Gilmore Girls is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino. It stars Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, a mother–daughter pair living in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. The series also stars an ensemble supporting cast, including Melissa McCarthy, Keiko Agena, Yanic Truesdale, Scott Patterson, Kelly Bishop, Edward Herrmann, Liza Weil, Jared Padalecki, Milo Ventimiglia, Sean Gunn, Chris Eigeman, and Matt Czuchry. The series premiered on The WB on October 5, 2000, and ran for seven seasons, concluding on The CW on May 15, 2007.

Set in the fictional small Connecticut town of Stars Hollow, populated by a close-knit community of eccentric residents, the series blends elements of family drama, romance, and comedy. The series follows the personal and professional lives of its central characters as they navigate relationships, ambitions, and generational differences. It is distinguished by its rapid dialogue, literary and pop-culture references, and portrayal of women’s relationships across multiple generations. The writing and performances received widespread critical acclaim, and the series has been recognised for its humour, emotional depth, and exploration of themes such as independence, education, and social class. However, its later seasons garnered more mixed reviews, particularly following Sherman-Palladino’s departure after season six.

Gilmore Girls achieved strong ratings throughout its original broadcast, peaking in its fifth season as one of The WB’s most popular series. Its audience and cultural influence have endured through syndication and streaming, particularly after becoming available on Netflix in 2014. The series has frequently been cited among the greatest television shows of all time by publications including Time and TV (The Book), and it is regarded as a cult classic of 2000s American television. In 2016, Sherman-Palladino and the original cast reunited for the four-part Netflix revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.

Gilmore Girls follows the lives of single mother Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her academically-minded teenage daughter, Lorelai "Rory" Gilmore (Alexis Bledel), who live in the quaint fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. Lorelai dreams of owning her own inn, and Rory plans to attend Harvard University. Eventually, Rory chooses Yale University, her grandparents' alma mater, while Lorelai opens and operates the Dragonfly Inn.

The show's pilot introduces Lorelai's estranged, wealthy parents, Emily (Kelly Bishop) and Richard Gilmore (Edward Hermann), whom Lorelai must approach for assistance in paying Rory's tuition to attend the prestigious Chilton School. They agree to pay, on the condition that Lorelai and Rory have dinner with them every Friday, which sets up one of the show's primary conflicts, as the Gilmores are now forced to face their differences and complicated past, including Lorelai's giving birth to Rory at the age of 16, with her then-boyfriend Christopher Hayden (David Sutcliffe).

Rory's best friend, Lane Kim (Keiko Agena), must navigate through life concealing her "rebellious" interests from her authoritarian mother, Mrs. Kim (Emily Kuroda), a strict, religious, Korean immigrant, who runs a antique shop. She finds ways, often peculiar ways, to secretly date, listen to rock music, and express her love for pop culture, while Mrs. Kim repeatedly attempts to set up Lane with a Korean boy who will be a doctor. After many set ups, Lane falls in love with a member of her band, Dave Rygalski (Adam Brody). The character of Dave was written out in the following season to accommodate actor Adam Brody's exit. Lane then fell in love with another band member, Zach Van Gerbig, (Todd Lowe) and they have twin children.

Sookie St. James (Melissa McCarthy) is Lorelai's "best friend" and chef at the Independence Inn, which Lorelai runs. She has a bubbly personality and is accident-prone, but is known for her cooking skills. Later, she becomes romantically involved with the inn's vegetable supplier, Jackson Belleville (Jackson Douglas). They end up marrying and having children together.

Also central to Gilmore Girls is Luke Danes (Scott Patterson), owner of Luke's Diner, where Lorelai and Rory frequently dine. Present for many of Rory's milestones, he becomes a surrogate father figure to her. Later, Luke and Lorelai begin a romantic relationship. In A Year in the Life, Lorelai and Luke get married in the last episode.