Gilmore Girls is one of the most popular series of the 2000s. In the 153 episodes of the 7 seasons, the tragic comedy by Amy Sherman-Palladino followed the fate of mother-daughter duo Lorelai and Rory in the fictional US small town of Stars Hollow. But although many fans loved the intimate relationship between the main characters, a psychologist has now shown that the relationship depicted is actually that behavior of a personality disorder is.
Psychological Reckoning with Gilmore Girls: An Unhealthy Relationship of Dependence
The peculiarity of the mother-daughter relationship of Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) is already in the title of the series: They are the Gilmore Girls. Both are very young as “girls” because 30-year-old Lorelai had Rory when she was a teenager. Here psychologist Dr. Nicole LePera also the roots of problematic codependency:
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Lorelai and Rory are the classic interdependent mother and daughter. Rory will pushed into adulthood by her emotionally immature parent. Lorelai uses her as her only confidante (BFF) and there is no limits – she’s over-involved in every aspect of Rory’s life.
In sociology and psychology, the term codependency refers to (self-)destructive behavior in an unbalanced relationship that borders on addiction. It can be pathological, but it doesn’t have to be. Symptoms of such a (too) close relationship in Gilmore Girls are referred to by Dr. LePera also:
That shows up as control, manipulation and restraint [von Informationen]. Lorelai projects her own dream of going to Havard onto Rory from childhood. When Rory applies to Yale, she sulks and leaves dinner. Rory is hiding things from Lorelai because she is afraid of how her mother might react.
From this perspective, the mother-daughter relationship, portrayed as charming and whimsical in the Gilmore Girls series, suddenly takes on dark traits:
Warner Bros. Television
Interdependent Gilmore Girls
They never communicate openly and remain silent during conflicts. Their dramatic relationship is an addictive series, yet [Gilmore Girls] leaves out the true pain and shame of such a dysfunctional codependent relationship.
In a follow-up tweet, Dr. Nevertheless, Nicole LePera made it clear that she thoroughly enjoyed Gilmore Girls as a series. Because the (realistic) depiction of a dysfunctional relationship doesn’t necessarily make Gilmore Girls a bad series.
Podcast: More streaming tips besides Gilmore Girls on Netflix & Co. in the March overview
Need more fresh streaming tips? You can find the most exciting series that you can stream on Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and more in March here in the monthly preview:
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We have checked the long starting lists of the streaming services and present you the 20 big highlights of the month in the Moviepilot podcast stream trawl. Also included are new seasons of The Mandalorian and Netflix’s fantasy hit Shadow & Bone, as well as a highly anticipated sci-fi series with a mega cast.
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