How Gilmore Girls Season 5 Nearly Ruined The Entire Show

The Struggle of Later Seasons

Gilmore Girls continues to be a beloved series years after its ending, but season 5 nearly ruined the whole show with one controversial storyline. It's no secret that Gilmore Girls has its high and low points, with certain seasons proving far more compelling than others. The later seasons of Gilmore Girls, in particular, struggle to keep the show's magic. Rory (Alexis Bledel) growing up and Luke (Scott Patterson) and Lorelai (Lauren Graham) finally getting together contribute to this problem, altering the series' tone and forcing it to find new ways to engage viewers.

Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as Lorelai and Rory Talking While Rory Looks Angry in Gilmore Girls

The premise of Gilmore Girls — chronicling the lives and relationships of a young mother and her teenage daughter — necessitates such changes, as Rory inevitably grows up over the course of the series. Still, Rory's foray into young adulthood isn't what many fans hoped it would be. In fact, Rory's experience with college is precisely what prompts the storyline that nearly destroyed Gilmore Girls' legacy.

Alexis Belden as Rory, Kelly Bishop as Emily, and Lauren Graham as Lorelai sitting at an outdoor table in Gilmore Girls

Lorelai & Rory's Fight That Started In Gilmore Girls Season 5

Gilmore Girls season 5 is one of the show's low points for multiple reasons, but Lorelai and Rory's falling out is what nearly ruined the entire series. The end of season 5 sees Rory making the decision to drop out of Yale despite all the work she does to make the jump from Stars Hollow to an Ivy League college. Rory's rebellion comes as a surprise to Lorelai, who fears Rory will lose the same opportunities she did — and over a boy no less. Needless to say, Lorelai doesn't take the news very well. The two have a fight that extends from Gilmore Girls season 5 into season 6.

While Rory's behavior is realistic for a young adult — especially one who grows up as sheltered as Gilmore Girls' lead — it's just as jarring for the audience as it is for Lorelai. Many of Gilmore Girls fans' problems with Rory stem from her immaturity in later seasons, and this storyline is among her worst. However, it's not just Rory's decision that makes this season 5 development unbearable. Lorelai's immature response is just as grating, resulting in a season 6 that doesn't feel like Gilmore Girls at all.

Why Gilmore Girl's Lorelai & Rory Fight Was A Low Point For The Show

For most of Gilmore Girls' run, the series offers a lighthearted take on a small town with a focus on a compelling mother-daughter dynamic. While Gilmore Girls isn't always realistic, it's a great form of escapism. That's precisely why Lorelai and Rory's fight is a low point. Given that their relationship is what makes the series so comforting and fun, their fight takes away from the appeal of Gilmore Girls. It's a dark point for the characters, but it is just as exhausting and sad for the audience. That's not what most viewers are looking for from Gilmore Girls, so it's no surprise this season 5 storyline is so disliked.