Gilmore Girls: 10 Things That Would Be Different For Rory Today
Gilmore Girls premiered in 2000 and wrapped up in 2007 after seven seasons. Fans who grew up with the series love rewatching it because it's like a time capsule into what day-to-day life was like without the distraction of cell phones, social media, or viral trends.
If things were different and Gilmore Girls premiered with Rory being a Chilton student in 2021, the entire course of the show would have been shifted. Things have changed tremendously for students in the past 20 years, meaning Rory's future would have been seriously altered. And while the reboot shows what life was like for Rory as a 30-something, it would have been a different ball game for her as a teenager in high school.
10 Rory & Lorelai Would Not Have Been Judged For Their Past And Upbringing
Throughout Gilmore Girls, it's an ongoing shock that Lorelai had Rory so young. Newbies were constantly surprised by how beautiful and young Lorelai was. People acted like she was the only single mother they've met.
In 2021, single parents are as common as married couples. No one bats an eye if a person says they live with a single parent, nor should it dictate a person's future because of it. Lorelai would also be questioned less as to "why" she was a single mom.
9 Would Social Media Distract Rory From Her Studies?
It's not known when Rory merged from having a pager to a cell phone, but she picked up texting when she started Yale. At this time, flip-phones were the best model around and social media (especially on a person's phone) wasn't a popular thing.
But if Rory started high school today, she would most definitely have a smartphone with all the social media apps. It would be fascinating to know if Rory would have been as interested in her studies if she had an outlet like Instagram or Snapchat.
8 She Would Have Needed To Do Much More To Get Into Ivy League Universities
In the series, Rory was able to get into Harvard and Yale after being valedictorian at a prestigious private school, doing one year of student government, volunteering a handful of times, and working on the student paper. But that might not be enough to get into Ivy Leagues in 2021.
According to a 2017 article by Business Insider, it's getting harder and harder to be accepted into top universities because of the number of qualified applicants. It has gotten more competitive and the acceptance rate has lowered. Hearing this, Rory might have applied to more backup schools in the early 2000s.
7 More Acceptance & Less Fat-Shaming
It's astonishing how many Gilmore Girls jokes are deemed inappropriate in 2021 compared to the early 2000s. For starters, the characters did plenty of fat-shaming (remember Rory's horrific article on the ballerina at Yale?) and are degrading of others based on their looks.
On top of shaming other peoples' appearances, one would hope there would be more diversity on the show in 2021. Times have changed and the world is more accepting. It would have been nice to see that on-screen back in 2000.
6 Wait... Would Rory Need Chilton In 2021?
It's long been said that teenagers in America should attend private school if they want to go to an Ivy League Institution. This is primarily why Rory was excited to attend Chilton because her chances of getting into Harvard or Yale would have jumped. However, things are different these days. Ivy Leagues don't just accept students from prestigious schools and are looking for students from more diverse backgrounds.
If the show started with Rory at Stars Hollow in 2021, she may have stayed put and graduated with honors from there.
5 Her Relationship With Dean Would Have Been More Controversial
When Gilmore Girls first released, #TeamDean fans were strong and plentiful. But as time goes by and the series picks up new fans in 2021, there's a shift in how people perceive Dean and his relationship with Rory.
In the early 2000s, Dean was seen as protective and jealous because he loved her. But these days, Dean's behavior is borderline controlling and abusive. He shames Rory for focusing on her studies instead of him, he dumps her for not loving him, and he has a meltdown whenever she talks to another man. If Rory dated Dean in 2021, it's safe to say she would have dumped him after a week. That behavior is not acceptable and is more concerning these days.
4 She Wouldn't Have Been Yelled At For Being A "Loner"
In the early seasons of Gilmore Girls, Headmaster Charleston made Rory feel lesser-than by calling her a loner. He saw her introverted personality as a problem because she wasn't socializing well with the other students. Rory and Lorelai protested this notion, of course. Rory was a great student and a well-behaved young lady who wanted to focus on her studies.
In 2021, Headmaster Charleston would have most likely ignored Rory's shyness. There are far bigger things to worry about at a high school than a polite student who enjoys being alone.
3 She Could Have FaceTimed Her Mom Or Grandparents
When Rory got older and was more enthralled with her schoolwork, her mom, friends, and grandparents felt abandoned from time to time. They missed her.
Instead of hopping on the phone and talking for an hour, Rory could have just FaceTimed her loved ones in 2021. Seeing Rory's face would have made the interaction more personal. It would have assured her loved ones that she was safe, happy, and just busy.
2 She Would Have Still Gone To Prom Without Jess
When Jess found out that he wasn't allowed to go to prom, Rory's opportunity to go fell through as well. She couldn't have gone without him. However, something tells fans that she still would have gone in 2021. Lane would have found a way to go to prom (with a date that was Mrs. Kim-approved) and have Rory could go with a friend of Lane's date. Rory and Lane would have danced the night away without needing a man to feel special.
1 She Would Have Planned For A Master's Degree All Along
Fans were surprised when Rory was against going to graduate school or furthering her studies in any way after she graduated from Yale. She was eager to work in the real world, sure, but she loved school. Why would she protest furthering her education when she believed in it so much?
Rory would have most likely been planning for graduate school while she was in high school. Knowing how competitive getting into college is, she would have started penning her thesis from the start to get ahead of other students. And seeing how much she struggled in the reboot, it was surprising that she didn't go back to get her master's degree.