Life

Bustle's Editors On 'Gilmore Girls' & Black Friday

by Rachel Simon

It's officially hump day, everyone. If you've felt like this week has been dragging on forever, it's not just you — for all of us, these days post-election, pre-Thanksgiving are bound to feel slow. Thankfully, plenty of news arrived on Wednesday that might've helped make your day fly by, or at least not go at a snail's pace — that is, if you consider yourself to be an honorary member of Stars Hollow (and let's be honest, who doesn't?). From those Gilmore Girls reviews to a Hufflepuff PSA, here are all the things that got Bustle's editors talking on Nov. 16.

Advocacy + Abortion

In the newest episode of Bustle's series NSFWomen, women who've had abortions explain why they've become advocates and how their feelings on the subject have changed over time. In light of the recent election, which saw several anti-choice politicians gaining power, the women's testimony is especially powerful.

Behind The Scenes: Senior Video Producer Abbey Adkinson, who worked on the episode, says that the project was "conflicting" for her, as she had a pro-life, religious upbringing but believes in reproductive rights. "I brought both of those experiences with me to Ohio to shoot with these women," says Adkison. "What I learned from making this piece is that my own background and biases aren't going to go away, but that I can be still and listen to others whose lives are not like mine."

Gilmore Girls + Thanksgiving

For the next nine days, all Gilmore fans will be thinking of is the upcoming revival, for which the first reviews (!) were released on Wednesday. Good news, guys: by and large, critics are ecstatic over the four episodes, all of which will debut on Netflix on Nov. 25 (aka Black Friday). Not excited enough? Check out the newest Gilmore Girls teaser, a Thanksgiving-themed clip that features a blink-and-you-miss it scene of Rory grabbing excitedly onto Jess. Oh my god.

The Bustle Booth: Check out what Disney Channel star and "Boombox" singer Laura Marano had to say when she stopped by Bustle's offices to leave her mark in The Bustle Booth. Her opinions on everything from tacos to celebs might surprise even her biggest fans.

Black Friday + Big Deals

It's that time of year again — and no, I'm not talking about Thanksgiving. I mean the day after, when Black Friday shoppers go absolutely insane in trying to get the very best deals from stores around the country. If you're planning on waking up early that morning to get ahead, make sure to hear what Sara Skirboll, RetailMeNot Shopping & Trends Expert, has to say about how to make the most of your shopping-filled day.

Shopping Break: Thanksgiving coming up so soon means that the holiday season is just around the corner, and it's never too early to start picking up presents for your loved ones. These 50 holiday gifts will make perfect choices for the men in your life.

Eddie Redmayne + Hufflepuffs

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the newest addition to JK Rowling's on-screen wizarding world, is out on Friday, and Harry Potter fans everywhere are filled with excitement — including star Eddie Redmayne himself. On Wednesday, the star released a Hufflepuff PSA, in which he passionately explains why the oft-ridiculed Hogwarts house deserves your respect. Damn straight.

Fun Fact: Years before getting cast as Newt Scamander in Beasts, a college-aged Redmayne auditioned to play Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Could you imagine?!

Making A Murderer + Brendan Dassey

Making a Murderer Season 2 may still be many months away, but the show's drama keeps coming all year long. On Wednesday, it was announced that Brendan Dassey, one of the docuseries' stars who, alongside his uncle Steven Avery, was convicted of the murder of Teresa Halbach in 2007, was ordered by a judge to be released from prison by Friday, Nov. 18.

True Crime Fan? While you're waiting for MaM Season 2 to arrive, catch up on some of pop culture's best true crime tales, from American Crime Story to The Jinx to Bernie.

Today's WTF Moment: "Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief" — the Oxford Dictionary, defining "post-truth," their word of the year. Definitely sums up 2016.

What To Watch: Buckle up, scaredy-cats: the season finale of American Horror Story airs tonight, at 10 p.m. on FX. If the episodes we've seen so far are any indication, you might not want to watch this one alone.

Design: Chelsea LaSalle, Alyssa Foote, Jordan Hughes/Bustle