Why These 9 ‘Gilmore Girls’ Episodes Are Perfect to Bring in the Fall
As summer comes to a close there is no better way to bring in the fall than with a Gilmore Girls rewatch. Whether it’s the cozy sweaters, the decorated town square, the beautiful fall foliage, or one of the many Stars Hollow traditions, nothing says it’s time for autumn better than this beloved TV show.
Over seven seasons (2000-2007 on The WB, then The CW) and a 2016 Netflix revival, mother-daughter duo Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) navigate the trials and tribulations of life in the small storybook town of Stars Hollow. With half of the series’ episodes taking place in the fall, it only makes sense that it be the perfect watch to say goodbye to the summer and prepare for what’s to come.
Below are nine Gilmore Girls episodes that get us the most excited to bring out the sweaters and the warm apple cider and watch the leaves change.
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"Pilot" (Season 1 Episode 1)
The “Pilot” episode introduces viewers to Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. Lorelai comes to terms with allowing her previously estranged parents to pay for Rory’s private school tuition in excellent fall fashion: turtlenecks, knit cardigans, and scarves. The fireplace is ablaze in the Gilmore home and aside from the “Teen Hayride” sign behind best friends Rory and Lane Kim (Keiko Agena), nothing says fall more than the oversized cable knit sweater Rory is seen sporting around the town of Stars Hollow.
"Kiss and Tell" (Season 1, Episode 7)
“Kiss and Tell” may be the very definition of fall. The pumpkins and hay bales are out, the leaves are starting to turn orange, and the Autumn Festival is almost here. Little kids dressed as turkeys and pilgrims are practicing their dance routine for the festival. Rory and Lane are dressed as pilgrims as well as they man the cornucopia can drive booth, collecting canned goods for charity. Taylor Doose (Michael Winters), owner of several popular shops and town selectman, and Luke (Scott Patterson) argue over different fall themed decorations. Plus, Dean (Jared Padalecki) and Rory have their first kiss. It truly is fall in Stars Hollow.
"Let the Games Begin" (Season 3, Episode 8)
It’s the day after the Stars Hollow Dance Marathon, an annual fall tradition for the small Connecticut town. Exhausted from hours of dancing, Rory and Lorelai sit down on a hay bale surrounded by pumpkins and red and orange leaves decorating the town square on their way to Luke’s, the local diner.
Plus, Lorelai, Rory, and grandparents Emily (Kelly Bishop), and Richard (Edward Herrmann) take a tour of Yale. With college tours traditionally hosted during the fall, nothing gives autumn vibes more than walking the streets of New England as leaves fall from the trees.
"A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving" (Season 3, Episode 9)
Rory and Lorelai challenge themselves with the daunting task of eating four Thanksgiving meals. Their first stop is the Kims’ house for a Korean Thanksgiving, where the two are given tofurkey (tofu made to seem like turkey). Shortly after, they move on to dinner with Lorelai’s colleague and close friend Sookie St. James (Melissa McCarthy) and her husband Jackson Belleville (Jackson Douglas), followed by dinner with Luke and Jess Mariano (Milo Ventimiglia), Rory’s then-boyfriend at Luke’s.
But it doesn’t truly scream fall until the last stop of the evening, Emily and Richard’s house: Thanksgiving dinner with the family and whoever their grandparents decide to invite. You are truly brought into the holiday season that comes with fall as you watch the Gilmore family argue across the dinner table.
"Ted Koppel's Big Night Out" (Season 4, Episode 9)
In “Ted Koppel’s Big Night Out,” Emily and Richard Gilmore take Lorelai and Rory to a college football game, Yale vs. Harvard. The scarves and the baggy Yale pullovers leave viewers ready for football season to begin. It’s a telling sign that it is officially fall.
Richard comes together with his alma mater and joins in on a song with his old a cappella group. Food is grilled and songs are sung as tailgaters walk around with hot beverages in hand. Fall has officially started in New England, leaving viewers wishing they were taking part in the season’s festivities.
"A Messenger, Nothing More" (Season 5, Episode 2)
Luke is running a booth for his sister at the Renaissance fair, while over at Stars Hollow, it is opening day for the cider mill and the town has a big parade with free apple cider. Aside from the town’s seemingly never-ending supply of hay bales, the Renaissance fair is another staple of the fall season, even outside of the world of Gilmore Girls.
Once Luke returns from the fair and reunites with Lorelai, he gifts her a necklace and goes in for a kiss as the fall wind blows the trees around in the background. It’s perfect timing for the cider mill parade — featuring a full marching band and children dressed as apples — to begin, with cymbals banging together interrupting their moment.
"Always a Godmother, Never a God" (Season 6, Episode 4)
Following the title sequence, Rory’s maid walks into her room following Emily’s orders: “Mrs. Gilmore says that autumn is the time for sweaters and wool, not for sundresses and flip-flops.“ It is not quite fall just yet in this episode, but summer is coming to an end and Rory is fighting it. While Rory is challenged with switching over to her fall closet, Sookie is ready to try out some end of summer salad recipes for her post-baptism celebration.
"Knit, People, Knit!" (Season 7, Episode 9)
It’s time for the Knit-A-Thon in Stars Hollow to raise money to rebuild the river bridge. As Lorelai sits on her couch sipping her hot coffee and knitting away, viewers are reminded that fall season is here. Luke’s diner is filled with knitters, many in knit clothing of their own.
As they take over Luke’s, it doesn’t take long for him to reach his knitting threshold, banishing those hard at work to the town square. Donned in wool hats, scarves and gloves, Stars Hollow residents sit on benches as Babette Dell (Sally Struthers) a prominent member of the town, yells knitting-related words of encouragement. One thing is for sure: There will be enough sweaters to keep everyone warm that fall.
"Fall" (Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life)
It would be remiss of us to not end with Episode 4 of the Gilmore Girls revival, where each hour and forty-minute episode is titled with the season in which it takes place. This feature-length episode is filled with far too much information to be able to properly summarize here, but what matters is boy does it make you want the fall.
Emily is moving to Nantucket to live in her and Richard’s old vacation home, Lorelai and Luke are finally getting married, and Rory is finishing her book. But what really matters is that Stars Hollow is embracing fall like nothing has changed. The town square is covered in hay, the fall foliage is in full swing, corn and fall-themed flower bouquets are on display, and pumpkins are everywhere. It is a true Stars Hollow fall — what a perfect way to end the show.
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