This piece originally appeared on Strong Women, Strong Girls, an inspiring organization that supports positive mentoring relationships between college women and pre-adolescent girls in underserved local communities to help raise ambition and combat the dangers of low self-esteem.
I’m often frustrated with the television characters on shows aimed at adolescents and teenagers – Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, the Kardashians et al – that focus heavily on the (highly unattainable) physical female appearance.
It caused me to reminisce about one of my favorite shows, Gilmore Girls, which ran from 2000-2007, with a four-episode revival series in 2016. The brainchild of Amy Sherman-Palladino (hooray female writers!), a single mother and her daughter were more best friends than parent-child. The witty, head-spinningly fast dialogue, the quirky small-town charm, and the back-and-forth romance between Luke and Lorealai got me hooked. PLUS, all of the female characters were strong, interesting, and three-dimensional. Of course that contributed to my love for this series! It’s the perfect show for teens and ‘tweens seeking strong, female-centered stories.
Lorelai: headstrong single mom
Lorelai (Lauren Graham), the anchor of the show, leaves behind a world of white gloves and country clubs to raise a baby on her own as a teenager. She knows the life of privilege won’t fulfill her and sets about to create her own happiness. Lorelai works her way up the ladder from inn maid to inn owner. But it doesn’t happen overnight. She earns her way through community college and business school, all while she works, raises a child, and lives modestly (except for all those diner meals!). Lorelai struggles to commit to romantic relationships and put her own needs first. But she ALWAYS commits to everything possible to give Rory a good life – not just materially, but through a relationship where Rory feels loved and accepted, unlike Lorelai’s own childhood.
Rory: beloved bookworm
The beloved daughter of the series, Rory’s nose is always in a book. Her athleticism and social prowess aren’t much to brag about. But Rory (Alexis Bledel) focuses on her schoolwork, getting into Harvard, and honing her journalism skills to be the next Christiane Amanpour. Her romances are realistic for a 16 year-old – awkward first kisses, stodgy school dances, and handmade bracelets for Valentine’s Day; not the swanky clubs teens occupy on TV today. Even though Rory eventually ditches her loyal first love for the bad boy in town, it isn’t just for the thrill of danger. She shares the same love of literature and music with him, and their conversations are substantive.
Perhaps what I love most about Rory is that, unlike Joey Potter of Dawson’s Creek, Rory always has a best girl friend. They share a true sisterhood – no scheming to steal the other’s boyfriend or trying to one-up her prom dress – just true and dependable friendship that helps them through the tough times and happy moments.
True, Lorelai and Rory eat far too much junk food and exercised far too little to maintain their trim figures, but it’s an excusable flaw in an otherwise stellar series.
Sookie: gold-hearted chef
Light-hearted and goofy, Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) serves as a steady confidante for Lorelai, but is more than just a sidekick. She has skills in her own right, namely as a top-notch chef and co-owner of the inn. The show portrays some of Sookie’s struggles as a business owner and a working mother, and highlights the importance of a compassionate and involved partner when it comes to parenting.
Oh, and did I mention she is plus-sized? Her figure, however, is never used as an easy punchline, as it is in several Melissa McCarthy movies post-Bridesmaids. In fact, her appearance is never part of the plot or the dialogue, except when she prepares for a first date. While some might say this ignores the challenges plus-sized women face, I believe it helped to normalize all sizes on television during this time period.
Lane: rebel with a drum
Lane (Keiko Agena) is Rory’s long-time best friend in the quaint town of Stars Hollow. The daughter of a stern, Seventh Day Adventist Korean woman, Lane secretly rebels from the strict rules when she learns the drums and joins a rock band. She frequently rattles off musical influences like the Smiths, the White Stripes, the Ramones, and bands I’ve never heard of. In order to pursue her dreams with the band, she holds the unglamorous job of diner waitress. Her rock passion is a welcome reprieve from typical Asian stereotypes. She and Rory, with a few ups and downs, remain strong friends throughout the series.
And that doesn’t even cover Emily, Paris, and Miss Patty! (I’ll need to do a sequel.) We need more female characters in teen dramas that are as diverse and interesting as this crowd. Who are your favorite female TV characters?
Due to overwhelming popularity of the series on Netflix, they released a four-part revival in November 2016, “A Year in the Life,” which caught up with the gals eight years after the series ended. While this review does not cover the revival, comment below if you’d like to hear more about the entire series.
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