It's been nearly a decade since the final episode of beloved drama Gilmore Girls aired on The CW, and ever since, many fans have clamored for more trips to Stars Hollow and visits with the titular family. This is especially the case when one considers the lackluster reception to Gilmore's seventh and final season, the only season not to be creatively overseen by series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband Daniel. After all, no fan of a successful long-running show likes to see it go out on a low note.
Thankfully, Netflix arrived to save the day in early 2016, announcing a Gilmore Girls revival season that would eventually be subtitled A Year in the Life. The revival consists of four 90-minute episodes, each titled after the corresponding season of the year that they're set in. Since the announcement, Gilmore devotees have been not so patiently waiting to get reacquainted with Lorelai, Rory, and the rest of their favorite characters. That chance will finally come soon, when A Year in the Life arrives on Netflix later this month.
For any who might have been worrying that A Year in the Life wouldn't live up to the quality Gilmore Girls fans have come to expect from the series, we have some great news. The early reviews for the revival are in, and they are uniformly positive. Now granted, only 11 reviews have currently been tabulated by Rotten Tomatoes, so A Year in the Life's glowing 100% fresh rating will likely go down as more takes come in. Still, all the praise so far remains quite impressive indeed.
Here are a few choice excerpts from A Year in the Life's early batch of reviews:
EW - Jeff Jensen
"The report I bring you from the quirky-idyllic, speed-banter land of Stars Hollow is that the return of Gilmore Girls is winsome and riotous. It's a better, bolder, more fulfilling capper to a beloved series that finished just-okay back in 2007."
IndieWire - Ben Travers
"In era of revivals driven and manipulated by the almighty dollar, A Year in the Life is refreshing in its genuine creation."
Yahoo TV - Ken Tucker
"I have a feeling these new Gilmores are going to be giving an awful lot of people one extra reason to be grateful for a long Thanksgiving weekend this year."
Variety - Maureen Ryan
"Breathe a sigh of relief: The “Gilmore Girls” we knew and loved is back, and at its best, it’s the equivalent of a platter of powdered donuts and extra-crispy french fries. Maybe it’s a little too much at times... but when it relies on the notable strengths of its core ensemble, it is television at its most warm and reassuring."
The Washington Post - Emily Yahr
"Let’s cut right to the chase, “Gilmore Girls” fans, and start with the good news: The Netflix revival of the beloved drama has everything you want... The original creator and executive producers are in charge, ensuring the highly anticipated reboot is chock-full of callbacks, inside jokes and life updates on your favorite supporting characters."
This is normally the part in a piece like this where bits from negative reviews would be included, but since there aren't any to choose from yet, that's obviously out. Arriving just in time for the holidays, it appears that Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life is poised to offer nostalgic fans - and the returning Sherman-Palladino - the opportunity to properly say goodbye to Stars Hollow that they by all rights should have received back in 2007.
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life premieres on Netflix on November 25, 2016.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes