I think we all had our doubts: Gilmore Girls was a show that was left in tatters just a season ago, and it has spent the last 21 episodes picking up the pieces. And then, at the last moment, the series apparently had the rug pulled out from under it when an attempt to gain an 8th season fell apart. Expectations couldn’t help but be low: a show past its prime, on its last legs, throwing together what was supposed to be a season finale that was suddenly the end of the road for the entire series. The verdict is in: while it might not be the finale we wish we’d gotten in a perfect world, David S. Rosenthal has delivered an absolute best case scenario. “Bon Voyage” was a finale with style, grace, and an understanding of how these characters tick. It wasn’t perfect, but it was the best we were going to get, and a proper sendoff for the girls Gilmore.
There were certain things which felt a little forced, such as Christiane Amanpour’s cameo in the cold open, however the rest of the episode was subtle and meaningful. Rory is sent into a tailspin when she’s offered an unbelievable opportunity working on the campaign trail of one Barack Obama, and Lorelai steps into ultimate “Mom” mode with lists, shampoo bottles (Mini, not big) and fanny packs. The entire episode, up until the very end, is spent with these two riffing off one another, neither discussing the fact that their last months together (A Rollercoaster excursion was planned) had turned into just two days. The irony of the situation, as it parallels our own disappointment at losing a future season and ending up with only two episodes, is not lost on the creators, nor its audience.
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Cultural Learnings 