This episode originally aired on October 5, 2000 on The WB
Ah, the quaint and caffeine-laden world of Stars Hollow. We begin our journey with the Gilmores at the heart of it all.
The very first episode of Gilmore Girls opens with Lorelai Gilmore, a single mother in her early 30s, and her 16-year-old daughter, Rory (Lorelai Leigh Gilmore), enjoying breakfast at Luke’s Diner, a town favorite owned by gruff but kind-hearted Luke Danes. Lorelai is a fiercely independent single mother who manages the Independence Inn, and Rory is a bookish and bright 16-year-old with dreams of going to Harvard. Their close relationship, camaraderie, and rapid-fire dialogue quickly establish the tone of the show.
Rory receives the good news that she’s been accepted into Chilton, a prestigious private school that could pave her way to Harvard. However, Lorelai realizes she can’t afford the tuition on her own. After exhausting other financial avenues, she reluctantly goes to her wealthy but estranged parents, Richard and Emily Gilmore, for help.
Emily and Richard agree to loan her the money on one condition: that Lorelai and Rory join them for dinner every Friday night. This condition forces Lorelai to confront her complicated past and strained relationship with her parents, but she agrees for the sake of Rory’s education.
Meanwhile, Rory meets a new boy, Dean, in Stars Hollow, sparking her first romantic interest. Faced with leaving her friends and a potential romance behind for a new school, Rory has second thoughts about Chilton. However, after some soul-searching and a heartfelt conversation with her mother, she decides to go ahead with the move to better her future.
Memorable quotes from the episode:
