With season 5 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in the works, it was announced that some familiar faces from Gilmore Girls were making an appearance. It's unknown if David Sutcliffe (better known as his Gilmore Girls character Christopher Hayden) will join the famous faces but some fans are hoping for a cameo.
Throughout Gilmore Girls, Christopher Hayden didn’t always have the best track record when it came to being a partner and father. Although he and Lorelai had Rory at a young age, Christopher did not rise to the occasion the same way Lorelai did. In many ways, Christopher was checked out and didn’t have the best parenting moments.
Christopher Didn't See Rory Until She Was 16
In Christopher’s first episode, Lorelai was stunned to find out that he was going to Stars Hollow to see Rory. At this point in Lorelai and Christopher's relationship timeline, he wasn’t mentioned before this but as it turned out, he hasn’t seen Rory in 16 years….
It was then that fans realized Christopher had never been to Stars Hollow to see where his daughter lived or went to school. It was shocking that Lorelai spoke so highly of Christopher considering he’s been MIA from their daughter's life for 16 years.
He Was Not A Part Of Her Education Trail
It seemed like Christopher always had an alternative motive when it came to spending time with his daughter. If it wasn’t to win back Lorelai it was to impress his girlfriend Sherry. Over time, Christopher got worse and worse on Gilmore Girls.
An example that proves this is that he didn’t bother showing up to Rory’s graduation from high school. This was a huge moment for Rory and Lorelai (especially after a teen pregnancy and being raised by a single parent) and Christopher was nowhere to be found. Instead, the people that were there were those that loved her most: Luke, Sookie, and the Gilmores. As her father, he should have been there.
Christopher's Ignorance For His Daughter When He Married Lorelai On A Whim
One of the glaring signs that led to Lorelai and Christopher’s divorce was the fact that Christopher married Lorelai in Paris and told her that Rory would be thrilled that her parents were finally married. If he knew his daughter at all, he would have known that Rory expected some sort of heads-up from her mom — a warning that her home life was going to change.
It had just been Rory and Lorelai for 18+ years and now that her father was back in the picture, moving in, and bringing his toddler from another relationship... that was a lot to handle. That was a lot of change for Rory and she was never given the consideration — all thanks to Christopher wanting to keep it a surprise.
He Tried Too Hard To Make Up For Lost Time
Christopher never seemed to suffer consequences for his actions. Regardless of how poorly he treated Lorelai and Rory, he was always called a “great dad” by Lorelai and a standup man by the Gilmores.
Whenever he was okay with Rory, he tried far too hard to make up for the lost time. Whether it was buying her that massive book the first time or wanting her to spend holidays with him and Sherry — his pressure to suddenly spend time with Rory or make an effort in her life felt desperate instead of authentic.
Christopher Ditched Lorelai & Rory For A New Chance At A Family
In season 2, Christopher and Lorelai decided to give their relationship another go. They were both in a good place and were committed to each other after he and Sherry broke up. For once, they could finally be a family with Rory. At this time, Rory was happy watching her parents fall back in love.
But on the day of Sookie's wedding, Christopher dropped a bomb: His ex-Sherry found out she was pregnant with his baby and he had to do the right thing and be there for her and the new baby. This meant breaking things off with Rory and Lorelai to start fresh with a new family. Lorelai and Rory were disgusted that he tossed them aside so fast to start anew. This move ruined Christopher and Rory's relationship for quite some time.
His Parenting Of Gigi Was Telling
Regardless if fans felt that Christopher and Lorelai were soulmates, things changed between them when he found out Sherry was pregnant with their daughter Gigi.
After Sherry gave birth, she realized being a mother was harder than she anticipated and she'd rather focus on her career. Sherry moved to Paris and Christopher became a new version of Lorelai as a single dad. When Lorelai met Gigi she realized Christopher had no rules, boundaries, or guidelines for Gigi. She was a horror to babysit and didn't respect anyone. Lorelai told Christopher that Gigi needed guidance but that conversation did not go well.
Rory's Birth Or Graduation Was Not The Best Day Of His Life...
Emily and Richard's vow renewal had plenty of sweet moments but Christopher's behavior was not one of them. After hearing that Lorelai and Luke were incredibly serious, Christopher drank too much and did his best to break them up so that he could have yet another chance at dating Lorelai.
Before he became belligerent, he had a conversation with Rory about love. He told her that his first kiss with Lorelai was the "best day" of his life. Considering Christopher was an adult and father of two, most fans found it offputting that the best day of his life was when he was 15 years old.
All The Times He Used Rory To Get To Lorelai
As bad as Christopher was, he and Lorelai did have sweet episodes together that showed the strength of their friendship and bond. As the series went on, however, it became abundantly clear that he used Rory as a way to get what he wanted from Lorelai.
He only visited Rory when she lived with Lorelai (not when she moved in with the Gilmores), he went to Yale's parents' day as a way to prove to Lorelai that they were good parents together, and he only went to Rory and Lorelai after Gigi was born and he needed help. He loved his daughter but he loved Lorelai more.
He Never Checked In On Rory After Richard's Heart Attack
In season 7, Rory watched her grandfather have a heart attack in front of her and her classmates as he taught a class of hers at Yale. The moment was traumatizing and heartbreaking since she loved him so much.
Luckily, Richard made a full recovery but the moment was a dark one. During this time, Lorelai and Christopher were arguing so he never returned Lorelai's phone calls that her dad was in the hospital. Although he was upset with Lorelai, he still could have checked on Rory to see if she was okay considering how close she and Richard were.
Luke Was Everything Christopher Wasn't, And He Knew That
Christopher was never fond of Luke Danes because he knew Luke was the partner and father he never was. Luke watched Rory grow up and was a part of her major life accomplishments. Christopher, on the other hand, was in and out of her life.
When Luke dated Lorelai, Christopher became hostile because he knew he could never compare to Luke. Even at the vow renewal when Luke, Christopher, and Lorelai caught Rory and Logan kissing in a private room, it was Luke that Rory pointed out was the most protective. With Luke around, Christopher never stood a chance.