Gilmore Girls' 12 Best Emily & Lorelai Moments

Although Lorelai and Emily fight throughout most of Gilmore Girls, the mother-daughter duo have some sweet and meaningful scenes that positively impact their relationship and show the potential for a better relationship. Although Rory and Lorelai’s relationship is the biggest focus of the show, Emily Gilmore is the third Gilmore girl who gets overlooked far too often, and she’s just as integral to the show’s core messages about family, generational wounds, and mother-daughter relationships.

There are many harsh realities about Emily Gilmore, and some aspects of her character have aged poorly. However, the character cannot be dismissed as entirely the villain. She’s deeply nuanced, as is her relationship with Lorelai. Luckily, not every moment between the mother-daughter duo is filled with bitterness and resentment. Instead, Lorelai and Emily have some truly touching moments that showcase their internal vulnerabilities, character growth, and potential for a better relationship.

12 Lorelai & Emily Do The Chilton Fashion Show Together

Gilmore Girls Season 2, Episode 7, "Like Mother, Like Daughter"

When Lorelai gets strongarmed into joining the Booster Club, she takes over organizing the fashion show and signs up Emily as one of the models. This leads to an entertaining and sweet moment where the mother-daughter duo walks the runway to Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”

The scene is a memorable interaction between Lorelai and Emily because the daughter finally gets to see her mom relax and enjoy herself rather than Emily holding to strict ideas about what’s proper. Emily’s cheerful attitude initially throws the younger Gilmore for a loop, but her infectious attitude rubs off on Lorelai. This scene in Gilmore Girls season 2 hints that Emily and Lorelai could actually enjoy time together if they just compromised, an idea repeated throughout all the seasons of the family drama show.

11 Emily Stands Up To Christopher For Lorelai

Gilmore Girls Season 3, Episode 2, "Haunted Leg"

Because of Emily’s ideas about family, she holds onto the idea that Lorelai and Christopher need to get married to complete their family, refusing to validate co-parenting as an option. She pushes on Lorelai when eating at Luke’s in Gilmore Girls season 3. Despite her deeply held beliefs, Emily stands up for Lorelai when Christopher bursts into their Friday night dinner and yells at her, telling him to leave.

This moment between Lorelai and Emily is one of the few times in Gilmore Girls that Emily sides with her daughter. She refuses to let Christopher disrespect Lorelai, even though she fully believes that Christopher is her daughter's match. The assertiveness and maternal instinct in this scene is an example of Emily showing her love for Lorelai. Though she falters often, Emily doesn’t have a completely cold heart when it comes to her daughter.

10 Emily & Lorelai Pick Out Rory’s Birthday Present Together

Gilmore Girls Season 1, Episode 6, "Rory's Birthday Parties"

In Gilmore Girls season 1, Emily shows vulnerability by asking for Lorelai’s help in picking a birthday present for Rory. Even though they start out rocky during their shopping trip, Emily finally listens to Lorelai, picking out a gift with Rory in mind. More light comes out of this interaction. Happy because she feels heard for the first time in a long time.

This positive moment contrasts their repeated negative moments, offering a moment of hope that these two could eventually reconcile their differences. They clearly live in different worlds based on the way they communicate and their ideas of the gift for a 16-year-old. However, their biggest commonality is their love for Rory, which often brings them together even in their worst moments.

9 Lorelai Comforts Emily After Her Meltdown In The Mall

Gilmore Girls Season 4, Episode 15, "Scene In A Mall"

Emily Gilmore doesn’t lose her cool often throughout Gilmore Girls, but the most memorable example of her losing it leads to a very sweet interaction between Lorelai and Emily. In Gilmore Girls season four, Emily struggles with feeling unneeded and uncared-for in her relationship with Richard. Consequently, she goes to the mall, where she has a full-on meltdown in front of the employees, Lorelai, and Rory. The younger two Gilmores take her to the food court and get her lunch to help her calm down.

While at the table, Lorelai comforts Emily and suggests that she have a conversation with Richard about how she’s really feeling. In turn, Emily sees her daughter in a kinder light, appreciating who she’s become as a grown woman. This Emily and Lorelai moment proves Lorelai can empathize with her mother despite their hardships. It also shows that Emily isn’t as oblivious to Lorelai’s positive attributes as she often seems.

8 Lorelai Teaches Emily How To Handle Trix

Gilmore Girls Season 3, Episode 10, "That'll Do, Pig"

Only one character in the Gilmore family tree has the ability to shake Emily’s confidence and get under her skin – the original Lorelai Gilmore, aka Trix. From the first time she appears onscreen, Trix critiques everything about Emily. In the Gilmore Girls Christmas episode “That’ll Do, Pig,” Lorelai gives Emily sage advice on how to handle Trix’s constant criticism. She tells Emily that she needs to create a defense mechanism to cope with Trix’s disapproval, explaining that she finds Emily’s negative commentary on her choices funny instead of hurtful after changing her mindset.

Although Emily doesn’t seem fully sold on the suggestion, her facial expression indicates she’s open to the idea. This underrated Lorelai and Emily moment is meaningful looking back on it now. Lorelai seems to want to help Emily handle the situation, and her example feels heartfelt instead of meanspirited.

7 Emily Asks Lorelai For Help Picking Out An Outfit For Her Date

Gilmore Girls Season 5, Episode 9, "Emily Says Hello"

The breakup of Richard and Emily is one of the most divisive Gilmore Girls storylines, but it does lead to a meaningful moment between Emily and Lorelai. After Simon McLane asks her on a date, she calls Lorelai on the phone, frantically begging her to come over and help her get ready. While picking out an outfit, Lorelai starts to understand Emily’s perspective on life without Richard and going out on dates.

After listening to her panic and ramble, Lorelai asks Emily if dating is what she really wants to do, and she accepts the answer when Emily says, “Yes, it is.” The daughter puts aside her own feelings to support her mom, which shows how much she’s grown since Gilmore Girls season 1.

6 Emily & Lorelai Go To The 60-40 Bar

Gilmore Girls Season 2, Episode 16, "There's The Rub"

One of the moments where Lorelai and Emily are most vulnerable to one another occurs in the episode “There’s the Rub.” They go on a spa trip together, which starts out badly. Emily manipulates Lorelai into spending time with her, and Lorelai spends most of the spa treatments upset. However, they finally start to enjoy themselves when they decide to ditch the spa to find food elsewhere. Emily and Lorelai end up at a 60-40 bar, where Emily starts to let her guard down. They get into a fight and leave for the spa.

When they’re back in their hotel rooms, they have a heart-to-heart about why they have such a bad relationship. This is one of the first times in Gilmore Girls where Lorelai clearly expresses her feelings to Emily without fighting. In turn, Emily explains her perspective on the relationship. The contrast is stark, but the interaction helps them see eye to eye. Ultimately, this moment culminates in Lorelai and Emily stealing the bathrobes as a way to bond.

5 Lorelai Calls Emily To Tell Her The Best Richard Memory

Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life, "Fall"

Fans of the family drama widely despise Netflix’s Gilmore Girls revival, A Year in the Life, because many of the storylines feel out of character, and the revival forgets how important Stars Hollow is to the story. However, a two-minute scene between Emily and Lorelai in A Year in the Life makes the revival worth it. In “Fall,” Lorelai calls Emily on the phone to tell her the best memory she shared with Richard.

During the call, there’s no snarking or insulting or belittling. Emily doesn’t give Lorelai a hard time for waiting so long to answer the question. Lorelai doesn’t say anything negative about her father. Instead, they truly connect and see each other’s perspectives on a great but complicated man who meant the world to both of them.

4 Emily Tells Lorelai She’s A "Kayak"

Gilmore Girls Season 7, Episode 15, "I'm A Kayak, Hear Me Roar"

One of the hardest things Lorelai ever has to confess to her mother is the fact that she and Christopher are getting a divorce. She knows that their being a couple is all Emily ever wanted. However, she finally gets vulnerable when the pair are drunk. Rather than blaming or shaming, Emily takes a surprising approach to the news. She expresses that Lorelai is strong and self-sufficient and a “kayak.”

She compares this to her and Richard being in a canoe together, explaining that she couldn’t handle the boat on her own. This is one of the most beautiful moments of vulnerability and acceptance from Emily in Gilmore Girls. It’s a glimpse into the relationship they could have if Emily just let down her guard long enough.

3 Emily Takes Care Of Lorelai When She Has A Back Spasm

Gilmore Girls Season 1, Episode 9, "Rory's Dance"

The sweetest Emily and Lorelai moment from season 1 of Gilmore Girls happens the night that Rory goes to the dance with Dean. Instead of leaving her alone, Emily stays to take care of Lorelai, who has a back spasm. She prepares her food, they watch TV together, and they truly bond. This is one of Emily’s more maternal moments in Gilmore Girls.

In a nice change of pace, Lorelai sees the effort that her mother is making and matches that in little ways, like trying the mashed banana on toast. Unfortunately, this really fantastic night is quickly contrasted with a terrible fight the next morning. It’s part of what makes “Rory’s Dance” so brilliant. The most painfully realistic episodes of Gilmore Girls show the high highs and the low lows that can happen in our dysfunctional family.