Gilmore Girls - (Cultural History of Television) by Lara C Stache & Rachel Davidson (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

No longer just a cult classic, Gilmore Girls is a cultural staple for TV fans.

Airing from 2000-2007, Gilmore Girls focused on the relationship between thirty-something single mom Lorelai and her teenage daughter, Rory. While exploring themes of family, romantic love, friendship, and life's choices, this quirky show featured fast-paced dialogue, funny quips, and a steady stream of pop-culture references. Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Gilmore Girls served as a launching pad for the careers of its stars--including Lauren Graham, Melissa McCarthy, Alexis Bledel, Jared Padalecki, and Milo Ventimiglia. The series' popularity was so enduring that ten years after its initial run, a revival season was released on Netflix.

In Gilmore Girls: A Cultural History, Lara C. Stache and Rachel Davidson offer an engaging analysis of the popular series. The authors examine how the show serves as a representation of American culture and politics, reflects complexity within multiple mother-daughter dynamics, and employed literature, movies, and music to drive the dialogue and plot. They also explore how the choices made in the series reflect social values of the time, reinforce and challenge traditional ideas of gender and feminism, and unpack the cultural significance of this endearing series.

As both a mirror and a construction of contemporary American culture, the series achieved critical accolades and became a cult classic, at once both unassuming and dynamic. This book offers new ways for fans to appreciate the appeal and value of this binge-worthy favorite as part of the larger culture in which it exists. Gilmore Girls: A Cultural History will be of interest to fans of the show as well as to scholars and students of television, media, and American popular culture.

Review Quotes

"One of the most fondly remembered TV shows of the aughts, Gilmore Girls (2000-07) has been introduced to a whole new audience, thanks to Netflix, which streamed the original seasons and produced a short one of its own in 2016. Stache and Davidson share their appreciation for the titular "girls," Lorelai and her 16-year-old daughter, Rory, whom Lorelai had when she was just a teen, as well as the family, friends, and love interests in their orbit. The show was conceived by creator Amy Sherman-Palladino as a portrayal of best friends who just happen to be mother and daughter, and Stache and Davidson limn the complexities of that relationship as well as Lorelai's often fraught one with her own mother, Emily. The authors also examine the father figures in Rory's life and the men Lorelai and Rory fell for, then delve into the feminist bent of the show and the many pop culture references that distinguish Lorelai and Rory's banter. An extensive episode guide adds to the appeal of this enjoyable look back at a beloved show." --Booklist

"Recommended: Communication scholars Lara Stache (Governors State Univ.) and Rachel Davidson (Hanover College) provide a cultural analysis of the show's representation not only of mother-daughter dynamics, fatherhood, romance, and friendship but also of broader issues such as feminism, popular culture, class issues, and small-town living. . . The authors conclude by arguing that Gilmore Girls represents "a changing television-watching culture and fandom," which makes it culturally significant. Stache and Davidson's analysis is a fun and informative read." --Choice Reviews

"A standout show amid the soapy teen dramas in the early aughts (think The O.C. and One Tree Hill), Gilmore Girls gained a cult following owing to its quippy dialog, cultural references, and portrayal of an endearing nontraditional mother-daughter relationship. . . . Authors Stache and Davidson examine the show's depictions of parenting, feminism, and class clashes through a cultural studies lens, while still reveling in Dean vs. Jess deliberations." --Library Journal

"This is a fun read, a thought-provoking read, and a comfort-read. It's like spending a couple of hours talking with some pretty intelligent friends about a TV show you all really like. . . . Not only is this a good book and a good way to examine a beloved show, it's a great introduction to this series of books. I know I'll be picking up more of them." --The Irresponsible Reader

About the Author

Lara C. Stache is an assistant professor in the Division of Communication, Visual, and Performing Arts at Governors State University and writes about gender, rhetoric and popular culture. She is the author of Breaking Bad: A Cultural History (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017).

Rachel D. Davidson is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Hanover College. Her research broadly addresses rhetoric and popular culture with interests in motherhood, caregiving, and social advocacy.