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But unfortunately, the show hit a big snag after season six involving a contract dispute. Amy Sherman-Palladino, along with her husband, who was a big part of the creative team, failed to reach an agreement with the CW. Because of this, Gilmore Girls lost its creators and a completely different team of writers handled season seven.

Although season seven was easily the weakest of the bunch, it's hardly the train wreck that its reputation suggests. The problem was that Palladino had such a distinct voice that it must have been a very daunting task to replace her and it shows. There was a noticeable change in the tone, the famous dialogue wasn't quite right and there were some terrible story lines. (The Lorelai/Christopher marriage was easily the worst.)

Season Seven definitely deserved some of the criticism it received. But it's not hard to imagine that at least some of the fans were reacting not so much to what they got but to what they didn't get. This is especially true for the last episode, which has more than its share of charm. And it should be noted that at the time the writers didn't actually know if it would be the last episode or if they would be coming back. Because of this, the final episode had to work both as a series finale and as a set up for a possible season eight. And while it wasn't perfect, it was definitely satisfying and genuinely moving. It was a nice, optimistic ending that saw the whole town come together to throw Rory a goodbye party in a way that only Stars Hollow could. But it was also as if most of the beloved characters were saying goodbye to audiences. And Rory reclaimed her independence from Logan to chase her dreams of becoming a journalist. She also set out to do all of the great things the show constantly reminded viewers that she was capable of.

But it was widely known fact that Palladino had the series finale planned right down to the last four words. Unfortunately, she left without getting a chance to give fans that conclusion. And because of this a lot of people felt that the finale wasn't the “real ending.”

Still, that was the only ending given, and it seemed as if audiences would never get to hear the infamous “four words.” But the current nostalgia obsession that brought back the X-Files, Full House, and Arrested Development, among others suddenly presented Gilmore Girls fans with renewed hope. And when Netflix announced the series revival it felt more like inevitability than a shock.

The revival, set roughly 10 years after the original finale, would bring back the Gilmores and cover a year in their lives. The series spans four 90-minute episodes, with each representing a season of the year.

Although the Carole King intro would have been the obvious and easier way to go, A Year in the Life chooses a different but perhaps even more effective way to kick off the revival. As the episode begins, there is nothing but a black screen and voiceover dialogue that spans the show's original run. It then gives away to the voice of Lorelai as she claims to smell snow.

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