Ever since Gilmore Girls‘ original 2000 launch, loyal fans have watched Rory (Alexis Bledel) come into her own. Devotees stood beside her as she struggled to fit into preppy private high school Chilton, and they supported her decision to forgo her lifelong dream of attending Harvard to follow her heart and attend Yale. Fans watched as she developed into a talented young writer, and they offered a virtual shoulder to cry on when she faced yet another broken heart. We were all there for Rory until she didn’t need us anymore, and she was ready to go off into the world as her own person.
Viewers have continued to root for her success, but in a few ways, Rory Gilmore has changed a bit from the person fans once knew to her new self in the Netflix revival. Here are four ways that Rory’s choices on Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life surprised some viewers.
Risky Business
Innocent is not a word we would use to describe Rory Gilmore these days, who was once very cautious of and protective of her heart. In fact, the youngest Gilmore appears to have taken a page from ex-boyfriend Logan Huntzberger’s playbook. Not only does she conduct an affair behind her insignificant boyfriend Paul’s back, but she cheats on him with Logan (Matt Czuchry), who is engaged! How could it be that our sweet and simple Rory Gilmore is once again the other woman?
A Reporter in the Making?
It’s hard to imagine the old Rory falling asleep on the job, no matter how exhausted and undercaffeinated she might be. That’s why it was surprising to see the aspiring reporter doze off while interviewing a subject for her GQ piece. And it’s a bit of a surprise for her to have a one-night stand with a source, although all that degrading line-waiting can change a person to the core.
Believing Her Own Hype
Fans certainly understood why Rory thought she could do better than landing a gig at Sandee Says. Still, she clearly learns during the ill-fated job interview that a little modesty and preparation go a long way.
International Couch-Hopping
It’s hard to imagine the meticulous Rory of yore being satisfied with essentially lacking a permanent residence. As she bounces from Paris’ couch to London and the already-spoken-for Logan, to an evening at Lane’s or a few nights at her mother’s, Rory still seems to be searching. That said, this is totally OK because we know that everything is going to work out — she’s her mother’s daughter, after all! Rory is driven, determined and has worked far too hard to not have a place of her own.
But Wait! Is She Actually the Perfect Rory We Never Knew We Needed?
After following her life so intimately for seven seasons, fans are just now getting acquainted with a new and maybe even improved Rory, and it’s a lot to process. Throughout the revival, viewers got the chance to fall in love with her all over again, and her free-spirited mentality can be genuinely inspiring. There is so much societal pressure to have it all figured out, and Rory suggests that it is OK to not be OK. Her accomplishments would put many a 32-year-old to shame, and she has strong relationships with family and friends that she has always prioritized. Rory is doing a lot of things the right way, and she deserves our unconditional love, respect and support — which she is definitely going to need, with that bundle of joy on the way.
Rootless or grounded, we will always be Team Rory.
Tell Us: What do you think of Rory 2.0?
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life is currently streaming on Netflix.
