When news broke last year that Gilmore Girls would return for a four-episode revival on Netflix, the internet - to put it lightly - lost its mind.
The reaction was understandable: The much-loved WB series never wrapped up in a way that was satisfying to fans, because creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and executive producer Dan Palladino left before the final season in 2007. So the idea of seeing all of the cast members together again, plus the original creators at the helm, was a thrilling concept.
So the revival aired on Nov. 25, and it proceeded as as a typical TV reunion nostalgia-fest.
There was massive hype; families were ignored on Thanksgiving as diehard Gilmore Girls fans watched all four 90-minute episodes; and then there was controversy, as viewers debated the storylines and the controversial ending and the "last four words" that creator Amy Sherman-Palladino had teased for years. However, overall, it provided closure. Sherman-Palladino got the end the series like she always wanted. End scene.
Except, not so much. Maybe.
This week, the internet lit up again when Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos told the U.K. Press Association that the streaming service has had "very preliminary" talks with the creators about bringing the show back. Again.
"We hope," Sarandos said, according to the North-West Evening Mail. "We obviously loved the success of the show, fans loved how well it was done, it delivered what they hoped."
He added, "The worst thing is to wait a couple of years for your favorite show to come back and for it to disappoint you but they sure delivered and people were really excited about more and we have been talking to them about the possibility of that."
Let us stop you right there, Netflix. Actually, we're good.
This is coming from someone who has watched every Gilmore Girls season more times than should be socially acceptable. While the initial idea of a Gilmore Girls revival was exciting, the concept of a second one is simply exhausting. And unnecessary.
First, there's simply no way that another batch of new episodes could live up to the hype of the first set. It's one thing to surprise fans with news of a revival - it's a special event. But it's quite another to make it seem like a revival could be a frequent practice. The best way to kill the magic of the show is to overexpose it.
Then there's the issue of the actual series itself. The revival, while pleasing to some fans, also shone a bright new spotlight on some of the Gilmore Girls most unfortunate flaws, from painfully boring musical numbers to the disappointing reveal that Rory grew up to be kind of a monster. Would the producers learn from some of the problems, such as the fact that maybe Gilmore Girls is a little too quirky for 90-minute episodes? Or would the issues get worse? Sometimes, it's better not to know.
Then, of course, the final revival episode ended on quite the cliffhanger. Rory revealed she was pregnant - and the show cut to end credits. There were a ton of unanswered questions. Who's the father? What is Lorelai's reaction? What will Emily have to say about this?
Sure, this plot twist clearly leaves a lot of options if the series does come back again, but it was also a perfect full-circle moment: The central theme of the show was Lorelai as a single mom, and now her daughter will face the same challenge (although in much different circumstances.) It's somewhat tempting to think about what Lorelai said next after Rory's bombshell, but at the same time, it's a very fitting end for the series.
There's one very obvious motivation for why the "Gilmore" gang might want to get together again: money. Why not? Netflix is clearly pleased with the response to the first revival, and it would be a great opportunity for the cast and crew members. So while it makes all the sense in the world, it would be just another reminder that as deeply personal as your favorite shows seem ... at the end of the day, TV is a business.
Really, it's just an unpleasant thought: Even if the legacy of the series would suffer with more episodes, it doesn't matter, because the financial picture will always be the most important factor.