Sigh. Gilmore Girls. One of my favorite shows back in the day. I loved everything. I loved Lorelai and Rory, I loved that Rory loved to read as much as I did, I loved Stars Hollow and the small town quirkiness, the community involvement, the festivals and events, their love of coffee, and of course, Luke. I like to discuss which of Rory’s boyfriends was the best – and it is Jess obviously. I love Lane and her love of music and it was so awesome when Sebastian Bach was in her band. I love Paris. I love Sookie and Jackson. I could go on and on. And yes, fall is Gilmore Girls season, we can chug coffee and eat Chinese food and watch old movies, and dream that we are just living in the early 2000s again. Was life simpler then, or was it just that I was younger?

I don’t however watch the entire series all over again every year. I have watched it so many times, that I just don’t want to watch it all over again, again. I will however, let it play in the background as I am doing other things, and if I sit down to intentionally imbibe an episode for relaxation, I have some favorite episodes that I choose to watch. And that is the focus of this post. My favorite episodes.

I am not putting these in any particular order, although they may fall into order by season. We will see how this shakes out.

Season 1, Ep. 8: Love and War and Snow: I usually save this one for the cusp of winter for obvious reasons. This is the episode where Lorelai famously says that she smells snow, enthusiastically. And I totally feel her in this episode. I too enjoy walking around rhapsodically in the snow, the more snow the better! (as long as no one has to drive in it) In this episode Rory stays the night at her grandparent’s due to the blizzard, and Lorelai is unexpectedly alone. Until she runs into Max Medina, Rory’s teacher. And we all know where that goes (and not that far, jeez guys). Why I love this episode: The snow and joy of snow

Season 2, Episode 10: The Bracebridge Dinner: This is probably one of my very favorites. I love this whole idea, of this very niche themed dinner, the snow, everyone staying at the Inn, the horse-drawn sleigh rides. Why I love it: Everything!

Season 2, Episode 13: A Tisket, A Tasket: In this episode, the women folks make up picnic baskets and the men bid on them. When they win a basket, they get to eat the food with the woman who made it. (They also did this on Hart of Dixie and I loved that episode too) Pretty sexist but I still loved it. It was just a fun episode and Jackson and Sookie were so cute in it. Of course there are the tv twists, like Jess outbidding Dean for Rory’s basket (lol take that Dean!) and Lorelai and Luke have a picnic together too. Why I Love It: This falls into my small town cute community things love.

Season 3, Episode 7: They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They? The Dance Marathon episode!!! How can anyone not like this episode? The costumes, the idea, the excitement, the nostalgia, and ooo the tension between Rory and Dean and Jess! Why I love it: All of it.

Season 3, Episode 9: A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving: Two words. Dave Rygalski. I was just so happy for Lane in this episode, with her Dave Rygalski pretending to be a Christian guitarist so he could be at their Thanksgiving. It was just so cute and teenagery. I also loved\ Kirk and cat Kirk.

Season 4 Episode 14: Girls in Bikins, Boys Doin the Twist: This episode cracks me up and gives me anxiety. I never went on spring break in college. Not my scene. And that is my favorite part of this episode, when Rory and Paris give up trying to have the “normal” spring break experience and just are like we are nerds, let’s watch The Power of Myth. It’s good to know who you are and if you like to stay home and read and watch movies and eat pizza, then I want to be your friend. What I Love: Rory and Paris becoming better friends, how they nope out of spring break.

Season 5, Episode 7: You Jump, I Jump, Jack: Ok we all knew this iconic episode would be on here. It has the big scene with Rory jumping off of a tower with an umbrella. I love the setup of this party though. I mean obviously this is put on by the richy rich members of the Life and Death Brigade, so it is fancy pantsy. But I want to go to this party, minus Logan. Ugh I hated Logan!! His smugness, his just everything, his attitude just smacked of privilege and he was repulsive. However, he can throw a good party. In Omnia Paratus! : What I loved: the look of this party! All these white tents, candles, tables in the forest. Just so otherworldly and pretty.

Season 7 Episode 9: Knit, People, Knit!: I think we all know by now I love a theme. So of course I love this episode where the town gets together to knit to save the Old Muddy River Bridge. I am going to be honest, the last few seasons of The Gilmore Girls are not my favorites. Rory is insufferable, Lorelai never learns, Logan sucks, Dean sucks, I miss Jess. The only thing I really like about them is the slightest introduction of Sherrilyn Fenn’s character as Luke’s baby mama of the daughter he didn’t know that he had. I love Sherrilyn Fenn, I wanted to be her as Audrey Horne. Anyway, I liked seeing the ol’ Stars Hollows energy in this episode.

And that is it! Are you a fan of Gilmore Girls? Are you Team Dean, Jess, or Logan? Team Luke, Jason, Christopher, Max? Who is your favorite townie? (Kirk)

I hope that whatever you do today you do something that makes you happy – and I hope that you find that perfect cup of coffee, that perfect book, that perfect movie if that is what you need today.