Fall is here and we all know what this means: It’s time to switch out cold brews for hot lattes, change the tank tops to sweaters, and press play on fall-themed movies and TV shows. During this time of year, my mind immediately goes to Gilmore Girls. I love rewatching this show and getting transported right to Stars Hollow, just makes me want a pumpkin spice latte real bad. There is just something so cozy about returning to the streets of Stars Hollow and heading to Luke’s for his famous pumpkin pancakes and coffee.
Each year, I make it a priority to rewatch some of my favorite Gilmore Girls episodes — many of which never fail to get me in the fall mood. While many of the Gilmore Girls episodes take place during other seasons, the fall episodes never fail to put me in a good mood. So if you’re like me and enjoy a cozy autumn, allow me to give you an official guide to the best Gilmore Girls episodes that’ll definitely put you in a fall mood. Light a candle, grab a fall-themed treat, and get cozy for a rewatch of these iconic fall Gilmore Girls episodes. Thank me later!
Season 1, Episode 7: “Kiss and Tell”
The earlier seasons of Gilmore Girls have the strongest fall vibes, so let’s start with Season 1. Oh how I’d love to envision myself stepping into Stars Hollow while watching this episode. Rory and Lorelai walk their usual path to Luke’s for coffee, passing the gazebo and town square lined with picturesque pumpkins, hay bales, and scarecrows. As always, Taylor bickers with Luke, this time, about the lack of fall decorations in the diner.
But this episode is most iconic for showing the start of Rory and Dean’s relationship (most notably, their first kiss, to which Rory says “thank you”). Since this episode is still early on in the series, Dean is still a likable character (IYKYK). Overall, this one is just so nostalgic and gives us some moments and quotes that we’ll always remember (“he’s sitting there and he’s watching the movie and he’s perfect and he smells really good”).
Season 3, Episode 6: “Take the Deviled Eggs”
Yet another autumn foliage and pumpkin-filled episode. Jess is as angsty as ever. Rory and Lorelai attend Sherry’s baby shower, which prompts some complicated feelings. The “town loner” stages a one-man protest, but no one is really sure what he’s protesting. Kirk drops some funny one-liners. In short, this episode has all the Gilmore Girls drama that fans love, all taking place in front of a fun, festive, and fall background.
Season 3, Episode 7: “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?”
This episode is a fan favorite which also happens to take place during fall. The people of Stars Hollow participate in a 24-hour dance marathon and as you might’ve guessed, both Lorelai and Kirk take it very seriously. Things get tense between Rory and Dean, giving Jess the perfect opportunity to start making moves. Expect plenty of drama and plenty of the usual Stars Hollow antics from Taylor, Babette, Miss Patty, and of course, Kirk.
Season 3, Episode 9: “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving”
Rory and Lorelai worry about how they’ll manage to attend four Thanksgiving dinners (well, Rory worries, and Lorelai says it’s what they’ve been training for their whole lives). Lane formulates a master plan so that her mom will let her date Dave (a Gilmore Girls pairing that ended far too soon). So many Thanksgiving TV show episodes are classics, and this one is no exception.
Season 4, Episode 9: “Ted Koppel’s Big Night Out”
Nothing screams fall quite like football season. The Gilmores go to Yale for the Harvard rivalry game. Between drama with Pennilyn Lott and Paris’s new romance (yikes), there are no dull moments in this episode.
Bonus: A Year in the Life Episode 4: “Fall”
This episode of the 2016 Gilmore Girls spinoff Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, literally has fall in the title, so I had to include it as a bonus. No matter how you felt about this spinoff, it definitely brought nostalgia. The final episode brings everything to a close. Emily finds peace, Lorelai and Luke get their happily ever after, and we finally see Sookie again.
The last episode has the vibes of the original show, including plenty of flannels and sweaters, while bringing Stars Hollow to the modern day. Not to mention, the series ends on one of the biggest cliffhangers of all time.