Summary

• Gilmore Girls is a relatable show full of emotional moments that make fans cry, whether happy or sad.
• The series offers complex characters and a cozy small-town setting that sets it apart from other shows.
• Lorelai and Rory's mother-daughter bond is the heart of the series and keeps viewers coming back for more.

Lorelai and Rory Gilmore's mother-daughter bond is what makes this series worth going back to time and time again.

Some shows prove to be timeless because the themes they tackle are relevant in any decade, and Gilmore Girls is definitely one of those series. Its fast-paced storytelling, cozy feel of a small American town, and complex characters who cause audiences to be overcome with emotion are the reason Gilmore Girls stands out from the rest. The Gilmores' lives are full of emotional moments that viewers live through with the characters, and some of them are complete tear-jerkers.

20 Lorelai Cries Herself To Sleep

Season 5, Episode 14: "Say Something"

Luke and Lorelai broke up a few times on Gilmore Girls, but nothing tops their season 5 split. Following the vow renewal debacle between Christopher and Luke, the latter needs time and space to process things, but Lorelai is reluctant to give it to him. This results in their catastrophic break-up, causing Lorelai to fall apart and cry in her bed. Seeing this strong woman wallow over a guy, even though this guy is Luke, is heartbreaking.

19 Mrs. Kim Kicks Lane Out Of The House

Season 4, Episode 11: "In the Clamor And The Clangor"

Mrs. Kim and Lane's mother-daughter relationship is not ideal due to their different life philosophies. Lane prefers not to share her true self with her mother, but she can only keep it up so far. When Mrs. Kim finds out about Lane's sneaking around, music gigs, and basically everything else, she is so angry that she kicks her own daughter out of the house, even though Lane has nowhere to go. This scene is too realistic for everyone's comfort, even by Gilmore Girls' standards.

18 Dean Breaks Up With Rory For The First Time

Season 1, Episode 16: "Star-Crossed Lovers And Other Strangers"

Dean and Rory seem to be the perfect couple on the outside, but their relationship is actually riddled with problems from the very beginning of Gilmore Girls. For instance, Dean is way more invested in the relationship than Rory is, and that becomes evident when he tells her that he loves her for the first time after three months of dating, and Rory can't seem to be able to say it back. Heartbroken, Dean ends things with her for the time being, and Lorelai teaches Rory how to "wallow."

17 Emily Grieves Her Separation From Richard

Season 5, Episode 9: "Emily Says Hello"

Richard and Emily have been going strong for years, but they prove not to be indestructible when a particularly heated argument ends with their separation. Emily has to find herself and learn how to live on her own, and she starts by going on a date with another man. Gilmore Girls' matriarch always keeps her spirits up, so when she comes home from her date and cries her eyes out because she realizes that she and Richard are really over, it brings the viewers to tears.

16 The Gilmores Attend Richard's Funeral

Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life Episode 1: "Winter"

Gilmore Girls' Edward Herrmann, who portrayed Richard on the show, ed away in 2014. The sequel show, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, honored him by dedicating its first episode, "Winter," to his character's funeral. The moment hits differently than it would otherwise, as audiences know that the loss is not entirely fictional, and the cast's striking performances are not just 100 percent acting. Emily's arc in the sequel, which centers around her grieving her late husband, is devastatingly realistic.

15 Christopher Leaves Lorelai & Rory Again

Season 2, Episode 22: "I Can't Get Started"

Christopher isn't winning any Dad of the Year awards anytime soon, as he's a horrible absentee father to Rory and a garbage ex-partner to Lorelai. Unfortunately, Lorelai gives Christopher another chance, and this proves to be a huge mistake since Christopher does what he always does: leave at the first sign of trouble. The Gilmore Girls scene where Christopher acts like a coward and runs back to Sherry, his now-pregnant girlfriend, is a low blow.

14 Lorelai Has Money Troubles

Season 4, Episode 14: "The Incredible Sinking Lorelais"

Gilmore Girls season 4, episode 14 is full of bittersweet moments, and one of them is Lorelai crying on Luke's shoulder. Lorelai finds out that she is in big financial trouble, and the only one she can beg for help is Luke. However, asking a loved one for $30,000 can be humiliating and difficult, which prompts Lorelai to burst into tears. Being the gentleman that he is, Luke comforts his friend, whom he already has feelings for by that time.

13 Rory Struggles With College

Season 4, Episode 14: "The Incredible Sinking Lorelais"

In the same Gilmore Girls episode, Rory faces a problem of her own. She is a perfectionist who has gotten accustomed to thriving academically, so when she can't deal with her course load at Yale, and a professor even advises her to drop a class, she is distraught. Thankfully, Rory stumbles upon her ex-boyfriend Dean, the guy she can always trust to help her, and she just dumps it all on him. Of course, Dean is there for Rory, and it is a nice moment between them, reminiscent of their shared past.

12 Lorelai & Luke Have Their First Date

Season 5, Episode 3: "Written In The Stars"

Lorelai and Luke's relationship in Gilmore Girls is a bit of a mess, but they make it work. Still, their beginnings, namely their first date, are the absolute sweetest. Viewers have waited five seasons for Lorelai and Luke to get together, and in season 5, they finally go on their first date. It's pretty fun and adorably awkward, but the ending is even better. When Luke says to Lorelai that he is "all in," viewers' hearts are surely melting all over the place.

11 Richard Has A Heart Attack For The First Time

Season 1, Episode 10: "Forgiveness And Stuff"

Richard's health issues start early on, in Gilmore Girls season 1, when he has his first, unfortunately not his last, heart attack. The whole family rushes to the hospital to be by Richard's side, and the storyline is rather scary since it feels fairly grounded. Emily and Richard proceed to have a heart-to-heart right then and there, which is even sadder to think about, considering Richard's death in the revival show. He breaks his promise, and Emily doesn't "go first."