As soon as Rory was reunited with her grandparents on Gilmore Girls, Emily and Richard became a huge part of her life. They loved her bookworm personality and intelligence, and they were so proud to watch her grow up. Lorelai experienced many awkward and tough moments with her parents as they had trouble connecting, but family tensions thankfully never got in the way of Rory spending time with her grandparents.
But while Emily and Richard clearly loved Rory and Lorelai and were there for them on many occasions, they could also be mean and judgmental, and they confused fans with this behavior.
Supportive: Let Rory Stay In Their Guest House During Her Break From Yale
Fans were shocked when Rory froze Lorelai out after stealing a boat and leaving Yale. Emily and Richard supported Rory's crisis, letting her stay in their guest house.
It was sweet that they were there for her, but it was strange how they didn't think it was a problem that she temporarily dropped out of Yale. They did what they thought was right, though, and they didn't want to leave their granddaughter out in the cold.
Harsh: Got Upset About Rory & Logan's Relationship
Emily and Richard weren't very supportive of Rory and Logan's relationship. Once Richard realized that Logan was staying over in the guest house, he freaked out and said that couldn't happen anymore.
This was very harsh, as Rory was old enough to make her own choices and it was really none of Emily or Richard's business. Didn't they like that Rory was in a serious, healthy relationship? Richard called it a "sex house" which was really awkward and creepy.
Supportive: Were Happy To Pay For Chilton & Yale
It's impossible to picture Gilmore Girls without thinking about Rory's time at fancy private school Chilton. The school was the setting of many major moments and it was all because Emily and Richard agreed to pay for Rory's time there... as long as Friday Night Dinners were involved, of course.
Rory's grandparents were always supportive of her education and they even paid for Yale, too, at least until Christopher stepped in. They knew that Lorelai couldn't carry these tuitions on her own and they wanted the best for Rory.
Harsh: Threw Rory A Birthday Party She Didn't Want
While Rory would have been glad to have one 16th birthday party, Emily threw her an awkward formal party that dissolved super quickly. Rory had never raised her voice at her grandmother before she ended up yelling because she was so frustrated with being around her snobby Chilton classmates.
Emily was harsh in this episode, as she didn't ask what would be best for Rory, and Richard wasn't much better as he simply went along with the plan without questioning it. This wasn't Emily's nicest moment on the show.
Supportive: Came To Rory's Graduation Party And Complimented Lorelai
It was sweet when Luke planned a graduation party for Rory and everyone in Stars Hollow came. Emily and Richard were there, too. Richard even paid Lorelai a huge compliment and said that because so many people cared about her and Rory, she was special.
This was a time when Emily and Richard were super supportive, as they wanted to be there to see Rory off into her new life, and they were proud of what Lorelai had accomplished.
Harsh: Didn't Approve Of Jess Or Luke
When Jess or Luke made an appearance at Friday Night Dinner, it was clear from the beginning that it wasn't going to go well. Jess once showed up with a black eye, which was definitely not cool, but when Luke attended, he was polite and quiet.
Emily and Richard were never big fans of Jess or Luke and didn't seem to think that they were appropriate partners for Rory and Lorelai. They pushed Christopher on Lorelai no matter what and acted like there was no reason why they couldn't stay together.
Supportive: Came To The Dragonfly Inn's Test Run
The Dragonfly Inn had some hilarious scenes and Emily and Richard were definitely supportive of Lorelai following her dream.
When Sookie and Lorelai invited friends and family to come to a test run one weekend, Emily and Richard were there, which proves that they cared about their daughter's happiness. They even came to stay despite the fact that they were fighting and close to a separation.
Harsh: Emily Yelled At Rory & Lorelai After Rory's School Dance
It was a big deal for Rory to go to Chilton's school dance with Dean, but Rory got in trouble when she and Dean fell asleep in town afterward. Emily was totally harsh here, yelling at Lorelai and saying that Rory was going to make the same mistakes that she did, meaning that she would get pregnant in high school and ruin her future.
This was one of the meanest things that Emily ever said, as Lorelai loved her daughter and felt that she had created a nice life for both of them, and she felt judged. Emily should have understood that Rory fell asleep and wasn't trying to upset anyone.
Supportive: Helped Rory Through Her College Application Process
Rory decided to go to Yale even though she had always said that Harvard was it for her. Emily and Richard definitely helped inspire her decision, but they were just trying to help and give her some options.
Emily and Richard supported Rory through her college application process, showing her around Yale and talking to her about her decision. It was sweet watching them take an interest and share Rory's excitement about her future.
Harsh: Insisted That Luke Franchise His Diner
Luke said no to turning his diner into a franchise, something that Emily and Richard brought up quite a few times. It was harsh of Lorelai's parents to get so involved and to care so much about Luke's business.
Instead of being impressed that he had been running his own place for so long and that the townspeople loved it, they focused on how he wasn't where they thought he should be. This was mean and made Luke feel even more intimidated.