Gilmore girls is known for its fast-paced dialogue and constant pop culture references; half the fun is trying to catch them all. That’s what inspired me to start this series: breaking down every reference, episode by episode, to see just how many I’ve been missing after all these rewatches.

Now, we’re moving on to Episode 2, “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton”.

In this episode, Rory starts her first day at Chilton, Lorelai oversleeps and shows up in Daisy Duke shorts and a tie-dye top (an entrance for the ages), and we meet some of the key people who’ll shape Rory’s high school years, including Paris Geller. And, of course, like every episode, it’s packed with pop culture references—everything from classic literature and politics to movie shout-outs.

As always, in this series, I go through every mention I could find, breaking down what it means, where it comes from, and how it fits into the story. You’ll also find a list at the end of all the books, movies, and music mentioned so you can keep track (or add a few to your own list).

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.

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 2 “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton”

1. “Off with their heads”

Context:

Lorelai and Rory are sitting in the Jeep on Rory’s first day at Chilton, looking at the school building. Rory comments that the last time they saw the building, it looked less “off with their heads.”

Explanation:

The phrase “off with their heads” comes from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, specifically the Queen of Hearts, who frequently orders people’s heads to be cut off. Rory’s line points out how intimidating Chilton looks, comparing it to the severe and tyrannical Queen of Hearts.

2. “I'm just trying to see if there's a hunchback up in that bell tower.”

Context:

Still in the Jeep on Rory’s first day at Chilton, Lorelai looks out the front windshield at the school building and says, “I’m just trying to see if there’s a hunchback up in that bell tower.”

Explanation:

This is a reference to Quasimodo, the hunchbacked bell-ringer from Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Lorelai’s line points out the gothic, intimidating vibe of the school. Chilton’s building even has gargoyles, similar to those on Notre Dame, which makes the comparison even more accurate.

3. “I look like that chick from the Dukes of Hazzard.”

Context:

Lorelai overslept and didn’t have time to pick up her clothes from the dry cleaners, leaving her with no other clean options. Rory asks her to come inside to talk to the Chilton Headmaster, and Lorelai says, “I look like that chick from The Dukes of Hazzard.”

Explanation:

The Dukes of Hazzard was a popular TV show from the late 1970s–early 1980s, featuring the character Daisy Duke, known for her short denim shorts and casual, Southern style. This is one of Lorelai’s most iconic and memorable outfits, and her line compares herself to Daisy Duke.

If you're not familiar with the original series, around the same time, a 2005 film adaptation starring Jessica Simpson as Daisy Duke was released. The film featured Jessica in iconic denim shorts, and she also performed a cover of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" for the soundtrack. I was a huge fan of the music video when it came out… it had a big impact on me as a teenager lol. Anyway, “Daisy Dukes” also became the generic term for cut-off, super-short jean shorts.

4. “And I was in the German Club for a while. But there were only three of us. Then two left after seeing Schindler's List.”

Context:

Rory is inside Chilton, talking to the Headmaster as he goes over her résumé and extracurriculars. She says, “And I was in the German Club for a while. But there were only three of us. Then two left after seeing Schindler’s List.”

Explanation:

Schindler’s List is a 1993 historical drama directed by Steven Spielberg about the Holocaust. It’s a very emotional and intense film. Rory’s line conveys how serious and heavy the movie is, saying that it scared off most of the (already) small German Club, leaving only her.

5. “Looks like we got ourselves a Mary.”

Context:

Rory is in her Chilton classroom when Tristan enters with a note. He sits down and notices her. He looks at his friend and asks who that is. The guy reponds that Rory is new to which Tristan replies: “Looks like we got ourselves a Mary,” marking the moment he begins calling her “Mary”—a nickname that sticks for most of the season.

Explanation:

Here, “Mary” is a reference to the Virgin Mary, tied to purity and innocence. Tristan uses it sarcastically, mocking Rory as a sheltered, goody-goody “perfect girl”.

6. “Not Cokie Roberts? Not Oprah, Rosie, or one of the women from The View?”

Context:

Rory is still talking to the Headmaster at Chilton about her résumé and what she wants to do in the future. She mentions that she wants to be Christiane Amanpour, to which the Headmaster responds, “Christiane Amanpour? Not Cokie Roberts? Not Oprah, Rosie, or one of the women from The View?”

Explanation:

Christiane Amanpour is a British-Iranian journalist, known for her international reporting and interviews with world leaders. The other women mentioned, Cokie Roberts (political journalist), Oprah Winfrey (talk show host and media mogul), Rosie O’Donnell (comedian and TV host), and the other hosts from The View, represent prominent American media figures who are more mainstream. By mentioning these women he’s highlighting that Amanpour is a serious journalist and is surprised that Rory isn’t aiming for a more typical TV personality, probably because he assumes that most girls her age, especially from a privileged environment like Chilton, would aspire to be on TV rather than pursue serious journalism.

7. “Oh, nothing Shakespeare couldn't turn into a really good play.”

Context:

Lorelai comes back home and sees a man (Kirk wasn’t a recurring character at this point, so his name is Mick in this episode) standing in front of her door, trying to install a DSL line ordered by Emily Gilmore. She tells them they don’t need it and that he can leave. When the neighbor Babette comes out and asks if there’s a problem, Lorelai replies, “Oh, nothing Shakespeare couldn't turn into a really good play.”

Explanation:

William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet from the late 16th and early 17th centuries, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language. He often wrote plays with intense family drama, including conflicts between parents and children, like in Hamlet, where the title character struggles with his father’s death and his mother’s remarriage. In this line, Lorelai is referencing her own complicated relationship with her mother, suggesting theirs is the same kind of dynamic Shakespeare would write about.

8. “Well, we like our internet slow, okay? We can turn it on, walk around, dance, make a sandwich. With DSL, there's no dancing, no walking, and we'd starve. It'd be all work and no play. Have you not seen "The Shining", Mom?”

Context:

Lorelai goes to see her mom at the salon about the DSL installation. Emily says it’s for Rory so she can do her schoolwork and mentions that this one is faster. Lorelai responds, “Well, we like our internet slow, okay? We can turn it on, walk around, dance, make a sandwich. With DSL, there's no dancing, no walking, and we'd starve. It'd be all work and no play. Have you not seen The Shining, Mom?”

Explanation:

The Shining is a 1980 horror film directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on Stephen King’s novel. It features a man slowly going insane while isolated with his family in a hotel, famously warning of the dangers of obsessive focus and confinement. With this line Lorelai means that having a super-fast DSL connection would turn their home into a similar environment, depriving them of fun, movement, and basic enjoyment.

9. “Sweetie, you can't let those kids get you down. Do you want me to talk to anybody? A parent, a teacher, a big guy named Moose?”

Context:

Rory comes to the Independence Inn, and Lorelai walks in. Seeing her, she says, “Hey, no muumuu today.”

Explanation:

The “big guy named Moose” refers to Moose Mason from the Archie Comics, a tall, strong, and somewhat dim-witted character often depicted as a protective figure. If you're not familiar with Archie Comics, Moose is also a character in Riverdale (which is VERY loosely based on Archie Comics), though I can’t quite remember if he’s tall there—Riverdale is kind of a fever dream to me. Anyway, Lorelai just means someone who is tall and protective and can help Rory with her school challenges.

10. “Well, they might have added a Magdalene to it.”

Context:

Lorelai is picking up Rory from Chilton. Rory tells her that the kids kept calling her “Mary.” Lorelai explains it’s because of the Virgin Mary, symbolizing purity and goodness, and that they think Rory’s a goody-goody. Rory then asks what they would’ve called her if she were slutty, and Lorelai responds, “Well, they might have added a Magdalene to it.”

Explanation:

This refers to Mary Magdalene, a biblical figure often (though inaccurately) portrayed in popular culture as a “fallen woman” or prostitute who later repented and followed Jesus. Lorelai’s joke contrasts Virgin Mary’s purity with Mary Magdalene’s reputation, showing that Rory would have been labeled differently if the kids at Chilton didn’t think she was innocent.

Honorable Mentions In This Episode:

Music Artists:

XTC. Apple Venus Volume 2

Historical Figures:

Martin Luther

Literary Writers:

Dostoevsky
Charles Dickens
George Sand
Balzac
Tolstoy

Books:

War and Peace
Anna Karenina
David Copperfield
Great Expectations
A Tale of Two Cities
Little Dorrit
Harry Potter

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.

Gilmore girls: Season 1 Episode 2 References Explained

Looking for the perfect gift this season?

Okay, let’s get into it! Here are all the references explained from Gilmore girls Season 1 Episode 2 “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton”

1. “Off with their heads”

2. “I'm just trying to see if there's a hunchback up in that bell tower.”

3. “I look like that chick from the Dukes of Hazzard.”

4. “And I was in the German Club for a while. But there were only three of us. Then two left after seeing Schindler's List.”

5. “Looks like we got ourselves a Mary.”

6. “Not Cokie Roberts? Not Oprah, Rosie, or one of the women from The View?”

7. “Oh, nothing Shakespeare couldn't turn into a really good play.”

8. “Well, we like our internet slow, okay? We can turn it on, walk around, dance, make a sandwich. With DSL, there's no dancing, no walking, and we'd starve. It'd be all work and no play. Have you not seen "The Shining", Mom?”

9. “Sweetie, you can't let those kids get you down. Do you want me to talk to anybody? A parent, a teacher, a big guy named Moose?”

10. “Well, they might have added a Magdalene to it.”