How Will ‘Gilmore Girls’ Explain Sookie's Absence?

As we all begin to come to grips with the fact that Melissa McCarthy is not returning to the Gilmore Girls revival on Netflix, I think it’s time to start considering how they will explain Sookie’s noticeable absence. After all, Sookie St. James was part of every single season of Gilmore Girls, and only ever missed a handful of episodes. Not having Sookie in the revival is kind of like not having Lane or Paris in the revival (both of whom have been confirmed to be returning). It’s a pretty significant loss for Stars Hollow, and an even bigger loss for those fans who count Sookie among their favorites. But, now that it’s confirmed that Melissa McCarthy isn’t coming back (she tweeted her best wishes to the cast after claiming she had never been asked to return), it’s time to start figuring out how Sherman-Palladino can explain her very noticeable absence.

Let’s start from where we left off. Sookie’s last appearance on the OG Gilmore Girls was on the final episode, “Bon Voyage.” In it, Sookie was pregnant with her third child, married to Jackson, and the co-owner of the Dragon Fly Inn with best friend Lorelai Gilmore. Life seemed pretty perfect for Sookie when the show ended. So how will Sherman-Palladino make her absence believable?

Here are just a few ideas I have for how Sookie’s absence might be explained on the Gilmore Girls revival.

1. She Moved To New York To Become A Big-Time Chef

With her ridiculous attention to detail, it was always surprising to me that Sookie was a chef at a small town inn. I always imagined her moving on to some big city restaurant where she wracked up Michelin stars and ran an entire kitchen with an iron fist.

2. She And Jackson Got A Divorce

No word yet on whether Jackson Douglas will be returning to Stars Hollow in the revival, but one easy way for Sookie to get out dodge would be to have those two end their relationship in a messy divorce. (Sorry, Belleville fans!)

3. The Dragon Fly Inn Went Under

Chances are, with the Independence Inn out of commission and Lorelai’s parents always available for a loan, this wouldn’t happen. But who knows. A lot has changed in the economy since we were last in Stars Hollow. Remember the crash of 2008? Maybe they had a bad loan or one of those mortgages with changing interest rates that made them totally broke.

4. That Last Home Birth Didn’t Go So Well

Maybe Bruce couldn’t make it this time and something terrible happened. It would be an awfully tragic way for Sookie to go, and, with Richard Gilmore already written into the script as deceased, I’m hoping this is Sherman-Palladino’s last option.

5. Sookie And Lorelai Are On The Outs

Friends who work together make me nervous. There’s just too much personally at stake, and the boundaries are often too unclear to maximize efficiency. So this might be the reason why Sookie hightailed it out of Stars Hollow. Or at least isn’t featured prominently in the revival.

6. She’s Never Even Mentioned

Burrrrrrrn.

7. They Refer To Her In Passing, But She Never Shows Up

She’s always too busy in the kitchen or on the other end of the phone. Whatever it is, she’s never actually on camera. This would be a surefire way to deal with her absence while avoiding any incensed fans.

These are just some of the options, as I see them, but only time will tell if Amy Sherman-Palladino chooses any of these routes.

Image: The WB; Giphy (7)