11 things nobody wants to admit about Gilmore Girls

1. The series finale perfectly wraps up the show

After the 2007 series finale of Gilmore Girls, much has been said over the years about the final episode of the original series. Fans have felt some type of way about the ending, and cast members have opened up about the season 7 finale, too. It’s a near-impossible task to craft a satisfying series finale for a beloved series, but “Bon Voyage” managed to pull it off — no matter what anyone says to the contrary.

Lauren Graham wrote in her first book of personal essays Talking As Fast As I Can that the cast and crew didn’t know that season 7 would be the final season when they filmed the last episode. And that much is true: The CW announced the show’s cancellation on May 3, 2007, which was about a week ahead of the season 7 finale airdate on May 15. According to Variety, there had been discussions for the series to return for a shortened eighth and final season, but salary negotiations and other factors halted talks.

Although they weren’t able to craft the series finale they would have with the knowledge that they were making the actual series finale, the episode that ends the series is a pretty spectacular series finale. It works so well that it’s hard to conceptualize what would have happened in season 8 or how it could have ended any better than “Bon Voyage.”

Even though Lorelai and Luke don’t get married in the season 7, they get back together and all is right again in their corner of the world. Rory follows her dreams of becoming a reporter, and the town celebrates the unofficial First Daughter of Stars Hollow with a deeply bittersweet send-off. Lorelai and Emily have a touching moment that reminds us that it will never be easy, but they will be in each other’s lives forever now. And that final shot… Oh, that final shot in Luke’s.

It’s a simply perfect ending that mirrors the last scene in the pilot episode. How would they have topped that in a potential season 8 finale? Unless Amy Sherman-Palladino would have returned to write the series finale and had been able to drop the “final four words” bomb, it wouldn’t have been worth it. Sometimes wanting more from a show that we love can be greedy, and it’s just time to say goodbye. As much as we weren’t ready to let go, “Bon Voyage” was the right time to say goodbye.

All seven seasons of Gilmore Girls and the revival miniseries are available on Netflix.