All 7 Gilmore Girls season finales ranked from worst to best

Gilmore Girls season 2

“I Can’t Get Started” solidifies something that’s been true for over 20 years: Gilmore Girls never suffered a sophomore slump. The second season built on a series that knew it exactly what it was and what it wanted to be on arrival, fleshing out the world, characters, and tone in flawless, colorful fashion. And the season 2 finale is the period at the end of a remarkable sentence.

Sookie and Jackson’s wedding day arrives, and Lorelai’s feeling the love in the air with Christopher. Even though it seems as though Rory’s parents will finally be getting the happy ending their families wanted for them when Rory was conceived, Christopher’s girlfriend Sherry announces her pregnancy and dashes the hopes of a future for Lorelai, Christopher, and Rory as a family.

Meanwhile, Rory’s own tumultuous relationship with Jess reaches a point she didn’t see coming when he returns from New York City and secretly plants a kiss on her after the wedding. As if she wasn’t confused before, one of the show’s greatest kiss moments sends her mind into a haze. While not an over-the-top, explosive, jaw-dropping episode, the season 2 finale ranks as the second-best for being understated yet still brilliant.

Gilmore Girls season 3

Who knows if this will be a controversial opinion or not, but the season 3 finale is the best season finale of Gilmore Girls. The series truly fired on all cylinders from day one, but they really hit their stride in season 3. The writing and storytelling had well-earned confidence that allowed us to trust Amy Sherman-Palladino with our lives in the trickier plot twists of the season.

“Those Are Strings, Pinocchio” was the culmination of three years worth of character development and deft narrative arcs. Rory graduates from Chilton, and there’s not a dry eye on the private school’s lawn as she delivers her valedictorian speech. At its core, this is a show about the bond between a mother and daughter, and that’s never more apparent than at Rory’s graduation.

Even as Rory irons out another deal with her grandparents to pay for Yale and finally puts her rocky relationship with Jess to rest as he moves to California, the titular relationship between the Gilmore women — all three generations — shines more than ever. When Lorelai and Rory take a quiet moment to take in Chilton one last time, it’s a minute for the series to revel in all it had achieved so far, too.

Which Gilmore Girls season finales are your favorite? Do you agree with our ranking? Share your picks in the comments, and watch all seven seasons on Netflix!