Gilmore Girls - General Critique

(from "Cultural Bias In Prime Time Television")

Gilmore Girls presented a rich, modern and complex mix of social and personal 

elements, cultural and intellectual mores and intergenerational and inter-gender 

relationships.  Smart writing and quick dialogue patterns peppered the narratives and 

provide a pacing that kept the show lively and mobile.  References to Joseph Stalin 

(Sample 05#5) and Noam Chomsky (Sample 05#4) were Frasier-esque in their 

assumption of the character’s intelligence and immediately, though fleetingly, gave an air 

of intellectual competence and literacy to the characters.  This dynamic was refreshing 

considering that most of the main and supporting characters were women, relatively 

intelligent and in reasonable control of their lives.  The Watch Out, Listen Up!: 2002 

Feminist Primetime Report rated Gilmore Girls with a solid “A” as an overall score covering several socio-cultural parameters (National Organization of Women [NOW], 2002, p. 10).   

 Program sampling revealed a great degree of female self-determination expressed 

usually with raised voices in the presence of women, men and people of differing ages.  

Emily, for instance, was highly suspect in moral character (which will be explored later), 

but displayed a high level of fortitude and deliberation.  In one scene, she let her mildly 

estranged husband know that she was now going to live a more independent life since 

their marriage was deteriorating.  She announced to Lorelai and Rory at one of their 

many lunches and dinners together that she was separating from Richard (which was no 

surprise to Lorelai and Rory, which was of some surprise to Emily) and that Richard was 

moving out of the house - and into the pool house.  During her loud conversation with 

Richard earlier in the episode, she notified Richard that she was going to travel to Paris 

by herself and take her life into her own hands.  She accidentally got locked in the 

basement and while climbing out of the cellar window, much to the also loudly expressed 

chagrin of Richard, her skirt got caught on something and she wriggled out of it, 

continuing her Richard-focused tirade out on the front lawn in her blazer and stockings.  

She never missed a beat even though she ended up missing her skirt (Sample 07/#5). 

 Lorelai and Rory also displayed great self-determination and independence, 

though tempered nicely by their friendship and familial bond.  Lorelai always spoke her 

mind, never seeming to equivocate where she thought an important idea, emotion or 

viewpoint must be shared.  She got into trouble with Mikhail after he read an article that 

was written about her in a magazine in which she made an irresponsible remark about 

Stalin. Mikhail stormed out of Emily’s house.  After being convinced to come back, 

Mikhail explained how Stalin called for the deaths of many from his hometown in 

Russia.  Lorelai was extremely apologetic and admits to speaking out without thinking to 

smooth things over with Mikhail and Emily, who was hosting him at her home as an act 

of charity for the local dance company (Sample 05/#4).