Unpopular ‘Gilmore Girls’ Opinion: The Show’s Worst Storyline Had Nothing to Do With Rory or Lorelai Gilmore
Gilmore Girls might have been a beloved series, but the show still had a few almost universally hated storylines. Most fans hated Lorelai Gilmore’s season 7 marriage to Christopher Hayden. They argue that the couple never belonged together. Fans also largely despise Rory Gilmore’s season 4 decision to have sex, for the first time, with her married ex-boyfriend. While we agree both of those storylines were awful, we think the absolute worst storyline had nothing to do with Rory or Lorelai. We think Lane Kim’s season 7 pregnancy is the worst storyline ever aired on the show, and we’ll explain why.
Lane Kim found out she was pregnant after her honeymoon in Mexico
At the end of season 6 of Gilmore Girls, Lane Kim and Zack Van Gerbig get engaged. The couple eventually wed, with the blessing of Mrs. Kim, and immediately went on their honeymoon. The duo was young and didn’t have much money. They still managed to plan an international vacation.
Together, they headed to Mexico for relaxation and to finally consummate their relationship. They got more than they expected, but not in a good way. Not only was their honeymoon destination, Pedro’s Paradise, less than ideal, but their first sexual encounter on a beach resulted in a pregnancy neither was particularly ready for.
Lane’s season 7 storyline was the most unsatisfying of the entire series
In our opinion, Lane’s season 7 storyline is the worst of the entire series. We have a couple of reasons we feel that way. Lane Kim was hyped up as a rebellious free thinker who would not be stopped by her mother’s strict rules and religious beliefs. We loved that about Lane. We loved the juxtaposition of the rebellious Lane to the overly cautious and rule-following Rory, too.
Lane’s drive was eradicated when she fell for a guy. Lane’s marriage to the hapless Zack Van Gerbig wasn’t a great move. He didn’t feel like a great fit for her, and the relationship seemed to slow her down. Still, it was one that the series could have worked around. At the very least, it still offered enough wiggle room for Lane to still live her dream of rock stardom, even if she had to drag Zack around for the ride. Her pregnancy with twins felt like a massive letdown and effectively ended her dream of becoming a superstar. In short, it sealed the deal. Lane would be staying in Stars Hollow for the foreseeable future.
Lane’s pregnancy storyline was also another moment in the show that was seemingly sex-negative. Lane, shocking herself in the process, opted to wait until marriage to have sex. She was excited and sure it would be “great,” but it just wasn’t. Lane’s experience with Zack was awful enough to turn her off to the idea of sex moving forward. The unexpected pregnancy seemed to pile on even more trauma. That made us sad for Lane.
‘Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life’ did nothing to save Lane Kim
Lane Kim’s season 7 storyline also had lasting effects. Show creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, revealed that she never watched season 7 of the series, as she was not the one to write it. Still, she had to consider the storylines that the new showrunner included in the show’s final season. While she could write off most of them, Lane and Zack’s storyline was non-negotiable. The twins existed. Sherman-Palladino told TV Line that she found the storyline disappointing.
Their existence made it impossible for Sherman-Palladino to pen the storyline she probably would have liked for Lane. A second revival could change that now that the twins are much older. A second revival isn’t in the works yet, though. As far as we know, Lane is currently still hanging out in Stars Hollow at Kim’s Antiques. Until something changes, we stand by our assessment that Lane’s pregnancy was Gilmore Girls’ worst storyline.
