About half of all Gilmore Girls episodes take place in the fall season and the best Gilmore Girls fall episodes are some of the most memorable of the series. The series would traditionally air new seasons starting in September of each year, with many stories told throughout October and November. As a result, even the most dramatic of episodes had a cozy, fall quality to them thanks to the scenery. 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. The show is known for its small town festivals and surprising Stars Hollow traditions. While they don’t all take place in the fall, a lot of them do pop up in those cozy Gilmore Girls fall episodes.
20 “Cinamon’s Wake”
Season 1, Episode 5
“Cinamon’s Wake” brings fall to Gilmore Girls thanks to a bake sale at Chilton while the autumn season is on full display. In this episode, Rory’s English teacher, Max Medina (Scott Cohen), asks Lorelai out while Rory and Dean are in the awkward stages of their relationship, which heats up, thanks to an embarrassing encounter on the bus ride to school. The romances are only part of the episode, although Lorelai screwing up her date because of her neighbor’s cat’s funeral was a typical moment for the character.
However, it’s the bake sale that gives this episode the fall feeling. There are some fun things at this event, including a moment where Sookie makes a swan out of a watermelon for the bake sale. There is even a Chilton gingerbread house there, which shows how much work Sookie puts into everything she does to help Lorelai out any way she can and is perfect for the season.
19 “Presenting Lorelai Gilmore”
Season 2, Episode 6
Season 2 of Gilmore Girls saw the episode “Presenting Lorelai Gilmore,” which had Rory making her debut at a debutante ball. This offers up a lot of the autumn feeling, thanks to Lorelai reliving some of her back-to-school trauma. This is mostly because Rory’s father, Christopher (David Sutcliffe), is supposed to present her and Lorelai decides to pay him a visit and let him know that his daughter needs him.
It was all the debutante moments that really brought about the fall feel for this Gilmore Girls episode. The entire episode revolves around getting Rory ready for the ball, teaching her the dances, getting her dress ready, and then tying it all into Lorelai’s same moments from when she was Rory’s age. The episode even ends with Lorelai and her mother working together in the garden patio, delivering bright yellow lilies that deliver more autumn feelings.
18 “Run Away Little Boy”
Season 2, Episode 9
In the season 2 episode, “Run Away Little Boy,” Rory ends up pairing up with Paris (Liza Weil), Madeline (Shelly Cole), and Louise (Teal Redmann) to perform an act from Romeo and Juliet. However, when Tristin (Chad Michael Murray) is cast as Romeo to Rory’s Juliet, it causes some problems with Dean, who doesn’t like the idea at all. This is also the episode where Loreiei goes out on her first date since the end of her engagement.
In the penultimate episode of the second season, they talk about apple cider ice cream at the start of the episode, giving everything the feel and atmosphere of fall right from the start. With the Chilton Shakespearean Festival ongoing, it brings about a lot of feelings surrounding the fall festivals that take place in small towns like Stars Hollow, Connecticut.
17 “Chicken Or Beef”
Season 4, Episode 4
The fourth season episode, “Chicken or Beef,” features a September wedding in the gazebo, so it maintains the cozy fall feeling in this special Gilmore Girls episode. The wedding, in this case, is Dean’s, and he makes things very awkward when he runs into Rory and Lorelai and invites them to the wedding. Having his ex suddenly invited to his wedding with Lindsay was always a recipe for trouble.
Rory never goes to the wedding and things just move along with the beautiful outdoor wedding at the gazebo.
However, Rory never goes to the wedding and things move along with the beautiful outdoor wedding at the gazebo while she stands in the distance watching from the park, a look of possible regret and sadness on her face. There was more to the episode as well, with Lorelai dealing with a lot of drama of her own, including a cease-and-desist order from Taylor and some troubles with Michel’s involvement with the Dragonfly Inn.
16 “The Bracebridge Dinner”
Season 2, Episode 10
The second season episode, “The Bracebridge Dinner,” moves a little further into winter, which is when the snow begins to fall in Stars Hollow and things are truly cozy. However, it keeps the theme of the fall season in the small town with another of its celebrations. In this episode, a holiday convention ends up booked for the inn, but it ends up stranded in Boston by snow, so there is no one coming for the already planned celebration at the inn.
Because of this, it is time for a private celebration for the citizens of Stars Hollow, which includes a seven-course Old English dinner and horse-drawn sleigh rides. Other than the fall-like celebrations, the episode also goes a great length into winter themes, especially with a very weird snowperson-building competition that results in some unique creations before the special Bracebridge Dinner takes place.
15 “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 are separated and don’t know how to act around Lorelai and Rory now that they aren’t a pair. Richard and Emily did awful things to each other during their separation and needed some time apart.
Just as the Gilmore girls are going to talk to Richard and Emily about their relationship, Emily makes the statement that she wants to start dating. Because of the questionable place Emily and Richard are in, this fall episode is cozy with every ounce of drama that fans love. The fall aspects of the episode are primarily in the set decorations and the clothing choices made by the costume department. They set the scene well for the episode even if the focus is on relationship drama instead of any seasonal happenings.
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14 “Ted Koppel’s Big Night Out”
Season 4, Episode 9
Nothing says fall in the United States like a college football game. The games begin as classes start in August/September and help to usher in the changing of the leaves and sweater weather. In “Ted Koppel’s Big Night Out,” Richard and Emily take 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 wears cozy Yale-themed sweaters and scarves as they tailgate in the parking lot. The episode is relatable for football fans and college students who enjoy outdoor sports during the fall season, which is why this is one of the better autumn episodes. This isn’t one of the Gilmore Girls fall episodes that is only recognizable by the changing leaves but instead immerses itself into a fall activity.
13 “The Fundamental Things Apply”
Season 4, Episode 5
In season 4, Rory goes on her first date since breaking up with Jess, and Lorelai tries to have a movie night with Luke to fill the void with missing Rory. It is one of the best episodes for Lorelai and Luke fans because it shows their friendship in a new light. With it being the fall semester for Rory, however, it’s also recognizable as one of the cozy Gilmore Girls autumn episodes. Of course, Lorelai’s attire makes it clear that this isn’t the coldest part of fall just yet as she spends the episodes in skirts and without jackets.
It’s a great demonstration of how good the set decorators were at their jobs for the
Gilmore Girls
fall episodes.
Yale is covered in orange leaves and fall decor. Meanwhile, Stars Hollow has pumpkins and hay bales all over town — making fans wish they could spend the fall harvest in the cozy town. It’s a great demonstration of how good the set decorators were at their jobs for the Gilmore Girls fall episodes.
12 “But Not As Cute As Pushkin”
Season 5, Episode 10
“But Not as Cute as Pushkin” is a huge episode for Lorelai and Luke because it shows one of their first fights as a couple. Lorelai wants to do right by Luke and buys his father’s old boat for him after his sister tries to sell it. Luke didn’t want Lorelai to make such a grand gesture, and it takes some time for him to cool off. Their storyline might not scream “fall” to fans, but it does make the episode memorable.
Meanwhile, Rory hosts a Chilton student for a night to show her how wonderful Yale is. And while there aren’t any fall festivals or dances, autumn is evident in the background of most scenes. Not to mention seeing Rory and the Chilton students wearing their cozy fall gear. There’s more coffee drinking and fall decor than usual, so even if fall isn’t part of the storyline, it’s there in just about every scene of the show.
11 “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 is 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 feature some marvelous pops of orange and burgundy among the green. It’s an episode that makes the audience feel like they’re heading into the cozier batches of Gilmore Girls fall episodes.
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10 “Let The Games Begin”
Season 3, Episode 8
In this episode, Lorelai and Rory join Emily and Richard Gilmore on a tour of Yale. It doesn’t make too much sense that Yale’s trees are that green in November, but a tour of an Ivy League school feels quite autumnal – as do all of the fall decorations throughout Stars Hollow before they leave. With traditional school years starting in the fall, academic settings often make audiences think autumn.
With all the tension between Lorelai and her parents over Rory’s college education, it is a relief for everyone when the Gilmore girls return to the peacefulness of the Stars Hollow evening. The tour of Yale is the first hint that Rory’s dream school of Harvard might not really be her dream after all, and though the storyline does briefly create conflict for the family, Rory still ultimately gets the education she wants.
9 “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 attend Sherry’s baby shower while Luke struggles with trusting Jess. The episode is full of tension just under the surface, just like much of the fall markers for the episode are only just visible.
For fans who miss Jess and Rory, the ending is memorable because Lorelai and Rory egg 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. It’s not one of the most iconic episodes of the series, but it is certainly one of the most tense episodes of the series.
8 “We Got Us A Pippi Virgin”
Season 5, Episode 5
This episode is all about the awkward double date Rory and Dean go on with Lorelai and a moody Luke. The movie night would be cozier if the situation weren’t so weird, but it proves how out of sync this foursome is in this Gilmore Girls fall episode. At this time, Rory and Dean are giving their relationship another try, and it is reminiscent of the first time they started dating in the fall years prior, though more awkward and less sweet.
In fact, this episode is often not beloved by fans because of just how awkward it is as Luke, Lorelai, Rory, and Dean struggle to connect over a movie and a game. The episode, however, is supposed to be awkward. It makes it clear that Rory and Dean are trying to cling to the romance they had in high school, that they’re not mature enough to have a more adult relationship just yet. Holding onto something comforting, however, does seem right in line with fall just as spring is all about new things.
Quite a bit of the episode takes place indoors, so the fall vibes might not be as quickly apparent outside of everyone still wearing clothing for cold weather indoors. The fall vibes kick in at Stars Hollow after Rory and Dean say goodbye. Wearing cozy sweaters and fall jackets, there are fall colors around as they walk in the cold night air, setting the scene for the episode.
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7 “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 always her closest friend. That is why their feud during season 6 is absolutely soul-crushing for the audience. In “Twenty-One Is The Loneliest Number,” Lorelai and Rory aren’t talking, but the latter’s 21st birthday is approaching.
Among all the attention, the episode boasts a cornucopia of Halloween scenery, complete with fall leaves. Even Rory’s birthday cake makes it clear this is a Gilmore Girls fall episode. Her cake is covered in reds, yellows, oranges, and golds, just like fall leaves changing on a tree.
With Lorelai saddened by her relationship with her daughter, Babette and Morty encourage 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.
6 “Die, Jerk”
Season 4, Episode 8
“Die, Jerk” is full of walking and talking, which means it has gobs of fall background delights. Lorelai chats with Lane on her way to Sookie’s, and then with Michel on the way to Luke’s. Walking around Stars Hollow is often used to help establish where an episode takes place in the show’s timeline, giving the audience a look at the weather, the decorations, and just what time of year the episode occurs.
These fast-paced outdoor conversations with Lorelai show tons of fall decor around town, including Ms. Patty’s impressive work outside the dance studio. The weather is just right too, which is why it is unfortunate that Rory’s mean-spirited article for the Yale newspaper sullied the overall coziness of the episode.
Of course, it can also be argued that Rory working so hard on reviews for the school paper makes for one of the most college-like episodes of the show. Despite Rory being very focused on academics, much of her college storylines take place outside of academia. College storylines that aren’t built around spring break typically fit the fall traits of the seasons instead.
5 “Eight O’Clock At The Oasis”
Season 3, Episode 5
Even though Emily Gilmore still has a lush garden in Hartford where she’s seen pruning and gathering flowers before it gets too cold, the foliage is in full transition in Stars Hollow. The leaves are especially vibrant in the opening sequence of this episode. In one scene, Lorelai and Rory walk around town, passing scarecrows and hay bales on their way, making it clear that set decorators pulled out all the stops for this Gilmore Girls fall episode.
In the episode, Lorelai has a possible new love interest and Rory’s friendship with Jess gets hazy when he does a good deed for her. The episode isn’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.
4 “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving”
Season 3, Episode 10
There isn’t much cozier than a Thanksgiving episode of television. Though Thanksgiving is a very specific American holiday that is skewered by some shows and turned into a comedy of errors in others, Gilmore Girls sits somewhere in between. For Rory and Lorelai, Thanksgiving is a day to spend with the people they care about most, eating some delicious food made with seasonal ingredients like apple and pumpkin. Going to multiple gatherings makes for a variety of fall decor and dishes.
This isn’t just one of the best
Gilmore Girls
fall episodes, but it’s also one of the best holiday-themed episodes of the show.
This isn’t just one of the best Gilmore Girls fall episodes, but it’s also one of the best holiday-themed episodes of the show. Leaves are dead in Connecticut by Thanksgiving, but not for the Gilmore girls, as they have several gatherings to attend. Despite some green grass and trees, Sookie’s Thanksgiving feast is one of her best scenes.
Luke carries on his disdain for fall decorations by puzzling over the yellow and red flowers Rory and Lorelai bring him. This Thanksgiving episode has more voluptuous leaves—and more outdoor footage—than season 6’s Thanksgiving storyline. It’s also a great look at the relationships in Rory and Lorelai’s life as they try to make it to everyone’s Thanksgiving dinner and participate in all the festivities they can.
3 “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?”
Season 3, Episode 7
In “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?,” Taylor waltzes into Luke’s and says, “Smells like fall.” Fall leaves by day, relationship trouble by night — it is the pivotal dance marathon episode. It’s one of the most iconic episodes in the who for both Rory and Dean’s relationship and Rory and Jess’ relationship. Big things happen in this installment, but not before all the cozy feelings of the season.
While Rory and Lorelai head through Stars Hollow to the marathon, there are 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 breaks up with her in front of the entire town, and she admits she has feelings for Jess. It is the end of Rory and Dean’s confusing relationship and the start of new things as fall approaches.
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2 “A Year In The Life: Fall”
Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life, Episode 4
Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life was very much aware of how the viewers of the original show would categorize episodes by season. As a result, the revival series is divided into four episodes, each taking place during a different season. The finale, and thus the series finale, is, appropriately, “Fall.” It combines all the elements of the best fall-themed episodes of Gilmore Girls in the past. Rory finally ends her affair with Logan, Emily is able to start her life over in Nantucket, and Lorelai finally marries Luke.
And all of these story points are done with the crisp air of fall and the turning leaves in the background. It’s an episode that gives the audience closure as the fun of the summer seasons come to an end, but also opens up possibilities for the future since it leaves questions about the success of Rory’s novel, how she chooses to raise her unborn child, and whether she connects with Jess again. It’s a nearly perfect fall episode of the Gilmore Girls series.
1 “Kiss And Tell”
Season 1, Episode 7
This is the quintessential fall Gilmore Girls episode. The leaves are turning, the pumpkins are out, and Taylor and Luke argue over fall decorations. Luke, despite clearly loving Stars Hollow since he’s built his entire life there, hates having to do everything the rest of the town wants him to do, which prompts this exchange between Luke and Taylor about decorating the diner for fall:
Taylor: Every other store in town has fall decorations.
Luke: Hooray for the mob mentality.
Taylor: We’re talking a few streamers and a paper turkey. How’s it gonna hurt to have a paper turkey?
Luke: No turkey, no squash, no pumpkins. Nothing colored orange.
Taylor: Okay, you don’t like orange. That’s fine. Autumn has many varied hues to toy with.
“Kiss and Tell” is important because it is time for the Autumn Festival, Dean and Rory have their first kiss, and Lane and Rory dress as pilgrims to run the Cornucopia Can Drive. It really is the most fall that Gilmore Girls ever goes.
Lorelai tries adjusting to Rory dating Dean, so she invites Dean over to the house for pizza, junk food, and a movie. This is a time when the young couple is perfect together. The town square turns to night with the perfect twinkly lights as the iconic movie date scene commences. “Kiss and Tell” is the best of the Gilmore Girls fall episodes.
