With memorable quotes and a fast-talking mom and daughter, Gilmore Girls is a comforting TV show known for its sense of humor. Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) live in quirky Stars Hollow and most of their storylines are funny and relatable.
But even though Lorelai tried to stay chipper and always see the bright side of things, the beloved drama handled some serious and meaningful issues throughout its seven season run, plus the Netflix revival A Year In The Life. From Lorelai's background to the class differences between Rory, Lorelai, and some of the characters, Gilmore Girls wasn't all jokes about coffee and junk food.
Teen Pregnancy
While Gilmore Girls fans first meet Lorelai, she's a fun-loving and happy manager of a small-town inn. However, she did have painful memories of her parents not supporting her. It's true that Lorelai came from a wealthy family, but they didn't want her to have the baby without getting married to Christopher, so there were strings attached to their support and involvement.
Losing Your Virginity
The season 3 episode when Paris told Chilton that she had lost her virginity is a fan-favorite and an example of a time when the show tackled something deep. It was a huge moment in Paris' life and she was dealing with a lot of emotions surrounding it.
The show also touched on Rory losing her virginity when she slept with Dean. Of course, he was married at the time, so was a questionable decision on Rory's part. Some teen dramas feature high school characters who are already involved in intimate relationships without depicting the experience of their first time, but Gilmore Girls decided to tackle this subject.
Family Strife
It can be difficult to get along with family on Thanksgiving or Christmas but for the Gilmore Girls characters, family was often a big problem any time of the year.
The show tackled family strife and the deep wounds that can fester for years or even decades. From Lorelai feeling emotionally abandoned by her parents to Emily and Richard feeling like she's the one who left them, there are many examples of trauma within this family alone. Rory's best friend Lane also struggled to get along with her strict mother, as they differed on what kind of life Lane should be living.
Fertility Treatments
When fans got to catch up with Paris in the Netflix revival, they learned she ran her own fertility clinic.
The topic of using fertility treatments to get pregnant is another deep issue that Gilmore Girls tackled. Paris may have been a polarizing character, but she was always a hard worker who wanted to make something of herself, and her chosen field is something that truly makes a difference.
Class Differences
Logan made some silly choices in his life and he was a fascinating love interest for Rory since they came from different backgrounds.
While Logan grew up in an extremely wealthy family, Rory was raised by a single mom who didn't hand her everything on a silver platter. Sure, Lorelai and Rory had a nice, comfortable house in Stars Hollow and Lorelai made enough money to put food on the table (or order take-out or go to Luke's diner). But they didn't have extra money and they didn't go on lavish vacations or have the many opportunities that rich people like Logan had.
Mourning The Death Of A Spouse
Emily was always scared of losing Richard. He had two health crises that put him in the hospital, so it makes sense that she would be so worried.
It's horrible to have to grieve the death of a spouse and this is something that Emily went through in the Netflix revival A Year In The Life. She didn't know how to structure her time and even wore jeans, which surprised and freaked Lorelai out. While Gilmore Girls often featured Emily and Lorelai in silly situations, as they would verbally spar about every topic under the sun, this was a sad and serious moment that they shared.
Cheating
From Rory and Dean sleeping together when he was married to Rory crushing on Jess while dating Dean, the characters on Gilmore Girls often cheated or came close to it.
This is a serious topic that the show handled well. Lorelai, for instance, didn't like that Rory thought that she could still be with Dean, and she kept trying to make it clear to Rory that he was someone's husband. It was also apparent that Rory felt guilty about liking Jess so much when she was already taken, but she was drawn to him despite those negative feelings.
An Unreliable Parent
When Christopher visited Stars Hollow in the first season, viewers saw the cute and charming guy that Lorelai had once loved so much. Rory was thrilled and right away, but Lorelai was worried that he would disappoint her once again.
Christopher came from money yet seemed to have a hard time holding onto a job, always ready for "the next big thing" or something that would change his life. Gilmore Girls might have joked about all the coffee that Rory and Lorelai consumed but it also dealt with the serious issue of a parent who wasn't there for their child on a regular basis.
The Pressure To Have Sex
When Rory dated Jess, he wasn't always kind and accepting, and there was at least one moment when he tried to pressure her to have sex. This happened in season 3 when the couple was at a party that Lane's band was playing.
There's no excuse for this behavior and it proved that Jess wasn't as mature as Rory. It also exposed some problems in their relationship, even if they otherwise seemed to have a lot in common and got along so well.
Breaking The Law And Community Service
While in a relationship with Logan, Rory stole a boat, and this set her on a tricky path, one that she hadn't planned on.
Rory's story allowed Gilmore Girls to talk about what happens when someone breaks the law. In Rory's case, she freaked out and stopped going to college for a while, and she was also given community service. While the show didn't handle this quite as well as perhaps it could have, since Rory didn't seem to feel guilty for a long time, it was still interesting to see Rory struggle. Of course, fans would have loved for Rory to continue on her original journey without this dark spot on her otherwise perfect resume.