Praised as a TV character who enjoys reading and studying, Rory Gilmore is a huge reason why Gilmore Girls is still so popular. It’s exciting to watch her dream big, do well in school, and fall in love, and of course, Rory Gilmore has the coolest mom, who makes her small-town life fun and entertaining.
Whether watching Rory hang out with her grandpa Richard or seeing Rory studying at Chilton, fans love a lot about this character. But while Rory has many positive personality traits and a kind-hearted nature, she makes some glaring mistakes over the years. When looking at Gilmore Girls Reddit threads, fans have pointed out some problematic things about Rory.
Updated on January 29th, 2022, by Aya Tsintziras: Rory is an intelligent character known for working hard, wanting to get accepted to an Ivy League college, and best friends with her mother Lorelai. But while viewers love Rory, they are often confused by her behavior, and that includes the way that she acts in the Netflix revival A Year In The Life.
When fans think about Rory’s actions, they can’t help but criticize her sometimes, and they have shared their thoughts on Reddit.
Rory Becomes A Worse Character Between Seasons 1 And 6
Reddit user gilmorerevi believes “Rory got progressively worse” from seasons 1 to 6 as she commits a crime by stealing the yacht and also has an affair with Dean when he’s married to Lindsay.
When ranking every season of Gilmore Girls, season 1 includes beloved scenes and storylines, and it’s definitely confusing to think about all the mistakes that Rory makes later on. At the beginning of the show, Rory is loveable, smart, and sweet, and while of course, everyone messes up in life, it’s hard to support some of her choices.
She Tries Too Hard To Be Flawless
Another fan doesn’t like that Rory tries hard to be flawless all the time. Reddit user anaksunamanda wrote, “Every time Rory gets called out for being awful she doubles down for a WHILE before she admits it. She just can’t be wrong and also be perfect Rory.”
It’s true that Rory is seen as Stars Hollow’s favorite resident and that she’s a perfectionist, and while that does earn her good grades and a shiny future, it also means that it’s hard for her to apologize or see what she has done wrong.
Rory Is Privileged And Expects To Do Well
A fan shared their opinion on why Rory has some problems as a character: she comes from a privileged background. Reddit user ennuiiffui doesn’t love “Rory’s sense of entitlement” and that–in contrast to Lorelai, who was a single mom on her own–Rory is always given the chance to succeed.
While Rory and Lorelai live in a small town and a fairly simple house, Rory does have it pretty easy, as her grandparents are always ready to pay for anything that she needs and they’re a cushion for her to fall back on when she gets in trouble.
Rory’s Revival Storyline Is A Downer
Many fans have a problem with Rory’s stalled career in A Year In The Life. Reddit user Giant_girrafe_toy thinks that the show made a mistake by “not connecting her behavior to Richard’s death.”
That would have placated a lot of fans, but the revival doesn’t connect the dots here, so the audience is left wondering what happened to Rory and why she doesn’t have a place to live, a great career, or the confident personality that she once did.
She Could Have Listened To Mitchum
Gilmore Girls fans remember when Mitchum Huntzberger tells Rory that she doesn’t have what it takes to be a great journalist. This sends Rory into crisis mode, but what if she listened to Mitchum instead and used his words to become a better reporter?
Many Gilmore Girls fans are on Mitchum’s side. One Redditor says that Mitchum “actually gave her constructive criticism” and he was correct to say that she couldn’t really be an investigative reporter. It’s true that Rory loves learning, reading, and writing, but she seems more ambitious in school than in the working world.
She Doesn’t Appreciate Lorelai As She Should
Rory and Lorelai are a major reason that this show is so popular, as fans enjoy watching their movie nights and hearing their banter.
Reddit user RameemM wrote that “Rory does take much for granted” including Lorelai. A good example of that seems to be in the sixth season when it’s easy for Rory to stop talking to her mom. She doesn’t get why Lorelai is worried about her. If Rory could stop and think about how much Lorelai has given her in life, it seems like she might change her tune here.
Lorelai Doesn’t Give Rory Responsibility
One Redditor says that “Rory is always billed as the responsible one” and Lorelei is shown as the “immature person” but that’s not really case. They wrote that Lorelai doesn’t give Rory responsibility.
The fan mentions that Lorelai becomes a single mom in her teens and she works hard to make a great life for Rory, therefore proving that she can handle adversity and responsibility. Lorelai is definitely admirable and Lorelai has made smart choices on Gilmore Girls.
Rory Isn’t Nice To Dean At The End Of Their Relationship
Rory and Jess begin dating in season 3 and it’s only after a lot of drama and conflict at the end of Dean and Rory’s relationship. Dean knows that she likes Jess and it’s agonizing for him.
It’s tough for some fans to root for Rory when she starts falling out of love with Dean and becomes interested in Jess. Reddit user joygreenwood wrote, “You can’t blame some of Dean’s behavior when she was stringing him along like that.” The fan said that Rory’s treatment of Dean at the end of their romance is pretty bad, and many viewers agree, as Rory starts flirting with Jess, and Dean feels ignored.
She Gets Upset When Someone Is Sitting Under Her Studying Tree
Rory is often shown reading or studying underneath a tree, and while this is always a peaceful and idyllic scene, Rory acts strangely in season 4. Reddit user nmj012 points out that it’s unlikable when “thinks it’s rude that someone else is studying under ‘her’ tree. and then pays him! for a tree!”
It’s definitely strange that Rory would feel this way, as there must be many places to study on a beautiful campus like Yale. Some fans find that Rory often needs to get her way, and this is a good example of that.
It’s When Rory Goes To Yale That Everything Changes
Rory’s Chilton Gilmore Girls scenes show that she goes through a lot many fans praise this character’s first few seasons, as she’s charming, smart, and has a good head on her shoulders.
A fan wrote on Reddit that there seem to be key differences between Rory in high school and Rory at Yale. Reddit user PMmegoofyjokes wrote, “Where Chilton Rory is determined, Yale Rory gives up easily. Chilton Rory is awed by her grandparent’s wealth while Yale Rory takes it for granted.”
Rory Isn’t A Great Friend To Lane
Fans love seeing Lane’s love for making music, but it’s not always sweet seeing Lane and Rory hanging out together, as some viewers think that Rory takes advantage of Lane and could be a much more supportive pal.
Reddit user Fandam_YT doesn’t think that Rory treats Lane well and wrote, “she almost exclusively uses just to get through her own problems.” The fan wrote that when Lane has a tough time, “Rory is there for her what, one or twice? [sic]”
Rory Should Listen To Lorelai When She Wants To Leave Yale
Rory’s mistakes at Yale include leaving for a while and also not listening when Lorelai has good advice for her, which is that she doesn’t need to drop out of college and there are other ways to handle her sadness and disappointment.
Reddit user caramelapplz wrote, “She stopped talking to Lorelai because when Lorelai tried to give her some tough love (which she totally needed).”
Rory Isn’t Faithful To Her Partners
No matter how much Gilmore Girls fans love Rory, it’s hard to see her cheating on her partners, and there are many examples of this.
Reddit user Consistent_Golf_6562 wrote that Rory kisses Jess while in a relationship with Dean, has an affair with Logan when he’s engaged, has an affair with Dean and also kisses Jess when dating Logan. The fan said, “She never grew out of her cheating phase.”
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