For seven seasons on guzzle coffee without so much as one heart palpitation. They make viewers believe that moms and daughters can be the best of friends.
But just because Rory and Lorelai are incredibly close doesn't mean they don't screw up, and sometimes those mistakes result in hurting the person closest to them in the world. Here are the 10 worst things the Gilmore girls did to each other.
Lorelai: Doesn't Tell Rory She's Engaged
Lorelai and Rory are close, but their mother-daughter bond is tested when Rory drops out of Yale during Season 6. Convinced Rory is making a big mistake, the two begin a cold war that rivals the one between Russia and the United States. Lorelai being estranged from her best friend means Rory has no idea Luke and Lorelai are engaged until Luke lets it slip. Tough love is one thing, but Lorelai not calling a truce long enough to share the biggest news in her life is taking the silent treatment too far.
Lorelai: Gets Married Without Rory
When Lorelai and Christopher head to Paris, the romantic getaway includes them unexpectedly tying the knot during Season 7. When Rory's parents break the news to her on "Introducing Lorelai Planetarium," Rory is understandably angry — not because she thinks they made a mistake but because Lorelai deprived Rory of the happiness of seeing her parents commit to being together.
After years of getting Rory's hopes up only to dash them again, and because Rory is closer to her mother than anyone in the world, Lorelai should have had her daughter by her side on her big day.
Rory: Moves In With Richard And Emily
When Rory decides to drop out of Yale on the Season 5 finale, Lorelai does the unthinkable and goes to her parents for help. They agree to present a united front. Instead, Richard and Emily ambush her, telling her they have Rory's plans laid out, and those plans don't include Yale or Lorelai's input.
Even worse, Rory doesn't have the nerve to face her mother and fight it out, running to the two people who Lorelai feels most betrayed by. Rory can't stand the fact her mother is right, so she goes to a place where she can do no wrong.
Lorelai: Costs Rory Her Inheritance
When Richard's mother comes to stay with Richard and Emily in Season 1's "The Third Lorelai," the OG Lorelai has a proposition: the"third Lorelai" offers to set up a trust fund for Rory, giving her access to a boatload of cash for school and just about anything else her heart desires. Emily, who uses her own money to control her daughter, puts the idea in Lorelai's head the money will drive a wedge between her and Rory.
Rory's great-grandmother's disappointment over all the squabbling between Emily and Lorelai causes her to rescind her offer. Lorelai can't get past her mommy issues and just let Emily's comments slide for the good of her daughter. Lorelai's so busy trying not to be Emily, she briefly turns into a carbon copy of her. Worst of all, Lorelai decides to tell Rory she lost out on some big bucks when she could have remained blissfully unaware.
Rory: Misses Lorelai's Graduation
When Jess leaves Stars Hollow without saying goodbye, Rory finds herself cutting school and heading to NYC to see him in Season 2's "Lorelai's Graduation Day." But her unexpected ditch day coincides with Lorelai's graduation from a community college, something Rory insists Lorelai makes a big deal about in spite of her mother's protests. Thanks to the instability of public transportation, Rory misses her mother's ceremony.
Even though the event bridges the gap — at least temporarily — between Lorelai and her parents, the most important person in her life is a no-show. Rory doesn't blow off her mom on purpose, but that doesn't make her actions any less hurtful.
Rory: Doesn't Tell Lorelai About Her First Kiss
When Rory experiences her first kiss in Season 1's "Kiss and Tell," Lorelai finds out from Mrs. Kim. Rory and Lorelai share everything, and Lorelai goes off the rails worrying that this one secret means she and Rory are becoming like Lorelai and Emily. Their inability to communicate lead to teen pregnancy and years of estrangement, so this subject area is especially touchy for Lorelai, and Rory should know it.
Most kids keep things from their parents, but these are the Gilmore girls, and there's no such thing as boundaries or off-limits. It's a big moment, and Rory denies her mom access to it.
Rory: Goes On A Joyride With Jess
When Jess arrives in Stars Hollow during Season 2, his presence in Rory's life becomes a source of tension between her and Lorelai. When Rory agrees to tutor Jess, Lorelai has her doubts, but she trusts Rory to stick to the books. But Jess brings out Rory's inner bad girl, and the two leave the diner, getting into an accident that leaves Rory with a fractured wrist.
Rory's one attempt at rebellion turns her mother into a hysterical mess, causing a huge argument between her and Luke. Rory doesn't have to suffer the consequences because of everyone's intense dislike of Jess who may have been behind the wheel, but it's Rory who tells him to drive, something she fails to 'fess up to.
Lorelai: Humiliates Rory At Chilton
Things heat up between Lorelai and Max during Season 1, but they head south fast when Lorelai fears Rory is getting too attached. Lorelai blows Max off and then unceremoniously dumps him on Parents' Day at Chilton in "Paris is Burning." When it comes to the opposite sex, the Gilmore girls have one thing in common: they don't know what they're doing.
There is confusion and kissing, and the latter is witnessed by Paris who quickly spreads the rumor all over the school. Rory, who prefers to fly under the radar, finds herself the center of unwanted attention and snide comments about her mother and Mr. Medina. Lorelai uses Rory as an excuse at every turn with Max, throwing her daughter under the bus because she can't deal with her hang-ups.
Rory: Asks Lorelai To Deliver A Message
After leaving Stars Hollow for Europe in the aftermath of committing adultery with Dean during Season 5, Rory realizes sleeping with a married man was a really bad choice. She's not quite ready to face the music, so she recruits her mother to deliver a letter to Dean explaining her actions on "A Messenger, Nothing More."
Why Lorelai agrees to insert herself into this melodrama is a bit of a head-scratcher, especially after Rory treats her mother horribly for months following the incident. But Lorelai's in uncharted territory when it comes to helping her daughter clean up this particular mess. Lorelai must face a heartbroken and confused Dean, which makes for the most awkward encounter ever, and it's the latest in a long line of crappy things Rory lays on her mom.
Lorelai: Drives Jess Out Of Town
When Jess arrives in Stars Hollow during Season 2, he's one of the very few people who fails to find Lorelai charming. The two butt heads from the jump, but Lorelai grows increasingly agitated by his friendship with Rory. She dismisses Rory's feelings for him, trying to convince her to stay with Dean. Lorelai acknowledges Jess is a troubled kid but shows him no empathy.
After Jess and Rory's car accident, Lorelai rips into Luke, who has done nothing but be a good friend to Lorelai, making him feel guilty about taking care of his nephew and showing zero concern whether Jess is hurt or not. She feels zero guilt over Jess being shipped back to NYC as long as it means he's as far away from Rory as possible. This controlling behavior reeks of Emily Gilmore, and it demonstrates an uncharacteristic disconnect between Rory and her mom.