Alternate storylines
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
Tess22 — 9 years ago(December 23, 2016 11:29 AM)
Most people have problems with at least some of the characters' storylines in the revival. How would you have changed them for each person? For me:
Lorelai: Only a couple of changes. I didn't like her unreasonable behaviour about finding a chef, and would replace this with her resenting but tolerating somebody new in Sookie's kitchen. This development as a more savvy businesswoman would have been a much better set up for franchising the Dragonfly. Most importantly, the story told at the funeral was out of character. It would have been better for her to tell a story about Richard with Rory, which Emily misreads as a sleight to Richard's parenting skills with Lorelai. Or she could have drawn a complete blank and refused to speak - believable and understandable with the lack of sleep and food, but still a betrayal in Emily's eyes. Both options would have led to the same confrontation without stamping on Richard and Lorelai's relationship, and conflicts between Lorelai and Emily are always more interesting when both sides have a point.
Rory: Pretty much everything needs changing. The combination of a major fault in the original show (Rory's career choice not matching her personality), combined with the way the journalism industry has changed, gave the writers such an obvious opening for a realistic, moving storyline. I hoped to see Rory as a disillusioned 32 year old realising that the job she'd dreamed of was extremely rare and disappearing fast, and that the available work was all badly-paid and precarious, with employers demanding clickbait and sensationalism. Over the course of four episodes, I thought we'd see her come to terms with a change in career, perhaps accepting that it would never have been right for her anyway. Getting a masters and teaching literature would be a good option. In that situation, the final pregnancy reveal would be a good one - with her plans to start over suddenly being thrown off. Relationship-wise, I wouldn't have minded seeing her in an open relationship with Logan, where they are free to see other people. They break up for good in Summer, with the pregnancy reveal in Fall.
Emily: Change nothing. She rules.
Paris: Separated from Doyle at the start, as the distance caused by his career in California put too much of a strain on their relationship. By Fall, she announces they have reconciled and she's moving to California to open a clinic there and expand across the country.
Logan: Running his own successful business, having a crisis about whether to take over the family company after all. In an open relationship with Rory, but otherwise dating around. Probably seeing somebody else in Summer/Fall, which would obviously add a dilemma for Rory.
Lane: Still lives in Stars Hollow, but is in a similar place to Lorelai in the original show. She and Hep Alien still perform, and she is taking college courses, planning to open a music shop or a bar with live music. She has a small town life, but with ambition and momentum.
Jess: Not hung up on Rory anymore. At all.
You dont have to be angry to have an opinion worth hearing. -
majenco — 9 years ago(December 28, 2016 11:45 AM)
Lorelei- I think she should have become a consultant for the company that wanted to buy the Inn. This would have involved a lot of travel and would explain why she had never gotten around to marrying Luke or having the kids they both seemed to want. I also think they should have done more with her relationship with her mother. Therapy was needed and they are both fabulous actresses and would have done a great job had they actually been given the least bit of decent material here.
Rory- She should be working at a local paper or getting her Masters. She should not be aimless and if she is then Lorelei should be kicking her butt in gear with help from Emily. She should not still be a cheater and she doesn't belong with Logan if he's engaged to someone else. I liked Logan in the original series but once she refused his proposal I felt that that was the end of their story. If they were to get back together at some point I would not have it be in such a disfunctional way. They simultaneously destroyed Rory and Logan in the revival.
Lane- I agree she should still rock. Maybe teach music with her mothers help.
Emily- Pretty much the only person who was decent in the revival. Want to see her closer to Lorelei. Time to bury the hatchet and appreciate what you have. Rory and Richard's absence should have brought this mother and daughter closer.
Luke- Needs to learn to communicate already! Also needs to become closer to April. -
Tess22 — 9 years ago(December 28, 2016 03:11 PM)
She should not be aimless and if she is then Lorelei should be kicking her butt in gear with help from Emily.
I had actually hoped to see Rory feeling and acting a bit aimless in the opening episodes. It's realistic for someone of her age who chose an unsuitable career and has always been over-supported/protected by people she loves. I would, however, have really loved to see the 'kicking her butt' scene (maybe at the end of the second episode?) where Lorelai and/or Emily tell her to get her act together. It would also have been a great opportunity to address another big flaw of the original show - the 'Rory is perfect and can do no wrong' attitude from almost every single character at almost every single point. Lorelai and Emily (even Luke) could have been made to address the fact that they've encouraged a sense of entitlement and a self-centredness that have ultimately led to Rory failing in the real world.
I think this is the biggest issue I had with Rory in the revival (which I actually enjoyed for the most part). The writers had the opportunity to look back a few flaws in a great show and address them head on, using them to create really interesting storylines and character development. Instead, they just ignored and exacerbated them.
You dont have to be angry to have an opinion worth hearing. -
shinynewpenny — 9 years ago(January 01, 2017 03:19 PM)
I like your ideas, especially for Lane.
You forgot Luke. He should be with Lorelai, but more active in their relationship - allowed to choose his own wedding date for example! Still running the diner. Closer to April. I think he and Lorelai would have at least one more child, or have a reason they decided not to. I didn't buy that they just never discussed it. -
barbarapaulmayer — 9 years ago(January 02, 2017 01:41 AM)
I love your idea for Rory, this would have shown real growing up and change in Rorys crappy attitude and arrogance. Rory is a failure in the reunion, but this doesnt mean it has to go on like that. From season 1, I thought that foreign correspondent is the wrong profession for her and I would have loved to see her grow up during her Yale years, realizing that and finding some new interests and career perspectives. After seven season nothing happened, so I hoped again in the revival, but I was disappointed again. Rory still is a very flat and one-dimensional character, I think.
Also love the Lane idea, I would have loved to see her back in college (or even already finished), taking over the music store from Sophie and Hep Alien performing and also touring during summer holidays. -
MinaGodiva — 9 years ago(January 08, 2017 11:03 AM)
Sookie : I think it would have been A LOT more believable if Sookie was working at a 5 star restaurant, a once in a lifetime opportunity, instead of ehm growing vegetables.. That would have been a acceptable ' excuse' for ditching Lor and the Inn. Evwn if Sookie was always a bit flaxy to begin with.
Paris : I think SHE should have been the journalist in the revival. I can totally see her making politicians cry in her own show on CNN.
Rory : I am okay with her becoming a writer but I would have imagined her to work for a magazine. Nothing 'big'. Since she is flying so much why not a job at a airline magazine.
Also.. If there were so hellbent on reuniting her with a ex why not Jess instead of Logan? SHE doesn't deserve him I know and eventhough I am warming up to Logan (rewatching GG) I don't understand why the writers reunited them.
Miss Patty: should have gotten more lines. Sorely missed .
Lorelai : Part from the 'WILDING' thing I thought she was pretty acceptable. Not suprised that she didn't have another kid since she always thought Rory was so special. Her not guving Rory a firm talk about cheating with Logan wadms out of character though.
Lane: Completely agree with everything you said. I would have wanted to go to school as well.
Dean; working at his dad's taking over his business and going to school as well.
Kirk : One if his inventions is a HUGE SUCCES and he ends up getting filthy rich but losing everything in the end 'Kirk' style.
Emily: The only character they got right, star of the revival.
Jess: succesful as writer or a photographer. Has moved on from Rory but feels there is ' unfinished' business between them.
Michel : I would like to have seen his boyfriend. -
grumpy_otter — 9 years ago(January 26, 2017 06:36 AM)
Paris : I think SHE should have been the journalist in the revival. I can totally see her making politicians cry in her own show on CNN.
I was just picturing this and laughing hysterically. That would have been a PERFECT direction for Paris instead of the surrogacy business. I have no idea why they ever thought that was a good business for Paris.
And ditch the mooning over Tristan. Absolutely pointless since they couldn't get the actual actor. -
HalinCozell — 9 years ago(January 25, 2017 06:19 AM)
Lane: I could see her own a music shop with CDs and vinyl etc, kind of similar to her mom's antique shop but focussed on music, of course. I could even see her treating some of her clients the way her mom used to. It would have been clich in a way, but I think I would have liked it.
Emily was perfect.
Rory nothing about that was right. Just, nothing. Getting her master and teaching would have been good. I was NOT expecting "Rory aka Hannah Horvath". It was just plain weird.
Lorelai should have been married to Luke already (I didn't feel the need to witness them getting married). It would have been nice to catch them in the middle of adopting a slightly older child (8 years old perhaps) with an attitude.
OR, better yet, raising Rory's child she had with Logan. Why not? The writers wanted Rory to be pregnant straight out of Yale, that could have happened off screen We would have learned all those years later, that Rory had a child that was mainly raised by Lorelai and Luke. Rory would still be perceived as a horrible loser and irritating person, but to a certain degree it would make more sense that way. We would have missed aaaaaalllll the toddler years and be served an 8 year old.
Maybe Rory would finally be ready to take care of the child herself, it practically writes itself!
sleep with their fathers and have secret lemon children