Grab your coffee: An official Gilmore Girls documentary is on the way
HBO Max project promises never-before-seen footage and behind-the-scenes scoops
Grab your coziest sweater, pour yourself a jumbo-sized mug of coffee and settle in, Gilmore Girls fans, because we’re headed back to Stars Hollow.
HBO Max announced Wednesday that an official Gilmore Girls documentary is in production, promising never-before-seen footage and behind-the-scenes scoops from the people who brought the beloved Y2K comfort classic to life.
According to Variety, the still-untitled documentary will be told from the perspective of series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, alongside her husband, executive producer Daniel Palladino.
It will also feature key cast and crew members from the show, including star Lauren Graham, who portrayed the witty, fast-talking, caffeine-obsessed Lorelai Gilmore throughout the show's original seven-season run from 2000 to 2007 and its 2016 revival.
And in true Babette and Miss Patty fashion, the documentary promises to dish up all the tea, revealing “how the show eclipsed expectations to become a cross-generational phenomenon by unpacking the unique alchemy of the creators, cast, crew and collaborators,” according to the documentary's official description.
That includes “never-before-seen outtakes, behind-the-scenes footage and script pages.”
As Lorelai might say: "Can you smell the snow yet?"
And Lorelai herself could hardly wait to share the news, with Graham posting the announcement on Instagram, along with a stack of nostalgic photos from the series.
“Oh hey, hi … we’re making a documentary,” she captioned in true Lorelai voice alongside images featuring Alexis Bledel, who played her book-loving, on-screen daughter, Rory Gilmore.
The carousel also included photos of fellow castmates Melissa McCarthy, who plays Lorelai’s clumsy but lovable culinary extraordinaire BFF, Sookie; along with Scott Patterson, Keiko Agena, Kelly Bishop, Montreal-born Yanic Truesdale, Liz Torres and the late Edward Herrmann.
The post quickly went viral, with thousands of comments from fans.
One wrote: “Paused my Gilmore Girls episode to SCREAM AT THIS OMG.”
Another die-hard wrote: “Best day of my life x.”
As for why this cult classic has maintained a cross-generational appeal nearly 20 years after its original run ended, the answer remains something of a mystery. It could be, as some pop culture analysts note, that the show functions for many millennials as a sort of cozy, chill, nostalgic security blanket, driven by its rapid-fire pop culture wit and comforting, charming small-town esthetic.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, data from streaming platforms such as Netflix, where the series has enjoyed a second life, shows that Gilmore Girls has received an annual viewing bump every autumn since the COVID-19 pandemic era, making it prime cozy-season viewing.
Last month, the mania continued as fans fawned over the iconic mother-daughter duo’s home that went up for sale in Unionville, Ont., where the show shot its pilot episode.
As for the latest Gilmore Girls project, HBO Max says that it’ll be the first “authorized” documentary about the show, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Another independent doc with stars Bishop, Jared Padalecki and Chad Michael Murray is also reportedly in the works in celebration of the show's 25th anniversary, which the dramedy marked last October.
HBO Max has not announced a release date for the official documentary. But it's likely that, in the spirit of the show's iconic theme song, where they lead, fans will follow.