14 Coziest Gilmore Girls Fall Episodes, Ranked
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About half of all Gilmore Girls episodes take place in the fall season. The series would traditionally air new seasons starting in September of each year, with many stories told throughout October and November. Fans love this about the show, especially those who uphold fall as the most precious season of the year.
Stars Hollow is the only place to be for a television ideal of autumn. Gilmore Girls’ fall episodes scream coziness in the lighthearted drama, and fall foliage makes any cup of coffee feel just a bit warmer.
Updated on October 5, 2022, by Lynn Gibbs:
Now that autumn is here, there’s nothing like rewatching the best fall Gilmore Girls episodes to get into the cozy spirit. Stars Hollow always made the fall harvest special with its decorations and the cozy sweaters that Lorelai and Rory Gilmore wore while sipping Luke’s coffee. Gilmore Girls fall episodes were some of the best in the series because the drama was served on a platter with pumpkins, leaves, and warm vibes.
‘Emily Says Hello’ Season 5, Episode 19
In season 5’s ‘Emily Says Hello,’ it’s the fall season and Lorelai and Rory are in a strange predicament. Emily and Richard were separated and didn’t know how to act around Lorelai and Rory now that they weren’t a pair. Richard and Emily did awful things to each other during their separation and needed some time apart.
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Just as the Gilmore girls were going to talk to Richard and Emily about their relationship, Emily made the statement that she wanted to start dating. Because of the questionable place Emily and Richard were in, this fall episode was cozy with every ounce of drama that fans loved.
‘Ted Koppel’s Big Night Out’ Season 4, Episode 9
Nothing says fall like a college football game. In ‘Ted Koppel’s Big Night Out,’ Richard and Emily took Rory and Lorelai to the Yale vs. Harvard football game. With Richard being an alumnus of Yale, he was more than thrilled that Yale was the right choice for Rory as well.
At the game, everyone wore cozy Yale-themed sweaters and scarves as they tailgated in the parking lot. The episode was relatable for football fans and college students who enjoy outdoor sports during the fall season, which is why this was one of the better autumn episodes.
‘The Fundamental Things Apply’ Season 4, Episode 5
In season 4, Rory goes on her first date since breaking up with Jess, and Lorelai tried to have a movie night with Luke to fill the void with missing Rory.
It was one of the best episodes for Lorelai and Luke fans because it showed their friendship in a new light. With it being the fall semester, Yale was covered in orange leaves and fall decor. Meanwhile, Stars Hollow had pumpkins and hay bales all over town — making fans wish they could spend the fall harvest in Stars Hollow.
‘But Not As Cute As Pushkin’ Season 5, Episode 10
‘But Not As Cute As Pushkin’ was a huge episode for Lorelai and Luke because it showed one of their first fights as a couple. Lorelai wanted to do right by Luke and bought his father’s old boat for him after his sister tried to sell it. Luke didn’t want Lorelai to make such a grand gesture, and it took some time for him to cool off.
Meanwhile, Rory hosted a Chilton student for a night to show her how wonderful Yale was. And while there weren’t any fall festivals or dances, autumn was evident in the background of most scenes. Not to mention seeing Rory and the Chilton student wearing their cozy fall gear.
‘You Jump, I Jump, Jack’ Season 5, Episode 7
Anyone who is not Team Logan will not be a lover of this episode, but it is a good introduction to Connecticut’s changing seasons. There was a lot of greenery for it to already be November, but filming for the episode took place in some refreshing locations. According to It’s Filmed There, Rory’s little excursion with the Life and Death Brigade was filmed at the Disney Ranch during the day and at LA’s Griffith Park in the evening. It’s one of Rory and Logan’s best episodes since it’s the start of their bond.
Luke’s day out golfing with Richard Gilmore was also filmed in a section of Griffith Park, and those scenes featured some marvelous pops of orange and burgundy among the green.
‘Let The Games Begin’ Season 3, Episode 8
In this episode, Lorelai and Rory joined Emily and Richard Gilmore on a tour of Yale. It didn’t make too much sense that Yale’s trees were that green in November, but a tour of an Ivy League school feels quite autumnal.
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With all the tension between Lorelai and her parents over Rory’s college education, it was a relief for everyone when the Gilmore girls return to the peacefulness of the Stars Hollow evening. While this one is not the most fall-ish of them all, Rory and Jess have their first kiss here, which is why this episode is so memorable.
‘Take The Deviled Eggs…’ Season 3, Episode 6
This episode is not the heaviest on the amber, gold, and red, as the trees appear to still be changing. In ‘Take the Deviled Eggs…,’ Rory and Lorelai awkwardly attended Sherry’s baby shower while Luke struggled with trusting Jess.
There’s a great shot of the decked-out autumnal town in the middle of the episode when Rory and Jess talk in the square. For fans who miss Jess and Rory, the ending was memorable because Lorelai and Rory egged Jess’s car in the glow of the pumpkin-filled night. They had a lot of steam to blow off between the mounting Jess drama and the odd event that was Sherry’s baby shower.
‘We Got Us A Pippi Virgin’ Season 5, Episode 5
This episode is all about the awkward double date Rory and Dean went on with Lorelai and moody Luke. The movie night would be cozier if the situation wasn’t so weird, but it proved how out of sync this foursome was. At this time, Rory and Dean were giving their relationship another try, and it was reminiscent of the first time they started dating in the fall years prior.
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The fall vibes kick in at Stars Hollow after Rory and Dean said goodbye. Wearing cozy sweaters and fall jackets, there were fall colors around as they walked in the cold night air.
‘Twenty-One Is The Loneliest Number’ Season 6, Episode 7
Rory’s life was full of new friendships as she went to Chilton and then Yale, but her mom was her closest friend. That was why their feud of season 6 was absolutely soul-crushing. In ‘Twenty-One Is The Loneliest Number,’ Lorelai and Rory weren’t talking, but the latter’s 21st birthday was approaching. Amidst all the attention, the episode boasted a cornucopia of Halloween scenery, complete with fall leaves.
With Lorelai saddened by her relationship with her daughter, Babette and Morty encouraged her to get into the fall spirit like they did every year. And while it’s a solid fall episode, it’s one of the sadder Lorelai and Rory episodes.
‘Die, Jerk’ Season 4, Episode 8
‘Die, Jerk’ is full of walking and talking, with means it has gobs of fall background delights. Lorelai chatted with Lane on her way to Sookie’s, then with Michel on the way to Luke’s.
These fast-paced outdoor conversations showed tons of fall decor at a time, including Ms. Patty’s impressive work outside the dance studio. The weather was just right too, which is why it was unfortunate that Rory’s mean-spirited article for the Yale newspaper sullied the episode.
‘Eight O’Clock At The Oasis’ Season 3, Episode 5
Even though Emily Gilmore still had a lush garden in Hartford, the foliage was in full transition in Stars Hollow. The leaves were especially vibrant in the opening sequence of this episode. In one scene, Lorelai and Rory walked around town, passing scarecrows and hay bales on their way.
In the episode, Lorelai had a possible new love interest and Rory’s friendship with Jess got hazy when he did a good deed for her. The episode wasn’t completely fall-centric, but its outdoor sequences are full of pumpkins, scarecrows, and fall flags. No one could forget that jack-o-lantern head on the scarecrow’s body either.
‘A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving’ Season 3, Episode 10
Leaves were dead in Connecticut by Thanksgiving, but not for the Gilmore girls, as they had several gatherings to attend. Despite some green grass and trees, Sookie’s Thanksgiving feast is one of her best scenes.
Luke carried on his disdain for fall decorations by puzzling over the yellow and red flowers Rory and Lorelai brought him. This Thanksgiving episode had more voluptuous leaves—and more outdoor footage—than season 6’s Thanksgiving storyline.
‘They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?’ Season 3, Episode 7
In ‘They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?,’ Taylor waltzed into Luke’s and said, “Smells like fall.” Fall leaves by day, relationship trouble by night — it was the pivotal dance marathon episode. Big things happened in this installment, but not before all the cozy feelings of the season. While Rory and Lorelai slumped through Stars Hollow to the marathon, there were some breathtaking shots of the autumnal town square, all lit up for the event.
This episode has gone down in history as one of Rory’s most defining moments since it’s when Dean broke up with her and she admitted she had feelings for Jess. It was the end of Rory and Dean’s confusing relationship and the start of new things as fall approached.
‘Kiss And Tell’ Season 1, Episode 7
This is the quintessential fall Gilmore Girls episode. The leaves were turning, the pumpkins were out, and Taylor and Luke argued over fall decorations. ‘Kiss and Tell’ is important because it was time for the Autumn Festival, Dean gave Rory her first kiss, and Lane and Rory dressed as pilgrims to run the Cornucopia Can Drive.
Lorelai tried adjusting to Rory dating Dean, so she invited Dean over to the house for pizza, junk food, and a movie. This was a time when the young couple was perfect together. The town square turned to night with the perfect twinkly lights as the iconic movie date scene commenced.
NEXT: 5 Ways Rory & Dean’s Relationship Was Toxic In Gilmore Girls (& 5 Ways It Was Perfect)