Looking Back on the Greatness of Gilmore Girls on Its 20th Anniversary

On Oct. 5, Gilmore Girlsturns 20, making The WB series four years older than Lorelai (Lauren Graham) was when she gave birth to Rory (Alexis Bledel). The charming dramedy first transported us to the idyllic and idiosyncratic town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, in 2000, when we were still downloading music on Napster and wearing Von Dutch hats. And though the show wrapped up after seven seasons in 2007 — and later returned for a four-episode revival in 2016 — we repeatedly find ourselves drawn back into this world of fast-talking family members and coffee-fueled chit-chat no matter how many years have gone by.

In honor of Gilmore Girls' 20th anniversary, we're looking back on the beloved dramedy, including lots of hot takes on Rory's various boyfriends (including Jared Padalecki's Dean, Milo Ventimiglia's Jess, and Matt Czuchry's Logan), tributes to underappreciated members of the Stars Hollow crew like Paris (Liza Weil) and Kirk (Sean Gunn), updates on where the star-studded cast is now, and more. So if you're feeling nostalgic and find yourself missing Lorelai, Rory, Emily (Kelly Bishop), and the gang, keep reading for our tributes to Gilmore Girls!

Gilmore Girls: Who Is Rory's Best Boyfriend? A Statistical Analysis

There is one thing Gilmore Girls fans love doing more than anything: debating who Rory Gilmore's best boyfriend is. Is it Dean Forester, Rory's high school sweetheart who worshipped the ground she walked on? Or is it Jess Mariano, the brooding bad boy who never said no to a good denim jacket and a great book? Or could it be Logan Huntzberger, Rory's college boyfriend with a big trust fund and a bigger heart? After 20 years of debate, the Gilmore Girls fandom has yet to come to a consensus, so we've turned to the ultimate problem-solver — math — to help figure this out. Keep reading to see the surprising results...

Gilmore Girls Cast: Then and Now

Gilmore Girls introduced audiences to about as many future stars as it did quirky characters. The Handmaid Tale's Alexis Bledel, Supernatural's Jared Padalecki, This Is Us' Milo Ventimiglia, The Resident's Matt Czuchry, and two-time Oscar nominee Melissa McCarthy are among those who got their big breaks on the coffee-fueled, mother-daughter-focused comedy-drama created by Amy Sherman-Palladino. As we celebrate the show's anniversary, let's revisit the stellar cast, many of whom reunited for the 2016 Netflix miniseries Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. Keep reading to see what the cast of Gilmore Girls is up to today...

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Validated Everyone Who Loved Jess Mariano

Despite the pregnancy bombshell that closed out Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, the craziest twist of the Netflix revival was the reveal that Jess Mariano, the former token bad boy boyfriend and all-around punk of Stars Hollow, had become a sane voice of reason who was too good for Rory Gilmore. Of course, Jess' transformation actually began during the original series' run, but it's important to make this distinction now because the revival implied Jess was likely Rory's version of Luke (Scott Patterson) while Logan was her version of Christopher (David Sutcliffe). And to fully comprehend why this turning of the tables really matters now, we need to look at where these characters started. Keep reading for more on reformed bad boy Jess Mariano...

25 Gilmore Girls Trivia Questions Only Superfans Will Know

If you're anything like us, you've rewatched Gilmore Girls several times in the years since it ended and feel as though you know the rest of the Stars Hollow bunch as well as your own family. So we decided to put your knowledge to the test with this ultimate Gilmore Girls trivia quiz. These 25 questions aren't for the casual viewer and are designed to separate the Lorelais from the Parises. (Although, let's be honest: being a Lorelai is pretty great, so this really is a win-win scenario because who needs to ace tests when you run a quaint inn and are the queen of movie nights?) Keep reading to see how well you know Gilmore Girls...

Gilmore Girls Definitely Isn't Team Logan, but We Still Are

Team Logan supporters should have been thrilled that Rory's college ex played a major role in the 2016 Netflix revival, but the Logan Huntzberger who appeared in A Year in the Life wasn't the Logan we knew from the original series. When Logan was first introduced in Season 5, it was easy to brush him off as a spoiled rich boy who was deathly allergic to anything resembling responsibility. But as time went on, it became clear that he was the most understanding, intellectually stimulating, and emotionally mature partner Rory ever had. So why is the Logan we saw in A Year in the Life a liar and philanderer? Because he needed to be to fit the ending. Keep reading for why Logan deserved better...

19 Stars Who Were on Gilmore Girls Before They Were Famous

There are so many reasons to love Gilmore Girls, but easily one of the best parts of the show was its incredible cast. Even beyond Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Kelly Bishop, Melissa McCarthy, Scott Patterson, Keiko Agena, and the rest of the Stars Hollow crew, the series had an impressive roster of supporting players and guest stars — many of whom would go on to become big stars in their own right in the 20 years since Gilmore Girls premiered. Keep reading to see the stars who appeared on Gilmore Girls before they were famous...

15 Reasons Rory's Gilmore Girls Soulmate Is Actually Paris

Though they started off as rivals when Rory begun at Chilton, Paris and Rory developed a complex, layered friendship that proved to be one of Rory's most fulfilling and reliable relationships by the series' end. Sure, they had their ups and downs over the years, but what relationship hasn't? And other than Lorelai, no one was more supportive of Rory when things were tough, and no one — not even Jess — was Rory's intellectual match (or superior) like Paris was. Keep reading for proof that Paris is Rory's true soulmate...

A Definitive Ranking of the Gilmore Girls Guys

The women of Gilmore Girls were the anchors of the WB-turned-CW dramedy, but in this ranking we take a close look at the men of Stars Hollow, from Luke Danes and Jess Mariano to Tristan Dugray (Chad Michael Murray) and Michel Gerard (Yanic Truesdale). Which of the many men who graced our screens will earn the title of the ultimate Gilmore guy and which will earn those unsavory spots at the bottom of the list? Keep reading for our full ranking...

9 Times Kirk Was the True Star of Gilmore Girls

We've all been so focused on Lorelai and Rory and arguing about which one of Rory's boyfriends was the best, that we were blind to the fact none of it mattered, because the one true star of Gilmore Girls is actually Kirk Gleason. If you don't believe us, here are all the times he out-shined the rest of Stars Hollow, which is a town with multiple stores dedicated to peddling porcelain unicorns, so that's really saying something. Keep reading for our favorite Kirk moments...

10 Shows to Watch if You Like Gilmore Girls

It's getting less and less likely that we'll ever find out what happened to Lorelai, Rory, and Emily after those final four words came through in the revival. But just because you won't get to enjoy another vicarious cup of coffee at Luke's Diner or witness Lorelai randomly turn into a weather woman whenever she smells snow doesn't mean there isn't something out there that can conjure up the same feelings the Gilmores did. We've put together a list of shows like Gilmore Girls, many of which feature some of the same themes and voices as the WB-turned-CW-turned-Netflix show. Keep reading for what else Gilmore Girls fans should watch...

Gilmore Girls is available to stream on Netflix.