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Shooting Stars Hollow: Is This The End for "Gilmore Girls"?

Hmmm, apparently there's something in the air. Following my post yesterday about why I think Lauren Graham would be perfect for Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino's new comedy pilot, The Return of Jezebel James, trouble seems to be brewing on the Stars Hollow set of Gilmore Girls.

According to a report by TV Guide's Michael Ausiello, the fate of the series lays in Alexis Bledel's pretty little hands and the younger Gilmore girl doesn't want to return for an eighth season on the CW dramedy. However, Ausiello claims that the network has a Plan B. (Now beware, ladies and gentlemen, purported and probable SPOILERS lurk ahead, so be forewarned.)

Should Bledel not commit to Season Eight, the CW will reportedly look to refocus the series on "Lorelai, Luke and their new baby, with the occasional sweeps-month guest appearance by Rory."

Ouch.

That's a truly horrifically bad idea, especially as my fear is that Lorelai and Luke will conceive a female baby, changing the focus of those titular girls from Lorelai and Rory to... Lorelai Plus One. (Shudder.)

Meanwhile, over at E! Online, Kristin has some info of her own that appears to discount Ausiello's story completely:
"Well, according to my sources—who are highly placed within the Gilmore family—the plan of a Roryless eighth season has been firmly rejected for one very good reason: Lauren Graham is sticking by her onscreen daughter (you gotta love that) and has made it clear that she will not continue the show without Alexis on board."
Which means that no Alexis Bledel, no Gilmore Girls. Should Bledel decide not to make another trip to Stars Hollow, Graham won't either. (You've got to love solidarity among co-stars.) I can't say that I blame Graham, especially as the two of them are the heart and soul of the show, even if they barely appear in scenes together anymore.

Still, Kristin claims that the CW (and network president Dawn Ostroff) is willing to do "whatever it takes" to keep Bledel and Graham around for another season, including "turn the show around creatively." (I'd have to agree with that; it's been unwatchable this season.)

Personally, I think it's time for Gilmore Girls to take a bow and exeunt stage left at this point. They started out as a little tiny show on a little tiny network on Thursday nights and no one initially gave a thought to the fact that it could even make it past one season, let alone seven.

Gilmore Girls will always have a very special place in my heart but it's sad but true to say that it feels like it's going through the motions at this point and I'd much rather see Bledel, Graham, and the entire GG cast go onto newer and better things than languish for another, protracted season.

That's just my opinion. But at least I have my DVDs.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I am in complete agreement. I love my Gilmore girls. I have my DVDs.

This season is an abberation. Please, end it before it gets sullied anymore.
Vance said…
I don't think this season is horrible (as say DH S2 or Prison Break S2) but yes, considering the high standard they set themselves with in S1-5, the past two have not been quite the same.

however, I AM liking the idea you posted earlier of LG going onto ASP's new show!!! what a GREAT IDEA!!! Okay, who do we need to talk to to make this happen?
Anonymous said…
Question: when The CW says that it will do "whatever it takes" including turning the show around "creatively" could that also mean bringing Amy and Dan back to the show? Would The CW be willing to back up that many trucks (one each for Amy/Dan, Lauren and Alexis) to keep a show on the air that (sadly) most of us don't watch anymore?

Perhaps they could just fulfill one of my most deeply held fantasies: asking Amy back to write the series finale. I'm dying to know what those final "four words" are that she alluded to last year.
Anonymous said…
This season just sucks. It's like being in a loveless marriage. What once was charming and funny is now just plain obnoxious and played-out. Just let it die with dignity, please.
Anonymous said…
While I don't detest this season as you do, I am certainly not happy with it at all. When I see it on my tivo, it's more of a "I guess I will watch..."

So, I am of two minds.

On the one hand, I feel like, just let this be the end. Let it die already. Put it out of its bland misery. (by the way, I thought this week's ep had some glimpses of what the show used to be, re: scenes w/Lor and Ror).

On the other hand, I wonder... if "whatever it takes" means keeping both girls, AND getting ASP back, then maybe it would be worth sticking it out so the show could go out on a high note.

I'd hate for this show to go out, and this season be our last memory of it (DVD or no DVD, I'd hate for this season to be known as the last one).
This once brilliant show has taken a turn for the worst over the past couple of season. I really hope they end it so that the talented cast and crew can move on to dazzle us in other projects rather than beat a long dead horse.
Anonymous said…
I loved this show too but now find it so depressing to even watch the previews (I stopped watching earlier this season). We'll always have the first 5 excellent seasons but sorry this isn't the same show anymore and you can see Lauren and Alexis slowly dying inside reading these forced lines of dialogue.

Put them out of their misery already.
Anonymous said…
It's bad this year - its nowhere near the first 3 series, and not wIthin touCHing distance of 4 and 5. A shame - get out while you can Lauren - she has a good movie career ahead if she has both timing and the time. GG is a milestone - let it go, let it die, move on.
Anonymous said…
Lauren G is very talented, and I do feel that it would be good for her creatively to move on - I want to see her grow, and GG isn't about to let her really do that. So, Lauren - MOVE ON - don;t let Alexis be the one to make the decision. You;re almost 40 - grow a pair and get your talent out there.
Anonymous said…
Oh my God, what is wrong with everyone? This show is amazing, this season is amazing (even though I hate Chris and Lorelai) and I think this show deserves at the very LEAST one last season.

It is such an amazing show, I love it and I would hate to see it end so soon. I'm torn though cause I dont want the show to go on without Alexis, without Rory, the show wont be the same. I watch for the Lauren/Lorelai and Alexis/Rory relationship so I dont know if I want it to go on without her :( If she agrees to continue though, then I think the show definately should!
Unknown said…
Gilmore Girls is one of my favorite shows. I have been watching it since the pilot aired years ago. Things have shifted around quite a bit, but I love it. This whole situation is bittersweet. I hope they end it this season in order to avoid the show from being cancelled based on enormous changes. Viewers watch the Gilmore Girls for the quirky relationships and whitty banter. If one actress does not come back, then the show will be missing one of its most crucial elements. The show is awesome, but everything is headed in the right direction of closure: Lorelai and Chris are done for real this time. Thus seeing Luke as her true soul mate. If the show continues, the same Chris storylines (as in seasons 5 and 6) will be re-circulated. Lorelai is ready to settle down. Rory is done with college, sure they can do another season (but they will need to find a replacement actress)with her working. Yet, I hope Logan and Rory stay together. If the show continues, their relationship will be finished. Fans will stop watching if the plot does not change. It is very possible, Logan will go and Marty will take his place. The eternal question for Rory comes up AGAIN! Will she be with Logan.... This man represents her grandparents' lives, yet in his own way fighting that. In a way, Rory has grown to be part of this- the prep-schools, Yale, etc. This could work out. They could stay together by the series' end (if it ends...) Will she choose the latter, Marty- a person who of her pre-Chilton background, like her? Since Marty is now back in the picture,if continued for another season, it will cause issues with her current relationship. I think most fans are happy with where she. The writing staff should take Logan or Marty out of the picture- one of them needs to go! If they are serious about the series ending this year, they will need to make sure there is closure... not just Rory and Marty walking together in Stars Hollow as the series ends. The real problem is that we can only guess what will happen in the following months. Every episode will determine the series' fate until a confirmed answer is available. If there is an 8th season of the Gilmore Girls (as in watch I have been watching for the past 6), I will continue. I do not want the show's legacy to be ruined by fans' constant pestering for another season, even if it requires drastic changes. This will cause many issues as far as actor contracts/replacements, storylines, etc. All of which, could lead to the show being cancelled. They are only so many ways to skin a cat. I doubt fans would want to see the Gilmore Girls go up in flames just to satisfy themselves and their constant curiosity. I think it is time to end this portion and do a spin off series next year.
Anonymous said…
I truly hope that they give us a season 8. I believe that fans have been cheated this season throwing so many episodes with Chris - what a waste. We have watched Luke & Lor for years to just find ourselves watching Chris, the immature, irresponsible, self-centered whiner wins Loralai over to marriage. That has never been believable, so I would say pls give us a Season 8 of Luke&Lor and their marriage, pregnancy, baby - SH folk creating so many plots and subplots around the Luke and Lor union with child. I believe we deserve an 8th season. Ending GG now is like watching a 3 hour movie when you keep wanting two people to end up together, but you watch it as you see plot after plot of the two sort of together, broken apart, others interfering and then finally after about 2 hours and 55 mins of this, the two get together, hug, kiss, goodbye to the audience. Thanks for watching. I think GG deserves better and the fans deserve to enjoy Stars Hollow with the Luke and Lor scenario which has been building for years. Let us see daddy Luke with his and Loralie's baby. I think there could be so many wonderful stories and ways to bring in all of the great characters of Stars Hollow, along with so many situations brought about by Lor's parents with the new baby. I agree this season has not been good, but I blame the writers for throwing Loralai totally out of character to run off and marry Chris quickly and then to make us endure Chris episode after episode. If Loralai married Chris as quickly as she did, she would have realized immediately the mistake she made, caught up in the whole Paris thing, and had the marriage annulled or gotten a quickie divorce, like Luke had done in the past. So, the writers lost the essence of Loralai. Bringing April into the fold last season, I think, was a mistake. That's when things became off kilter. We were getting used to Luke finally with Loralai and some genius writers think to throw in a nerdy child for Luke. We deserve an 8th season to get GG back on track and for heavens sake allow us to enjoy more than one episode of Luke and Loralai's life together. A Loralai/Luke pregnancy itself could be filled with many humorous stories. Luke with his own "baby"!

I ask for the powers that be to please give us a Season 8. I have the DVDs as well, but I tell you, I won't care to watch them if I know at the end of the series, it just quickly throws the 2 main characters back together in order to fit in the storyline at the end of the 7th season. We watched and watched year after year to be tossed a crumb at the end. Not fair. I sincerely hope that the actors and producers do not cheat devoted fans of GG and Stars Hollow out of a Season 8 with more Luke w Lor, Sookie and Jackson, Lor's parents, the eccentric town folk and let Rory (Alexis) just come to town now and then if she wants to leave the show. I hate that she'd leave, but the fans deserve to have more episodes with many new adventures. Rory's storylines have not been as interesting ever since she left Stars Hollow for Yale; it's basically been interest in one fella or another. The more interesting Rory episodes are when she is back in Stars Hollow. The storylines with Logan are a yawn. I think Marty is the one she should end up with - sort of like she comes to her senses and sees him for great individual he is. I keep thinking back to when Rory dressed like Harpo Marx, and she with Marty watched the Marx Brothers movies only to have Logan come and take over. It was cute for a good while, but Marty seems to be the real deal. It would make her story lines much more interesting to be with Marty.

I don't think it would be beneficial to any of us who love GG to end it within the next few episodes. I would feel completely cheated after this 7th season the writers and producers have given us thus far. I understand Alexis may want to move on, but I think Lauren should not feel compelled to follow suit just because Alexis wants to "move on." I can only hope that Lauren will see that we don't want her, Luke and Stars Hollow to move on - not just yet. I love the town, the eccentric folk. I want to see Luke, Loralai and baby living a while longer in Stars Hollow. Give us that please.
Anonymous said…
I still look foward to Tuesday nights just so I can catch the Gilmores - I've been a huge fan since the first season, and it's the only series I've bought every DVD set for (not to mention the only time I spent in the same room with my mother as a teen).

That being said.

I think this season has gotten a lot of unfair press. We miss Amy. We miss Daniel. But at least we still have the show. I haven't liked the last few arcs, granted, but I'm willing to bear with it to see where it goes.

I do think it's important that Amy SP write the finale. It wouldn't be finished without closure from her input. But I think an entire new season would have too many challenges. While Rory is at Yale we have plot threads (her and Paris, her and Logan, her impending career) - but can the show handle Graduate Rory? Would she be NYC-based, rarely seeing the stars hollow characters? Where would Paris go? They can't be roommates forever. How often could she feasibly see Lorelai? I think the root of the show is in their interactions.

I think this season needs to be it, as much as I hate the idea of the show being cancelled. But there will only be time for that if they stop running re-runs every week and get back to the show. We have time for 8-10 more episodes, which could be enough to tie up loose ends, maybe doing a 2 hour series finale. THAT would get the ratings. Every fan of days past would watch that.

Lastly, all the fans know it has to be Luke. I love Christopher, and I was even willing to invest in the possibility of their marriage - but it has to be Luke. I think the show's best ratings bet is to head back in that direction with some fresh writers and a clear cap on the series.

It's been a good run.

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