Mother’s Day is the perfect time to honor the special women in our lives, and what better way to celebrate than to sit down together to watch a few episodes of Gilmore Girls? Mother-daughter relationships are an integral part of the show, from Lorelai and Rory’s tight-knit bond to Lorelai’s complicated and strained relationship with Emily. These episodes capture some of the best motherhood moments of Gilmore Girls, making them perfect for Mother’s Day.
Mother's Day Gilmore Girls Episodes:
"Pilot"
(Season 1, Episode 1)
We might as well start at the very beginning! The pilot episode of the show introduces us to a bunch of our Stars Hollow favorites and gives us a look at Rory and Lorelai’s close bond. It also establishes the friction between Lorelai and Emily, as Lorelai visits her parents to ask for help funding Rory’s Chilton education.
"The Road Trip to Harvard"
(Season 2, Episode 4)
After Lorelai breaks off her engagement to Max Medina, she and Rory leave on a road trip to avoid the gossip in town. With no plans on where they want to go, our favorite Gilmore girls end up staying at a quirky bed-and-breakfast before checking out Rory’s dream school, Harvard.
"Like Mother, Like Daughter"
(Season 2, Episode 7)
Lorelai offers to hold a Chilton fundraising fashion show at the Independence Inn, where she ends up (begrudgingly) modeling matching outfits with Emily. This is one of my favorite Lorelai and Emily moments!
"There's the Rub"
(Season 2, Episode 16)
Here’s another episode with some great Lorelai and Emily moments! When Emily offers Lorelai tickets for a spa getaway, she doesn’t initially realize that it’s for the two of them to go together. Lorelai is less than thrilled to spend that much together time with Emily, but they actually end up bonding over the course of the trip.
It’s rare that we get to see just Lorelai and Emily spend quality time together without any kind of buffer (like Rory), so this was a fun one!
"Those Are Strings, Pinocchio"
(Season 3, Episode 22)
If you watch any episode on this list on Mother’s Day, let it be this one. I say that solely based on Rory’s valedictorian speech that makes everyone tear up (even stone-cold Luke!). Here’s my favorite part…
Anyone else a little misty-eyed?
"The Lorelais' First Day at Yale"
(Season 4, Episode 2)
Lorelai (with some help from Luke) helps Rory move into her Yale dorm room. However, Rory is not ready to say goodbye to her mom right away, so Lorelai spends the night with her and helps her adjust to her new college life.
"Will You Be My Lorelai Gilmore?"
(Season 7, Episode 16)
Rory is planning a baby shower for her best friend since forever, Lane. In a particularly sweet moment, Lane asks Rory if she will be her “Lorelai Gilmore”. Aka, will Rory love and support her children the way Lorelai loved and supported Lane growing up? Will she broker peace between Lane and her children the same way Lorelai did? It’s a sweet moment showing just how much Lane and Rory have grown up.
"Gilmore Girls Only"
(Season 7, Episode 17)
To end this Mother’s Day list, let’s focus on an episode featuring all three of the Gilmore girls. In this episode, Rory, Lorelai, and Emily take a road trip to North Carolina together to attend Mia’s wedding. Remember Mia? She’s the former owner of the Independence Inn and was the one who took Lorelai in after she ran away from home. Over the years, she served as a kind of mother/grandmother figure to Lorelai and Rory.
Mother-daughter relationships can be complicated, and the Gilmores are a prime example of this. At the wedding reception, Emily becomes obviously upset (and perhaps a bit jealous?) at the close bond Mia shares with Rory and Lorelai. However, she also has a chance to spend some quality time with Lorelai and Rory during the road trip and hotel stay, so I’d say the trip was good for the Gilmores overall.
What are your favorite mother-daughter moments from the show?
Let me know down below! Take a look at some of my favorite gifts for Gilmore Girls fans while you’re shopping for Mother’s Day (or any occasion!).
You can also check out more Gilmore Girls episode guides if you’d like to stick around Stars Hollow for a while:
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Gilmore Girls
gift guide
Coffee Mugs
As Lorelai Gilmore once said, “I can’t stop drinking the coffee. I stop drinking the coffee, I stop doing the standing and the walking and the words putting into sentence doing.”
Last update on 2024-10-04 at 13:41 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Stars Hollow Blanket
From Luke’s Diner to Doose’s Market to Lorelai’s house, all of your favorite Stars Hollow spots can be found on this blanket.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
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Hallmark Gilmore Girls Stars Hollow Map Blanket, 50" x 60", Gift for Christmas, Birthdays, Mother's... |
$39.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2024-10-04 at 13:41 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
It's a Lifestyle T-Shirt
Featuring our favorite mother-daughter duo, of course.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
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Gilmore Girls It's A Lifestyle T-Shirt |
$22.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2024-10-04 at 13:41 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
