{"id":113382,"date":"2025-11-02T02:43:31","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T02:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/113382\/"},"modified":"2025-11-02T02:43:31","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T02:43:31","slug":"how-a-low-budget-series-became-a-global-phenomenon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/113382\/","title":{"rendered":"How a low-budget series became a global phenomenon"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite the glitzy gowns, major stars and prestigious awards at the recent Emmy Awards<\/a>, one moment meant the world to every fan waiting to smell the snow. In honor of the 25th\u202fanniversary of the cult series Gilmore Girls<\/a>, on stage together to present the award for\u202f\u201cOutstanding Writing for a Comedy Series\u201d were Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel \u2014 better known as Lorelai and Rory\u202fGilmore. As the unmistakable voice of Carole King\u2019s \u201cWhere\u202fYou\u202fLead\u202fI\u202fWill\u202fFollow\u201d played in the background, the beloved Stars\u202fHollow porch was recreated on stage and the two reflected on their journey to that moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cGilmore\u202fGirls was actually a very small show. Meaning we had no money,\u201d they said. \u201cIf there was a birthday at The Drew Carey Show next door, they would send us their leftover sheet cake because we looked hungry. We saved up all year long to have one snow episode, and then ER would wet down their street and wash it all away. Basically, we were bullied and starving. But at least we had scripts \u2014 great scripts, big scripts, terrifyingly lengthy scripts.\u201d The two, who have previously admitted that each episode\u2019s script was twice the length of a typical series, received the coveted \u201cIconic\u201d title for their work on Gilmore\u202fGirls.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"\u05dc\u05d5\u05e8\u05df<\/a>\"\u05dc\u05d5\u05e8\u05df<\/p>\n

Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel at the 2025 Emmy Awards<\/p>\n

(Photo: Chris Pizzello\/Invision\/AP)<\/p>\n

And here lies the obvious question: why does a series that debuted back in early October\u202f2000 \u2014 and told the story of a unique mother-daughter relationship separated by just 16\u202fyears \u2014 still make us \u201cfollow where it leads\u201d?<\/p>\n

The WB (Warner\u202fBros.\u2019\u202fTV network) was founded in the mid-1990s. Yet until 1997, it struggled for a meaningful audience; many of its shows were cancelled and then rebooted. What changed the network\u2019s fortunes were shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dawson\u2019s Creek, Felicity and Charmed, all of which positioned it as a home for teen drama and a launch pad for new stars. But despite these successes, WB remained a small network compared with its competitors, and its productions had to make do with much smaller budgets. From that constraint emerged shows that emphasized sharp dialogue and unforgettable characters, among them Gilmore\u202fGirls.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"\u05dc\u05d5\u05e8\u05df<\/a>\"\u05dc\u05d5\u05e8\u05df<\/p>\n

‘The magic of the series is absolutely the unconventional relationship between Rory and Lorelai’<\/p>\n

(Photo: Warner Bros.\/Delivered by Online USA\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had no money,\u201d said Yanic Truesdale (who played Michel), in an interview with\u202fPeople earlier this year. \u201cWe kept complaining that Amy (Sherman-Palladino, the series creator) had ideas, but we couldn’t do them, because they were too expensive. ‘No money, no money, no money,’ was always the answer.\u201d Although the story was set in Connecticut, filming took place at Warner\u202fBros. studios in Burbank, California, on sets used for other shows as well. The Gilmore home stood across from Sookie\u2019s; to save on new locations, Graham would walk circles around the same set while props were repositioned. Costume designer Brenda Maben still runs a TikTok account where she reveals how she reused existing pieces, bought second-hand clothes or pulled items from the Warner\u202fBros. storage to keep within budget.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/a>\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/p>\n

From Gilmore Girls<\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)<\/p>\n

If some of the gowns worn at the Life and Death Brigade event in season five looked familiar, it\u2019s because fans identified them as the same dresses worn in season two\u2019s debutante ball \u2014 and over the years, avid viewers spotted wardrobe items recycled from Friends (which, though it aired on NBC, was also filmed at Warner\u202fBros.). Despite the limited budget, Sherman-Palladino (with her husband, Daniel\u202fPalladino, the executive producer) managed to imagine and create the small town of Stars\u202fHollow. With humour, witty and detailed dialogue, she turned a place where everything was within walking distance into a vibrant universe crowded with unforgettable characters from Kirk to Miss\u202fPatty, complete with colourful shops and town meetings that inevitably slid into chaos.<\/p>\n

Sherman-Palladino understood that with the right casting, she didn\u2019t need a big budget. \u201cThe combination of that real pro (Graham) with the girl who kind of just is herself (Bledel) created something magical, and that was partially what made the show so special,\u201d she told Entertainment Weekly a decade ago. \u201cLauren and Alexis spent a lot of long hours yapping to each other, walking in circles around Stars Hollow. They developed this interesting camaraderie that you can\u2019t cast, it just shows up and then it happens. And we got lucky with Ed Herrmann and Kelly Bishop (Richard and Emily), because I don\u2019t think anybody anticipated how important the parents were going to be. Kelly Bishop was the other Gilmore girl. Gilmore Girls is an intergenerational freak show. Without all the generations represented, it would not have been complete. I think having those amazing parents\/grandparents there, which allowed us to really go places that we wouldn\u2019t have been able to go to with lesser folks, it made our show different because there kind of was no place we could not go.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/a>\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/p>\n

We can smell snow; from Gilmore Girls<\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe magic of the series is absolutely the unconventional relationship between Rory and Lorelai,\u201d Bledel echoed in a 2016 interview with Glamour. \u201cThat\u2019s what most fans mention when they come up to me. They either relate to it or wish they had a relationship like that. A lot of mothers and daughters watch it together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a lot of freedom when it came to casting,\u201d Sherman-Palladino added. \u201cWe knew that we had to populate a town, we knew that we needed really strong, go-to people in town to do stories, we had to find them. Anytime somebody came on in a guest part and scored as Sean Gunn did (Kirk, who first appeared as a DSL installer), we immediately felt we had to bring him back. We have to own him, he can\u2019t go anywhere else, ever, we\u2019ll die.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe same thing happened with Liza Weil (Paris), who was in my brain from auditioning for Rory. And I\u2019m like that girl is not right for Rory, but she\u2019s unbelievably brilliant \u2013 she\u2019s like a master comedienne, so I just wrote her in. We had a lot of flexibility like that. Any time somebody was great, we were lucky enough to be able to just sort of snap them up, and nobody questioned us. That\u2019s how I got to cast Milo Ventimiglia (Jess) and Matt Czuchry (Logan) without really having a part for them yet. Once you have those go-to people, you\u2019re always in good shape \u2013 there\u2019s always somebody to bail your ass out.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/a>\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/p>\n

Do these outfits look familiar? From Gilmore Girls<\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)<\/p>\n

Though the magic happened back in the early 2000s, the turning point came in 2014, when Netflix acquired the rights to stream the series, making all seven seasons available for binge-watching. What had once been a niche show with a loyal but limited fanbase instantly became a global phenomenon. A new generation of viewers \u2014 many of them too young to have watched the show during its original run \u2014 rediscovered the bond between Lorelai and Rory, the tension with Richard and Emily who funded Rory\u2019s education, and the slow-burning question of whether Lorelai and Luke would ever get together.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have definitely reached more people than we were reaching on WB,\u201d Graham said in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel earlier this year. \u201cNow it trickled down to younger people, older people, men whose wives or kids probably forced them to watch.\u201d In fact, Graham nearly missed out on the role of Lorelai due to a prior commitment \u2014 one that was canceled just in time, much to everyone\u2019s relief.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/a>\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/p>\n

From the Gilmore Girls revival episodes<\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)<\/p>\n

The show\u2019s Netflix success quickly paved the way for A Year in the Life, a four-part revival released in 2016 that brought the characters back to the screen. The reboot sparked fierce debate: some fans felt it recaptured the magic, while others argued the series should have ended with season seven \u2014 or even season six, for purists unimpressed by the final original season. Either way, its success is undeniable. And the final twist \u2014 Rory\u2019s unexpected pregnancy reveal \u2014 remains a hot topic. The identity of the father continues to fuel speculation, with cast members still fielding questions about it at every panel and interview.<\/p>\n

Two recent announcements delighted Gilmore Girls fans, proving the show\u2019s enduring popularity. First, a celebratory documentary series marking its 25th anniversary is in the works, featuring interviews with cast members \u2014 though notably without Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. Second, Graham was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this month.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so moved when you come up to me \u2014 usually at the airport bathroom \u2014 and tell me how much the show has meant to you and that you\u2019ve shared it with a family member and maybe passed it on to another generation,\u201d Graham joked during the ceremony, which was attended by creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, as well as cast members Kelly Bishop (Emily), Scott Patterson (Luke), Matt Czuchry (Logan) and Yanic Truesdale (Michel).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"\u05dc\u05d5\u05e8\u05df<\/a>\"\u05dc\u05d5\u05e8\u05df<\/p>\n

Lauren Graham at her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony; to her right: Daniel Palladino, to her left: Amy Sherman-Palladino and Kelly Bishop<\/p>\n

(Photo: Jordan Strauss\/Invision\/AP)<\/p>\n

Graham, reflecting earlier this year, said, \u201cPeople stop me a lot \u2014 it still surprises me, and I don\u2019t really know why.\u201d But in an interview with Entertainment Weekly a decade ago, she admitted someone saw the show\u2019s future before anyone else: \u201cI feel extremely proud. We were opposite Friends for years. Kelly Bishop once said, \u2018I think this is going to be one of those shows that people bring back and watch over and over.\u2019 I had no perspective on it at the time. It was when I did a musical on Broadway years later that suddenly these young girls were coming to see the show because of Gilmore Girls, and I thought, \u2018Oh, right. Reruns.\u2019 It wasn\u2019t when it was really on, it was years later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Truesdale echoed that in his own interview with People, saying fans still stop him to talk about Michel. \u201cEvery day. All the time. 40 times a day. People were waiting in front of my hotel today, and I was like, ‘How do they know I am here?’ It’s great because you don’t get so many parts that have such an impact on people 25 years later,\u201d he said. \u201cI’m not going to fight it. I’m Michel, and it’s okay.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"\u05dc\u05d5\u05e8\u05df<\/a>\"\u05dc\u05d5\u05e8\u05df<\/p>\n

Lauren Graham with her star in Hollywood<\/p>\n

(Photo: Jordan Strauss\/Invision\/AP)<\/p>\n

Even Melissa McCarthy \u2014 the breakout star of Gilmore Girls and now one of Hollywood\u2019s most beloved comedic actresses \u2014 still gets asked about her role as Sookie, the clumsy chef and Lorelai\u2019s best friend. That she remains so closely associated with the show despite a career full of blockbusters, Oscar nominations and Emmy wins, is a testament to Gilmore Girls\u2019 enduring power.<\/p>\n

McCarthy even reprised her role in the 2016 revival A Year in the Life \u2014 a move that wasn\u2019t necessarily expected for an actor of her stature. \u201cIt’s had legs on it that I didn’t expect,\u201d she told Entertainment Tonight during a 2023 interview that was actually focused on her role in the live-action Little Mermaid. \u201cIt was a really comforting little world that Amy created. It was really fun to do. It was working with such nice people, and just to have a regular job. No one was more shocked than me, or maybe my parents.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/a>\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/p>\n

‘It was a really comforting little world that Amy created’. From Gilmore Girls<\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)<\/p>\n

But in 2025, the true barometer of Gilmore Girls\u2019 lasting power is TikTok. On the wildly popular app, the show has found new life through viral soundbites. The familiar La-La-La musical transitions by Sam Phillips soundtrack tens of thousands of videos. The phrase \u201cI am an autumn\u201d has become a seasonal mantra, fueling countless clips of sweaters and hot drinks. Even Kirk\u2019s quirky quotes are being rediscovered and reimagined by a new generation of fans.<\/p>\n

More than halfway through this retrospective, one key character has barely been mentioned \u2014 Luke. So what about actor Scott Patterson? A few years ago, Patterson made headlines among Gilmore Girls fans when he opened up about a painful experience from his time on set. On his podcast, I Am All In with Scott Patterson, he revealed that he felt objectified during a season three scene in which Sookie (played by Melissa McCarthy) accidentally touches his backside, prompting a conversation between her and Lorelai about his rear end.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really made me uncomfortable. It angered me that I was treated like an object,\u201d Patterson said. \u201cIt was disturbing, and I had to endure it through the whole scene and several takes. It was all about the butt, the butt, the butt. Even when we weren\u2019t filming, they were still talking about the butt. It was the most disturbing day I had on that set. I couldn\u2019t wait for it to be over.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/a>\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/p>\n

Scott Patterson; from Gilmore Girls<\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)<\/p>\n

\u201cPut yourself in my shoes,\u201d he continued. \u201cYou\u2019re standing there in front of all those people filming, and this is how the creator sees the character \u2014 as someone you can humiliate and strip of dignity for a whole scene. But it wasn\u2019t okay with me. I hated that scene. It\u2019s just as disgusting when women objectify men as when men objectify women \u2014 and it\u2019s just as harmful. It was the most degrading day I had on that set.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patterson said he didn\u2019t speak up at the time because he feared for his job, and such issues weren\u2019t taken seriously in 2003. \u201cJust because it was 2003 doesn\u2019t mean it was acceptable. It\u2019s never okay. I didn\u2019t feel comfortable doing it, and that really bothered me. I never said anything, and that made me mad at myself \u2014 but I had a job and didn\u2019t want to make a fuss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like many shows from that era, Gilmore Girls contains elements that, in hindsight, don\u2019t quite hold up. Aside from Michel, nearly all characters were white, and the show lacked LGBTQ+ representation until Michel came out in the 2016 revival. Lorelai\u2019s life story \u2014 pregnant at 16, leaving home and eventually building an idyllic life \u2014 is presented in a romantic light that glosses over the hardships. And the ongoing jokes about Lorelai and Rory\u2019s absurd food consumption \u2014 once part of their charm \u2014 might now be seen as problematic. They \u201cbinge\u201d constantly, yet always look effortlessly perfect, reinforcing an unrealistic body image.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/a>\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/p>\n

From Gilmore Girls<\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)<\/p>\n

Whether one supports \u201cwoke\u201d culture or not, it\u2019s hard to ignore that shows like Friends, That \u201970s Show and Gilmore Girls continue to thrive despite recurring criticism. Perhaps some of their charm lies in their looser, less politically correct nature \u2014 a kind of unintentional freedom that makes viewers feel like they\u2019re stepping back into a different era. Even if certain moments now seem troubling, that very gap adds a layer of nostalgia and prompts renewed conversations around the series.<\/p>\n

In Gilmore Girls\u2019 case, it\u2019s also important to highlight that despite some distance from today\u2019s P.C. norms, the show centered on two smart, strong, independent women who often went against the grain \u2014 a powerful and still relatively rare choice at the time. That said, perhaps it’s also time the characters stopped holding their cellphones and talking while driving.<\/p>\n

Despite Scott Patterson\u2019s critical comments on his podcast, there\u2019s no denying he still has a deep connection to Gilmore Girls. In fact, the scene he discussed appeared on his podcast I Am All In with Scott Patterson \u2014 a project entirely dedicated to the show. \u201cTwenty years ago, you met Luke Danes…backward cap, plaid flannel, pouring the coffee,\u201d reads the podcast\u2019s description, packed with iconic references. \u201cFor the very first time, Scott Patterson (aka Luke) is watching Gilmore Girls. 154 episodes and 4 movies. We’ll visit Stars Hollow, Doosey’s Market, Miss Patty’s, Mrs. Kim’s antique shop and more pop culture references than you can count. Join us whether you’re Team Dean, Team Logan or Team Jess. And, we’ll see if we can figure out ‘who’s the daddy.’ We’ll talk fast, and if you can smell snow, if Paris isn’t just a city in France, and Friday night dinner is a requirement… you don’t want to miss this. Finally, cell phones are allowed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fans following Patterson on social media know he frequently appears at fan tours and events held on the original set. He\u2019s not the only one \u2014 actors like Vanessa Marano (April), Emily Kuroda (Mrs. Kim), and Rose Abdoo (Gypsy) also continue to ride the wave of a show that\u2019s still going strong 25 years later.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/a>\"\u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05da<\/p>\n

From Gilmore Girls<\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)<\/p>\n

Lauren Graham has written books filled with stories from her time on the show, and Kelly Bishop \u2014 forever Emily Gilmore \u2014 titled her memoir The Third Gilmore Girl, despite a celebrated Broadway career, a Tony Award and her iconic role as Baby\u2019s mother in Dirty Dancing.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just the cast who understands the franchise\u2019s power. In recent years, viewers in the U.S. have seen Gilmore Girls characters reuniting in nostalgic cameos \u2014 often in commercials. In 2024, Luke and Lorelai appeared together in a snow-filled Walmart holiday ad. This month, bakery giant Panera released a commercial featuring Rory\u2019s two love interests \u2014 Dean (Jared Padalecki) and Logan (Matt Czuchry) \u2014 jokingly debating who was better for her, before revealing they\u2019re actually arguing about food.<\/p>\n

With nostalgia being served up so frequently, the question naturally arises: could another real reunion be in the works? Fans can rest easy \u2014 at least if it\u2019s up to Graham. On the red carpet at this year\u2019s Emmy Awards, she told The Hollywood Reporter she could easily imagine a Gilmore Girls Christmas movie. For fans, that\u2019s more than enough \u2014 90 minutes might just be all they need to finally find out who Rory\u2019s baby\u2019s father is (and to get upset if it\u2019s not Logan).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Despite the glitzy gowns, major stars and prestigious awards at the recent Emmy Awards, one moment meant the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":113383,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[156,111,139,69,437],"class_list":{"0":"post-113382","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tv","8":"tag-entertainment","9":"tag-new-zealand","10":"tag-newzealand","11":"tag-nz","12":"tag-tv"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113382"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113382\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/113383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}