10 Best ‘Gilmore Girls’ Quotes, Ranked

Gilmore Girls remains a beloved and acclaimed show with a passionate fanbase. The show stars Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as a mother-daughter duo dealing with life and love while living in a whimsical Connecticut town called Stars Hollow. The show is famous for its many quirks and pop-culture references, qualities that became its calling cards. However, it’s also revered for its sharp, quick, and witty dialog; indeed, Gilmore Girls produced multiple memorable quotes that have become important parts of 21st-century pop culture. From funny references to savage takedowns, these lines perfectly capture the show’s essence, reminding everyone why they fell in love with Gilmore Girls in the first place.

10 “I smell snow.”

Lorelai Gilmore (Season 1, Episode 8 & Season 5, Episode 11)

Snow is a crucial aspect of Lorelai and Rory’s lives. Many major events happen during winter – most of Gilmore Girls seems to take place in a perennial winter-like time, even if there’s no snow around them. Lorelai claims a supernatural ability to predict when the year’s first snow will fall, whimsically declaring, “I smell snow” every time it approaches.

Lorelai is always right about the snow, although she is sometimes off by a few days. Snow symbolizes Lorelai’s joy and unabashed enthusiasm. On a deeper level, snow could symbolize Lorelai herself: it’s unpredictable and chaotic, often complicating things despite the beauty it brings. Many characters compare Lorelai to a force of nature, solidifying the snow connection.

9 “Oy, with the poodles, already.”

Lorelai Gilmore (Season 2, Episode 22)

Lorelai will often say random things that few others understand; it’s one of the many running gags on Gilmore Girls. In one memorable episode, Lorelai claims “Oy” is the funniest word ever, closely followed by “poodle,” thus, she coins the phrase “Oy with the poodles, already!” to unite both words in perpetual hilarity.

“Oy with the poodles, already” is a dumb but charming phrase that means nothing and doesn’t appear beyond one scene in Season 2, Episode 22. However, it became an unexpected hit among fans of the beloved show, who often quote it to Lauren Graham in real life.

8 “Reality has absolutely no place in our world.”

Lorelai Gilmore (Season 4, Episode 1)

Lorelai and Rory have one of the best mother-daughter relationships on television. Their bond is singular and hard to understand for everyone looking from the outside. Even their significant others have trouble keeping up with their references; not even Luke is fluent in Gilmore.

This wonderful quote is perfect to describe Lorelai and Rory’s connection. They live in a world of books, silly TV shows, obscure movies, gossip magazines, and newspaper articles. And while real life sometimes sneaks its ugly head into their charming bubble, they always do their best to keep it out.

7 “I was going to wait until you called me, but my life isn’t as long as yours.”

Emily Gilmore (Season 4, Episode 3)

Emily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop) is Gilmore Girls‘ secret weapon. Her relationship with Lorelai is as crucial to the plot as Lorelai and Rory’s, with Emily providing a constant reminder of the life Lorelai ran away from, which Rory seems to find unexpectedly appealing.

Known for her highly sarcastic and dry sense of humor, Emily delivers several wickedly delicious lines throughout Gilmore Girls. However, this one might be one of the most memorable, perfectly capturing Emily’s unique ability to guilt-trip Lorelai while casting herself as the perennial victim of her daughter’s cold indifference. No one does it like Emily Gilmore.

6 “I am not your mother or your hugger. If you need some love, get a hooker.”

Paris Geller (Season 6, Episode 11)

Paris is a scene-stealer in Gilmore Girls. Played by the underrated Liza Weil, Paris is Rory’s mortal enemy turned best friend, a highly ambitious and overbearing young woman on her way to ruling the world. Paris can be too much; she speaks faster than Rory and is far more driven, coming across as a human tornado wrecking everyone foolish enough to stand in her path.

During her tenure as the Yale Daily News editor, Paris inflicts a “Do not bother” policy. Her door is never open to her staff’s complaints, telling them they should “find a ledge or a way to deal” if they’re having a bad day. Paris’ approach is aggressive and off-putting, but it also takes her to the top of multiple professions, turning her into one of the show’s best and funniest characters.

5 “Buy me a boa and drive me to Reno, because I am open for business.”

Emily Gilmore (Season 5, Episode 1)

Emily was often a real stick in the mud, desperately keeping up appearances and living up to the esteemed Gilmore family reputation. However, she sometimes lets loose, especially in later seasons, as her marriage to Richard crumbles. When they decide to separate, she claims she’ll go to Europe and have two glasses of wine at lunch. When Richard declares that “only prostitutes have two glasses of wine at lunch,” Emily retorts with this hilarious line.

Kelly Bishop’s line delivery should be studied in classes. The line itself is hilarious, but hearing someone like Emily Gilmore spit it out takes it to new entertainment levels. Seldom did fans see Emily embrace her chaotic side, but this is by far the most memorable time she did.

4 “Coffee, please, and a shot of cynicism.”

Lorelai Gilmore (Season 1, Episode 16)

Lorelai Gilmore loves coffee. Many of the best Gilmore Girls episodes include at least one mention of how Lorelai can’t live without coffee. Her addiction goes beyond a simple desire to have the drink; Lorelai can’t physically function without coffee, and, at one point, declares everything in her life revolves around it, and she must’ve been it in a previous life.

This line perfectly describes Lorelai’s mindset. She needs coffee to exist and the strength to deal with her life’s chaotic energy. Lorelai is a positive, glass-half-full gal, but even she understands the importance of a healthy dose of cynicism to get through everyday life.

3 “Life’s short, talk fast.”

Lorelai Gilmore (Tagline)

The Gilmore gals talk ridiculously fast. They burn through words, pop culture references, prominent life events, partner names, relationship statuses, and everything in between in half the time most people take to introduce themselves.

This quote by Lorelai was so accurate that it even became one of the show’s taglines. The show is all about living life to its quirky fullest, and talking fast is a crucial part of that. The best part was it wasn’t just the girls who talked fast; everyone in their world did, from Paris to Emily, Jess, Logan, and, on occasion, Luke. It’s a great life for those who talk fast.

2 “I don’t know if she ever realized the person I most wanted to be was her.”

Rory Gilmore (Season 3, Episode 22)

Rory’s graduation is one of the most rewatchable Gilmore Girls episodes. After three years of hard work and excessive enthusiasm, Rory graduates from Chilton as valedictorian, dedicating her speech to her grandparents and, of course, her mother.

Although it might seem weird for a student to take such a private approach to a speech meant to represent an entire generation, it works within the show’s context. It’s especially meaningful because Rory finally voices what every fan knew from the beginning, that Lorelai was more than a mother or friend to Rory; she was a role model and inspiration. Rory’s words to Lorelai are beautiful and a great way to summarize the show’s main themes. The cycle of the Gilmore gals repeats itself, with Rory following Lorelai’s footsteps.

1 “It’s a show? It’s a lifestyle. It’s a religion.”

Lorelai Gilmore (Season 1, Episode 14)

Lorelai and Rory describe The Donna Reed Show to Rory’s boyfriend, Dean (Jared Padalecki), as more than a TV program. “It’s a lifestyle,” Rory declares. “It’s a religion,” Lorelai seconds. The quote is funny on a superficial level, describing a show that the girls like for its campy and out-of-touch values. However, the line has acquired a life of its own and a meta angle. Fans now see Gilmore Girls as more than a TV program. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a religion. The show has transcended its original setting, reaching new audiences of all ages, genders, and races. Gilmore Girls is universal, a quirky and beloved piece of pop culture that will never go out of style.

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