It’s been almost a decade since the series finale of Gilmore Girls, but I still remember watching that episode with my mom. For seven years, she and I tuned into the show together, silent and side by side. It is the only series in history that had so much to say, we didn’t feel the need to talk through it.
Back then, Rory had already turned down Logan’s proposal in the penultimate episode. I was grateful, because that meant the finale was more about saying goodbye to everyone’s favorite unofficial character: the town of Stars Hollow itself. Logan never respected Rory enough to fall in love with the town that loved her, the people who raised her, or the past that shaped her, so I was pleased the writers didn’t think he deserved a place in Gilmore Girls ’ final moments.
Instead, I held out for two possibilities: that Jess would return (fingers crossed!) or that there would be sparks between Rory and a foxy new colleague. Much to my dismay, neither of those things happened. Rory wound up with the job of a lifetime — reporting on a then-obscure presidential nominee named Barack Obama — and left for her new life with as little baggage as possible, both physically and emotionally.
It wasn’t so much that she wanted to be single. She just had other things going on, and a man was not part of the picture. I’m sure that ending was meant to be empowering. But at 17, I was heartbroken. Why couldn’t Rory have the great gig and the grand romance? Does it always have to be one or the other?
Nine years later, I’m still not over it — which is why I’m hoping that, this time around, the writers let her have it all. On November 25, I will be curled up the sofa next to my mom, eating pop tarts and Chinese food, cheering for Rory to wind up with a guy worthy of being part of her story. (Still banking on her winding up with the man Jess grew up to be.)
Oh, and while you’re at it, we’ve pulled together 12 other smart, savvy ladies we wish wouldn’t have wound up alone at the end of their series — including Veronica Mars, Buffy Summers, and my girl Mindy Lahiri. (Okay, that last one is still in progress. Consider this a plea.) Without further ado: Let there be love!
Alicia Florrick, The Good Wife
Alicia was never lucky in love. In some ways that was a great thing: If it wasn’t for her husband’s sex scandal and the dissolution of her marriage, we would have never met the boss law firm partner version of Alicia. After watching her deal with Peter’s sex scandal, and Will’s death, she deserved some sort of happily ever after, right? Instead the show ended with Alicia wiping away her tears, alone in a hallway. She was slapped by her former best friend and business partner, Diane, still technically married to Peter, without a job as a lawyer or politician, and with Jason nowhere in sight.
Thank goodness for Eli Gold still being on her side, as a promise that something good could happen in Alicia’s political future. But the ending still didn’t feel satisfying as a feminist manifesto for independent women starting over — or as a romantic love story for women trying again.
Photo: Courtesy of CBS.
Buffy Summers, Buffy The Vampire Slayer
The good news here is that at least Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) didn’t end up with Spike because that relationship was toxic and controlling.
But after everything Buffy had dealt with she probably deserved more than false “I love yous” vague future talk with Angel, and watching Spike die. The good news is that Buffy at least got to feel some sense of calm by no longer being the only Chosen Slayer. Here’s hoping her life post-Sunnydale became a little less dramatic.
Photo: Courtesy of The WB.
Lindsay Weir, Freaks & Geeks
In one of the most honest looks at high school friendships, the relationships mostly based on shared circumstances instead of interests Freaks & Geeks won our hearts. While there is a cast of characters, the show really always seemed to centre around the rebellion of Lindsay, who in the end decided to blow off the academic summit she was supposed to attend and go do something she actually wanted to go do.
She leaves behind the boys that split her attention during the last year of her young life, and follows the Grateful Dead on tour. In some ways, it’s nice that Lindsay will be on a bus with the band, finding herself. Why does “finding herself” have to mean leaving behind both her academic success and relationships?
Photo: Courtesy of NBC.
Cristina Yang, Grey’s Anatomy
To be completely honest, I haven’t been able to watch Grey’s Anatomy since Cristina left, and won’t tune in again unless she really returns. She was the character that completed the show for me. She wasn’t just what Meredith needed; she was what we all needed.
But I hated that Cristina had to constantly choose her career over her love life. She always wanted a career more than she wanted a man. That is powerful, and part of what made her character such a fan favourite. But was it really impossible to write someone that could love Cristina, be loved by her, and not dim her?
Photo: Courtesy of ABC.
Mindy Lahiri, The Mindy Project
Mindy Lahiri is a flawed character full of strange contradictions. But perhaps the most flawed part of the show is that Mindy is doomed to only be with men that fall for her and then let their sexist flag fly.
Danny seemed like Mr. Right. The two of them getting married and having a kid seemed like the natural way to allow both of their characters to grow. But all of a sudden Danny went from the man who fell in love with Mindy, the successful OBGYN and owner of a fertility clinic, to the man that wanted a stay-at-home wife. PSA to TV writers: Sexism is not a side effect of character evolution, and watching a character do a 180 is weird and demeaning to the strong female that is supposed to be at the centre of the show.
After another season of falling in love — this time with the equally and more blatantly sexist, Jody — Mindy ends the love triangle by picking neither man, in the name of “girl power.” It was the right move. But why does a successful doctor and mom have to be stuck with two sexist men vying for her love, anyway? Where have all the good men gone? Explain, please — and then bring 'em on in.
Photo: Courtesy of Hulu.
Veronica Mars, Veronica Mars
We are going to pretend the movie didn’t happen here for a second. During the series finale, Veronica and Piz are technically still together. But that doesn’t count. (In an email about this story, my boss asked, “or was Veronica Mars just with someone else, not Logan?” because that love triangle storyline was so insignificant.)
Plus the show ends with Logan and Veronica staring lovingly at each other and Piz looking disapprovingly at them both. While the very first lines spoken in the series premiere were a voiceover of Veronica saying "I'm never getting married." Want an absolute? There it is. Veronica Mars, spinster. I mean, what's the point? It still feels wrong. Veronica isn’t the same girl from season 1, and Logan is not the same boy.
Thank goodness for writers' room regret, and enough fan disappointment that people opened their wallets to fund the Veronica Mars movie. Seven years later we watched Veronica and Logan finally get their happily ever after.
Photo: Courtesy of The CW.
Merida, Brave
The world needs Disney princess movies that don’t revolve around a man. We need to give both grown women and young girls princesses who are sassy, strong, smart, and able to fight back. We deserve more than a woman who gave up her voice to be with a man that almost marries someone else, or a woman who touches a spindle after being cautioned for 16 years about the danger of touching spindles.
Merida is fierce. She chooses to be alone, and you are glad that she is not being forced to marry someone she doesn’t want to like tradition says. Yet, the decision to not give her even an inkling of a romantic future felt weird. Her closest fierce predecessor was Mulan, who is one of the only Disney “princesses” who doesn’t get to kiss her “prince.” Is it impossible to write strong women that can both fight and make out?
Photo: Courtesy of Disney.
Jess Day, New Girl
Few writers' rooms know what to do once they bring the central couple together. But sometimes, they break them up, and then things get weird. In this case Nick moved on with Megan Fox’s character, while Jess remained single, claiming she needs time alone. But we know that she is actually still in love with Nick. So instead of moving on she is continuing to pine for her ex under the guise of being “just friends.”
Jess can be infuriating. But she’s always been her own person. If Nick can move on, then Jess can too. Somebody get that girl a Megan Fox counterpart please.
Photo: Courtesy of Fox.
Jen Lindley, D awson’s Creek
Raise your hand if you liked Joey more than Jen Lindley?
Yeah. It’s unlikely that you’ve got an arm up. Jen was not necessarily the girl we all wanted to be. But she was the woman that reminded us that confidence and insecurity go hand in hand. Plus, she was not incessantly whiny.
The truth is, Jen deserved to find a man who loved her as much as the legions of women that tuned in every week. Instead she got Billy, who called her a slut; Ty, a homophobe who couldn’t accept Jack; Henry, a literal child; and a season spent chasing after CJ, who had exactly zero interest in her. When Jen returns in the series finale with a baby, a calm, loving Jen has replaced the angsty version of her past. Over the years she became the lynchpin of the crew, and ultimately her death brought them back together in an important way. Jen is even the one that made Joey admit who she truly has feelings for. When she dies without a man who adored her in the way she deserved, it kinda felt like we were all cheated.
Photo: Courtesy of The WB.
Penny Hartz, Happy Endings
Most shows have that one character — you know, the “single girl.” She is attractive, smart, successful, and always going on a new date because no one makes it past the third or fourth time around. She just can’t find the one.
And sure: That character is relatable for most people, since, at least in theory, we have all been single at some point in our lives. But when a show ends with that character still going on first dates, let’s be honest: It’s exasperating. Really? Penny couldn’t have had one true love interest at the end? We didn’t need her to marry Pete. But a sign that the “single girl” might become the “romantically entangled woman” wouldn’t have been too hard, would it?
Photo: Courtesy of ABC.
Tyra Collette, Friday Night Lights
When Tyra walks into the bar and reunites with Tim Riggins in the series finale of Friday Night Lights, it felt both right and wrong. The characters seem to feel the same way. They admit their futures are going in different directions. It’s not time for Tyra to move back to Dillon just yet, because she is ready to take on politics and be the next Tami Taylor (Connie Britton) the world desperately needs.
And yet, they still love each other. So is Tyra destined to be alone? Or to finally find a man that loves her and respects her in such a way she gets over her first love? Or will she move to Tim’s land, drink beers with him while saying “Texas forever,” and make it work? Some clarity here would be nice.
Photo: Courtesy of NBC.
Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls
The one thing all the teasers for the Gilmore Girls revival seem to confirm is that Lorelai and Luke are together. Thank you, TV gods.
But that kind of makes me nervous. I have felt eased into comfort that Luke and Lorelai are finally together for real too many times, and then Christopher always came back to interfere.
Here’s the thing: Can we all just agree now that Christopher is not right for Lorelai? He's pretty awful, generally speaking. And while the series did end with Luke and Lorelai kissing, the revival makes me anxious about their enduring commitment. I don’t need Stars Hollow’s favourite couple to exchange vows. But I do need evidence that they are truly going to live their happily ever after long after we say goodbye — again.
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