Gilmore Girls is officially back and in production for Netflix, and we're slowly learning some key details about this revival— many of which lead to even more questions. We definitely know it will be four 90-minute episodes focused on the seasons and that our main Gilmores — Emily, Lorelai and Rory — have all signed on. We also know the show will deal with the death of Richard Gilmore in a very real and emotional way that will set all three women on a new path. We also know that Rory is single, but dating, and Luke Danes will be back in Stars Hollow, which could be a good sign for all those Luke and Lorelai shippers out there. But, what about some of our other favorite residents? Which Gilmore Girls characters will they be back for the revival?
Right now, we can confidently say, Lane Kim will be back, thanks to a photo of actress Keiko Agena who played Lane, with the "real Lane Kim," which hopefully means Hep Alien will be back too. We now also know that Sean Gunn (aka Kirk) will be back, and let's hope he's found some direction — perhaps taking over for Taylor Doosey and now runs this town. Michel Girard is also back, as Yanic Truesdale tweeted a message from the Dragonfly Inn, as is Matt Czuchry as Logan Huntzberger and Liza Weil as Paris Gellar. (Let's have a moment of silence for Sookie St. James.)
Some characters have been hinted at already, but other characters' fates are still in limbo. So, oy, with the poodles already, here is a breakdown of some classic Gilmore Girls characters and the likelihood they'll be back.
1. Christopher Hayden
Last time we saw Chris he was dealing with once again being a single dad after his divorce from Lorelai. Luckily, Sherry seemed more invested in their daughter Gigi, so there was a bright spot amidst this dark time.
How Likely He'll Return? If this a story that looks at the many changes in the lives of the Gilmore girls, it's hard to imagine Christopher not being there. Besides, Lorelai was there for him when his father died; it seems unlikely, he wouldn't try and do the same. It would be nice to know whether or not when all was said and done Christopher and Lorelai could really just be friends.
2. Jess Mariano
We all know Jess is the one who got away — his own fault really, since he was just too immature to be with our Rory. But, as time goes on, he does mature enough to be the one who gets Rory back into school — something not even Lorelai could do.
How Likely He'll Return? A cryptic tweet may have already revealed Jess' return. Milo Ventimiglia's use of the word "yet" does seem rather suspect. But, even without that tweet, I can't imagine him not making it into at least one episode of the revival. That last meeting between Jess and Rory just seemed rather incomplete and we'd love to have Sherman-Palladino get the last word in on these two. Closure people, we need closure.
3. Babette Dell
Babette, played by Sally Struthers, was Lorelai and Rory's loud-mouthed neighbor who was always looking for her cats, up on the town gossip and there to tell you something inappropriate about her sex life with her husband Morey.
How Likely She'll Return? She's a town staple so it would be surprising if there wasn't a brief cameo from their neighbor for a bit of comic relief. I need to see how many cats she has now and whether any of them have become Internet superstars. Stars Hollow's own version of Grumpy Cat?
4. Dean Forester
Rory's first boyfriend, played by Jared Padalecki, was a good guy, but a little too small-town for our ambitious youngest Gilmore. They tried to make it work a couple of times, but, in the end, he was still in Stars Hollow, bitterly telling Luke he would never be good enough for any of the Gilmore girls.
How Likely He'll Return? Out of all Rory's exes, he seems like the least important to her future. Their time was up, and it was clear they both needed to go off and experience their lives apart. It's almost better if Dean doesn't appear because then we can imagine he went off and found his own way. Maybe he even started ghost-hunting with a brother we never knew about.
5. Jason "Digger" Stiles
Jason "Digger" Stiles last showed up at the trial run of the Dragonfly Inn, and it didn't go well. While Lorelai thought they were broken up, he wasn't quite on the same page and even tried to get back together with her. While his appearance forced Luke to act by finally kissing Lorelai, I can't help but feel like Digger got the raw end of this deal.
How Likely He'll Return? Slim to none, since the last time he appeared was in the Season 4 finale. But I wouldn't mind seeing Lorelai apologize to Digger for kind of ghosting on him.
6. Marty
Marty was Rory's Yale buddy who she watched Duck Soup with. The "Naked Guy" who she caught, well, naked in her hallway after partying a little too hard the first day of freshman year. The nice guy who got stuck in the friend-zone for being a little too shy. After a few seasons of being Rory's bestie, he finally admitted his feelings for her only to be rebuked. He finally gets his own girlfriend, Lucy, who becomes Rory's friend senior year, only to mess it up by not revealing his former feelings for Rory.
How Likely He'll Return? Very unlikely, but, if I'm being honest, I'd love for him to get a second chance from Sherman-Palladino to redeem himself and show sometimes nice guys don't have to finish last.
7. Jackson Belleville
Jackson Belleville was the local farmer and produce man, married to Sookie and father to Davey, Martha, and another child, who was born after the show ended. We had seen him run for Town Selectman and win (and immediately regret his decision), defend his wife's honor and food, and, not to mention, have to smuggle lots of marijuana out of his garden.
How Likely He'll Return? If Sookie's not there, we imagine it's like Jackson won't be either. They were two peas in a pod, but he could show up to explain where Sookie went off to. Probably some place wonderful. (There is always the chance Sookie and Jackson got divorced. I know, I know, I don't even want to think about that.)
8. Mrs. Kim
Lane's mom was one tough cookie, who loved her daughter and knew how to make a sale. She wasn't always easy to live with — as Lane's penchant for hiding things in floorboards proved — but, whether Lane needed someone to help her band go on tour or a babysitter for the twins, Mrs. Kim was always there for her daughter.
How Likely She'll Return? Since we already know Lane is back, I can't imagine Mrs. Kim wouldn't be around too, still making sales and hanging out with her grandsons.
9. Taylor Doose
Taylor Doose was the owner of Doose's Supermarket and the blast-from-the-past soda shoppe next to Luke's. He was also Town Selectman, which made him the most politically powerful person in town — an honor he upheld to the end of the show.
How Likely He'll Return? Stars Hollow without Taylor Doose? That just doesn't seem possible. And, if it is, Sherman-Palladino is going to have a lot of explaining to do.
10. Grant
The town's troubadour was there since the very beginning and added even more small town charm to the mix. Though Grant would sometimes disappear to go on tour with Neil Young — just as the musician Grant Lee Phillips would actually do in real life — he was always a Gilmore Girls staple.
How Likely He'll Return? Very likely. What would this show be without his musical interludes?
11. Lucy
During her senior year, Rory branched out and found a friend in Lucy, an art student who was on her way to New York after graduating. The two hit a rough patch when Marty, Lucy's boyfriend, hid the fact that he once knew and had feelings for Rory. Luckily, the two we able to reconcile before graduation.
How Likely She'll Return? The verdict is split on this one. She may not be important enough to make the cut, but it would be nice to see that Rory kept this friendship going after graduation. Being that Lucy was played by Krysten Ritter, the new star of Netflix's Jessica Jones, it may just be a bit more likely since the streaming network may want to keep it all in the family.
12. April Nardini
Luke's tweenage daughter, who he didn't know about until she came looking for his DNA, was a smarty pants who seemed a lot like Rory. Luke was committed to having a relationship with her, even at the expense of his other relationships (cough, Lorelai, cough). It's the reason why April is probably one of the most divisive characters in Gilmore Girls lore.
How Likely She'll Return? It's probably unlikely, since April was never a fan favorite. But, since Sherman-Palladino has made it clear Season 7 exists in this revival world, she may want to show that Luke didn't stop caring about his daughter the minute the camera stopped rolling.
At its core, the Gilmore Girls was always an ensemble piece that like the Simpson or Seinfeld or The Office always found success with those secondary characters. They were the ones that gave you a sense of the world Lorelai and Rory lived in; they were part of the magic so we'll probably get to see a lot of familiar faces. Even if it's just a well-placed cameo.
Images: Warner Bro. Television (3); Giphy (2); emmajudy/blogspot; gilmorescreencaps; coffeecoffeecoffee; gilmorisms; lukesdiner (2)/tumblr
