Rory Gilmore was a girl who, self-proclaimed, lived in two worlds. A world of books where she has “been a resident of Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County, hunted the white whale aboard the Pequod, fought alongside Napoleon,” and much more. But her other world, filled with less eccentric figures, is far superior and more real. Her second world “is populated with characters made of flesh and bone, full of love,” including her ultimate inspiration, her best friend, and the dazzling woman from whom she received her name and life’s blood, Lorelai Gilmore. The best “Gilmore Girls” episodes follow Rory and her mother through the ups and downs of small town life in Stars Hollow fit with romance, quirky neighbors and her prim and proper grandparents.
The iconic mother and daughter relationship that defined a generation, “Gilmore Girls,” first premiered in 2000 and ran for seven seasons starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. Known for their fast-talking pop culture referencing speech and addiction to coffee, these two women made us laugh, cry, yell, and jump for joy over and over again.
Before we jump into the episodes, let’s talk about what made “Gilmore Girls” special. Outside of its brilliant writing and acting, the show’s visuals and themes made people feel warm and included. When you put on an episode of “Gilmore Girls,” you immediately feel transported to the fictional town of Stars Hollow. In fact, a recent survey showed that specific popular shows have the power to change people’s moods. Specifically, on a bad day, people noted that “Gilmore Girls” comforted them and helped them feel better.
The show also had strong family dynamics that people can relate to in watching. Whether you and your mom shared a relationship like Lorelai and Rory, or Emily and Lorelai, there was something in it for everyone to find comfort in. With the constant heartbreaks of Rory and the will-they-won’t-they of Luke and Lorelai mixed with Paris’s quick quips and Sookie’s smiling face around every corner, this small town in Connecticut provided never-ending entertainment and comfort for fans.
With that being said, let’s jump into the list, shall we? As always, we at StudyFinds have researched high and low to bring you the top five best “Gilmore Girls” episodes of all time. Don’t see your favorite on the list? Do not worry! The comments are open down below, and we would love to hear from you on your go-to episode!
The List: Best “Gilmore Girls” Episodes, According to Experts
1. “Friday Night’s Alright for Fighting” (Season 6, Episode 13)
“The Gilmores’ relationship has never been worse than it is at the end of Season 5 and the beginning of Season 6. At this point, Emily has recently broken up Lorelai and Luke, and neither senior Gilmore supported Lorelai’s plan to keep Rory from dropping out of Yale. After months of barely communicating with them, Lorelai attends her first Friday night dinner in a long while. It goes as badly as you would expect. The Gilmores spend hours hashing out their issues, and when Lorelai and Rory leave, they’re completely exhausted. We only see roughly nine minutes of those hours, but the montage of Gilmore fury that concludes ‘Friday Night’s Alright for Fighting’ stands as one of the most intense sequences of the series,” says Looper.
friday night’s alright for fighting https://t.co/pejdw2je0A pic.twitter.com/c2tQDy6Krc
— best of rory gilmore (@rorysbest) May 31, 2023
“Once Rory leaves her grandparents’ house to return to Yale, their relationship becomes strained. It’s up to Lorelai, of all people, to fix it, and she forces her family to have Friday night dinner and lay it all on the table. The extended sequence sees the show’s four strongest cast members go at it, resulting in, arguably, the show’s best scene,” adds Netflix.
“Lorelai, Rory, Richard, and Emily have a loving but complicated relationship, and the final scene in ‘Friday Night’s Alright for Fighting’ proves it. The family yells, laughs, bonds, and heals in their own unique way. The rest of the episode is fine — it sees more of the annoying April and features a bonkers storyline where the unforgettable Paris alienates her entire staff at the Yale Daily News — but the final scene makes it an iconic and essential entry into the ‘Gilmore Girls’ canon,” explains Collider.
2. “Raincoats and Recipes” (Season 4, Episode 22)
“Raincoats and Recipes” may just be the most long-awaited “Gilmore Girls” episode to ever air. Why? Because it finally has the kiss we have been waiting for since Luke gave Lorelai her first cup of coffee. “This episode has its signature ‘Gilmore Girls’ humor on lock — from Kirk’s naked sleepwalking to every word that comes out of Michel’s mouth. However, there’s also plenty of drama. First, Lorelai’s ex-boyfriend Jason Stiles unexpectedly turns up, insisting that he and Lorelai have a future, which kind of puts a damper on her blossoming relationship with Luke. The miscommunication is swiftly resolved, and Lorelai and Luke both finally admit that there’s something between them and have their long-awaited first kiss,” says Looper.
“raincoats and recipes” is collectively the best and worst episode of gilmore girls because of #them pic.twitter.com/GCi8nYSKPn
— 💭 (@thinkergilmore) September 29, 2021
“The highlights include the Dragonfly Inn having a tester weekend; it’s great to see Lorelai and Sookie’s achievements come to fruition. It’s also a classic episode as it’s the first time Lorelai and Luke properly admit their feelings for each other. However, the downsides of this episode include Richard and Emily splitting up and Rory and Dean sleeping together,” notes The Tab.
“I’ll take ‘best episodes I never want to watch again,’ Alex. This episode is phenomenal in every way, but oh man, is it heartbreaking and frustrating to watch. It marks a big change in the series — this is Rory’s first really bad decision, and it causes the first major rift between her and Lorelai that can’t just be fixed with coffee at Luke’s. Oh, and Luke and Lorelai FINALLY kiss! Between the drama, romance, and heartbreak of it all, this episode is a must-watch for any Gilmore Girls fan,” writes Buzzfeed.
3. “Wedding Bell Blues” (Season 5, Episode 13)
“Richard and Emily’s relationship is one of Gilmore Girls’ greatest strengths. The arrogant but loveable grandparents are crucial to the show’s success, especially whenever they are interacting with their spitfire of a daughter. The couple briefly separates during season 5, but they reconcile and review their vows in the episode’ Wedding Bell Blues,” describes Collider.
5×13 of gilmore girls in a nutshell pic.twitter.com/yMazgOe1jJ
— ally (@lorelaisdiner) November 29, 2021
“What’s better than a wedding episode? A vow renewal episode, of course! In the series’ 100th episode, Emily and Richard hold a ceremony to commemorate their reconciliation and dedication to one another. The scene in which Richard, as played by the incomparable Herrmann, gives a speech to Emily before their first dance is among the most tender moments the show produced. But it wouldn’t be a Gilmore gathering without some unnecessary drama. Emily invites Rory’s father, Christopher, to the ceremony, and chaos ensues from there,” writes Netflix.
“Lorelai brings Luke as her date but is unaware that Emily has secretly invited Christopher and instructed him to break up her daughter and her boyfriend. To make matters worse, Lorelai, Christopher, and Luke catch Rory and Logan making out in the dressing room, and the incident makes basically everyone involved look silly. This anger fuels a very drunk Christopher, who accuses Luke of not belonging there. During a tirade, Christopher essentially blurts out his and Emily’s plan, which devastates Lorelai and Luke. After seeing Rory and Logan together and hearing Christopher’s ugly public meltdown, Luke leaves the party without Lorelai. She is devastated by her mom’s actions and tells her that their relationship is over,” says Looper.
“Wedding Bell Blues” starts out innocent enough with its comedic scenes and heartfelt moments, but it’s the drama at the end that makes “Gilmore Girls” as iconic as it was.
4. “The Bracebridge Dinner” (Season 2, Episode 10)
If there is one thing that “Gilmore Girls” is known for, it’s the zany inhabitants of Stars Hollow. “A good townie episode, then, is always going to be utterly delightful. The Bracebridge Dinner is a fan-favorite for this very reason and has the added benefit of bringing together all of the show’s disparate worlds for one semi-bottle episode,” writes Den of Geek.
sleigh rides after the bracebridge dinner! 🛷 pic.twitter.com/IZH0jlw63v
— 💭 (@thinkergilmore) December 11, 2022
“When a blizzard prevents a group from attending the historical dinner that Sookie has painstakingly prepared at their request, she and Lorelai invite most of the citizens of Stars Hollow to an elaborate feast complete with Elizabethan costumes and horse-drawn sleigh rides,” describes Episode Ninja.
“There’s nothing like a Stars Hollow function. When a group is snowed in and unable to attend a 19th-century-themed dinner event at Lorelai’s inn, Lorelai decides to throw the event for Stars Hollow instead. Lorelai also invites her parents, making it one of the rare episodes where her Stars Hollow life intertwines with her old life. It’s fun to see all of the characters interact with each other — and the old-timey dinner makes it even more of a good time. This episode also shows Rory developing feelings for Jess, Luke’s nephew,” says DeseretNews.
5. “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?” (Season 3, Episode 7)
“What makes ‘They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They’ the very best episode of all of ‘Gilmore Girls’ is that it balances everything that makes this show great. You get the sense of community from all of Stars Hollow coming together for the dance marathon and that incredibly joyful, vaguely Lynchian sequence of the whole town in their 1940s finery, boogying away on the dance floor at 6 am. There’s the romantic charge of Luke and Lorelai making eyes at each other over Lorelai’s shoe, and the Rory/Dean/Jess love triangle finally and dramatically coming to a head. And most importantly, you get the closeness and connection of Rory and Lorelai, literally leaning on each other for support as they try to make it through the day,” writes Vox.
Gilmore Girls is probably the greatest show ever made because I've never seen another series set a break-up scene to the Rocky theme.
Also the episode is titled "They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They?" https://t.co/vDhT4Q4L1R— Ben Crew (@BenjaminCrew1) April 15, 2023
“The whole premise of the episode is silly and fun, and Kirk definitely steals the show. It has some great classic Rory and Lorelai moments, and Lorelai is ridiculously competitive. However, the episode is probably most remembered for the scene where Dean tells Rory he’s finally had enough of her clearly being into Jess. It’s heartbreaking for both Dean and Rory, but of course, it’s also the start of Rory and Jess’s relationship,” writes Buzzfeed.
“‘They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They’ features everything a ‘Gilmore Girls’ fan loves about the show. We have zany town antics in the form of Stars Hollow’s 24-hour dance marathon; Lorelai and Rory teaming up at the dance to defeat reigning champ Kirk; Rory’s boy problems that escalate to the point of Dean breaking up with her; and Lorelai and Luke inching one step closer to getting together by discussing kids. It’s everything that makes ‘Gilmore Girls’ such a quirky yet lovable show and a world you want to revisit winter, spring, summer, and fall,” adds GoldDerby.
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