THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR GILMORE GIRLS
I've recently watched a lot of Gilmore Girls and after what I've watched, I like the show. The quirky relationship between Rory and Loralai is hilarious, they're all such unique and witty characters, it's hard to not love the show and the characters. But there is one character whose actions always bother me; Loralai's mother, Emily Gilmore.
Throughout the duration of the show, Emily damages her relationship with her daughter time and time again. She repeatedly meddles in Loralai's life, as well as overrides Loralai's authority as a mother. There are multiple times throughout the show that I was royally appalled by Emily's repeatedly overbearing actions.
In the show, Loralai seems to just accept her mothers controlling traits as "just how Emily is" but in reality this is an issue that needs to be addressed.
Emily Gilmore is controlling and emotionally abusive. She ruined her only daughters happiness when she interfered in her and Luke's relationship. Then she expected things to just instantaneously be okay when she went to see Luke.
She also blames Loralai for when Rory is upset with her over this, instead of considering that what she did warrants her granddaughter being upset with her. She always swears she knows what is absolutely best for Loralai and Rory. She uses money to force her granddaughter to be in her life by saying she will pay for Rory's tuition, and in return, Rory will have dinner with them every Friday.
She acts like her concern is a good reason to manipulate and interject into her daughter's life, and when she is told that what she is doing is not okay, she plays the hurt mother card, and attempts to manipulate her way back into the lives and hearts of her loved ones. She is also uses textbook gaslighting techniques all throughout the show.
Emily Gilmore is a classic master manipulator, and this isn't a normal thing. It's not just "how she is" and it's not something that should just be accepted. Raising awareness for what these things look like, even in fictional representations, is important.