Gilmore girls: Season 1 Episode 1 References Explained
Gilmore girls is known for its fast-paced, witty dialogue, but what really makes it special is the endless stream of pop culture references woven into every scene. Even after countless rewatches, I still find myself catching new ones I somehow missed before.
I’ve come across plenty of podcasts and videos that talk about Gilmore girls references, and while they’re great, they often don’t go in order or spend a whole episode dissecting a single reference. That’s amazing if you’re diving deep into one topic, but it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for. I wanted something comprehensive—episode by episode—to catch every little nod, joke, or cultural shout-out.
So, during my latest rewatch, I decided to slow down and look up every reference: what it means, where it comes from, and how it fits into the story. In this series, I break down every reference from each episode, explaining what it means (in my opinion) in the scene’s context so you don’t miss a thing. At the end, you’ll also find a list of all the movies, books, and music artists mentioned.
So, where better to start than the Pilot?
The first episode, which aired on 5 October 2000, sets the tone for everything to come. Rory gets into Chilton, Lorelai has to ask her parents for help with tuition, and those iconic Friday night dinners are born. It’s the perfect introduction to the world of Stars Hollow—and the beginning of a long list of cultural references that make this show so fun to rewatch.
Gilmore girls is available to stream in most countries on Netflix and Disney+, so whether you’re rewatching or discovering it for the first time, you can easily follow along with every reference.
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Looking for another episode? You got it:
Season 1, Episode 1 “Pilot”
Season 1, Episode 2 “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton
Season 1, Episode 3 “Kill Me Now”
Season 1, Episode 4 “The Deer Hunters”
Season 1, Episode 5 “Cinnamon’s Wake”
Season 1, Episode 6 “Rory’s Birthday Parties”
Season 1, Episode 7 “Kiss and Tell”
Season 1, Episode 8 “Love and War and Snow”
Season 1, Episode 9 “Rory’s Dance”
Season 1, Episode 10 “Forgiveness and Stuff”
Season 1, Episode 11 “Paris is Burning”
Season 1, Episode 12 “Double Date”
Season 1, Episode 13 “Concert Interruptus”
Season 1, Episode 14 “That Damn Donna Reed”
Season 1, Episode 15 “Christopher Returns”
Season 1, Episode 16 “Star-Crossed Lovers and Other Strangers”
Season 1, Episode 17 “The Breakup: Part 2”
Season 1, Episode 18 “The Third Lorelai”
Season 1, Episode 19 “Emily in Wonderland”
Season 1, Episode 20 “P.S. I Lo…”
Season 1, Episode 21 “Love, Daisies and Troubadours”
Okay, let’s get into it! Here are all the references explained from Gilmore girls Season 1 Episode 1 (Pilot)
1. “You’re a regular Jack Kerouac.”
Context:
Lorelai is at Luke's Diner when a guy from out of town sits down at her table, saying that he's never been through here before—here meaning Stars Hollow—and that he is passing through on his way to Hartford. Lorelai then says, "You're a regular Jack Kerouac."
Explanation:
Jack Kerouac was a writer from the 1940s–1950s, known for traveling across the United States and writing about his adventures. He often wrote about wandering, exploring, and living a free-spirited, on-the-road lifestyle. Lorelai is basically just mocking him by calling him a traveler, even though he’s just passing through on his way to Hartford.
2. “God, RuPaul doesn't use that much makeup.”
Context:
Still at Luke’s Diner, a little later in the same scene, Rory asks Lorelai for lip gloss. Lorelai pulls out her makeup bag from her purse, and Rory comments, “God, RuPaul doesn’t use that much makeup.”
Explanation:
RuPaul is a famous drag performer known for wearing elaborate makeup. Rory’s line is just a funny exaggeration, reacting to how much makeup Lorelai owns.
3. “Hey, Officer Krupke, look. Over there at that table.”
Context:
Still at Luke’s Diner, Lorelai is talking to Luke when she notices that the guy from before (I believe his name is Joey, but let’s call him the “Jack Kerouac” guy) is now talking to Rory. She says to Luke, “Hey, Officer Krupke, look. Over there at that table.”
Explanation:
Officer Krupke is a character in West Side Story. He is a police officer who interacts with the teenage gangs (the Jets and the Sharks) and sings a song, “Gee, Officer Krupke”, where he complains about the youth being “bad” while highlighting the failures of society and authority figures. The song pokes fun at how adults blame kids for problems they didn’t create.
Lorelai’s line points out that Luke, as the “authority figure,” isn’t paying attention, while Rory didn’t create the problem of the “Jack Kerouac guy” talking to her.
4. “I'm going to be in a Britney Spears video?”
Context:
At the Independence Inn, Lorelai and Sookie are in the kitchen when Rory walks in. Lorelai gives Rory a bag with a surprise. Rory takes out a plaid skirt and says, “I’m going to be in a Britney Spears video?”
Explanation:
Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” video famously featured her in a schoolgirl outfit. Rory’s line compares the skirt to Britney’s iconic look.
5. “There are several chapters from a Stephen King novel I would reenact before I'd resort to that option.”
Context:
At Lorelai and Rory’s house, Lorelai and Sookie are on the porch discussing how Lorelai will get Rory’s tuition money for Chilton. When Sookie suggests that Lorelai could ask her parents for help, Lorelai responds, “There are several chapters from a Stephen King novel I would reenact before I'd resort to that option.”
Explanation:
Stephen King is a famous author known for his horror novels, including Carrie, The Shining, and It. Lorelai’s line means she’d rather face terrifying, life-threatening scenarios, like those in a Stephen King book, than ask her parents for money. In other words, she’d “rather die” than turn to them.
6. “At Zsa Zsa Gabor’s house…”
Context:
Later in the scene, Lorelai is in the house with Rory, hemming her skirt. Sookie is getting ready to make them dinner and asks, “Where is the pâté?” Lorelai responds, “At Zsa Zsa Gabor’s house.”
Explanation:
Zsa Zsa Gabor was a Hungarian-American actress and socialite from the mid-20th century. The reference is a way for Lorelai to exaggerate the situation, comparing pâté to the luxury and eccentricity associated with Gabor’s life, and not something that would ever be found in her house.
7. “You’re like Ruth Gordon in Rosemary’s Baby. Just standing there with the tannis root. Make some noise.”
Context:
Rory is clearing out her locker when she drops a piece of paper. She bends down to pick up some trash that spilled out of her locker, and when she gets back up, someone is standing there. Lorelai comments, “You’re like Ruth Gordon in Rosemary’s Baby. Just standing there with the tannis root. Make some noise.”
Explanation:
Ruth Gordon played a mysterious and unsettling character in the 1968 horror film Rosemary’s Baby. The film revolves around a Satanic cult and the birth of the devil’s child. The “tannis root” (likely a mispronunciation of tansy root) is an herb historically associated with folk remedies and ritualistic or occult practices.
Rory’s line compares the person standing silently (Dean) to Gordon’s eerie presence, stating how creepy it looks when someone just stands there without reacting.
8. “You're going to have to turn into friggin' FloJo to get away from me.”
Context:
Rory told Lorelai at Luke's Diner that she doesn’t want to go to Chilton because she’s just met Dean. They run out of the diner and are standing in front of Miss Patty’s. Miss Patty tells Rory she’s found a job for her male friend, and everything clicks for Lorelai—she realizes Rory doesn’t want to go to Chilton because of a boy. Rory runs off, and Lorelai says, “You’re going to have to turn into friggin’ FloJo to get away from me.”
Explanation:
FloJo refers to Florence Griffith-Joyner, an Olympic sprinter from the 1980s known for her incredible speed. With this line, Lorelai is saying that Rory would have to run as fast as FloJo to escape her, emphasizing her persistence.
9. “Hey, no muumuu today.”
Context:
Rory comes to the Independence Inn, and Lorelai walks in. Seeing her, she says, “Hey, no muumuu today.”
Explanation:
A muumuu is an oversized, loose, flowy garment, often with a print, mostly worn around the house. I couldn’t find a definitive explanation for this quote, but my interpretation is that Lorelai is pointing out that Rory has left the house for the first time in a while and has gotten dressed after mooping around being upset with her.
10. “So...do we go in or stand here reenacting the Little Match Girl?”
Context:
Rory and Lorelai are standing in front of Richard and Emily’s house. They’re both a little reluctant to go in, so they wait by the door before ringing the bell. Rory says, “So...do we go in or stand here reenacting The Little Match Girl?”
Explanation:
The Little Match Girl is a story by Hans Christian Andersen about a poor young girl who freezes to death while trying to sell matches on the street. Rory’s line exaggerates their hesitation at the door, stating that instead of just going in, they seem stuck outside.
11. “And then on the way home, you can pull a Menendez. Deal?”
Context:
Later in the same scene, Lorelai tells Rory that even though they’re in a fight, they need to get through the evening with Emily and Richard politely. After that, she says, “And then on the way home, you can pull a Menendez. Deal?”
Explanation:
This is a reference to Lyle and Erik Menendez, two brothers who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989. Lorelai’s line is her way of saying Rory can “take out her anger” later, but for now, she needs to keep it together.
12. “Oh, that's so Nick at Nite.”
Context:
After dinner at the Gilmores’, Lorelai and Rory are at Luke’s Diner. They’ve made up from their earlier fight, and Lorelai starts teasing Rory about “the boy” (Dean), asking if he’s dreamy. Rory replies, “Oh, that’s so Nick at Nite.”
Explanation:
Nick at Nite was a block on Nickelodeon that aired reruns of older, wholesome TV shows. My interpretation is that Rory points out that calling someone “dreamy” sounds like the kind of PG-13 language you’d hear on Nickelodeon—innocent, cheesy, and sanitized.
Honorable Mentions In This Episode:
Music Artists:
Macy Gray
Books:
Huckleberry Finn
Moby Dick
Madame Bovary
I hope this was helpful in understanding some of the references from Gilmore girls and that we are one step closer to decoding our ultimate comfort show.
If I missed something or you have another interpretation of a reference, let me know—I’d be happy to add it!
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