Isabel Reemsnyder

Graef

Inquiry and Expression

11/10/2021

The Untrue Standards of Love

In terms of television masterpieces Gilmore Girls is near the top of my list. However, all

works of art have their flaws. The series follows a mother and daughter while they navigate

through the hardships and success of the daughter's adolescent life. One of the biggest plot lines

during the show is the daughter, Rory’s, love life. She has three serious relationships the entirety

of the production. All three love interests are portrayed through stereotypical characterizations

that were built to make female viewers fawn over them and continue watching the show. Here is

the hard truth, the bar set so high by the life of Rory Gilmore, is never truly attainable in the real

world and once attained it could be gone in the blink of an eye without some cataclysmic event

taking place.

The first boy is Mr. Goody-Goody, the boy who treats girls with respect and has them

back before curfew but has nothing adventurous about them. The safe choice that could do no

harm. Second, Mr. Edgy Bad Boy, that plays hard to get and once he is finally caught flees

before the true commitment type of guy. Lastly, Mr. Perfect, the boy that every girl is waiting for,

a rich boy with enough of the edgy spontaneity but also has great manners and knows how to

care for his person. Throughout the show I found myself watching a realistic fiction version of

Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Every single relationship ends due to a tiny problem that was

amplified. Unfortunately for most girls that are not a part of a fictional show, reality is they will

most likely never be with anyone of those boys. Gilmore Girls creates a standard most girls
integrate into their search for love. They want the boy they pick to fit into the mold of one of

those three choices.

Hopeless Romantics are the Rory’s of the real world. That girl who wants to be walking

down the hallways of her school with books stacked in her hands. Only to bump into an

attractive male. The books fall, they both kneel to the ground picking up her things, apologizing

to each other before they look up and make eye contact immediately falling for each other.

Reality check, that does not happen in real life, people meet through corny dating apps, or

mutual friends, not in some jaw-dropping moment that cinematographers call a “meet-cute.”

(Merriam Webster). Gilmore Girls demonstrates that unrealistic picture very vividly. Rory

ironically drops her belongings, looks up, and there he is Mr. Goody-Goody, standing beside her

with a halo above his head and godlike light shining from behind. This is only a small glimpse of

the perfect romance television makes us believe is obtainable. I have yet to meet someone in my

life with an experience remotely close to that, and although I consider myself a hopeless

romantic, I do not believe in such things happening.

If you are searching for someone like Mr. Edgy Bad Boy I would highly suggest therapy,

not really. On a serious note, girls who want someone like this character are probably in for the

rudest awakening. The dream boy who will tear you away from your cookie-cutter world. The

boy who will take you on spontaneous and thrilling adventures. The guy that has some

mysterious past that you think you can help him overcome. Outside of the show those boys are

more toxic than nuclear waste. The edgy boys in real life are usually drug addicts whose greatest

accomplishment will be assistant manager at their local McDonalds. The kind of guy who is
disrespectful towards everyone and still believes he can be the next Eminem on SoundCloud.

The bad boy with good intentions just simply does not exist in real life. The only part the writers

of Gilmore Girls got right with him was that he left unexpectedly without a word.

Whether it be a past event brought back into the light, or a dramatic unfaithful night away

from the partner, all the television relationships end abruptly following a minuscule setback

which is turned into a major dilemma. My professor said it best, “Most TV plots are based on

miscommunication, misunderstandings, and immaturity” (Graef). For instance, at the end of

season three of Gilmore Girls, Jess (Mr. Edgy Bad Boy) just leaves to the other side of the

country because he failed school and believes Rory won’t accept him anymore. They don’t speak

for months just because of something that had nothing to do with their relationship. Yet when we

step away from the screen and into reality every person we encounter is flawed in many aspects

of their lives, and some relationships do end with drama, but most of the time couples just simply

split without the huge production. In my personal life I have witnessed a mutual splitting that

was catastrophe free. Some very close family friends went through a divorce but remain friends

to this day. We all hang out during the holidays and it is as if nothing happened. Now we have to

take into account some extenuating circumstances, they have two kids, so their friendship may

solely be for the kids. Even with other obligations like kids, life is filled with people who have

enough respect for the other to go their separate ways peacefully and stay in contact.

Gilmore Girls is a truly amazing show. Watching the characters go through all the twists

and turns only to become their best selves teaches us about perseverance. Rotten Tomatoes

scored it at an eighty-five percent on the tomatometer (Rotten Tomatoes). The series is and will
always be something to watch when a pick me up is needed or just something to pass the time.

The only downfall is girls have to learn the hard way that prince charming does not always ride

in on a white horse.
 Works Cited

“Gilmore Girls.” Rotten Tomatoes, https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/gilmore-girls.

“Meet-Cute Definition & Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster,

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meet-cute.