Gilmore Girls was a very unique show, in that it was a mixture of both comedy and drama in a perfect blend. The show had a style ad approach that was relatable not only for women but for every kind of demographic.
With this kind of premise, there were hundreds of moments where valuable life advice was imparted to the viewer, and these quotes have an evergreen quality that can still be relatable today. With Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life reminding fans in 2016 why the show became so popular, it’s time to once again refresh minds with some of the best words of wisdom from this timeless show.
“You Have So Many Years And Screw-Ups Ahead Of You” - Lorelai
If there was one person who knew how to get back up after reaching their lowest level, it would have to be Lorelai. She was barely in her thirties when Rory was in high school, so knew very well how difficult things could get.
In her quirky manner, Lorelai knew how to give out the right kind of advice, as she claimed that making wrong decisions was inevitable but also necessary. Just one mistake didn’t spell anyone’s doom, as people spend their whole lives making one screw-up after another.
“I Made A List Of Enemies, Which I’ve Narrowed Down From 26 To 5.” - Paris
For a character like Paris, character development came in the form of toning down her neurotic attitude. She went about doing just this, growing as a person by letting go of resentment against certain people, although still retaining it against others.
It’s both a funny and appropriate quote, seeing as nobody can claim to be so mature that they let go of their anger towards every single person that has wronged them. At least Paris was honest about keeping some enemies on her list.
“There’s A Phone Call For You And If I’m To Fetch You Like A Dog, I’d Like A Cookie And A Raise.” - Michel
Michel was a pushover by no means and could cut through someone with his brand of remarks. He didn’t have any fear for his superiors either, as he sent the same kind of one-liners their way if he felt wasn’t being respected.
There’s no reason to explain this quote since the words are more than self-explanatory. He knew he was very skilled at his job and could afford to be Mr. Attitude if need be. Plus, it’s always funny to see how imaginative he could be with his quotes.
“Pay For It This Time.” - Dean
Dean’s characterization was topsy-turvy in the original series, as he went from being a nice guy to a jealous jerk of sorts. He became a much better person by A Year in the Life, where it was established he was remarried and very happy.
What’s great about this quote is how Dean denied Rory from having a moment with him with the cornstarch comment. It was through that where they’d had their first kiss, but the adult Dean simply asked Rory to pay for it this time since Dean had moved on from her for a long time.
“I Don’t Like Mondays But Unfortunately They Come Around Eventually.” - Lorelai
This is a statement that every person with a job can relate to. There’s this inevitability of Mondays coming around that people hate but can’t deny. Where Lorelai’s concerned, she found no reason not to voice out her frustration with this day of the week.
It doesn’t highlight any weakness on her part but shows how she takes every undesirable thing into stride and tries to make the best of it. After all, acceptance is the first step to begin moving on, even if it is something as menial as facing Mondays.
“I Cannot Do This Alone, I Need My Mommy And I Don’t Care Who Knows It!” - Rory
When Sherry goes into labor and her business friends leave her alone at the hospital with Rory, the teen can only think of one person to call — her mom. “I need you, I need you here, I need you now, I cannot do this alone, I need my mommy and damn it, I don’t care who knows it!” Rory pleads.
Despite Lorelai not wanting to be anywhere near her ex’s girlfriend while she gives birth, she still comes to the rescue for Rory. We’ve all had rough moments that make us want our mommies, and Rory proved that it’s totally acceptable at any age.
“Well, You Know My Babbling Capabilities Are Infinite.” - Lorelai
The ability to talk nonstop is both a blessing and a curse, especially for Lorelai. There are situations where she talks herself deeper into trouble, but also times where her endless rants help her out.
In this case, she is rambling about not having anywhere for her dog, Paul Anka, to stay while she works late. She wants Luke to take him in for the night, but Luke wants to see how long she can talk. “Well, you know my babbling capabilities are infinite,” she says.
“I Want To Get The Healthy Glow Of Someone Who Consistently Goes To The Gym Without Actually Having To Go, Of Course.” - Kirk
If only it were this easy. At one point, Kirk puts himself on a juice cleanse, and he enjoys all his juice beverages at Luke’s Diner. Of course, being surrounded by all that delicious diner food is rough since he’s so hungry. Lorelai asks what he’s doing and why he can’t eat, and he responds with this gem of a quote.
Diets are always hard, especially when you’re seeing everyone else munching on delicious meals. Going to the gym can be even more of a struggle. A juice cleanse could be a good idea, but maybe don’t drink your juice at a crowded diner.
“I Need That Outfit. It Gives Me Confidence.” - Rory
When Rory is struggling with a job hunt in A Year in the Life, she searches high and low for her lucky outfit — a red dress with a full skirt. Why does she need this outfit in particular for her meetings and job interviews? “It gives me confidence,” she says.
We all need at least one good power outfit that gives us the confidence to slay an important day. Just make sure you don’t lose track of the outfit when you’re in-between living situations like Rory did.
“This Adult Stuff Is Hard, Isn’t It?” - Lane
Adulting is hard. We’d give anything to go back to the easy days of cartoons and coloring. Rory is especially feeling the weight of adulthood when she’s venting to Lane about her job hunt and her casual arrangement with Logan.
Despite the fact that Rory and Logan broke things off, she still finds herself reaching out to him more than once for comfort. Lane pats her on the back and agrees that adult life is difficult. We wonder if the thirty-something gang goes through crap like this.
“Reality Has No Place In Our World.” - Lorelai
You’d think things would be very real for Lorelai (who became a mother when she was only 16), but the things that happened to the mother-daughter duo did seem far-fetched on occasion. For instance, the two went on a tour of Europe in the Season 3 finale, only to be busted for possession and being held for smuggling. No-one could’ve foreseen this, so Lorelai claiming reality doesn’t exist for them makes sense.
Even in the real world, people find themselves in situations that they just can’t foresee. When that happens, more often than not, we have this exact same thought. Sometimes, reality is the farthest thing away.
“People Can Live For A Hundred Years Without Living A Minute.” - Logan
A major theme in Gilmore Girls was the two main leads being forced to act like adults at a very young age. Lorelai had responsibilities due to becoming a mother, and Rory carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. That’s why Logan’s reflections that people don’t enjoy their youth feels so appropriate. In this scene, he attempted to get Rory out of her dull comfort zone to try something adventurous, following it up with this gem of a quote.
It was a good way to point out to young viewers at home that, while you should be mature with your decisions, it doesn’t mean you should sacrifice the few years of youth you have without really living it up and enjoying life.
“I Just Want You To Know I’m In. I’m All In.” - Luke
Fans had been “shipping” Lorelai and Luke together for years before they finally became an item. They had their first date in Season 5, where Lorelai joked around about the first impressions they made on each other. Luke would unexpectedly recall a touching version of his point of view of their first meeting, which ended with him assuring Lorelai that he was completely invested in their relationship.
For those people who have been fortunate enough to get together with the person they’ve liked for years, this quote was most definitely accurate. You don’t want to mess around or be casual when you’ve finally entered that relationship you’re certain is meant to be. It was the case for Luke and Lorelai, although it took a long time to get there.
“People Are Particularly Stupid Today. I Can’t Talk To Any More Of Them.” - Michel
Some days, it just gets too much to have to talk to people who insult your intelligence. You just don’t want to put up with them any longer. It happens at work, at home, everywhere.
Michel wasn’t in any mood to be hounded by more people being stupid, so he decided he’d just altogether ignore the phone ringing. Of course, an inn does need customers, and ignoring these potential customers won’t run a successful business; so, Lorelai reminded Michel (jokingly) he could either answer the calls or be out of a job. That seemed to do the trick. But we all can relate to Michel here.
“I Can Be Flexible, As Long As Everything Is Exactly The Way I Want It.” - Lorelai
Sometimes, being accused of something you’re actually guilty of is an afront, because accepting it just a big blow to your ego. The same thing went for Lorelai when Luke accused her of not being flexible. Her response was a pretty sassy one, where she pointed out that if things were going her way, she was a totally flexible person.
Conducting ourselves according to the world’s needs gets tiring, and some people just don’t work this way. Instead, they prefer to have others work around their style. While this may make the person sound high-maintenance, wouldn’t it be perfect if people did what you wanted with no questions asked?
“I Want To Live My Life So I Can Read An In-Depth Biography About Myself In Later Years.” - Paris
Paris was a classic Type A personality, with a very high-strung outlook over life. Her story arcs consisted of her coming up against reality and the world not living up to her lofty expectations. During one of these moments (where she and Rory bemoaned their failed love lives), Paris would confess her ultimate goal – to be significant enough to read a biography about herself.
Now that’s something we’d all like, wouldn’t we? No matter if you’re not as ambitious (or at times delusional) as Paris, it would be an achievement to have an autobiography of your life that validates you as someone whose opinion matters.
“Every Relationship Is Just A Big Honking Leap Of Faith.” - Rory
Even if you settle into that “perfect” kind of relationship where everything might seem to be smooth sailing, you never know what secrets might emerge from your significant other’s past. There’s sometimes a little bit of fear undercutting a relationship, and Rory had some choice words over this situation.
It had to do with Lorelai freaking out over Luke having a 12-year-old daughter he’d never known about. Lorelai didn’t know how to process this enormous news. Rory calmed her a little by pointing out that every relationship in the world was a leap of faith, and Lorelai would just have to roll with it.
“I’m Here And Now, I’m Like Cheese.” - Lorelai
The remarks some people make about you may cause you to feel inadequate. If this happens, remind yourself of this awesome quote made by Lorelai.
According to her, she’s like cheese. As everyone with a good knowledge of cheese will know, it only gets better with age. So, when Lorelai was taking her sweet time getting ready, she gave the best reason for her tardiness by proclaiming that she was worth the wait. Remember, the older you get, the more you’re like cheese, and who doesn’t want to be cheese?
“It’s My Responsibility As Your Best Friend To Make Sure You Do Exciting Things Even When You Don’t Want To.” - Sookie
Everyone needs that one friend who makes them get out of their doldrums and do something exciting. Sookie and Lorelai were the best of friends, and the lack of their interaction was felt in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life as well. However, in the series itself, Sookie would be the source of comfort for Lorelai on more than one occasion.
In this scene, Lorelai wasn’t feeling up for a night out and wanted to watch all the versions of A Star is Born instead. The funny thing is, Sookie wasn’t able to convince Lorelai to go out and was the one convinced to stay in! However, she did provide Lorelai with the company she needed at that point.
“Think How Dull Your Life Would Be Without Me.” - Jess
Out of all the main love interests Rory had on the show, Jess was the wildcard. He was the guy who was never the safe option, and yet he left a huge mark on Rory and the fanbase. Jess was the kind of guy who remained grounded and said things how they were.
This is why it’s appropriate that he would point out to Rory that life without him would be all kinds of dull. It’s something you’ll have to agree with even if you’re not on “Team Jess”. As far as real life is concerned, it really is worth pursuing a relationship that is both adventurous and exciting, and more than a few fans want a Jess in their own lives.
