Lauren Graham Suggested A Gilmore Girls Spin-Off About Lorelai

Whether you’re in the middle of a cozy annual rewatch or simply can’t get over that new commercial set at Luke’s Diner, ’tis the season of Gilmore Girls. Seventeen years after the original series ended — and eight after the four-part revival, A Year in the Life — the show remains a nostalgic streaming powerhouse.

So naturally, there’s always hope that future episodes will give viewers a check-in on the titular gals. (Is Rory a mom? If so... who’s the dad?) In a new interview, Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson weighed in on the possibility of a Gilmore Girls spin-off, including a potential prequel series.

A Gilmore Girls Spin-Off?

Chatting with E!, Patterson, who played Luke Danes, said he once raised the idea of a spin-off following his gruff but beloved diner owner. However, former Warner Bros. executive Peter Roth gave him some advice.

“He said, ‘Scott, people would miss the other characters so much, because the show is so chock full of rich, wonderful characters,’” Patterson recalled. “And boy was that a smart thing to say, because he nailed it.”

Indeed, it would be jarring to revisit Stars Hollow without seeing all of the town’s quirky denizens. But what about a Gilmore Girls prequel that takes place decades earlier? “You could do the high-school Lorelai,” Graham offered.

The Parenthood alum noted that casting younger versions of Babette and Miss Patty, two of Lorelai’s iconic neighbors, would be tricky. She also wondered if stretching out the Gilmore Girls temporal universe made sense. “We’re talking about this as if it’s like The Hobbit or something, which I’m not sure it is,” she said.

But she might be onto something! Lorelai had quite a storied adolescence — from rebelling against her parents’ world to having Rory and moving to Stars Hollow. It could be interesting to rediscover the zany town through fresh eyes.

There Was Already A Prequel... Kind Of

Of course, Gilmore Girls has explored this part of Lorelai’s story but only briefly in Season 3’s “Dear Emily and Richard.” This episode offered a glimpse at Lorelai’s life in the Gilmore household when she had Rory and decided to leave home.

While it was just one episode, it provided context for Lorelai’s relationship with her parents and how she chose to raise Rory — themes that would certainly make for a compelling prequel series should Gilmore Girls take the Young Sheldon route.