One thing that always helps me unwind after a long day is watching an episode of “Gilmore Girls”. I digest the witty dialogue and charm of Stars Hollow like a bag of popcorn. But I’ll confess that one of the reasons why I enjoy the show so much is that Rory Gilmore reminds me a lot of myself. She has more books than she knows what to do with, aspires to be a journalist and can chug coffee straight from the pot.
When I first watched the show, I wanted to be just like Rory Gilmore. So you can imagine my heartbreak when I noticed her flaws upon reviewing.
I’m not going to spoil the show, but let’s just say that Rory is a deeply flawed character whose mistakes impact the lives of those around her. I suppose upon first viewing that I was too enthralled with the drama or the incredible writing to really notice how awful Rory could be.
There have been others who have noticed Rory’s awfulness and have commented about it online. I’ve seen this with other characters and media that I like, from romcoms to the works of Jane Austen. Many of these commenters say that flawed characters are not only evil, but ruin a piece of media entirely.
I disagree with this line of logic. It’s the flaws of a character that make a piece all the more human.
Take Gilmore Girls. On a basic level, Rory’s antics add drama to the show. Flaws are needed to drive a show forward. I believe that her flaws make her more realistic, which is much more important in making a show lovable. After all, how could someone relate to Rory Gilmore if she was completely removed from reality?
Characters don’t need to be perfect, they need to be human. It’s hard to acknowledge the cracks in something that you once saw as perfect. That doesn’t mean that you have to dismiss it as entirely awful with nothing to borrow. Rory Gilmore, along with many other characters, isn’t meant to be viewed in black and white. She’s in the grey zone, just like you and I. As a journalism student myself, I can say that seeing a flawed woman like myself is a lot more powerful than seeing someone with no flaws to speak of. So don’t dismiss Rory Gilmore, be a good journalist and try to dig into her motives.