Mother & Daughter Dynamic

Gilmore girls, two words that hold two decades worth of nostalgia. The comedy and drama TV series that debuted in the early 2000s, detailed the life of a mother and daughter duo, I can assure many hold near and dear to their hearts known as Lorelai Gilmore and Rory Gilmore.

Seven seasons and Seven years later, both Lorelai and Rory’s story came to an end. Nine years later, Netflix aired Gilmore Girls: A Year in the life, which provided viewers with an opportunity to see where the characters were in that stage of their life.

Nearly five years on, as if Netflix heard our cries for a mother and daughter dynamic, they aired Ginny and Georgia. The comedy and drama series follows the story of Georgia Miller and her daughter Ginny Miller.

Various similarities within the two shows can awaken a sense of sentimental appreciation towards the characters that are depicted.

For me, I found there were five common factors between the two series that made me enjoy watching Ginny and Georgia after having watched Gilmore girls. Two notable mentions that aren’t included in my somewhat list of reasons why the series are one in the same include; a small detail, maybe only I get satisfaction in mentioning is if either series title was shortened, they would both identify as ‘GG’.

Also, both series take place in a small town, Gilmore girls is located in a small fictional town known as stars Hollow, in Connecticut, whereas, Ginny and Georgia are based in a quiet town in New England.

Now, the very well thought out list, I hope you all are eagerly intrigued to read reflects solely on the characters within the two shows. The characters contribution in terms of their personality and potential storylines that can or have manifested.

Firstly, the relationship between the mother and daughter in the series shins a heavy light on being a single mother, especially those that also fall into the bracket of being a teen mum.

I know first hand how determined and strong a single parent can be, after being raised by one. What I could not relate to on a personal level would be the life of a teen mum, however, these series reflected the hardship and development of a person when that becomes the reality of their life.

Through various flashbacks or the characters retelling their story, the audience embarked on a journey of self-maturing and growth alongside the characters. Lorelai and Georgia painted a clear image of the ups and downs any young first-timers have to go through, regardless of their background.

For Lorelai, she came from a wealthy family, it’s shown that she felt at times disconnected from the normalities of her family ties and social group. On the other hand, Georgia, came from a deprived family home, that later on in the series shares she experienced a lot of trauma in her childhood. Arguably, their family experience was completely different, in various ways, that include class, family relationship and upbringing but what they shared was the feeling that they didn’t belong. Consequently, resulting in both women running away with their young infant child.

After finding out they were pregnant with their first child at a young age with their first boyfriend, both women chose to leave, in a way, now having their child they wanted even more to escape the boundaries of what they knew as a ‘family,’, wanting nothing more to give them the family they believe they never had.

Having to start over and build a new life for themselves independently, at a young age was a fundamental focal point to the character development of Lorelai and Georgia. Once moving to the small town, they work hard towards building a career, demonstrating their communicational skills and how they could fit the phrase that suggests you can talk for your country. I’m from England, therefore, I would claim that they both, that is if I knew them on a personal level ‘could talk for England’, in any situation presented to them whether it be formal or informal circumstances.

Secondly, during the first few seasons of Gilmore Girls, the daughter of Lorelai, Rory is a teenager. During her teen years, Rory had various storylines that surrounded friendships, school and her lifelong ambition to attend Harvard University. A storyline of Rory’s that jumped out at me while watching Ginny and Georgia was the love triangle between herself, Hunter and Marcus, that closely played out a familiar love triangle in Gilmore Girls involving Rory, Dean and Jess.

Rory and Ginny faced a dilemma that many on-screen characters have to conquer of whether they stay with the kind and caring boyfriend or risk opening their heart to the distant and mysterious bad boy. It’s a trope that is favoured by many, including myself.

Thirdly, on the talk of romantic interest, a trope that maybe isn’t widely recognised but definitely portrayed within the two TV series is the one between the mother and the short talking, flannel-wearing, cafe owner.

From the first scene that introduced Luke in Gilmore Girls and Joe in Ginny and Georgia, it was clear there was chemistry in the air of the café where those characters were situated for that specific scene, despite, the characters of Luke and Joe appearing shortcoming with their blunt and straightforward deminer/ attitude.

Whether it’s said directly between the two characters that they might share more than platonic feelings towards one another, the blooming friendship screams that’s more than the case as the series progressed.

The fourth comparison that I believe deserves acknowledgement is the relationship between the daughter’s and their dads, if I remember correctly Georgia had described as a ‘part-time’ dad which Lorelai would have certainly agreed to that description of the dad’s title for Rory father as well.

Christopher, Rory's dad and Zion that is Ginny’s brought insight to the past regardless of their present-day person being illustrated on the screen. Their introduction to the series had the men arriving in what can be described as a ‘cool’ entrance, arriving on their motorbikes. Neighbours and other members of the small communities were taken aback by the young and good-looking motorcyclist that is not recognised within the town on their arrival. Only for the daughters to address/ introduce them to the screen whilst all the silent gawks unfold in the background as they approach and identify the mysterious stranger as their ‘dad’.

The final and fifth mention is that even though the series were set twenty-one years apart from when each show premiered their first season, the premises remain the same and that is the lengths a mother will go to for their children.

Motherhood is a blessing as well as a curse at times, through ups and downs, love and hate, the arguments that blow out of proportion to the apologies that have you on the brink of tears. Motherhood is difficult but despite it all, the characters make it apparent that they would take all the bad, fight every battle big or small because in the end, they want nothing more than to have the good moments, the memories that are significantly cherished by them and their daughters.

It is evident, sometimes not to the on-screen daughters but certainly to the viewers that the mothers always had their childs best interest at heart. That there is no right or wrong way instead there are situations that present themselves and actions you take at that moment that you make with best intentions.

If you enjoyed watching Gilmore Girls, I strongly suggest and urge you to watch Ginny and Georgia.