Fresh stories from Stars Hollow will hit Netflix in the near future, with four 90-minute episodes reuniting fans with the beloved cast.
The revival news leaked in mid-October and was confirmed in January, with plenty of questions about which original cast members would be returning. While we wait for Luke’s Diner to open its doors again (did somebody say coffee?), check out everything we know so far about Lorelai and Rory getting the gang back together.
The Most Familiar Faces are Back—On and Off Screen
Original producers Amy Sherman-Palladino, Daniel Palladino and their production company Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions are all coming back for the revival. Alexis Bledel (Rory), Lauren Graham (Lorelai) Scott Patterson (Luke), Kelly Bishop (Emily), Sean Gunn (Kirk) and Keiko Agena (Lane) will all be returning.
Rory’s Best Boyfriend Debate Is Also Back
Season 7 (the show’s last, which famously did not include Sherman-Palladino) left Rory sans boyfriend after rejecting Logan Huntzberger’s proposal. But Matt Czuchry’s Huntzberger will return along with Jared Padalecki’s Dean (Rory’s first love) and Milo Ventimiglia’s Jess.
The Supporting Cast Remains as Quirky as Ever
Liza Weil’s Paris, Danny Strong’s Doyle, Yanic Truesdale’s Michel, David Sutcliffe’s Christopher, Danny Strong’s Doyle, Emily Kuroda’s Mrs. Kim, Vanessa Marano’s April, Sally Struthers’ Babette and Michael Winters’ Taylor are all making a comeback.
But Melissa McCarthy’s Role In the Revival Is Seemingly Nonexistent
Melissa McCarthy, who played Sookie St. James on the beloved series Gilmore Girls, took to Twitter to say she was never asked to join the revival. Sherman-Palladino said in an interview that McCarthy’s character does not have an active storyline in the four-part series. “It was a character we knew we could not count on in terms of story, because [Melissa] just simply wouldn’t have that sort of time to carve out for us,” she said.
Richard Gilmore’s Death Will Be Acknowledged
After actor Edward Hermann’s death in 2014, his character, Gilmore patriach Richard, will also have died in the new series. “You couldn’t just say, ‘Oh, Richard died peacefully in his sleep, and now we’re going to go to the cherry-picking festival,’” Sherman-Palladino told TV Line. “Something they loved is gone, which means things you love will not be around forever. And you can’t take them for granted.”
Stars Hollow Will Have Some New Faces, Too
There will be plenty of new faces in Stars Hollow, according to E Online, including a Peruvian couple, a handful of kids and hippies at a commune. Sutton Foster, who starred with Bishop in Sherman-Palladino’s short-lived Bunheads, will also star.
Each Episode Will Go with a Season
There’s no official title for the revival yet, but Sherman-Palladino confirmed the four episodes will be titled “Winter,” “Spring,” Summer,” and “Fall.” Sherman-Palladino said it was her original plan to pitch three episodes. “And then we thought… four seasons, because seasons were so big with the show. It was snow and fall and spring and festivals… it defined [Stars Hollow] a lot. And we thought that’d be a lovely way to catch up with all three of our Gilmore Girls over the course of a year.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com