Why Gilmore Girls is the tonic we need right now

Gilmore Girls may have first aired twenty years ago, but it remains one of the most beloved television series of all-time – and with good reason.

Now more than ever, people are in need of a bit of wholesomeness to get them through this difficult time, and the sleepy town of Stars Hollow and mother-daughter duo Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel), is the ideal tonic.

For me, GG (as I like to call it), is that classic show I come back to time and again. And while I put a lot of that down to nostalgia, I also think it’s because no other series gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling in the same way.

Every time I watch it, I feel life’s troubles slipping away and I feel like a care-free teenager again, devouring episodes after school.

So for those who have not seen it – or are debating whether to watch it again – here’s why I’m revisiting Gilmore Girls, and urge you to, as well.

1. Lorelai and Rory’s relationship is what we all strive for

Unlike any mother-daughter duo I know (sorry Mum), Lorelai and Rory share a unique bond, which is more often than not like an intense friendship or sisterhood.

Running away from home as a pregnant teenager, we hear of Lorelei’s plight as she raises Rory single-handedly – at first in something that closely resembles a shed, before getting a job at the local Independence Inn and rising the ranks to manager in order to provide for herself and her child.

Not only do the pair share the same taste in music, clothes and food (they eat a ridiculous amount of mac and cheese, tacos and Pop Tarts, and drink a helluva lot of coffee), they also bounce off each other with witty one-liners – at an alarming rate, so do keep up.

Without giving too much away for those who’ve not seen the show, it is the fact they are so solid and supportive of one another that makes it all the more heart-wrenching whenever they do fall out.

Watching these two never fails to put a smile on my face.

2. Equally, Rory’s relationship with her grandparents is heartwarming, to say the least

Despite the fact Lorelai is estranged from her parents growing up, she finds herself asking for their help in order to get Rory on track to go to Harvard (the college she has her sights set on).

In return for the school fee loan, Lorelai’s parents, Emily and Richard, ask that the pair attend dinner at their house every Friday night.

While Lorelai dreads the interaction, Rory forms a special bond with her grandparents – especially with Richard, who is the archetypal grandpa of everyone’s dreams.

They share book suggestions, knowing looks from across the table, and even go for a round of golf together.

Emily, too, is one force to be reckoned with, which is perhaps why her and Lorelai clash so much.

Although I, for one, cannot relate to having minted grandparents, I do find traces of my own upbringing in these interactions – and take comfort from these regular meals which are so similar to my weekend visits to my grandparents’ house.

3. Rory was my role model growing up

Lorelai raised Rory in the small town of Stars Hollow (don’t worry, we’ll get to that sweet, sweet place in just a sec), and because of its size and how much of a close-knit community it is, the residents also feel massively protective of the young girl. They feel as though they, in part, raised her too. Everyone – and I mean absolutely everyone – notes how much of a “special kid” Rory is.

Now, while I was just a small child when Gilmore Girls first came out, I was a teenager when reruns of it were playing on Channel 4. I would get home from school, fling off my shoes, dump my rucksack in my room (sandwich crusts squished at the bottom of it, no doubt) and consume the latest episodes every day.

I watched and felt every one of Rory’s heartbreaks, I related to her not fitting in and I loved that here was a fellow bookworm who was, for once, depicted as cool in her own right. And to top it all off she went to Yale and had dreams of becoming a journalist. I honestly grew up wanting to be Rory Gilmore.

Yes, she is far from perfect and - in later series - is pretty much a serial cheater, let’s face it. But she’s also studious, incredibly kind, and always tries to do right by others.

Between her and Lorelai, I personally learnt a lot from having two strong, female leads on my screen growing up.

4. Stars Hollow is just the sweetest place

Centred round a pretty painted white gazebo, the small (and fictional, alas) town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, is possibly the most idyllic backdrop ever.

Sure, it’s full of some weird and wacky characters – shout out to Kirk, Babette and Miss Patty – but it’s also packed to the rafters with charm. It’s not sickly sweet though, and often Lorelai and Rory mock the place for its local yokel vibe – especially in town meetings run by Taylor Doose.

5. Paris is the worst – but in the best possible way

When Rory gets a place at a local prep school (paid for by Lorelai’s wealthy parents), she has a pretty tough time fitting in with the ‘rich kids’.

Tristan (Chad Michael Murray) insists on calling her ‘Mary’, insinuating she’s still a virgin – and that it’s a negative thing, then she meets Paris Geller: the ultimate villain.

Paris is rude, brash, competitive and – at first – pretty annoying. But over time, we learn more about her situation and that despite being brought up by a family with good connections and breeding, she has spent most of her childhood isolated and without contact with her parents.

Indeed, it is Paris who delivers some of the best lines in the entire show – which still, to this day, have me creased up whenever I hear them.

6. There's also the Gilmore Girls reunion to look forward to when you finish

Yep, that's right - over ten years later, the original cast came back together to deliver Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life, which is split into four episodes - one for every season.

So oy with the poodles already and watch it!

Gilmore Girls is available to stream on Netflix now