All About Sisterhood

I was introduced to Gilmore Girls when I was in college in 2007. Long after the show had been airing live, my sister gifted me a few seasons on DVD for my 19th birthday. Ahh nostalgia...back in the day where if you wanted to "binge watch" you pulled out an encyclopedia-sized box full of a season's worth of episodes at a time. Side note: Do people still know what encyclopedias are?! Instead of pushing the "Yes I am STILL watching" button, you had to change out disks every 3-4 episodes. I immediately fell in LOVE. The mother/daughter dynamic, the quirky small town, the COFFEE. The characters immediately drew me in, and the fast-pace and quick-wit kept me coming back. I rooted for Rory and Dean while reflecting fondly on my high-school romances. When she got caught up with the bad boy, Jess, I couldn't help but remember the time I dated a guy 6-years older whom my family had FORBIDDEN I see. Obviously making him all the more interesting to me, I gave 2 years of my life away to a poorly written love story. I watched episode after episode, season after season. All I asked for was another season on DVD for birthdays and Christmas until I had completed my 7-season set. My bookshelf-turned-entertainment-center proudly housed my collection, and I re-watched each season more times than I can count during the many years I lived alone and couldn't afford cable.

"How can you watch that over and over again?" friends and family would ask. I would simply smile and explain that it makes me FEEL GOOD. In a world full of negativity and comparison traps, I loved nothing more than sitting down to a show that was guaranteed to leave me happy and satisfied. With an iced coffee at my side and a pile of laundry at my feet, I could spend a Sunday afternoon lost in Stars Hallow. By season 7, I would practically WILL the storyline to change. My heart broke every time Logan proposed in front of a crowded room and Rory agonized over her decision for days before ultimately saying no. Now that I'm in my mid-thirties, I get it. I'm happy she said no and gave herself a chance at living out her twenties untethered from the responsibilities of marriage. But I love a good love story, and it still breaks my heart every time.

During maternity leave for each of my three boys, I found new shows to fill up my time spent nursing a baby on the couch. This time I was truly able to binge-watch season after season of my favorites on Netflix, no DVD change out required. Scandal got me through my first 12 weeks. I dreamed of nights full of red wine and popcorn and the sweet sophistication of being a total boss b*tch like Olivia Pope.

During my second maternity leave I found shows like Workin' Moms and Good Girls. I related to the journey of motherhood, the desperation, the constant identity struggle, and ultimately loved the drama and storylines that helped me escape reality. They didn't necessarily make me feel all the good nostalgia feels like my ride or die, Gilmore Girls, BUT they did give me something I needed. They were the entertainment and distraction I craved during a time when I had a brand-new baby and a 17-month-old toddler literally sucking the life out of me.

My final maternity leave was where I found Grace and Frankie. I was tempted to dive back into Gilmore Girls - If it ain't broke, don't fix it! - but I decided to give Jane Fonda a try. I remember watching her workout video tapes with my mom and wishing I could pull off the tights/leotard look. In any case, I dove in and became obsessed. I loved every minute of it. All the feelings I had gotten while watching Gilmore Girls, I now got with Grace and Frankie except I laughed a lot more. It was exactly what I needed as a mom of 3 little kids demanding so much of my time and attention. While Grace struggled to remain relevant in her family and her career, I heard the message about enjoying the present loud and clear. Someday it will all be different. Someday you will feel like you are taking up space you're no longer welcome in. Hopefully, like Grace, you will harness your inner warrior and demand the space and respect you deserve, but they still won't need you the same way...and that reminder, that glimpse into the future, was exactly the fuel I needed to embrace the reality of my very chaotic life. Now let's talk about Lily Tomlin, aka Frankie. Frankie is who I dream of becoming when I'm retired. Give me all the hippie vibes, loose fitting clothing, occasional pot indulgence and a studio on the beach. Frankie gave me a glimpse into a carefree life that felt like the reward after a long journey of hard work and stress (aka: life).

Everything about this show drew me in... the relationship dynamics, the conflict, the forgiveness, the dreams, the loyalty, the comedy. Each character was full of their own unique intricacies and I could see a little of myself in each of them. When I felt like I had lost my identity, I gravitated towards Mallory (Brooklyn Decker), when I stole that identity back, I became Brianna (June Diane Raphael). Sol (Sam Waterston) and Robert (Martin Sheen) were the love story worth fighting for. They reminded me that it's never too late to live your truth and it's worth all the heartache it might cause. I laughed and cried and found myself so invested in the show, but this time, when it was over, I was ultimately so satisfied by the ending. It felt so good, so right, so complete.

Now, a story about the wonders of Gilmore Girls (seasons 1-7) is not complete without a moment to reflect on Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life that came a decade later. I counted down the months, days, minutes until this 4-part series was released and man alive, it was worth it. I loved it so much. It broke my heart when I saw the hole that Richard's death left in the family; it gave me life when I saw the relationship between Luke and Lorelai after all these years. I related so well to Rory and her search for purpose and direction, a far cry from the pro/con list planner that we had seen in the original series. I loved getting to see all the old favorites in different stages of life while still feeling the same warm nostalgia for a town and community I've only visited in my head.

I've always loved TV. I love getting lost in a good show, scared by a dramatic one or feeling that delicious belly ache after a comedy leaves me in stitches. The escape that occurs when my mind is freed from my own day to day is the delightful break I crave and thrive on. No matter what season of life I'm in, I find myself going back to my tried-and-true favorites after mixing in the newest trend so I can actively participate in the office chatter. If you are looking for a show to give you the same beautiful buzz you got from Gilmore Girls, look no further than Grace and Frankie. Happy binging!