‘Gilmore Girls’ Binge Guide: The Essential Episodes You Need To Watch Before ‘A Year In The Life’ Premieres

Gilmore Girls is returning to Netflix in just a few days! For those that need a refresher on all things Stars Hollow, here’s a list of all the Gilmore Girls episodes you need to binge-watch before A Year in the Life premieres.

Naturally, Yahoo advises to start with the Season 1 pilot, which does an excellent job introducing the characters and establishing the dynamics of the series. It also sets a nice tone for what’s to come down the road.

There are only two other episodes worth watching in Season 1: “Rory’s Dance” and “Christopher Returns.” The former illustrates the strained and complicated relationships between Emily, Rory, and Lorelai, while the latter features a first look at how Lorelai and Rory deal with men, especially Rory’s father.

Skipping ahead to Episode 7 in Season 2, “Like Mother, Like Daughter” spotlights one of the show’s best supporting characters in Paris. Not to mention Lorelai and Emily’s epic fashion show.

For a good sense of the quirky characters in Stars Hollows, Entertainment Weekly recommends watching “The Bracebridge Dinner.” This episode also sets fire to the love triangle between Dean, Rory and Jess.

Speaking of the love triangle, “There’s the Rub” and “Teach Me Tonight” articulate the unique connection between Rory and Jess, and how none of her other boyfriends, including Dean, match up.

Before heading to Season 3, “Lorelai’s Graduation Day” highlights the complicated relationship between Rory and her mother. This hit home when Rory misses her mom’s big day to spend time with Jess.

In what might be considered the best Gilmore Girls episodes ever, fans shouldn’t miss re-watching Season 3’s “They Shoot Gilmores Don’t They?” This installment featured a dance marathon and the end of Rory’s romance with Dean.

Apart from a great Thanksgiving episode in “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving” and Liza Weil’s Harvard rejection monologue in “The Big One,” feel free to skip ahead to Episode 22, “Those Are Strings, Pinocchio.” Rory’s high-school graduation brought about some big changes, including her transition away from Chilton and Jess and into college.

Season 4 focused on Rory’s struggles in college, as seen in “Lorelai’s First Day at Yale,” and the many times she spent away from her mom. For a great look at the shifting dynamics of their relationship, be sure to watch “The Incredible Sinking Lorelais.”

As far as Lorelai’s storyline is concerned, “Raincoats and Recipes” concludes with her finally getting with Luke. At the same time, Rory makes a terrible decision with her old flame, Dean.

Fast forward to Season 5 of Gilmore Girls and “Written in the Stars” explores Lorelai’s growing relationship with Luke. Although they were always compelling on their own, it’s hard not to root for them on their very first date.

Season 5 is filled with Rory struggling to cope with seeing her safety net in Stars Hollow fall apart. In the finale, “A House Is Not a Home,” Rory reaches rock bottom when she gets caught stealing a boat. She also ends up quitting college and ending things with her mom.

Rory’s split from Lorelai was difficult to stomach, and episodes like “Fight Face” in Season 6 illustrate just how nasty they could be towards each other. Things finally start to turn around for Rory in “Let Me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out” and she finally makes things right in “The Prodigal Daughter Returns.”

Towards the end of Season 6, Jess finally proves his potential by inviting Luke and Rory to the opening of his publishing company in “The Real Paul Anka.”

Season 7 featured a noticeable dip in quality but that doesn’t mean the season didn’t have its moments. According to The Lazy Genius Collective, “Lorelai? Lorelai?” features a heartfelt moment between Rory and her mom. Who didn’t cry during Lorelai’s karaoke session of “I Will Always Love you,” which included a timely appearance from Luke?

Of course, the last episode to binge is the series finale, “Bon Voyage.” Despite leaving the show after Season 6, creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband Daniel returned to write the send-off in Season 7.

Speaking of the show’s creator, Entertainment Weekly reports that Sherman-Palladino is back for Netflix revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. The special season will include four long installments, titled: “Winter,” “Spring,” “Summer,” and “Fall.”

According to Yahoo, Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel are reprising their roles as the mother and daughter duo. The series picks up eight years after the Season 7 finale, with all the characters still saddened by Richard Gilmore’s death.

Not only will we finally learn about Rory’s career, but we’ll also get an update on her relationship with Lorelai. Not to mention all of the other citizens of Stars Hollow.

Fans can watch their favorite characters return for one more outing when Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life starts streaming on Netflix on November 25, check out the preview below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGGNNSmGDpU

[Featured Image by Netflix]