts like Gilmore Guys has only added to the fervor.
The Good News
Fans of the show know that the show didn’t end how creator Amy Sherman-Palladino wanted it to. After season six, the Palladinos decided not to return to the show, leaving the last season (the much maligned season seven) to those who weren’t filled in on Amy Sherman-Palladino’s vision for the end. Sherman-Palladino reportedly has the finale planned out to the last four words and fans will surely be waiting with bated breath to hear what they are.
In other good news, it is highly likely that most of the original cast is game to return for a reboot. Lauren Graham all but confirmed her involvement on twitter, and TV Line has also unofficially reported the involvement of Scott Patterson, Alexis Bledel and Kelly Bishop. With negotiations underway, things are looking good for lovers of the Stars Hollow crew.
The Bad News
The Palladinos will surely have to write a fitting goodbye for the much beloved Richard Gilmore, played by the late Edward Herrmann. The cast honored him with an empty chair at their reunion at the ATX festival in Austin. He will be sorely missed in the revival of the show.
Another cast member that we might miss is Melissa McCarthy, who plays Lorelei Gilmore’s best friend Sookie. McCarthy plays the sweet, quirky foil to Graham’s over the top character. After her breakout role in Bridesmaids, McCarthy’s rocket to stardom might leave her out of a reboot. Fans would love to have her, but she may not have the time, nor the desire to reprise the role.
What I Want to See
Firstly, I would love to see Rory killing the game as a political journalist. Even though her character had some serious flaws in the latter seasons, she’s always been adamant about pursuing her passion. That fulfillment of her goals would be extremely satisfying to see.
Secondly, there have been mutterings about the return of one or more of Rory’s previous suitors, and I’d like to see her end up with none of them, or with someone new. I personally have always been Team Rory By Herself. Even though Jess is probably the most popular fan pick (seriously, why?), none of her suitors have ever cut it for me. Dean wasn’t ambitious enough for her, Jess hurt her too many times, and Logan brings out a bad side in her. Now that Rory is grown up, I want to see a real contender for her heart. Amy Sherman-Palladino needs to settle the score once and for all.
Lastly, to the surprise of no one, I want a Luke and Lorelai wedding. Fans of the show had to sit through four whole seasons of build up only to have their relationship torn down in the worst way possible. I want to know where their relationship ended up and I want it to have ended up in marriage.
One thing fans of the show will have to accept is things are going to be different. Eight years is a long time. Children will be grown, Rory will be eight years out of college, and lives will have changed. Picking up where they left off all those years ago just isn’t feasible. The 2016 world of Stars Hollow will be different (for one, the new hip gadget will not be a sidekick) and those looking for an exact replica will probably be disappointed.
However, with Amy Sherman-Palladino at the helm once again, the show at its very core will remain in tact. The series will once again be led by her strong sense of vision and in Amy we trust. Fans are waiting to be wrapped up in her rapid-fire, reference-heavy dialogue. Gilmore Girls is the one revival I am excited about, and I have faith that Ms. Sherman-Palladino will get it right.
