‘Gilmore Girls’: Amy Sherman-Palladino’s Favorite Moments From the Pilot Are So Random
Gilmore Girls has a firm place in pop culture history. The popular TV show of the early 2000s endures despite its original run ending in 2007. Go back to the episode that started it all, the pilot episode of Gilmore Girls, with creator Amy Sherman-Palladino.
‘Gilmore Girls’ premiered in October 2000
The CW, then known as The WB, first aired Gilmore Girls on Oct. 5, 2000. TV viewers were introduced to single mother, Lorelai Gilmore, as played by Lauren Graham, and her book-loving daughter, Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel).
Between sips of coffee and pop culture references, it became clear Lorelai and Rory weren’t the typical mother and daughter. They were best friends. And they lived in a quirky, charming small town called Stars Hollow, Connecticut.
But things got complicated when Rory got an acceptance letter from Chilton. A prestigious prep school that would help her get to her dream school, Harvard University, Lorelai couldn’t afford the tuition. S
o she turned to her parents, Richard (Edward Herrmann) and Emily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop), who she only saw on holidays. In exchange for tuition, Lorelai and Rory would have to come to dinner every Friday night. And so began Gilmore Girls.
‘Gilmore Girls’ creator once shared the details she loves from the pilot
In a 2015 interview with Entertainment Weekly to mark the program’s 15-year anniversary, Sherman-Palladino reflected on the pilot with Graham. The series creator looked back on the pilot and shared some of her favorite moments.
Particular lines or scenes aren’t necessarily favorites of Sherman-Palladino’s. Sure, she loves many aspects of the first-ever episode of Gilmore Girls but it’s the little things that stand out.
“I have a lot of [favorite] moments [from the pilot],” she said. “Lauren had a couple of moments that some of them weren’t even in dialogue, they were just physical things that she did with Kelly.”
Sherman-Palladino continued, giving specifics.
“The way she dropped the coffee cup into the trash can by the door, which was like a throwaway and a nothing thing, would amaze me,” she said, referring to Lorelai entering her childhood home with a large cup of coffee much to her mother’s disapproval.
Coffee would become a trademark of Lorelai’s and Rory’s. After all, the opening scene of Gilmore Girls showed Lorelai begging Luke Danes (Scott Patterson) for fresh coffee after she’d already had multiple cups.
Another subtle detail Sherman-Palladino loved was one between Richard and Rory.
“I love when Ed Herrmann handed Rory the newspaper while they were waiting while the two women are arguing,” she said.
“There were small things that just stick in my brain at that time as the moments we’ve gotta keep capturing in Gilmore Girls,” she added. “Those sort of weird, almost off-story moments.”
Amy Sherman-Palladino left ‘Gilmore Girls’ after 6 seasons
Sherman-Palladino didn’t stay on Gilmore Girls for the duration of the series. She and her producer husband, Dan Palladino, exited the show after six seasons.
There’d been drama happening behind the scenes between the husband and wife duo and the network. Sherman-Palladino and Palladino said in a statement at the time they wanted a two-year contract for themselves. When the network didn’t agree to it, they left the series.
Sherman-Palladino knew how she wanted to end Gilmore Girls and fans didn’t get to find out because of her departure. For years, fans wondered what she’d had in store for Lorelai and Rory.
Finally, in a 2016 Netflix revival with Sherman-Palladino at the helm, they got the answer. They learned the last four words the Gilmore Girls creator had imagined. And they didn’t disappoint. In fact, they left the story open for more.
Watch Gilmore Girls and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life on Netflix.
