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But because of the show’s insistence on always making Rory/Lorelai the good guys it was barely ever acknowledged how terrible Rory was to Dean in Season 2. In the end, they both did some bad things to each other, but it was always sad to see that Dean went out on such a bad note. Because of this, it’s especially nice that the show allows him to redeem himself a bit.

Dean is in town to visit his parents and he runs into Rory at Doose’s Market, where Dean used to work. Although it’s a short scene, the show does offer some information on Dean’s current life. He has three kids, with another on the way. As he explains, “It’s really boring in Scranton.”

Their interaction felt real, like two people with a long history together who will always share a connection. It’s nice to see that they’ve moved past the negative feelings and are genuinely happy to see each other. Rory says a line about first love that was bittersweet and moving. And when she tells him about her book, Dean’s reaction is very touching. The lump forming in his throat was practically audible. It was nice that they brought back the Dean from the early seasons, the “real” Dean. And the line about the cornstarch was a sweet callback.

Another character who inspired a lot of speculation was Sookie (Melissa McCarthy). For a while, it seemed like McCarthy wouldn’t return for the revival. Because of this, it was nice to see her even if it was such a short cameo. She and Graham still have great chemistry and their scene was sweet.

Although it always seemed like inevitability, it’s nice that Lorelai came around to Rory writing a book about them, but her Social Network inspired tip is a little cheesy. However, with that out of the way, the girls can get down to what’s important, wedding planning.

But before the wedding, Rory pays a visit to her father, Christopher (David Sutcliffe), who was otherwise absent in the revival. It’s a powerful and heartbreaking scene. From the beginning it’s clear that she’s uncomfortable being there. It always seemed that Rory was a little too understanding of the fact that her father wasn’t there for her. But here, it appears that she’s finally unloading years of resentment on Christopher.

Ostensibly Rory’s doing research for her book, but it also appears she has feelings that she’s long held at bay. This is one of Bledel’s best scenes and she’s raw and emotional in a way we rarely get to see Rory. Christopher responds in a predictable manner, giving an excuse about how things happened the way they were supposed to. But as Rory gets ready to leave, the camera pans out to make clear just how much distance there is between them. And in the end, all Christopher can do is sigh and bow his head as Rory walks out and he’s left alone.

So now all that’s left is the wedding. And in true Lorelai fashion, she bucks tradition and decides she wants to get married the night before instead. They still hold the planned wedding the next day but agree that if they get the actual marriage out of the way, they can enjoy the ceremony stress-free. It’s a very nice montage scene that has a sweet, dreamlike feel to it.

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