AlthoughGilmore Girlsis a lot of fun, even the most ardent fan of the series can admit that there are plenty of episodes viewers could do without.The cast ofGilmore Girlsmight be beloved, but not all the show’s plots are so popular. Even before the worstepisodes ofGilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, the divisive Netflix miniseries revival from 2016, there were a few outings that were indefensibly bad.
Many of these episodes startedGilmore Girlsstorylines the show could have done without, but some were notable for seemingly featuring no storyline at all. As frustrating as some poorly handled drama might be, it was equally annoying when an episode would go nowhere from start to finish. The sleepy small-town fun of life in Stars Hollow could get very dull, very fast when the show wasn’t careful, meaning the weakestGilmore Girlsoutings are split down the middle between episodes with terrible twists and episodes that have almost nothing to say.
10French Twist (Season 7, Episode 7)
Marty and Rory Pretending Not To Know Each Other Never Felt Believable
By season 7, episode 7, “French Twist,”Gilmore Girlswas already in decline. However, this was one of the only episodes where neither the A-story nor the B-story worked. The worst thing to come out of “French Twist” is undoubtedlyChristopher and Lorelai’s infamously short-lived marriage, but Rory’s story with Marty is equally irritating. Well before Christopher and Lorelei’s unlikely union takes place, there are plot problems that feel insurmountable dotted throughout “French Twist.”
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Lorelai has always traditionally hated ostentatious displays of wealth, but she is inexplicably charmed when Christopher rents out a restaurant in Paris in the dead of night for a meal. Rory has seemingly grown out of her awkward, uncertain teenage stage after dating Logan and working as the editor of the Yale Daily News, but she inexplicably goes along with Marty’s charade when he pretends not to know her.No one acts like their usual self in “French Twist,”making this a uniquely weakGilmore Girlsouting that feels like airdropped in from another, less interesting version of the series.
9Summer (A Year in the Life, Episode 3)
A Year in the Life’s Weakest Outing Is A Complete Flop
Although a lot ofA Year in the Life’s storylinesdon’t work, the miniseries does have its occasional redeeming features. Emily and Lorelai’s phone call in “Fall” is genuinely touching, and it is hard to hate any revival that offers viewers a follow-up to “a film by kirk.” That said,“Summer” is a locus of everything that doesn’t work inGilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. “Stars Hollow: The Musical” is way too self-aware and drowns out the town’s quirky charms with its never-ending runtime and obnoxious attempts at humor,
The egregious scene of Lorelai and Rory body-shaming random swimmers at a public pool is ugly and mean-spirited.
Lorelai disagreeing with Rory’s plan to pen a memoir is a pointless bit of unearned conflict, while Michel leaving the Dragonfly would hit a lot harder if he had played a bigger role before this twist. Meanwhile, the egregious scene of Lorelai and Rory body-shaming random swimmers at a public pool is ugly, mean-spirited, crass, and bizarrely far from the tone and style of the original series. All told, “Summer” is the encapsulation of what viewers talk about when they discuss the revival’s profound failure to recapture the show’s original appeal.
8The Prodigal Daughter Returns (Season 6, Episode 9)
Luke’s Long Character Devolution Begins Here
There is no doubt thatApril Nardini’sGilmore Girlsplotis one of the show’s worst missteps ever, but it is worth noting that April herself isn’t the issue. From the moment she first appears in “The Prodigal Daughter Returns,” April is no more precocious than Rory was in earlier seasons. The problem with the plot is Luke’s complete inability to tell Lorelai about this unforeseen development, an absurd contrivance that never feels true to his straight-talking personality.
7That Damn Donna Reed (Season 1, Episode 14)
Dean Is At His Most Boorish and Clueless In This Early Episode
In theory, “That Damn Donna Reed” has a great premise. Dean thinks that Rory could be happy fulfilling the classic ‘50s stereotype of a homemaker, while Rory wants him to see how reductive this role can be for someone with her ambitions. The problem is thatDean comes across as a thoughtless boor in this episode, taking Rory’s every comment personally and acting absurdly immature even for a teenager. While Dean’s later actions turned many viewers against him, this episode was early evidence of how one-note the character could be.
6Here Comes The Son (Season 3, Episode 21)
Jess’s Solo Episode is The Definition Of Extraneous
Of all the episodes listed here,Jess’s backdoor pilot episode of aGilmore Girlsspinoffis the most inoffensive. “Here Comes the Son” has a few fun moments and a nice cameo forTwin Peaksstar Sherilyn Fenn, who will later return to the show in another role as April’s mother. However, “Here Comes the Son” can’t help feeling a little pointless, primarily because the episode was intended to be the pilot of a spinoff series that never happened. As a result, although it is perfectly watchable,“Here Comes the Sun” scarcely feels like a realGilmore Girlsouting.
5Concert Interruptus (Season 1, Episode 13)
This Season 1 Outing Felt Out Of Character For Everyone
In season 1, the main characters ofGilmore Girlshad not quite developed the well-defined personalities seen later in the series. As such, episodes like “Concert Interruptus” feel strange precisely because no one acts like themselves. Rory taking Madeline and Louise to a concert with her doesn’t feel believable and Lane admitting to her mother that she wants to attend a rock concert is too naive for the savvy supporting star. All told,“Concert Interruptus” doesn’t gel well with laterGilmore Girlsepisodes, making it feel oddly like an after-school special set in the world of the series.
4A Vineyard Valentine (Season 6, Episode 15)
An Awkward Encounter Between Luke and Logan Drags This Episode Out
While “A Vineyard Valentine” doesn’t feature any ofRory’s worstGilmore Girlsmoments, what it does have is arguably worse. “A Vineyard Valentine” is one of the most awkward episodes of the entire series as Rory and Logan attempt to share a new Valentine’s weekend with Lorelai and Luke, but the animosity between all the people involved ends up ruining this plan.“A Vineyard Valentine” is too painfully awkward to re-watch, but everyone’s misunderstandings and petty fights amount to little in the way of substantial dramatic weight by the end.
3You’ve Been Gilmored (Season 6, Episode 14)
Rory’s Takeover Of The Yale Daily News Was Too Convenient
Unlike most of the episodes listed here, “You’ve Been Gilmored” is a favorite among some fans. However,I never liked how convenient Rory taking over The Yale Daily News was, and how much the coup to oust Paris felt like an excuse to fix Rory’s insecurities over her shortcomings as a journalist. Mitchum Huntzberger’s lecture had a real impact on her, and I enjoyedGilmore Girlsexploring the results of Rory’s reliance on external validation throughout seasons 5 and 6. Thus, suddenly revealing that everything was better because she was special after all felt like a cop-out.
2Go, Bulldogs! (Season 7, Episode 6)
Christopher’s Visit To Yale Doesn’t Amount To Anything Substantial
Christopher trying to win over Rory’s friends with a free dinner might be embarrassing, but that’s not what makes “Go, Bulldogs!” a mainstay on lists ofGilmore Girlsepisodes that viewers skip when rewatching the show. The outing simply does very little with the promising premise of Emily, Richard, Lorelai, and Christopher all attending Yale’s parents' weekend at the same time. This seems like a juicy conceit, but“Go, Bulldogs!” lacks any stakes and feels superfluous as a result.
1That’s What You Get, Folks, for Makin' Whoopee (Season 7, Episode 2)
Lane’s Tragic Twist Was The Nadir Of Gilmore Girls
In “That’s What You Get, Folks, for Makin' Whoopee,” viewers find out that Lane became pregnant as a result of the painful, unpleasant sex she endured on her honeymoon, and she is crestfallen by this news. This is easily the bleakest storyline in the entire show, andit is impossible to work out whyGilmore Girlsthought Lane’s pregnancy was a good story idea. As such, this is oneGilmore Girlsepisode that even the most generous viewers could do without.
