The relationship timelines of the main characters are as wild as a roller coaster on Gilmore Girls. Lorelai and Rory have had their ups and downs with multiple partners, but Richard and Emily's relationship wasn't always perfect either.
Over the course of seven seasons, the main characters have had many romantic moments with their partners, and several bad moments too. But then there are the underrated moments between couples that often go unnoticed. Whether it's a subtle touch or a quick glance, sometimes the sweetest scenes are the most nonchalant.
Rory & Jess's Car Accident Started Off Sweet
Team Jess fans think that he was the one that got away for Rory. Their relationship was short-lived but it was powerful. For any fans that miss Jess and Rory, the episode 'Teach Me Tonight' has one of the most underrated moments in their relationship.
Before getting into a car accident, the two are talking about Rory's dream job. Jess does nothing but encourage her and asks her questions as to why she wants to become a journalist. Not many people ask Rory about her dream or why she's passionate about it. There was so much chemistry in that brief moment, it's a wonder why it's so underrated.
Richard & Emily Bonding Over The Lost Dog Brought Them Back Together
As well-read and charming as Richard was, he didn't always do the nicest things or treat Emily with the respect that she deserved. He moved into the pool house when the two separated and they kept their distance from each other unless they had to talk about upcoming engagements.
One day, Emily was startled when she found a dog sitting outside in the cold. The first person she thought to call was Richard (which was underrated in itself). Richard came to the rescue, took the dog, and found its rightful owner. The two slowly learned to trust each other again because of that dog, and it reminded them why they loved each other to begin with.
Lorelai Memorized Luke's Oven Instructions
Lorelai has made plenty of mistakes with Luke but memorizing his oven manual was not one of them. In 'Come Home,' Lorelai stopped by Luke's Diner for her usual coffee when she saw Luke fighting with his oven.
The thermostat was on the fritz and he didn't know why. In an underrated moment, Lorelai came out of the woodwork and told Luke how to fix it. She told him that she read his oven manual at night when she couldn't sleep. It was the smallest moment that proved how much Lorelai loved Luke and even cared about his appliances.
When Logan Calls Rory Ace For The First Time
Logan and Rory's early episodes weren't the sweetest or most endearing, but it was the nickname Logan gave Rory that was underrated.
In 'Norman Mailer, I'm Pregnant,' Logan calls Rory "Ace" for the first time. As a writer for the Yale Daily News, Rory was doing an expose on the Life and Death Brigade and needed Logan's help. As a subtle shoutout to wanting to be an investigative reporter, Logan calls Rory Ace to tease her. But the nickname slowly became a term of endearment.
Richard & Emily In The Bracebridge Carriage
Emily and Richard hit a rough spot in their marriage in season 2 when Richard was struggling with work. Emily's life would be totally different if Richard wasn't working anymore, which turned out to be the solution to the problem.
Richard quit his job without saying anything to Emily and was on such a high because of it that he was acting like a young boy again. Seeing the two giggling like schoolchildren on a horse carriage during the Bracebridge dinner was a very underrated romantic moment.
Jess Brought Rory A Food Package
While some think that either Logan or Dean was Rory's best boyfriend, others believe it was Jess. When Lorelai was out of town for the night, Rory was excited to have a night to herself.
Her night, however, was interrupted when Paris came to the door begging to study. To add to Rory's stress, Jess popped up out of nowhere with a box of food from Luke's Diner. Rory was so nervous about Jess being in her house that she didn't even realize how underrated the gesture was. Jess knew how much Rory loved food (especially from Luke's) and made the care package himself.
Luke Instinctively Knew The Gilmores Would Need Ice
In 'Rory's Birthday Parties,' Lorelai threw a blowout party at her house for Rory's 16th. Everyone that was important to Rory was there — including Luke.
At one point during the party, a worried Sookie panicked about running out of ice. Lorelai was on her way out the door to grab more when lo and behold, Luke strolls through the front door with ice in hand. He figured she'd need ice throughout the party eventually and basically saved the day without realizing it. Adorably, Luke knew what Lorelai needed before the two even dated. That's how in sync they were.
Rory & Dean's Subtle Moment Of Solidarity At The Chilton Dance
The Chilton dance was a big deal for Rory because it was her first dance, and she had a date — Dean. Little did Rory know, Dean was a huge hit at the dance and was being eyed by every single girl.
Madeline and Louise began flirting with Dean as soon as they met him, which made Rory really uncomfortable. In a subtle moment to prove his loyalty, Dean placed his arms around Rory's waist. It was a non-verbal cue that spoke volumes.
That Classic Santa Burger
Lorelai loathed going to her parents' house but she didn't enjoy being excluded either. As different as Emily and Lorelai were, they did have identical feelings of abandonment.
After a falling out with Lorelai, Emily and Richard un-invited her to the family Christmas party. With Rory still attending, Lorelai didn't realize how badly she actually wanted to go. She found herself at Luke's Diner wishing for all the holiday foods she'd be eating at the Gilmores. To cheer her up, Luke made a Santa-themed burger for her. The small, underrated gesture was just what Lorelai needed.
Lorelai Was Jealous Of Luke & Rachel
One of the biggest underrated moments between Lorelai and Luke was how she reacted to Luke's ex-girlfriend Rachel.
At this point in the series, Luke and Lorelai were just friends, so it was interesting that Lorelai was so taken aback by Rachel's beauty and appeared jealous. After all, since they were friends she had nothing to be jealous over. But it was increasingly obvious that Lorelai had feelings for Luke.