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Catching up with Lorelai Gilmore and Rory Gilmore in reruns is a staple of the fall and winter seasons for Gilmore Girls fans. Part of the show’s allure is the comfort fans found in the mostly predictable storylines. While there was plenty of drama in the dramedy, most of it was foreshadowed well in advance. Still, there were a few storylines that fans of the famed series didn’t see coming. 

No one saw Luke Danes’ secret child coming 

Luke Danes was a pretty responsible guy. He ran Luke’s Diner, helped out his friends, and generally just relaxed. Luke dated a few women during the series. Still, the writing team made it clear that Luke was not a man who was into casual dating. That’s why the appearance of his secret child, April Nardini, took fans by surprise. 

Milo Ventimiglia and Scott Patterson as Jess and Luke in 'Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life' on Netflix. They're sitting at a table in Luke's Diner. Jess is a part of one of the Gilmore Girls plot holes fans are still taking about.
Milo Ventimiglia and Scott Patterson in ‘Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life’ | Saeed Adyani/Netflix

April appeared at Luke’s Diner to gather a DNA sample to figure out who her father was in the season 6 episode, “The Prodigal Daughter Returns.” Eventually, it was revealed that April was the result of a relationship Luke had before the series began. Luke never mentioned April’s mother, Anna Nardini, before April appeared. Most viewers never saw the storyline coming, and it’s still one of the most disliked arcs of the show’s seven-season run. 

‘Gilmore Girls’ fans are still shocked by Sherry leaving GiGi with Christopher 

Christopher Hayden, Rory’s father, wasn’t exactly the most paternal character to grace the screen on Gilmore Girls. In fact, showrunner Amy Sherman-Palladino highlighted his lack of paternal instinct as often as she could. That’s why, in season 5, fans were shocked that his fiancee, Sherry Tinsdale, abandoned their child, and Christopher stepped up to raise her.

The storyline wasn’t just unbelievable because of Christopher’s track record. Sherry’s behavior seemed out of character, based on the few exchanges viewers saw with her. Sherry indicated she really wanted to be a mother back in season 2 of Gilmore Girls. She even told Rory that she was considering single parenthood before meeting Christopher.

Marty’s strange reappearance in season 7 of ‘Gilmore Girls’ still makes no sense 

Marty was introduced to Gilmore Girls fans in season 4 of the series. As one of Rory’s first friends at Yale, Marty was sweet, good-natured, and seemed like a nice enough guy, if not a bit awkward. After Rory officially hooked up with Logan Huntzberger, Marty disappeared. That part of his story was believable, and if he had just evaporated, Gilmore Girls fans would have just chalked the entire situation up to friends drifting apart. 

Wayne Wilcox is seen at the Press Preview of 'Chaplin the Musical' at Foxwoods Theater Rehearsal Studios
Wayne Wilcox | Walter McBride/Corbis via Getty Images

Inexplicably, the writing team decided to trot Marty back out for the show’s farewell season. In season 7, Marty was no longer sweet and certainly not good-natured. He turned into a total creep who lied about even knowing Rory. The entire storyline remains one of the most confusing aspects of the show’s final season, and that’s saying something. 

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