Unforgettable and Controversial: 10 Gilmore Girls Storylines That Divided Fans

This article contains discussions about sexual assault and verbal abuse.

Gilmore Girls, a TV show from the early 2000s, is highly cherished by fans. However, there are certain storylines within the show that fans would prefer to forget. The series revolves around the lives and relationships of three generations of the Gilmore family. Lorelai Gilmore, who became a mother at sixteen, must reconcile with her parents Emily and Richard to secure a high-quality education for her daughter Rory. Gilmore Girls features several heartwarming storylines that keep fans coming back for more.

10 Paris and Asher Have A Nearly 40-Year Age Gap

: Disappointingly, despite the endearing characters and charming setting, Gilmore Girls also harbors a handful of unfavorable and outright offensive storylines. While some of these storylines were frowned upon at the time of their release, others have only become deeply unsettling when viewed through a retrospective lens. Concerned fans have turned to popular social media platforms such as Reddit and YouTube to engage in fervent discussions about the aspects of the series that they fervently wish had never come to fruition. Amidst a plethora of opinions, a consensus has emerged on ten storylines that are widely regarded as objectively flawed in Gilmore Girls.

The romantic relationships of Paris in Gilmore Girls are often fraught with complications. Despite finding happiness with Jamie, a student from Princeton, Paris ends up jeopardizing the relationship by engaging in an affair with Professor Asher Fleming, which is widely regarded as one of her most troubling storylines. Although technically not her instructor, Asher is almost four decades older than Paris and a renowned author. Adding to the discomfort, Paris is still in her first year as a student, writing an article about him. Rory finds the power dynamics between Asher and Paris peculiar and unsettling, especially since her own grandfather introduced them. While some characters in the show support Paris, their acceptance of Asher consistently dating his students is seen as problematic.

In the years following the release of Gilmore Girls,

9 Rory and Marty Pretend They Don’t Know Each Other

, viewers have increasingly expressed discomfort with this particular storyline. Numerous Reddit threads have surfaced, bringing to light the disturbing nature of their relationship. Asher manipulates and preys on young Yale students, replacing them annually. Paris, lacking experience in the realm of romance, becomes an easy target for him. Following a brief moment of clarity during her time in the hospital, Asher bombards her with affection in order to keep her with him. Tragically, he passes away, creating the illusion of their relationship being a doomed love story rather than a predatory association.

In a peculiar twist of events within the Gilmore Girls plotline, Marty adopts a facade of unfamiliarity when Lucy introduces him to Rory, and Rory, oddly enough, plays along with the deception. This particular turn of events casts Marty in an unfavorable light due to the motivations driving this peculiar situation. Over time, as their paths cross through Lucy, Marty transforms into the embodiment of the infamous "nice guy" stereotype. His demeanor turns unsettling and spiteful as a result of his unrequited affections for Rory. Gilmore Girls places an unfair blame on Logan for exposing their deceit, branding him as the antagonist in this scenario. As Rory's partner, he should not have succumbed to feelings of envy and insecurity regarding their social interactions. Conversely, Logan's establishment of boundaries regarding honesty with Lucy is completely justifiable.

8 Zack Proposes To Lane Instead of Apologizing

Despite its positive aspects, Gilmore Girls portrays a recurring issue of male characters becoming jealous and reacting impulsively towards their partners. One example is seen in the innocent friendship between Brian and Lane, which never involved romantic feelings. However, when Brian writes a song about Lane, Zack reacts irrationally, causing a major disruption during Hep Alien's potential breakthrough performance in front of record label agents. Instead of addressing his emotions maturely and engaging in a discussion, Zack proposes marriage to Lane, further complicating the situation.

Opinions regarding whether Zack and Lane make a good couple in Gilmore Girls are divided. However, this specific moment is widely viewed in a negative light. Zack fails to apologize to Lane for his actions during the meltdown, and instead spends the entire proposal expressing his dependency on Lane rather than emphasizing his love and happiness with her. In an unexpected twist, Lane agrees to marry him, which seems out of character for her. The whole event feels abrupt and disjointed.

7 Luke Hides April’s Existence From Lorelai

April is widely disliked by fans of Gilmore Girls, although much of the hate is not directed towards the character herself. She had the potential to be a compelling character, but unfortunately, she was mainly used as a plot device. Luke keeps April hidden from Lorelai for two months, which creates a significant rift in their relationship. While Luke and Lorelai's communication issues are not uncommon, this particular situation seems too significant for Luke to conceal. When Lorelai eventually discovers April's existence, Luke goes to extreme lengths to keep them apart, further driving a wedge between them.

These actions are perplexing, especially considering how Luke stepped up for Rory in the past. They have already shown that they can come together to support a child, even when they were not romantically involved. Additionally, Luke's choice to hide April doesn't align with his previous behavior. Whenever Luke felt overwhelmed, he would turn to Lorelai for support. This included moments like pushing Jess into the lake, purchasing the building, and getting arrested. Consequently, fans strongly desire for the April storyline to be eliminated from the show.

6 The Gilmores All Degrade Therapy

In Gilmore Girls, therapy is consistently portrayed in a negative light. Lorelai and Emily express disapproval and skepticism towards the idea of seeking therapy. Lorelai jokingly refers to Rory as "crazy" for seeing a school psychologist, and Lorelai holds a sarcastic therapy session in a therapist's car. Additionally, Emily tricks Lorelai into attending therapy in Gilmore Girls: A Year In the Life. This storyline, reflecting the attitudes of the early 2000s, reveals the strong stigma surrounding mental health and therapy at that time. However, looking back, this recurring theme has faced criticism from therapists and individuals in therapy for perpetuating harmful perceptions.

5 Jess Gets Mad At Rory For Stopping Sexual Contact

When Rory ascends the stairs during a social gathering, she and Jess engage in passionate kissing. He advances towards sexual intimacy, but she halts his progress, expressing her reluctance to engage in such activities at that particular time and in that setting. Initially, Jess becomes upset and directs his anger towards Rory, stating, "I did not invite you to come up here. You came up here on your own." However, he quickly realizes his mistake and promptly offers an apology. Although the attempt at reconciliation is better than no acknowledgement of wrongdoing, this incident represents Jess' most regrettable moment in the entirety of Gilmore Girls. He flagrantly disregards boundaries of consent, regardless of the underlying circumstances. Consequently, numerous fans fervently wish that this distressing scene could be omitted from the show.

4 Lane Becomes Pregnant After Terrible Sex

The storyline in Gilmore Girls where Lane unexpectedly becomes pregnant with twins after marrying her second ever date, and having a disappointing sexual encounter, is widely regarded as one of the show's major flaws. This particular plot has sparked multiple discussions among fans on a Reddit thread dedicated to disliked storylines in Gilmore Girls. Many feel that this storyline contradicts Lane's established persona. Previously, Lane had expressed a strong aversion towards babies and children when Sherry, her mother's partner, became pregnant. Throughout the series, Lane has also shown a keen interest in dating and romance. Upon leaving her mother's home, Lane had the opportunity to grow and explore various relationships. Unfortunately, due to this particular storyline, Lane's character undergoes a significant transformation, resulting in her becoming almost unrecognizable.

3 Dean Treats Lindsay Horribly After Getting Married

When Dean and Lindsay get married, he is still in love with Rory. Instead of addressing his emotions in a healthy manner, Dean avoids Lindsay and verbally mistreats her when they are together. He chooses to spend his free time at the arcade or with Rory, neglecting his relationship with Lindsay. After cheating on Lindsay, he becomes enraged when she innocently answers his phone, engaging in gaslighting behavior by accusing her of disrespecting him. Lindsay timidly retreats during their conversation and immediately apologizes. Furthermore, she appears fearful of touching him as she leaves to go to bed.

Upon reflection, many viewers have identified Dean as verbally and mentally abusive. It has also been recognized that the problematic behavior extends far beyond just his relationship with Lindsay. Numerous Reddit threads discuss the warning signs of toxicity and control in Dean and Rory's relationship. If the clearly abusive dynamic between Dean and Lindsay did not occur, some viewers may have been inclined to overlook some of Dean's troubling actions towards Rory. However, it is important to note that this does not justify his behavior.

2 Christopher and Lorelai Get Married

In season 6 of Gilmore Girls, Lorelai seeks solace from her failed relationship with Luke by sleeping with Christopher. This decision is not well-received by fans, but it becomes even more problematic when Lorelai and Christopher spontaneously decide to get married in France, just seven episodes later. Throughout the series, Lorelai has consistently turned down Christopher's advances. However, she changes her mind because she believes that marrying him will give her the ideal family. Rather than seeing Christopher as her true match, Lorelai views him as a representation of her desired partner.

On the other hand, Christopher views their unexpected marriage as an opportunity they never had before. Their timing has always been off, and he believes that this is his only chance to hear Lorelai say yes. Unfortunately, their marriage never feels right for either of them. Lauren Graham, in her book Talking As Fast As I Can, revealed her surprise at this storyline, stating, "[A]pparently during this season Christopher and Lorelai get married in Paris. OK. I have to admit, this seemed so odd to me back then... that I somehow managed to completely forget it ever happened." The fact that even the actress herself blocks out this storyline shows that audience members who dislike it are not alone in their feelings.

1 Jackson Pretends To Have A Vasectomy

The relationship between Sookie and Jackson in Gilmore Girls starts off as loving and sincere, but takes a turn for the worse. After Sookie gives birth, she informs Jackson that he should undergo a vasectomy. Although he has the right to decline, he opts to pretend he had the procedure without informing his wife. Sookie is unaware of this and continues to engage in sexual activities without her consent, which transforms their encounters into acts of assault. The truth only surfaces when Sookie unexpectedly becomes pregnant with their third child. A significant number of individuals on a Reddit discussion thread admit that in order to retain their enjoyment of Gilmore Girls, they choose to disregard this particular storyline.