The Real Reason 'Gilmore Girls' Was Canceled Might Surprise You
Cozy season is here, and that can only mean one thing: It's time for our annual binge-watch of Gilmore Girls. After all, fall is the best time to visit Stars Hollow for our favorite comfort show. The series spanned seven seasons and 154 episodes, and it's never enough! Watching the show this year got us wondering: Why was Gilmore Girls canceled?
Back in 2007 when the show ended, Variety reported that the decision came down to a contract negotiation: "Money was a key factor in the decision, with the parties involved not able to reach a deal on salaries for the main cast members. Other issues, such as number of episodes and production dates, may have also played a role." Valerie Campbell, costume designer, recently explained that one "very important actor" wasn't interested in returning for season 8, but she did not reveal who the holdout was.
What's more, the show's creators and writers Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino left after season 6, and, fans noticed that things just weren't quite the same without them.
At the time, CW president Dawn Ostroff said, "It was such a hard decision. Everyone came to the point where we decided it was just time to move on. But I think everybody is walking away with good feelings. We all tried to make it work."
In a 2015 appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) explained that the show's ending was a surprise to her, and the cast never had a wrap party. She said she was out to dinner with a friend when she heard the news: "We shot the last episode and we had no idea. There was some back and forth about what was gonna happen. I was in a restaurant and I had turned my phone off. So the waiter comes to the table and he was like 'Are you Lauren Graham?' and I was like, 'Yes.' He goes 'Your agent's on the phone.' I thought I was in a '40s movie or something. I was walking to the house phone and I was like 'Hello," and he goes 'It's cancelled.' And that's how I found out that it was the end."
Of course, fans know that the series returned with a special 2016 miniseries, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. The four-episode revival ended with a major reveal: Rory told her mom that she's pregnant, but did not divulge the father's identity. Could the show get another reboot? Both Lauren Graham and Amy Sherman-Palladino have hinted that it is possible, but nothing is currently in the works. We'll keep hoping that we get to head back to Stars Hollow someday soon!
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