The BEST episodes of Gilmore Girls

Every episode of Gilmore Girls ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Gilmore Girls!

Lorelai Gilmore has made her share of mistakes in life, but she has been doing her best to see that her college-bound daughter Rory, who’s also her best friend in the world, doesn’t follow in her footsteps. That may be easier said than done, considering that the two share the same interests, the same intellect, the same coffee addiction and the same eyes.

Last Updated: 1/2/2024Network: The CWStatus: Ended
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Bon Voyage
star
8.48
941 votes

#1 - Bon Voyage

Season 7 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/15/2007

Rory lands her dream job as a political reporter in Ohio. Luke enlists the help of everyone in Stars Hollow to throw her a graduation party in order to say goodbye. Luke's thoughtfulness brings out a long-awaited reaction from Lorelai.

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Those Are Strings, Pinocchio
star
8.15
1052 votes

#2 - Those Are Strings, Pinocchio

Season 3 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/20/2003

Rory finally learns her mother can't afford to buy the Dragonfly Inn since financial aid for Yale didn't come through. Luke has second thoughts about a trip with Nicole after something Lorelai tells him. Jess makes silent contact with Rory.

Directors: Jamie Babbit
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The Bracebridge Dinner
star
8.05
1005 votes

#3 - The Bracebridge Dinner

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/11/2001

A blizzard prevents a group from attending the historical dinner that Sookie has painstakingly prepared at their request, so she and Lorelai invite most of the citizens of Stars Hollow to an elaborate feast complete with Elizabethan costumes and horse-drawn sleigh rides. Rory struggles to keep the budding rivalry between Dean and Jess under control.

Directors: Chris Long
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You Jump, I Jump, Jack
star
8.02
1004 votes

#4 - You Jump, I Jump, Jack

Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/2/2004

Emily demands that Lorelai bring her new boyfriend to dinner so that they can get reacquainted. Logan encourages Rory to participate in a mysterious event.

Directors: Kenny Ortega
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Nag Hammadi Is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels
star
8.01
1019 votes

#5 - Nag Hammadi Is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels

Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/10/2004

Jess's attempts to keep a low profile but keeps bumping into Rory all over town. Emily is in a dither about filling a table at a benefit and enlists the help of Lorelai and Jason, whom she encourages to pretend that they're a couple. Luke is less than impressed by Liz's latest business venture and newly-arrived boyfriend.

Directors: Chris Long
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Lorelai? Lorelai?
star
8.01
925 votes

#6 - Lorelai? Lorelai?

Season 7 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/1/2007

After getting into a science camp, April tells Luke that she cannot go on the boating trip with him over the summer. Zach is asked to go on tour with another band. A drunk Lorelai serenades Luke at Karaoke night. Logan gets a job in San Francisco.

Directors: Bethany Rooney
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The Incredible Sinking Lorelais
star
8.00
943 votes

#7 - The Incredible Sinking Lorelais

Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/17/2004

Lorelai and Sookie explore ways to ease their financial crunch and raise money to pay their construction crew, one of whom is now Dean. Rory is distraught when one of her professors tells her to drop a class because she can't handle her course load.

Directors: Stephen Clancy
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So... Good Talk
star
8.00
981 votes

#8 - So... Good Talk

Season 5 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/1/2005

When Richard and Emily return from their second honeymoon, Rory attends Friday-night dinner without Lorelai, who refuses to speak to her mother or see her, and plans a girls' night out with Sookie instead. Meanwhile, Luke, who's miserable without Lorelai, takes his anger out on his customers. Meanwhile, Lane has a horrific realization about her mother's inluence.

Directors: Jamie Babbit
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Rory's Birthday Parties
star
7.97
1124 votes

#9 - Rory's Birthday Parties

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/9/2000

It's Rory's birthday, and her grandmother and mother each plan a party representative of their respective styles.

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Love, Daisies and Troubadours
star
7.95
1179 votes

#10 - Love, Daisies and Troubadours

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/10/2001

Rachel makes an important decision after she becomes convinced that despite his protests, Luke is in love with Lorelai. Rory finally manages to talk to Dean about her feelings.

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Raincoats and Recipes
star
7.95
1021 votes

#11 - Raincoats and Recipes

Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/18/2004

The Dragonfly Inn approaches opening day. Rory and Dean take a major step forward in their relationship, to Lorelai's dismay. Two suitors go after Lorelai.

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Like Mother, Like Daughter
star
7.94
1029 votes

#12 - Like Mother, Like Daughter

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/13/2001

Headmaster Charleston decrees that both Gilmore girls need to improve their socialization skills at Chilton if they want him to write a glowing recommendation for Rory's Harvard application.

Directors: Dennis Erdman
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They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They?
star
7.93
1105 votes

#13 - They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They?

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/12/2002

Lorelai is determined to win the Stars Hollow Dance Marathon and wrest the trophy from four-time champion Kirk, but has trouble getting a partner until she finally convinces Rory to help her dance her way to victory.

Directors: Kenny Ortega
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The Lorelais' First Day at Yale
star
7.91
981 votes

#14 - The Lorelais' First Day at Yale

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/30/2003

While Luke is willing to lend Lorelai his truck to help Rory move into her dorm, he's not too thrilled when the project turns out to take all day. Rory meets her new roommates.

Directors: Chris Long
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A House Is Not a Home
star
7.90
960 votes

#15 - A House Is Not a Home

Season 5 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/17/2005

Lorelai picks Rory up after a crazy night with Logan. Rory decides that she will not go back to Yale next year, much to Lorelai's dismay.

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Run Away, Little Boy
star
7.88
930 votes

#16 - Run Away, Little Boy

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/27/2001

Lorelai receives a late wedding present without a card attached and insists that it be returned. Rory, Paris, Madeline and Louise are assigned to present the death scene from "Romeo and Juliet" as part of ther class participation.

Directors: Danny Leiner
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The Big One
star
7.88
1039 votes

#17 - The Big One

Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/25/2003

Rory and Paris compete for the honor of speaking at Chilton's Bicentennial. Lorelai runs into an ex and it's apparent that they're not quite over each other yet. Rory's college acceptance letters finally arrive.

Directors: Jamie Babbit
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Unto The Breach
star
7.88
850 votes

#18 - Unto The Breach

Season 7 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/8/2007

At Rory's graduation party at her grandparent's house, Logan proposes to her, catching Rory off-guard.

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Lorelai's Graduation Day
star
7.88
923 votes

#19 - Lorelai's Graduation Day

Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/14/2002

With Lorelai about to graduate from business school, an excited Rory secretly invites Richard and Emily to her mother's graduation ceremony, despite Lorelai's assertion that they'd never agree to attend.

Directors: Jamie Babbit
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The Prodigal Daughter Returns
star
7.86
1068 votes

#20 - The Prodigal Daughter Returns

Season 6 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/15/2005

Luke becomes jealous when Lorelai receives a phone call from Christopher. After Rory moves into Lane's apartment, re-enrolls in Yale, and scores herself a job, Rory and Lorelai take the first steps towards reconciliation.

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Luke Can See Her Face
star
7.86
845 votes

#21 - Luke Can See Her Face

Season 4 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/4/2004

Liz returns to Stars Hollow to announce that she's getting married in the town square in a week. Rory tries to hide her discomfort when Lorelai tells her about overhearing a fight between Dean and Lindsay. A self-help tape helps Luke clarify his thinking, and a talk with Jess gets him started on the path to having the relationship he's been looking for all along.

Directors: Matthew Diamond
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P.S. I Lo...
star
7.85
1242 votes

#22 - P.S. I Lo...

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/3/2001

Lorelai helps Luke shop for a birthday present for Rachel. Meanwhile overwhelmed by sadness at her breakup with Dean, Rory is distressed to discover that Lane and Dean have become science project partners, and incensed to find out from Max that Lorelai has neglected to mention that they are dating again.

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Wedding Bell Blues
star
7.85
1117 votes

#23 - Wedding Bell Blues

Season 5 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/8/2005

Emily and Richard renew their vows in front of 100's of their closest friends with Lorelai as Emily's Maid of Honor, and Rory as Richard's Best Man. Luke gets in a fight with Christopher over Lorelai. Logan comes to the ceremony with a girl that looks like his girlfriend, and Rory gets jealous.

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Red Light on the Wedding Night
star
7.85
1105 votes

#24 - Red Light on the Wedding Night

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/16/2001

During Lorelai's bachelorette party, where Emily regales the group with stories about the week before her wedding, Lorelai realizes she isn't ready to commit to Max.

Directors: Gail Mancuso
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Let the Games Begin
star
7.83
1095 votes

#25 - Let the Games Begin

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/19/2002

In the aftermath of the Dance Marathon, Kirk parades around Stars Hollow with the trophy until someone steals it, while Lorelai and Rory painfully inch their way towards Luke's. Lorelai and Rory reluctantly agree to accept Richard's invitation to accompany him and Emily to his Whiffenpoof reunion at Yale.

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