THE RUNDOWN:
- A Gilmore Girls documentary titled Searching For Stars Hollow is officially in the works
- Kelly Bishop, Jared Padalecki, and Chad Michael Murray are all confirmed to appear
- There is no premiere date set for Searching For Stars Hollow
When Netflix ran its four-part series, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life in 2016, fans were excited to catch up with their favourite, overly verbose Connecticut girls. It had been nine long years since Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Luke (Scott Patterson) finally got their acts together, and since Rory (Alexis Bledel) hopped on a bus to follow the Barack Obama campaign trail. Safe to say, we were ready to find out how they were faring.
As the episodes started to roll out, it became clear that Rory Gilmore was grappling with a post-over-achiever life, where her career and relationships were floundering. In a relatable turn of events, Rory was suddenly an extremely relatable character, perhaps if you put aside her regularly hooking up with Logan Huntzberger (Matt Czuchry), who was in another relationship. In short, she was a mess and we loved her all the more for it.
What we didn’t bet on, was the series ending on a cliffhanger. In the final scene, Rory and Lorelai sit down in the iconic Stars Hollow gazebo, and Rory turns to her mum to drop a bomb. “Mom?” she asks. “I’m pregnant.”
Viewers were shocked, confused, and rightfully disappointed that the show decided to lean into the dreaded pregnancy trope, but it was assumed at the time that the cliffhanger indicated a follow up series or special might be on its way. If Sex and the City can come back again and again and again, then why not Gilmore Girls, right? Well, nine years on and we’re still waiting. Of course, we can all read between the lines and assume Logan is the father (you’re reading the words of a Team Logan girl, so I don’t want to hear any objections), but surely we deserve a real answer after watching 153 episodes plus four more on Netflix.
Now, it seems, an answer might be coming. Perhaps that’s just my optimism (read: desperation) talking, but with the announcement that a Gilmore Girls documentary is in the works to celebrate the show’s 25th anniversary, we are ready and waiting for answers (like, hello, why was Lane done so dirty in the show, for example?), and wondering why the revival door was opened at all if it was going to undo the tidy ending of the original series without providing any new sense of closure. Here’s everything we know.
What Will The Gilmore Girls Documentary Be About?
The documentary is titled Searching For Stars Hollow, according to The Hollywood Reporter, who exclusively announced the news. According to a press release, the special will examine “the beloved show’s role in American cultural history”, including never-before-seen footage including interviews and behind the scenes stories.
“The interviews that we’ve already conducted with the cast have been a delight,” Meghna Balakumar, who is co-directing the documentary, said in a statement. “We’ve shot more than 100 hours of footage and have already unearthed stories, commentary, critiques, and more. And we’re continuing to shoot more interviews in the coming months to present the most complete, full and truly new story of the show’s impact and legacy that is only possible at this historical moment.”
According to Jim Demonakas, who is producing the documentary added that Searching for Stars Hollow will also explore how the iconic dramedy came to life in the ’00s, and why it still resonates so deeply with audiences across generations. “This documentary is for fans of the show but also for anyone with an interest in cultural history and how it affects individual lives,” Demonakas explained.
Who Will Be In The Gilmore Girls Documentary?
So far, not all of the cast has been confirmed as appearing in the documentary. Most notably, the show’s leads Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham are yet to be confirmed, as well as Melissa McCarthy.
That said, there are plenty of icons on the list. Kelly Bishop, who played Emily Gilmore; Jared Padalecki, who played Dean; and Chad Michael Murray, who briefly played Tristan in the early seasons will all appear, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
It will also feature Keiko Agena (Lane Kim), Sally Struthers (Babette Dell), Liz Torres (Miss Patty), Emily Kuroda (Mrs. Kim), Rose Abdoo (Gypsy), Kathleen Wilhoite (Liz Danes), Matt Jones (Morgan), Grant Lee Phillips (the town troubadour). The show’s director, Jamie Babbit, writer and producer Stan Zimmerman, casting directors Jami Rudofsky and Mara Casey, and Kevin T Porter, host of the Gilmore Guys podcast, are all set to appear in the documentary, too.
When Does The Gilmore Girls Documentary Come Out?
There is no release date currently set for Searching For Stars Hollow, though it has been produced to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the first episode’s release, which will be this October.
Where Can I Watch The Gilmore Girls Documentary?
It doesn’t appear that the documentary has been picked up by any major production companies or streaming services yet. In fact, the creators are currently running a Kickstarter campaign, appealing to fans of the show to “help finish the film”.
We’ll keep you posted as more information comes to light.
