Emily Gilmore
{{Infobox character
| image = Emily Gilmore, portrayed by actress Kelly Bishop.jpg
| creator = Amy Sherman-Palladino
| full_name = Emily Gilmore
| name = Emily Gilmore
| occupation = Housewife
Socialite
Whaling museum docent
DAR chapter president
| portrayer = Kelly Bishop
| spouse = {{Marriage|Richard Gilmore|1964|2014|end=d.}}
| family = Rory Gilmore (granddaughter)
Lorelai "Trix" Gilmore (mother-in-law; deceased)
Luke Danes (son-in-law)
Christopher Hayden (ex-son-in-law)
Hope (sister)
| first = "Pilot" (Gilmore Girls)
| caption = Gilmore family matriarch Emily Gilmore, as portrayed by actress Kelly Bishop.
| series = Gilmore Girls
| children = Lorelai Gilmore (daughter)
| last = "Fall" (Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life)
| alt = Elderly woman with short auburn hair smiling and dressed in upper-class attire, including a pair of pearl earrings, a gold pearl necklace and light purple blazer.
}}
Emily Gilmore is a fictional character who appears in the American comedy drama television series Gilmore Girls (2000–2007) and its revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (2016) as the matriarch of the eponymous family. Portrayed by Kelly Bishop, the character was created by series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino in order to add a tragic element to the show's light-hearted nature. Emily has had a complicated relationship with her daughter Lorelai ever since the character ran away at sixteen to raise her newborn daughter Rory on her own. They remain distant for several years until Lorelai asks her parents to help pay for Rory's schooling, to which Emily agrees on the condition that her daughter and granddaughter visit them for dinner every Friday evening.
One of the show's central storylines, Emily's relationship with Lorelai remains strained for the majority of the series, improving incrementally over time. Bishop, who prefers portraying acerbic over nice women, based her performance on her own grandmother. In Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, Emily, recently widowed after the passing away of Richard, continues to mourn his death from which she struggles to move on. The death of her co-star and close friend Edward Herrmann, who portrayed Richard, was written into the revival; Bishop used her character's storyline about adjusting to life without her husband to cope with her own grief over Herrmann's passing, as well as drawing upon inspiration from the death of her own mother. The actress nearly did not reprise her role in the revival due to her own husband's health at the time.
Bishop's performances in both the original series and its sequel have been positively received by television critics. Critics and audiences were initially divided over the character's personality, debating her unlikeability and whether or not she is a bad mother. However, their opinions towards Emily have softened in retrospect, growing to sympathize with the character and defend her as one of the show's most complex characters who truly cares for the well-being of her family members. Despite being accused of classism and racism in regards to the way in which she treats her maids, Emily's arc in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, in which she takes on a more central role, has been widely acclaimed by critics and fans alike, becoming a fan favorite and experiencing renewed popularity. Critics and fans have since dubbed her the "third Gilmore girl", after Lorelai and Rory.
Role
Emily is the wealthy matriarch of the Gilmore family and lives with her husband Richard (Edward Herrmann), a successful insurance consultant, in a mansion in Hartford, Connecticut.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/25/tv/cover-story-home-sweet-home-but-not-saccharine.html|title=Cover Story; Home Sweet Home, but Not Saccharine|last=James|first=Caryn|date=February 25, 2001|website=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729023359/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/25/tv/cover-story-home-sweet-home-but-not-saccharine.html|archive-date=2017-07-29|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} She is a member of a bridge club, country club, and serves as the president of local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She goes through a succession of various cooks and maids in her home, as she often fires household staff due to her high standards. It is revealed that Emily attended Smith College, where she majored in History and was a member of the field hockey team. She met Richard at a party while she was at Smith and he was at Yale University.
Emily's only daughter Lorelai (Lauren Graham) had run away from home as a teenager to raise her daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) on her own,{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/05/arts/television-review-a-mother-and-daughter-both-with-growing-pains.html?mcubz=1|title=Television Review; A Mother and Daughter, Both With Growing Pains|last=Wertheimer|first=Ron|date=October 5, 2000|website=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819104049/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/05/arts/television-review-a-mother-and-daughter-both-with-growing-pains.html?mcubz=1|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} forcing Emily to remain estranged from both her daughter and granddaughter for several years until Lorelai desperately asks her parents to help pay for Rory's admission into Chilton Preparatory School. Emily agrees to loan Lorelai the money required on the condition that both she and Rory visit her and Richard at their home for dinner every Friday evening. Having had a strained relationship with Lorelai ever since she decided she would be raising Rory without her parents or then-boyfriend Christopher Hayden (David Sutcliffe), Emily wants to spend as much time with Rory as possible,{{Cite web|url=http://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a39656/lauren-graham-gilmore-girls-edward-hermann/|title=Lauren Graham's Latest Comment On The Gilmore Girls Revival May Make You Cry|last=Dibdin|first=Emma|date=August 26, 2016|website=Country Living|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820033731/http://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a39656/lauren-graham-gilmore-girls-edward-hermann/|archive-date=2017-08-20|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} partially to ensure that her granddaughter receives the opportunities her mother never did. She uses Chilton as an opportunity to forge somewhat of a "normal" relationship between herself, Lorelai and Rory.{{Cite web|url=https://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.myfanbase.de/gilmore-girls/charakterbeschreibungen/%3Fpid%3D953&prev=search|title=Emily Gilmore|last=G.|first=Sandra|website=myFanbase|language=German|access-date=October 1, 2017}} Their arrangement continues when Rory graduates from Chilton and enrolls at Yale University, her grandfather's alma mater. Emily and Richard separate at one point during the series over a series of heated disagreements, but eventually reconcile in favor of renewing their vows.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/56396-6-lessons-emily-richard-gilmore-taught-us-about-love|title=6 Lessons Emily & Richard Gilmore Taught Us About Love|last=Bennett|first=Alanna|date=December 31, 2014|website=Bustle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824135324/https://www.bustle.com/articles/56396-6-lessons-emily-richard-gilmore-taught-us-about-love|archive-date=2017-08-24|url-status=live|access-date=August 24, 2017}}
Emily struggles to adjust to her husband's recent death, to whom she had been married for 50 years.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/10/gilmore-girls-trailer-emily-gilmore-t-shirt-kelly-bishop-costume-designer|title=There's More to Emily Gilmore's T-Shirt in the Gilmore Girls Trailer than You Realized|last=Bradley|first=Laura|date=October 26, 2016|magazine=Vanity Fair|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728164634/http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/10/gilmore-girls-trailer-emily-gilmore-t-shirt-kelly-bishop-costume-designer|archive-date=2017-07-28|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} She is furious with Lorelai after she gives an unflattering speech during Richard's funeral,{{Cite web|url=http://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a40727/lorelai-gilmore-is-the-worst-daughter-ever/|title=Lorelai Gilmore Is Seriously The Worst|last=Bruk|first=Diana|date=December 5, 2016|website=Country Living|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821090802/http://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a40727/lorelai-gilmore-is-the-worst-daughter-ever/|archive-date=2017-08-21|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017|quote=A lot of [critics] judge Emily for being manipulative and using money to get what she wants.}} thus increasing the rift in their relationship. Emily tricks Lorelai into attending therapy with her in attempt to mend their relationship (where Emily reveals she is also upset over a malicious letter she insists Lorelai sent her several years ago, although she denies it),{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/arts/television/gilmore-girls-netflix-revival-recap.html|title=Watched All of the 'Gilmore Girls' Revival? Let's Talk About It|last=Lyons|first=Margaret|date=November 29, 2016|website=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823121206/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/arts/television/gilmore-girls-netflix-revival-recap.html|archive-date=2017-08-23|url-status=live|access-date=August 23, 2017}} with mostly unfruitful results.{{Cite web|url=https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/television/everything-you-need-to-know-about-what-happened-in-the-gilmore-girls-revival-including-the-last-four-words|title=Everything you need to know about what happened in the Gilmore Girls revival, including the last four words|last=Ahsan|first=Sadaf|date=November 29, 2016|website=National Post|access-date=August 26, 2017}} Emily is only able to forgive Lorelai after she calls her mother to share with her the time Richard comforted her by taking her to a see a movie after she was humiliated in school. At the end of the revival, Emily sells their mansion because it constantly reminds her of Richard's death, moving to Nantucket, Massachusetts. She also quits the Daughters of the American Revolution,{{Cite web|url=https://theweek.com/articles/664566/decline-fall-gilmore-girls|title=The decline and fall of the Gilmore girls|last=Loofbourow|first=Lili|date=December 1, 2016|website=The Week|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821045129/http://theweek.com/articles/664566/decline-fall-gilmore-girls|archive-date=2017-08-21|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017}} and starts working at a whaling museum as a docent. The identity of who sent Emily the letter remains undisclosed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Who-Wrote-Emily-Letter-Gilmore-Girls-42779562|title=Gilmore Girls: Who the Hell Wrote Emily That Letter?|last=Watson|first=Shyla|date=December 1, 2016|website=PopSugar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829082410/https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Who-Wrote-Emily-Letter-Gilmore-Girls-42779562|archive-date=2017-08-29|url-status=live|access-date=August 28, 2017}}
Development
= ''Gilmore Girls'' =
== Conception and writing ==
Creator Amy Sherman-Palladino originally pitched Gilmore Girls to The WB as a series about Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, a young mother and daughter duo whose close relationship is more similar to that of a pair of best friends as opposed to family members,{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2015/06/6-fun-facts-about-gilmore-girls.html|title=6 Things We Learned About Gilmore Girls From the Cast's Today Show Interview|last=Lockett|first=Dee|date=June 11, 2015|website=Vulture.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614021601/http://www.vulture.com/2015/06/6-fun-facts-about-gilmore-girls.html|archive-date=2017-06-14|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} but the show's concept was not fully realized until Sherman-Palladino introduced the idea of a third, older generation of Gilmores to the storyline: Emily and Richard Gilmore, Lorelai's wealthy, conservative parents.{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2016/11/22/gilmore-girls-amy-sherman-palladino-tragedy/|title=Gilmore Girls creator: Show is almost a tragedy|last=Highfill|first=Samantha|date=November 22, 2016|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818220400/http://ew.com/article/2016/11/22/gilmore-girls-amy-sherman-palladino-tragedy/|archive-date=2017-08-18|url-status=live|access-date=August 18, 2017}} The creator explained that "Lorelai is made because of her experience with her family, and Emily is Emily because Lorelai left", believing Emily's relationship with Lorelai "added a layer of conflict that allows you to do the comedy, but at the base of it, it’s almost a tragedy.” One of the show's central conflicts is drawn from the fact that Emily is a "confused" character in several ways, particularly in regards to her complicated relationship with Lorelai. Gilmore Girls
The character spends many early episodes behaving as though not much time has passed since Lorelai ran away. Although initially created to resemble a "complex" villain,{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/10/21/emily-gilmore-is-the-only-reason-to-watch-the-gilmore-girls-revival/|title=Emily Gilmore is the only reason to watch the 'Gilmore Girls' revival|last=Rogers|first=Jenny|date=October 21, 2015|newspaper=The Washington Post|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914220710/https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/10/21/emily-gilmore-is-the-only-reason-to-watch-the-gilmore-girls-revival/|archive-date=2017-09-14|url-status=live|access-date=September 11, 2017}} fans believe that Emily appears to grow "softer" towards the second and third seasons, when in fact the writers only "explained [her] a little better" by evolving the character into a "more complex" version of herself. As "emotionally guarded" individuals, both mother and daughter channel their feelings towards each other in different ways. While Emily typically avoids the topic of Lorelai's upbringing, Lorelai refuses to acknowledge how abandoned she felt by her mother, "hid[ing] her feelings behind a rapidfire series of jokes." The character continues to evolve into a more complicated character as the series progresses. The first season episode "Emily in Wonderland", in which Emily visits Stars Hollow for the first time and wears a pair of sneakers at Rory's behest, offers an early example of the character's willingness to change in order to spend more time with and please Rory. However, her relationship with Lorelai remains strained well into the fifth season; the creator explained that she retained this dynamic because "In life, you never solve your family issues ... You take a few steps forward and feel like 'We're communicating better!' Then something happens and you're like, 'Why didn't I see that coming?"{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/gilmore-girls-100-40204/|title=Gilmore Girls Turns 100|date=February 8, 2005|website=TV Guide|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911120405/http://www.tvguide.com/news/gilmore-girls-100-40204/|archive-date=2017-09-11|url-status=live|access-date=September 10, 2017}} Thus, they remain "firmly ... in their estranged battleground." At one point Sherman-Palladino had deliberated introducing a woman slightly older than Lorelai – a widow who approaches Emily for help on being "more than just beautiful" in the wake of her wealthy husband's death – who becomes something of a surrogate daughter to Emily. This character and related storyline about Emily "finally ha[ving] a daughter figure who wants to be like her" would have augmented the conflict in Emily's relationship with Lorelai. Sherman-Palladino identified Emily as one of her favorite characters to write for.{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2016/10/29/gilmore-girls-amy-sherman-palladino-dan-palladino-favorite-characters/|title=Gilmore Girls: Amy Sherman-Palladino, Dan Palladino reveal favorite character to write for|last=Derschowitz|first=Jessica|date=October 29, 2016|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818215303/http://ew.com/article/2016/10/29/gilmore-girls-amy-sherman-palladino-dan-palladino-favorite-characters/|archive-date=2017-08-18|url-status=live|access-date=August 18, 2017}}
The tense relationship between Emily, "a wealthy mother of a certain generation and class," and Lorelai is one of the series' primary components.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-gilmore-girls-lorelai-emily-20161125-story.html|title=Before Lorelai and Rory, there was Emily and Lorelai: Lauren Graham weighs in on the other mother-daughter relationship of 'Gilmore Girls'|last=Villarreal|first=Yvonne|date=November 23, 2016|website=Los Angeles Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001031202/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-gilmore-girls-lorelai-emily-20161125-story.html|archive-date=2017-10-01|url-status=live|access-date=September 30, 2017}} Although much of Emily's storyline is directly related to her relationship with Lorelai, the character has endured complex situations on her own during the show's run, particularly in regards to the fact that she is "a woman of a certain generation who had long tethered her future to little other than her husband." The character sometimes struggles to determine "How a woman of her age and position should fill her days", sometimes "play[ing] Emily’s devotion to her husband for ridicule," according to Rogers. As one of the show's higher class characters, Emily and Paris Geller, Rory's schoolmate and friend, share "similarly ridiculous lines of dialogue."{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/television/1579579/amy-sherman-palladino-reveals-which-gilmore-girls-characters-are-her-favorite-to-write-for|title=Amy Sherman-Palladino Reveals Which Gilmore Girls Characters Are Her Favorite To Write For|last=Chichizola|first=Corey|date=December 2016|website=CinemaBlend|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818220622/http://www.cinemablend.com/television/1579579/amy-sherman-palladino-reveals-which-gilmore-girls-characters-are-her-favorite-to-write-for|archive-date=2017-08-18|url-status=live|access-date=August 18, 2017}} Much like Lorelai and Rory, Emily speaks "in machine-gun like bursts of dialogue".{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gilmore-girls-revival-stokes-a-cottage-industry/|title="Gilmore Girls" revival stokes a cottage industry|last=Berr|first=Jonathan|date=November 16, 2016|website=CBS News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117153324/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gilmore-girls-revival-stokes-a-cottage-industry/|archive-date=2016-11-17|url-status=live|access-date=September 25, 2016}}
== Casting and portrayal ==
Emily is portrayed by American actress Kelly Bishop.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/11/gilmore-girls-how-two-families-said-good-bye-to-edward-hermann|title=Gilmore Girls: How Two Families Said Good-bye to Edward Herrmann|last=Weaver|first=Emily|date=November 21, 2016|magazine=Vanity Fair|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710110916/http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/11/gilmore-girls-how-two-families-said-good-bye-to-edward-hermann|archive-date=2017-07-10|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} Before being cast as both a mother and grandmother in Gilmore Girls, Bishop had played mothers in several successful films, namely Dirty Dancing (1987), Private Parts (1997) and Wonder Boys (2000).{{Cite web|url=https://www.biography.com/news/gilmore-girls-cast-where-are-they-now|title='Gilmore Girls" Cast: Where Are They Now?|last=Ulster|first=Laurie|date=June 5, 2015|website=Biography|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830145441/https://www.biography.com/news/gilmore-girls-cast-where-are-they-now|archive-date=2017-08-30|url-status=live|access-date=August 30, 2017}} Prior to receiving the Gilmore Girls script, Bishop had turned down several sitcom pilots, few of which she found promising; the majority of them were Italian roles due to the popularity of The Sopranos at the time.{{Cite web|url=https://decider.com/2015/06/06/kelly-bishop-gilmore-girls-interview-atx/|title=Kelly Bishop Of 'Gilmore Girls' Talks About The Show's Legacy And Why She Wants A Movie Reunion|last=Armstrong|first=Olivia|date=June 6, 2015|website=Decider|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924001650/https://decider.com/2015/06/06/kelly-bishop-gilmore-girls-interview-atx/|archive-date=2017-09-24|url-status=live|access-date=September 23, 2017}} Upon reading the Gilmore Girls script for the first time, Bishop immediately found its dialogue "deeply funny" and interesting, in addition to appreciating the way in which the show depicts different mother-daughter relationships. She then expressed particular interest in the role of Emily to her agent before preparing to audition, recalling that "I ... really did my homework on that audition because I wanted to deliver what I thought Amy wanted and what I heard in my head." Casting directors Jill Anthony and Julie Mossberg selected Bishop, whose performance immediately impressed Sherman-Palladino and producer Gavin Polone, from an assortment of actresses who had auditioned for the role during a casting session in New York.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/gilmore-girls-lauren-graham-alexis-bledel-casting-interviews|title=How Gilmore Girls Found Its Brightest Stars|last=Bradley|first=Laura|date=November 23, 2016|magazine=Vanity Fair|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170725224124/http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/gilmore-girls-lauren-graham-alexis-bledel-casting-interviews|archive-date=2017-07-25|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}}
Throughout her filmography, Bishop tends to play "acerbic" characters more than "nice" ones the latter of which she finds rather "dull." Bishop enjoys portraying "nasty, rich women" such as Emily because she "can’t stand them", and thus attempts to make the character seem "as awful as possible.”{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/gilmore-girls-actors-defend-against-critics-who-say-revival-is-too-mean_us_583eb0ebe4b04fcaa4d5cbdc|title='Gilmore Girls' Actors Defend Against Critics Who Say Revival Is Too Mean|last=Boboltz|first=Sara|date=November 30, 2016|website=HuffPost|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819020636/http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/gilmore-girls-actors-defend-against-critics-who-say-revival-is-too-mean_us_583eb0ebe4b04fcaa4d5cbdc|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 18, 2017}} Although she enjoys playing the role, Bishop admitted that Emily is not the kind of person she would enjoy being friends with in real life because of how difficult she can be, her stubbornness and self-consciousness;{{Cite web|url=https://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.vox.de/cms/kelly-bishop-344122.html&prev=search|title=Kelly Bishop|date=April 23, 2013|website=VOX.de|language=German|access-date=October 1, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.ca&sl=de&sp=nmt4&u=http://www.myfanbase.de/gilmore-girls/darstellerbiographien/%3Fpeopleid%3D299&usg=ALkJrhggastukMzUVxsj6Rl8OwVyB5wwQw|title=Kelly Bishop|last=G.|first=Susan|website=myFanbase|language=German|access-date=October 1, 2017}} she based her performance on women she has met in New York, Florida and Hollywood, in addition to several wealthy women.{{Cite web|url=https://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://teleobs.nouvelobs.com/series/20161122.OBS1559/kelly-bishop-de-gilmore-girls-j-aime-jouer-des-femmes-desagreables.html&prev=search|title=Kelly Bishop of "Gilmore Girls": "I like playing unpleasant women"|last=Schmitt|first=Amandine|date=November 24, 2016|website=TéleObs|language=French|access-date=September 25, 2017}} However, Bishop described her character as "funny ... if you don’t have to live with her".{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2016/12/gilmore-girls-cast-on-rory-hate-edward-herrmann.html|title=The Gilmore Girls Cast on the Backlash to Rory and Lorelai, and Their Memories of Edward Herrmann|last=Emami|first=Gazelle|date=December 1, 2016|website=Vulture.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819101944/http://www.vulture.com/2016/12/gilmore-girls-cast-on-rory-hate-edward-herrmann.html|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 18, 2017}} Despite not liking Emily as a character, Bishop "understand[s] where she’s coming form (sic)" as a mother. The actress also identified Emily's honesty among her more positive attributes, saying, "I don't recall ever doing an episode where she was really lying to anyone or sneaking around. She wasn't ever doing anything deceptive, she was just straight-on." Emily's personality also reminds Bishop of her own grandmother, from whom she drew inspiration. Bishop also believes Emily was based on former United States First Ladies Nancy Reagan and Jackie Kennedy. Overall, the actress identified her character's unpleasant nature as "the fun [part] of playing her", and refuses to apologize for her behavior.{{Cite web|url=https://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.n-tv.de/leute/Kelly-Bishop-ueber-Emilys-Jeans-Rorys-Lover-article19150911.html&prev=search|title=So wird die "Gilmore Girls"-Reunion – Kelly Bishop über Emilys Jeans & Rorys Lover|last=Meinecke|first=Anna|date=November 22, 2016|website=n-tv|language=German|access-date=September 24, 2017}}
Bishop has always been confident in the material Sherman-Palladino writes for Emily, explaining, "I’ve never had one moment ... that I’ve looked down [at a script] and gone, ‘No, she wouldn’t say that,'”. Throughout her entire time working on Gilmore Girls, Bishop refused to probe Sherman-Palladino for information or secrets regarding her character's upcoming storylines, preferring to "open the scripts as if it was a present". Although Bishop sometimes found Emily's behavior surprising and difficult to defend, she usually agreed with the way in which her character is written, believing her and Sherman-Palladino "see eye to eye completely on this characterfrie." Bishop wanted to analyze and learn exactly why Emily is the way she is. The actress found it helpful to "flesh out" her character by providing her with her own backstory, which was often coincidentally similar to what Sherman-Palladino and the writers had envisioned.{{Cite web|url=http://www.telltaletv.com/2015/06/kelly-bishop-on-what-makes-gilmore-girls-timeless-getting-into-character-and-more/|title=Kelly Bishop on What Makes Gilmore Girls Timeless, Getting Into Character, and More [Exclusive Interview]|last=Sumerel|first=Ashley Bissette|date=June 12, 2015|website=Tell-Tale TV|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902091336/http://www.telltaletv.com/2015/06/kelly-bishop-on-what-makes-gilmore-girls-timeless-getting-into-character-and-more/|archive-date=2017-09-02|url-status=live|access-date=September 1, 2017}} Sherman-Palladino would often write an expository piece for the character that Bishop had thought of herself years before, remarking, "well, we are so on the same page." Bishop often asked Graham to explain certain pop culture references she had difficulty understanding. The actress credits her work on Gilmore Girls with teaching her about camera work, explaining, "I’d done all that stuff before. But having it day after day, year after year, being able to work the set and work the camera, it developed my technique and it’s an exercise that you just have to keep repeating".{{Cite web|url=https://www.hypable.com/gilmore-girls-series-success-movie-lessons/|title=Hypable talks with the stars of 'Gilmore Girls' about the series' impact, favorite moments, and takeaways|last=Lovely|first=Brittany|date=June 7, 2015|website=Hypable|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820034326/https://www.hypable.com/gilmore-girls-series-success-movie-lessons/|archive-date=2017-08-20|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} Bishop considers the fourth season episode "The Reigning Lorelai", in which Emily learns that her late mother-in-law Trix tried to dissuade Richard from marrying her as her favorite episode because of how "bizarrely out there" and unlike Emily it was, claiming that she was "drunk in every scene".{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2016/11/18/gilmore-girls-kelly-bishop-ventimiglia-padalecki-favorite-esque-episode/|title=Gilmore Girls: Kelly Bishop shares favorite episode|last=Smith|first=C. Molly|date=December 24, 2016|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820121606/http://ew.com/article/2016/11/18/gilmore-girls-kelly-bishop-ventimiglia-padalecki-favorite-esque-episode/|archive-date=2017-08-20|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017}} The actress also identified episodes in which Emily goes on outrageous shopping sprees with Lorelai and Rory among some of her other favorites. Although Bishop usually enjoyed the meals they were served during Friday-night dinners,{{Cite web|url=http://www.etonline.com/tv/166281_gilmore_girls_kelly_bishop_remembers_friday_night_dinners_oral_history_exclusive|title=Exclusive: You're Invited to 'Gilmore Girls' Friday Night Dinner With Star Kelly Bishop!|last=Aguilera|first=Leanne|date=June 19, 2015|website=Entertainment Tonight|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006113315/http://www.etonline.com/tv/166281_gilmore_girls_kelly_bishop_remembers_friday_night_dinners_oral_history_exclusive|archive-date=2017-10-06|url-status=live|access-date=October 6, 2017}} she identified the confection marzipan as the worst dish she ever had to eat during a scene.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/tv/gilmore-girls-netflix-kelly-bishop-interview-160313589.html|title='Gilmore Girls': Kelly Bishop Reveals the Worst Thing She Had to Eat at Friday Night Dinner|last=Potts|first=Kimberly|date=November 22, 2016|website=Yahoo! TV|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820115623/https://www.yahoo.com/tv/gilmore-girls-netflix-kelly-bishop-interview-160313589.html|archive-date=2017-08-20|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017}} Bishop practiced taking small bites of her food because she could not envision her character talking with her mouth full as her co-stars tended to do. Because the actors were prohibited to consume alcohol on set, Emily's wine was often substituted with colored water for Bishop to drink. She would sometimes be allowed to take home some of her character's floral centerpieces, which she had always found "amazing". Bishop adds that she has been "madly in love with" on-screen daughter Graham "from practically the first day we said hi", to the point of which she constantly gave her advice about her love life. Bishop said Graham "really is like my daughter".
Mashable contributor Proma Khosla believes "Bishop embodies the Emily we knew during Gilmore Girls’ seven seasons: classily dressed and put-together, with the aura of someone who’s better than you, even if Bishop doesn’t gloat about it like her character." Bishop appreciates Sherman-Palladino for employing her as an "older" actress. Although Gilmore Girls was Bishop and Herrmann's first time working together, they had met once before at the 30th Tony Awards in 1976 after both winning awards for featured actress and actor in a musical and play, respectively.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/gilmore-girls-kelly-bishop-emily-1201924718/|title='Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life': Kelly Bishop Talks Tackling Emily's Grief|last=Schwindt|first=Oriana|date=November 22, 2016|website=Variety|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820121233/http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/gilmore-girls-kelly-bishop-emily-1201924718/|archive-date=2017-08-20|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017}} They would not meet again until nearly 25 years later when they posed for a family portrait that would hang in their characters' mansion for the series. Bishop developed a strong, platonic comradery with Herrmann that mirrored the fictional relationship between their characters. Bishop bonded with Herrmann over the fact that they were the show's two oldest cast members,{{Cite web|url=http://www.refinery29.com/2016/02/102637/emily-bishop-gilmore-girls-reunion|title=The Sad Cloud Hanging Over The Gilmore Girls Reunion|last=Kiefer|first=Elizabeth|date=February 4, 2016|website=Refinery29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819143943/http://www.refinery29.com/2016/02/102637/emily-bishop-gilmore-girls-reunion|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} and would often do crossword puzzles in the hair and make up room together.{{Cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2016/02/01/gilmore-girls-revival-kelly-bishop-interview-ed-herrmann-richard/|title=Gilmore Girls Revival: Kelly Bishop Teases Widow Emily's 'Manic' State, Richard's Immense 'Presence'|last=Ausiello|first=Michael|date=February 1, 2016|website=TVLine|access-date=August 19, 2017}} In addition to sharing the same trailer, Bishop would accompany Herrmann to the Gilmore Girls set early, before the other cast members. After the series finale, Bishop maintained her friendship with Herrmann via e-mail. Herrmann's real life wife Star dubbed Bishop Herrmann's "second wife". Having maintained a real-life mother-daughter relationship, Graham and Bishop affectionately refer to each other as their TVM (TV mom) and TVD (TV daughter), respectively.
= ''Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life'' =
== Widowhood and grieving ==
Richard suffers several medical emergencies during the original series, which usually result in Emily worrying about having to potentially live without her husband.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/television/How-Gilmore-Girls-Revival-Address-Richard-Death-115507.html|title=How The Gilmore Girls Revival Will Address Richard's Death|last=Chichizola|first=Corey|date=2016|website=CinemaBlend|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819063837/http://www.cinemablend.com/television/How-Gilmore-Girls-Revival-Address-Richard-Death-115507.html|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 18, 2017}} On one occasion, Emily convinces Richard to promise that he not die before her, saying, "I demand to go first."{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/109590-gilmore-girls-9-best-quotes-about-family-from-the-sweet-to-the-sarcastic|title='Gilmore Girls' 9 Best Quotes About Family, From The Sweet To The Sarcastic|last=Flynn|first=Caitlin|date=Sep 15, 2015|website=Bustle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821084118/https://www.bustle.com/articles/109590-gilmore-girls-9-best-quotes-about-family-from-the-sweet-to-the-sarcastic|archive-date=2017-08-21|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017}} Herrmann passed away in 2014.{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/4510031/gilmore-girls-revival-news/|title=Everything You Need to Know About the Gilmore Girls Revival|last=Gajanan|first=Mahita|date=October 25, 2016|magazine=Time|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171022064202/http://time.com/4510031/gilmore-girls-revival-news/|archive-date=2017-10-22|url-status=live|access-date=August 18, 2017}} Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life revolves around Emily, Lorelai and Rory as the characters encounter new life challenges. Sherman-Palladino felt that the revival should mirror each main characters' role in the original Gilmore Girls pilot, in which "all three women were at a change in their lives." Herrmann's death was written into Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life by having his character also die shortly prior to the events of the series. Despite admitting that doing another Gilmore Girls project without Herrmann would be "really complicated", she expressed confidence Sherman-Palladino's ability to "handle that level of emotions, but still keep it funny". The creator decided that Emily's change would revolve around the character coming to terms with the fact that she can no longer be with her husband. His death is discussed most prominently in the first episode "Winter",{{Cite web|url=http://screenertv.com/television/gilmore-girls-kelly-bishop-richard-gilmores-death-revival/|title=Both Edward Herrmann's and Richard Gilmore's loss are felt on 'Gilmore Girls'|last=Macdonald|first=Lindsay|date=February 1, 2016|website=Screener|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819232115/http://screenertv.com/television/gilmore-girls-kelly-bishop-richard-gilmores-death-revival/|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} during which Emily's fears about living without Richard are realized. The Washington Post
Emily struggles to cope with Richard's death. In addition to accidentally commissioning a wall-sized portrait of her late husband,{{Cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2016/10/25/gilmore-girls-trailer-netflix/#sTTdSTmassqY|title='Gilmore Girls' just dropped an amazing trailer, so there goes the rest of your day|last=Strecker|first=Erin|date=October 25, 2016|website=Mashable|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821045853/http://mashable.com/2016/10/25/gilmore-girls-trailer-netflix/#sTTdSTmassqY|archive-date=2017-08-21|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017}} she attempts such exercises as dividing her belongings into items that "bring her joy" and ones that do no, inspired by Japanese organizing consultant Marie Kondo's self-help book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing,{{Cite web|url=http://hellogiggles.com/probably-missed-heartbreaking-detail-emily-new-gilmore-girls-trailer/|title=You probably missed this heartbreaking detail about Emily in the new "Gilmore Girls" trailer|last=Hallet|first=Stephanie|date=October 26, 2016|website=HelloGiggles|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824090950/http://hellogiggles.com/probably-missed-heartbreaking-detail-emily-new-gilmore-girls-trailer/|archive-date=2017-08-24|url-status=live|access-date=August 25, 2017}} discarding a fancy dress while movers remove her dining room chairs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/191430-the-richard-gilmore-painting-in-the-gilmore-girls-revival-trailer-shows-just-how-hard-emily-is|title=The Richard Gilmore Painting In The 'Gilmore Girls' Revival Trailer Shows Just How Hard Emily Is Grieving|last=Gemmill|first=Allie|date=October 25, 2016|website=Bustle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822133638/https://www.bustle.com/articles/191430-the-richard-gilmore-painting-in-the-gilmore-girls-revival-trailer-shows-just-how-hard-emily-is|archive-date=2017-08-22|url-status=live|access-date=August 21, 2017}} Emily also dresses differently than how she does throughout the original seven seasons of Gilmore Girls, particularly wearing a T-shirt and jeans for the first time.{{Cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2016/11/05/kelly-bishop-netflix/#Gpp9mpSgBiq6|title=Kelly Bishop on Emily's emotional journey and the joys and struggles of a 'Gilmore Girls' revival|last=Khosla|first=Proma|date=November 5, 2016|website=Mashable|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820121059/http://mashable.com/2016/11/05/kelly-bishop-netflix/#Gpp9mpSgBiq6|archive-date=2017-08-20|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017}} She even attempts dating another man, only to end their relationship when she finds him disappointing.{{Cite web|url=http://www.refinery29.com/2016/11/131095/lorelai-gilmore-girls-best-character-emily-bishop|title=Forget Lorelai & Rory —Emily Gilmore Is The Best Character In A Year In The Life|last=Cohen|first=Anne|date=November 28, 2016|website=Refinery29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822094738/http://www.refinery29.com/2016/11/131095/lorelai-gilmore-girls-best-character-emily-bishop|archive-date=2017-08-22|url-status=live|access-date=August 21, 2017|quote=... there's a third Gilmore Girl who somehow always gets overlooked.}} The death of her husband ultimately causes Emily to undergo the most change and development out of all the show's main characters, a gradual progression with which Bishop was "delighted", elaborating, "I liked her seeing her really evolve and grow and try to find herself and all of the different stages of grief between the pain and the loss and the rage and the confusion and trying to find what the next step is for her."{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/gilmore-girls-revival-kelly-bishop-interview-950805|title='Gilmore Girls' Star Kelly Bishop on Emily's "Journey," the Speech She Hated and Potential Future Episodes|last=Stanhope|first=Kate|date=November 28, 2016|website=The Hollywood Reporter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819104002/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/gilmore-girls-revival-kelly-bishop-interview-950805|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} Overall, Bishop believes her character channels her grief "pretty well."
Emily's relationship with Lorelai is also directly affected by Richard's passing,{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/1496dbaf593141d69cf8448eafd9efc5/fast-talking-gilmore-girls-returns-mad-binging-forecast|title=Fast-talking 'Gilmore Girls' returns; mad binging forecast|last=Elber|first=Lynn|date=November 21, 2016|website=Associated Press|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917075545/https://apnews.com/1496dbaf593141d69cf8448eafd9efc5/fast-talking-gilmore-girls-returns-mad-binging-forecast|archive-date=2017-09-17|url-status=live|access-date=September 16, 2017}} both positively and negatively.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/196319-when-did-richard-gilmore-die-in-the-gilmore-girls-revival-its-been-a-long-winter-without|title=When Did Richard Gilmore Die? In The 'Gilmore Girls' Revival, It's Been A Long Winter Without Him|last=Denninger|first=Lindsay|date=November 25, 2016|website=Bustle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916053558/https://www.bustle.com/articles/196319-when-did-richard-gilmore-die-in-the-gilmore-girls-revival-its-been-a-long-winter-without|archive-date=2017-09-16|url-status=live|access-date=September 15, 2017}} Richard once served as "the middle ground between" Emily and Lorelai, who was often "the most diplomatic of" Lorelai's parents.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/183100-the-new-gilmore-girls-revival-photo-shows-them-visiting-richards-grave-it-will-break-your|title=The New 'Gilmore Girls' Revival Photo Shows Them Visiting Richard's Grave & It Will Break Your Heart — Photos|last=Atkinson|first=S.|date=September 9, 2016|website=Bustle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822093540/https://www.bustle.com/articles/183100-the-new-gilmore-girls-revival-photo-shows-them-visiting-richards-grave-it-will-break-your|archive-date=2017-08-22|url-status=live|access-date=August 21, 2017}} After Lorelai speaks poorly of her father at his funeral, Emily tricks Lorelai into finally attending therapy with her in an attempt to mend their relationship. Although the sessions do not appear to be very fruitful, it is the first time they mutually acknowledge that there is a problem in their relationship. Just recognizing that there is a problem is a great first step. Bishop believes "there’s a little bit more of a womanly connection between the two of them than a mother-daughter thing, but certainly the conflicts and the problems between mother and daughter arise, and very dramatically in one scene." The characters are marginally closer friends than they ever were on Gilmore Girls by the end of the revival.
Since Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life was to be released on the streaming service Netflix, the writers debated whether or not the characters should be allowed to swear for the first time, particularly Emily. Sherman-Palladino ultimately decided that Emily would be the only character who swears in the series, using profanity against the fellow members of the DAR; she describes organization as "bullshit" three times after growing restless as they interview a potential new member, before she quits the group. Uttering "This whole thing died with Richard anyway", Bishop explained that Emily "doesn't see any point in it [anymore]. Obviously, these women were not her friends, they were her social circle ... so she didn't really have any reason to hang around with them anymore and she was seeing through the whole thing. She had, actually, the whole time. She saw the hypocrisy in their behavior. I don't know that she disagreed with it back in her other days – that was just the way it is. Now she's just looking at all of life and calling it out in a way." Emily ultimately relinquishes control of the organization to Toni, portrayed by actress Carolyn Hennesy, with whom Bishop had enjoyed arguing "back and forth as to who's running the show."
Although Emily's life keeps changing, Sherman-Palladino felt it important that she end the revival "calm and settled", at least for the time being.{{Cite web|url=https://tvline.com/2016/12/01/gilmore-girls-a-year-in-the-life-amy-sherman-palladino-interview-final-four-words/|title=Gilmore Girls' Amy Sherman-Palladino: The Revival Post Mortem Interview You've Been Waiting For|last=Ausiello|first=Michael|date=December 1, 2016|website=TVLine|pages=1–2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820120253/https://tvline.com/2016/12/01/gilmore-girls-a-year-in-the-life-amy-sherman-palladino-interview-final-four-words/|archive-date=2017-08-20|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017}} Bishop agreed that Emily finds "serenity" by the end of the series, resolving that "After sharing her life for half a century, it's finally her own, to do with as she pleases." She believes that the character sells her mansion because she felt "it was closing in on her", and there was little left for her there beyond her fond memories of Richard. The actress defends her decision to relocate to her vacation home in Nantucket because "she had fond memories of being relaxed and comfortable" there. Just like the pilot, the series ends with Emily blackmailing Lorelai, offering to loan her the money to expand the Dragonfly Inn – only this time Lorelai agrees to her terms willingly.
== Portrayal ==
Having been expressing interest in a Gilmore Girls film for several years, Bishop was "delighted" to learn that a revival was being developed. Bishop was initially hesitant to commit to Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life because her husband had been unwell at the time, and reprising the role would limit her ability to care for him. However, her family encouraged Bishop to return, agreeing "it’s something that I just have to do ... I’d be heartbroken if the show went on without me." The week before filming began, Bishop attended the first few table reads remotely via Skype in order to continue tending to her husband before joining the rest of the cast on location.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hypable.com/gilmore-girls-revival-kelly-bishop-interview/|title=Kelly Bishop opens up about 'Gilmore Girls' revival: 'This show is so deeply important to me'|last=Lovely|first=Brittany|date=February 2, 2016|website=Hypable|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820034652/https://www.hypable.com/gilmore-girls-revival-kelly-bishop-interview/|archive-date=2017-08-20|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} Bishop was thoroughly "delighted" with the new material that had been written for Emily, enjoying "seeing her really evolve and grow and try to find herself and all of the different stages of grief". The way in which Emily initially deals with Richard's passing reminded Bishop of how she first responded to the death of her own mother, incorporating elements of the grief she had experienced into her performance: "I was manic and aggressive and pushing, pushing, pushing — because, if you stop, you’re going to cry. So you don’t stop. And I see that in Emily." She also based her performance on widows she had met in real life. Bishop learned approximately 5,295 lines for Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. Although she found resuming the role as easy as "putting on a favorite coat that still fits and feels amazing", she found filming all four episodes at once to be challenging at times because they were rarely shot in order.
Because of how close Bishop was to Herrmann in real life, Star invited Bishop to bid farewell to the ailing actor when his family decided to take the actor off life support – the only non-family member to have been invited. Bishop herself found it very difficult to do the revival without Herrmann because "he and I were buds on the show. We, obviously, were older [than the rest of the cast]. But we were also New York actors, and we connected very well ... There was a comfort level."{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2016/08/26/lauren-graham-gilmore-girls-tribute-edward-herrmann/|title=Lauren Graham: Gilmore Girls revival is a tribute to Edward Herrmann|last=Kickham|first=Dylan|date=August 26, 2016|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819150033/http://ew.com/article/2016/08/26/lauren-graham-gilmore-girls-tribute-edward-herrmann/|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} Using Emily's storyline as a means of channeling her own grief at the loss of her co-star, Bishop found herself waiting for Herrmann to arrive on set during the first day of filming, and claims that the lights once flickered when she mentioned his name. She would sometimes speak to the large portrait of Herrmann's character. Bishop found Herrmann's absence particularly jarring during scenes filmed in the family dining room because "There was [an empty] space where he was supposed to be". Despite her comradery with her female co-stars, Bishop admitted that she felt lonely on set without Herrmann. The actress found it difficult to speak to Graham and Bledel because the former was busy writing a book during her spare time, while the latter seldom speaks, "so I was just kind of standing around swinging my arms, not knowing what to do." The actress' entire performance "is defined by the loss of the dear friend she had in Herrmann", whose loss she incorporated into her performance.{{Cite web|url=http://www.elle.com/culture/g27721/gilmore-girls-cast/|title=What the Cast of 'Gilmore Girls' Has Been Doing Post-Stars Hollow|last=Chua|first=Jinnie|date=November 2, 2016|website=Elle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909004957/http://www.elle.com/culture/g27721/gilmore-girls-cast/|archive-date=2017-09-09|url-status=live|access-date=September 8, 2017}} At the same time, however, Herrmann – and Richard's – deaths allow Emily to develop in ways that might not have been possible otherwise, finally allowing Bishop to explore her character's true motivations while seeing Emily "grow a bit."{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/kelly-bishop-gilmore-girls-revival_us_56afb5b4e4b057d7d7c7b348|title=The Original 'Gilmore Girl' Kelly Bishop Previews Widow Emily's 'Raw' Return|last=Delbyck|first=Cole|date=February 1, 2016|website=HuffPost|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819232530/http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/kelly-bishop-gilmore-girls-revival_us_56afb5b4e4b057d7d7c7b348|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} Bishop believes Emily "would have probably been on the same plane that we always were" had Herrmann not died, elaborating, "I sure miss Ed and he would have loved to have done it ... but it made for a really interesting journey for Emily." Bishop joked that returning to the show in 2016 taught her that "I’m a really good actress". Bishop enjoyed Sherman-Palladino's decision to have her character swear in the series, explaining "That's the quirk of Amy."
Bishop maintains that she did not portray her character any differently than she had during Gilmore Girls due to having played her for so many years and knowing her very well.{{Cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/ca/news/807670/gilmore-girls-kelly-bishop-on-emily-s-journey-through-widowhood-and-those-jeans-you-can-t-stop-talking-about|title=Gilmore Girls' Kelly Bishop on Emily's Journey Through Widowhood and Those Jeans You Can't Stop Talking About|last=Harnick|first=Chris|date=November 7, 2016|website=E!|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924100248/http://www.eonline.com/ca/news/807670/gilmore-girls-kelly-bishop-on-emily-s-journey-through-widowhood-and-those-jeans-you-can-t-stop-talking-about|archive-date=2017-09-24|url-status=live|access-date=September 24, 2017}} Despite being a complicated sequence that took particularly long to film, Emily enjoyed filming "the Marie Kondo scene" because "You see the first signs of Emily "going in a direction you couldn't have imagined before." In terms of clothing, Emily's clothes changes the most during the revival, beginning with her baseball T-shirt as "a slight hint" of her wardrobe progression.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gilmore-girls-costume-designer-dressing-lorelai-rory-netflix-revival-948454|title='Gilmore Girls' Costume Designer Reveals Reveals Why You'll See More Designer Labels on Show's Revival|last=Chan|first=Stephanie|date=November 17, 2016|website=The Hollywood Reporter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829122715/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gilmore-girls-costume-designer-dressing-lorelai-rory-netflix-revival-948454|archive-date=2017-08-29|url-status=live|access-date=August 29, 2017}} Wardrobe designer, Brenda Maben, enjoyed costuming Emily during the revival, particularly during "Fall", "because of the things that happen with her character.”{{Cite web|url=http://footwearnews.com/2016/fn-spy/entertainment/gilmore-girls-alexis-bledel-lauren-graham-fashion-shoes-278335/|title=Manolo Blahnik, J.Crew and Tory Burch Are Some of the Shoe Brands You'll See in New 'Gilmore Girls'|last=Henning|first=Kristen|date=November 24, 2016|website=Footwear News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826152613/http://footwearnews.com/2016/fn-spy/entertainment/gilmore-girls-alexis-bledel-lauren-graham-fashion-shoes-278335/|archive-date=2017-08-26|url-status=live|access-date=August 26, 2017}} Maben explained that the character's change in attire mirrors people who "start to find themselves" after becoming widowed, elaborating that before they can move on from their deaths they "have to look inside yourself and make decisions and quite possibly make some changes and continue on without the person you are terribly in love with. And it could be going back to something you had earlier in your life before you had your spouse that maybe you might have wanted to do but you didn't do because of having children and living that particular life."{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a18917/gilmore-girls-style/|title=Gilmore Girls: The Style Then and Now|last=Pieri|first=Kerry|date=November 18, 2016|magazine=Harper's Bazaar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831114344/http://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a18917/gilmore-girls-style/|archive-date=2017-08-31|url-status=live|access-date=August 30, 2017}} Bishop said she "had great fun" wearing jeans as her character for the first time, which are Steve Madden.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/how-to-dress-a-gilmore-girl|title=How to Dress a Gilmore Girl|last=Weaver|first=Hilary|date=November 7, 2016|magazine=Vanity Fair|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729050450/http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/how-to-dress-a-gilmore-girl|archive-date=2017-07-29|url-status=live|access-date=October 3, 2017}} Maben echoed that creating Emily's new wardrobe was fun because it "was something we had never seen before so that was quite fun for me", despite admitting that she found the jeans "ugly".{{Cite web|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/kelly-bishop-talks-gilmore-girls-revival-emilys-jeans-and-missing-edward-herrmann|title=Kelly Bishop Talks 'Gilmore Girls' Revival, Emily's Jeans, and Missing Edward Herrmann|last=Fallon|first=Kevin|date=November 22, 2016|website=The Daily Beast|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818165248/http://www.thedailybeast.com/kelly-bishop-talks-gilmore-girls-revival-emilys-jeans-and-missing-edward-herrmann|archive-date=2017-08-18|url-status=live|access-date=September 17, 2017}} Kelly and Maben agreed that Emily should still wear her signature gold necklace and earrings atop her more casual attire,{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2016/11/gilmore-girls-netflix-revival-costumes-rory-lorelai/slideshow/4/|title=Gilmore Girls' Costume Designer Breaks Down the Looks From the Revival – Emily is making some big changes.|last=McHenry|first=Jackson|date=November 21, 2016|website=Vulture.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901134926/http://www.vulture.com/2016/11/gilmore-girls-netflix-revival-costumes-rory-lorelai/slideshow/4/|archive-date=September 1, 2017|url-status=dead|access-date=September 1, 2017}} explaining, "when you’re DAR ... on top of old money, you don't change up your jewelry a lot ... She's still that same person—there are just a lot of changes that are coming along.”{{Cite web|url=http://www.instyle.com/celebrity/6-classic-gilmore-girls-costumes-definitely-in-netflix-revival#1581028|title=6 Classic Gilmore Girls Costumes That Will Definitely Be in the Netflix Revival|last=Ferrise|first=Jennifer|date=November 22, 2016|website=InStyle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826114555/http://www.instyle.com/celebrity/6-classic-gilmore-girls-costumes-definitely-in-netflix-revival#1581028|archive-date=2017-08-26|url-status=live|access-date=August 26, 2017}} The T-shirt bears a faded Candie's logo. After finding one proved difficult, Maben sought permission from the company to have the logo specially printed on the shirt. Maben explained that the logo "It needed to be not in your face Candie’s, but it needed to be faded where you had to really look and say, Oh, what does that say?” Although Bishop appreciated her character's sudden interest in marine life for continuing to show her growth, she disliked her speech vivaciously recounting the deaths of these animals due to being an "animal lover" herself, and the amount of takes the scene required for her to get it right.
Characterization
= Personality =
Vogue
CinemaBlend's Corey Chichizola identified Emily as one of Gilmore Girls
Emily has always been concerned about appearances and sometimes criticizing Lorelai for her own choices in clothing,{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/television/Which-Gilmore-Girls-Stars-Return-Revival-Here-Who-Confirmed-114797.html|title=Which Gilmore Girls Stars Will Return For The Revival? Here's Who Is Confirmed|last=Jones|first=Adrienne|website=CinemaBlend|date=12 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820162046/http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Which-Gilmore-Girls-Stars-Return-Revival-Here-Who-Confirmed-114797.html|archive-date=2017-08-20|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017}} such as scolding her for wearing a pair of sweatpants that read "Juicy". Septembre Anderson of Brit + Co remarked that the character has "always dressed to the nine" in contrast to Lorelai's "lazygirl attitude when it came to style."{{Cite web|url=https://www.brit.co/gilmore-girls-fashion/|title=8 Gilmore Girls-Approved Fashion Items That Are So RN|last=Anderson|first=Septembre|date=July 13, 2016|website=Brit + Co|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831091220/https://www.brit.co/gilmore-girls-fashion/|archive-date=2017-08-31|url-status=live|access-date=August 30, 2017}} Paste
= Relationships =
According to Konbini's Benjamin Holt, Emily adheres to the "bad mom" literary trope, describing her as an example of "a domineering matriarch with a sharp tongue and ruthless wit."{{Cite web|url=http://www.konbini.com/us/entertainment/college-course-examines-bad-mothers-of-television/|title=This College Course Examines The 'Bad Mothers' Of Television|last=Holt|first=Benjamin|date=March 2017|website=Konbini|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825104453/http://www.konbini.com/us/entertainment/college-course-examines-bad-mothers-of-television/|archive-date=2017-08-25|url-status=live|access-date=August 24, 2017}} The New York Post journalist David K. Li credits Emily's "bickering" relationship with Lorelai with reminding viewers what a typical mother-daughter relationship looks like, in stark contrast to Lorelai's best friend relationship with Rory. Although the characters occasionally share "tender moments", their relationship "has never been ideal" in comparison to the strong bond between Lorelai and Rory. Emily often bestows "condescending lines and disapproving glares" upon Lorelai,{{Cite web|url=https://www.glamour.com/story/gilmore-girls-kelly-bishop-on|title=Gilmore Girls' Kelly Bishop on the Time She Tried to Set Up Lauren Graham and Peter Krause|last=Whitney|first=Alyse|date=June 10, 2015|website=Glamour|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820115629/https://www.glamour.com/story/gilmore-girls-kelly-bishop-on|archive-date=2017-08-20|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017}} who has at times compared her mother to politicians Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/natalyalobanova/oy-with-the-poodles-already|title=Sorry But Lorelai Gilmore Is Kind Of The Worst|last=Lobanova|first=Natalya|date=December 17, 2015|website=BuzzFeed|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106024210/https://www.buzzfeed.com/natalyalobanova/oy-with-the-poodles-already|archive-date=2017-11-06|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2014/09/whos-worse-lorelai-or-rory.html|title=Gilmore Girls Is Great, But Lorelai and Rory Might Be Terrible|last=Lyons|first=Margaret|date=November 17, 2016|website=Vulture.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831125022/http://www.vulture.com/2014/09/whos-worse-lorelai-or-rory.html|archive-date=2017-08-31|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2017}} Emily strongly believes that Lorelai's life would be better if she would only listened to her, but the two characters view Lorelai's life "in completely different terms." The Week
Emily's biggest struggle is trying to maintain a relationship with both her daughter and granddaughter "while doing what she thought was best", secretly wanting little more than to finally have a good relationship with Lorelai. Li believes that the character is mostly jealous of Lorelai "and would give anything to have the open relationship Lorelai and Rory share." Bishop explained that her character truly envies Lorelai's relationship with Rory because she "doesn’t know how to do it", struggling to understand their dynamic due to having been raised to believe that parents are not to be friends with their own children. Emily feels underappreciated by her family, often resulting in the character feeling insecure. Bishop agreed that her character is "weirdly insecure", a trait that makes her long for the status quo. She is heartbroken upon reading Lorelai's letter announcing she has decided to run away, when Lorelai neglects to inform her that she is engaged to Max Medina, and when Rory to leaves their home, into which she had moved after dropping out of Yale, without saying goodbye to her; Lorelai's strained relationship with Rory during this time offers viewers "a glimpse of how Lorelai and Emily’s relationship disintegrated" when she was a child. Flynn observed that the character is "often on the receiving end [of mistreatment] when Lorelai and Rory's decisions were less than admirable", but is usually willing to forgive them for the sake of maintaining their relationship. She also struggles to express how much Lorelai's actions, beginning with leaving home as a teenager to limiting contact with her granddaughter, hurt her. Emily views Rory as her "new Lorelai", an opportunity to "do over" her relationship with Lorelai and serving as something of a "replacement" for her daughter. However, despite being remarkably different, it has been noted that both Lorelai and Rory appear to have "inherited their biting wit" from Emily.{{Cite web|url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/photo-gallery/42578827/image/42579081/Snark-Emily-Gilmore|title=20 Things That We Need to See in the Gilmore Girls Reboot|last=Hurley|first=Erin|date=October 24, 2016|website=PopSugar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926100146/https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/photo-gallery/42578827/image/42579081/Snark-Emily-Gilmore|archive-date=2017-09-26|url-status=live|access-date=September 25, 2017}}
Usually depicted as "steely" and stuck up, Emily typically hides her more intimate emotions,{{Cite web|url=http://tvline.com/gallery/2017-emmys-supporting-actress-limited-series-nominees-dream/#!1/kelly-bishop-2/|title=Emmys 2017: Supporting Actress, Limited Series -- Dream Nominees – Kelly Bishop, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life|date=June 20, 2017|website=TVLine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818214412/http://tvline.com/gallery/2017-emmys-supporting-actress-limited-series-nominees-dream/#!1/kelly-bishop-2/|archive-date=2017-08-18|url-status=live|access-date=August 18, 2017}} preferring to prioritize business over pleasure and "cry when nobody’s looking" in order to maintain her pride. However, Emily's more vulnerable side is revealed when she learns of Richard's continuing friendship with an ex-girlfriend of his, Pennilyn Lott. Emily is particularly aggravated by Richard when he is dishonest with her, particularly when he neglects to inform her that he has retired or his relationship with Pennilyn. Subsequently, most of Richard's decisions could potentially upturn Emily's life. Although usually quiet and composed, the temporary deterioration of her marriage to Richard reveals "a sassier side" in contrast to being merely a wife, becoming "a woman who had things to say",{{Cite web|url=http://www.thethings.com/15-times-emily-gilmore-was-actually-the-best/|title=15 Times Emily Gilmore Was Actually The Best|last=Grainger|first=Charlotte|date=October 26, 2016|website=TheThings.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909010313/http://www.thethings.com/15-times-emily-gilmore-was-actually-the-best/|archive-date=2017-09-09|access-date=September 8, 2017|quote=One of the most commonly vilified characters has to be Emily Gilmore, Lorelai’s rich and entitled mother.}} while becoming increasingly resentful towards his dismissiveness of her. At the same time, Richard relies on Emily for most matters that do not directly pertain to his insurance company. Despite having been married to the same person for most of her life, Bitch
The way in which Emily mistreats her maids is used as a running gag throughout the series. Constantly struggling to understand what language her often foreign maids are speaking, Emily seldom bothers to get to know her domestic employees before firing them for trivial reasons such as "clomping around the house", and rarely keeps the same maid for more than one episode. A notable exception is Berta, a maid Emily hires after Richard's demise and uncharacteristically retains throughout all four installments of the revival, even when she moves to Nantucket and taking her entire family with her, despite the fact that she does not know what language she speaks, is unable to identify the meals she cooks and is annoyed that her large family "keep[s] appearing." Anne Cohen, writing for Refinery 29, believes Emily is so tolerant of Berta and her family because she finally experiences "what it means to be alone." As a grandmother, Kristen Sturt of Grandparents.com observed that Emily resembles "rich and imperious glam-mas" who are "as likely to bake a pie as they are to shop at Payless", as opposed to traditional " kindly, white-haired and wise ladies."{{Cite web|url=http://www.grandparents.com/food-and-leisure/entertainment-and-books/greatest-television-tv-grandparents|title=The 22 Greatest TV Grandparents|last=Sturt|first=Kristen|website=Grandparents.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819103322/http://www.grandparents.com/food-and-leisure/entertainment-and-books/greatest-television-tv-grandparents|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} Judy Berman of Flavorwire dubbed her "the quintessential WASP grandmother".{{Cite web|url=http://flavorwire.com/139266/the-top-10-tv-grandmas-of-all-time/4|title=The Top 10 TV Grandmas of All Time|last=Berman|first=Judy|date=December 29, 2010|website=Flavorwire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819103403/http://flavorwire.com/139266/the-top-10-tv-grandmas-of-all-time/4|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}}
Reception
= Critical response =
Critical reception towards Bishop's performance has been positive since Gilmore Girls premiered in 2000. Graeme McMillan of Wired wrote that the actress "plays Emily to perfection",{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2014/10/binge-guide-gilmore-girls/|title=Wired Binge-Watching Guide: Gilmore Girls|last=McMillan|first=Graeme|date=October 15, 2014|magazine=Wired|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222073339/https://www.wired.com/2014/10/binge-guide-gilmore-girls/|archive-date=2016-12-22|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} while The Hollywood Reporter commended Bishop for portraying her character "with great moxie".{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/gilmore-girls-review-i-first-episode-i-season-one-i-949820|title='Gilmore Girls' First Episode: THR's 2000 Review|last=November 24, 2016|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=24 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819104920/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/gilmore-girls-review-i-first-episode-i-season-one-i-949820|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} Us Weekly agreed that Bishop played the character "perfectly".{{Cite web|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/gilmore-girls-cast-then-and-now-2014299/41041|title=Gilmore Girls Cast: Then and Now|date=October 1, 2014|website=Us Weekly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924095153/http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/gilmore-girls-cast-then-and-now-2014299/41041|archive-date=September 24, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=September 24, 2017}} Lauren Fries of Variety praised Bishop as a "talented" actress who "make[s] Graham’s work easier and lend[s] a good deal of authority and legitimacy to the show."{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2000/film/awards/gilmore-girls-1200465067/|title=Review: 'Gilmore Girls'|last=Fries|first=Laura|date=October 2, 2000|website=Variety|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819144524/http://variety.com/2000/film/awards/gilmore-girls-1200465067/|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} CinemaBlend contributor Adrienne Jones wrote that the actress "helped her character display just the right amount of heart and saucy venom to engage in emotional verbal battles". Bustle
{{Rquote|Right|There were some moments when your love for Emily Gilmore most like blossomed beyond what you ever thought possible before. Just when you thought you were Team Lorelai forever, Emily would whip up some amazing response or show a softer side that just about broke your heart, and you’d land squarely back on Team Emily where you started. Because, if you ask me, Emily Gilmore was the best reason to watch Gilmore Girls most weeks.|Bustle's Emily Lackey, on her alternating feelings towards Emily.}}
Reception towards Emily's characterization has varied greatly. In 2002, Zap2it contributor Amy Amatangelo named Emily one of television's "10 Best Characters", calling her relationship with Lorelai the show's "most gripping".{{Cite web|url=http://entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=108378|title=10 Best Characters on TV|last=Amatangelo|first=Amy|date=December 14, 2002|website=MSN Entertainment|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030105080347/http://entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=108378|archive-date=January 5, 2003|url-status=|access-date=September 9, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.geocities.ws/mcccelebnews/0010.html|title=10 Best Characters on TV|last=Amatangelo|first=Amy|date=December 14, 2002|website=GeoCities|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623200121/http://www.geocities.ws/mcccelebnews/0010.html|archive-date=2018-06-23|url-status=live|access-date=September 8, 2017}} Vanity Fair
In retrospect, several critics have grown to appreciate and defend Emily. Diana Bruk of Country Living admitted that although she often sided with Lorelai while watching Gilmore Girls as a child, labeling Emily "a bad mother", her opinion has since changed to regard the character as "just like any other mother" with whom the character shares several positive traits, among them wanting the best for her daughter. Similarly, Kayleigh Roberts of Marie Claire identified with Rory as a teenager but ultimately grew see Emily as her "favorite Gilmore Girl" as an adult, dubbing her "the Gilmore lady I aspire to emulate".{{Cite web|url=http://www.marieclaire.com/culture/news/a23754/gilmore-girls-defense-of-emily-gilmore/|title=Why Life Is So Much Better as an Emily Than as a Rory|last=Roberts|first=Kayleigh|date=November 22, 2016|website=Marie Claire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826071424/http://www.marieclaire.com/culture/news/a23754/gilmore-girls-defense-of-emily-gilmore/|archive-date=August 26, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=August 25, 2017}} Defending the character from some fans who "might not be so happy to see Emily make a return" in an article entitled "Why Emily Gilmore Is Better Than You Give Her Credit For", Bustle
= Revival and popularity =
Once considered to be one of the show's most underrated, overlooked characters,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/179625-amy-sherman-palladino-sums-up-the-gilmore-girls-revival-journeys-of-lorelai-rory-emily|title=Amy Sherman-Palladino Sums Up The 'Gilmore Girls' Revival Journeys Of Lorelai, Rory, & Emily|last=Bowman|first=Sabienna|date=August 19, 2016|website=Bustle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818220640/https://www.bustle.com/articles/179625-amy-sherman-palladino-sums-up-the-gilmore-girls-revival-journeys-of-lorelai-rory-emily|archive-date=2017-08-18|url-status=live|access-date=August 18, 2017|quote=Emily is eternally underrated ...}} Emily has experienced newfound popularity and appreciation as a result of her role in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, since becoming a fan favorite. Bustle contributor Caitlin Flynn believes that Emily was originally ignored by audiences because she belongs to an older generation than most Gilmore Girls fans. Wetpaint's Gaby Corsalini observed that the revival reminded audiences "just how underappreciated and underrated Emily Gilmore’s character always was."{{Cite web|url=http://www.wetpaint.com/emily-gilmore-funny-moments-1579148/|title=15 Times Emily Gilmore Was the Best Character on 'Gilmore Girls' (PHOTOS)|last=Corsalini|first=Gaby|date=March 31, 2017|website=Wetpaint|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909005513/http://www.wetpaint.com/emily-gilmore-funny-moments-1579148/|archive-date=2017-09-09|url-status=live|access-date=September 8, 2017}} When the revival was announced, BuzzFeed's Krystie Lee Yandoli heralded the return of Emily "into our lives."{{Cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/krystieyandoli/heres-what-kelly-bishop-said-about-filming-gilmore-girls-wit|title=Here's What Kelly Bishop Said About Filming "Gilmore Girls" Without Edward Herrmann|last=Yandoli|first=Krystie Lee|date=February 4, 2016|website=BuzzFeed|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171121041219/https://www.buzzfeed.com/krystieyandoli/heres-what-kelly-bishop-said-about-filming-gilmore-girls-wit|archive-date=2017-11-21|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} Jenny Rogers, writing for The Washington Post, expected Emily to be "the only reason to watch the ‘Gilmore Girls’ revival", reevaluating her as a "great" character upon re-watching the original series while preferring her "biting" sense of humor over Lorelai and Rory’s. Rogers also believed that Emily would be the only main character who could evolve reasonably enough to satisfy fans. PopSugar's Erin Hurley wrote that Emily "never disappoints when it comes to snark," insisting that it and her "burns" be featured prominently in the revival.
Most critics and fans agree that the character provides the majority of the revival's highlights. Comparing the character's storyline to that of a phoenix rising from the ashes, Laura Bradley of Vanity Fair appreciated Emily for "sav[ing] us from her progeny’s typical, tedious flailing", writing, "she’s no Rory or Lorelai, but isn’t that exactly what we love about Emily Gilmore?"{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/gilmore-girls-panel-emily-gilmore-kelly-bishop|title=Kelly Bishop Can't Understand Why Gilmore Girls Fans Love Emily Gilmore|last=Bradley|first=Laura|date=November 30, 2016|magazine=Vanity Fair|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170727220003/http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/gilmore-girls-panel-emily-gilmore-kelly-bishop|archive-date=2017-07-27|url-status=live|access-date=August 18, 2017}} In a separate review, Bradley crowned Emily the "Real Star" of the revival and wrote that she "is back and better than ever", praising her development as "the only [character] who shows any semblance of personal growth".{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/gilmore-girls-netflix-emily-gilmore-kelly-bishop-review|title=Emily Gilmore Is the Real Star of Netflix's Gilmore Girls|last=Bradley|first=Laura|date=November 28, 2016|magazine=Vanity Fair|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170623043047/http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/gilmore-girls-netflix-emily-gilmore-kelly-bishop-review|archive-date=2017-06-23|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017|quote=... most fans will probably find that this time, almost all of the highlights belong to Emily.}} Refinery29
TVLine's Michael Ausiello dubbed Bishop "a national treasure" for providing "the revival’s most crowd-pleasing moment."{{Cite web|url=http://tvline.com/gallery/gilmore-girls-a-year-in-the-life-review-revival-netflix-photos/#!5/gilmore-girls-emily-5/|title=Gilmore Revival: Ausiello's Take – Kelly Bishop is a National Treasure|last=Ausiello|first=Michael|date=November 16, 2016|website=TVLine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827124213/http://tvline.com/gallery/gilmore-girls-a-year-in-the-life-review-revival-netflix-photos/#!5/gilmore-girls-emily-5/|archive-date=2017-08-27|url-status=live|access-date=August 26, 2017}} Shannon Vestal Robinson, writing for PopSugar, cited Emily among seven reasons Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life should be renewed for a second season, calling the character's role her "favorite character development for Emily ever".{{Cite web|url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Why-Gilmore-Girls-Should-Get-Another-Season-Netflix-42773885?stream_view=1#photo-42778851|title=7 Reasons We Need Gilmore Girls to Come Back For Another Season|last=Robson|first=Shannon Vestel|date=November 30, 2016|website=PopSugar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830105949/https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Why-Gilmore-Girls-Should-Get-Another-Season-Netflix-42773885?stream_view=1#photo-42778851|archive-date=2017-08-30|url-status=live|access-date=August 30, 2017}} The jeans and T-shirt combination Emily wears in the revival has garnered significant attention from fans and the media since it was first seen in the trailer,{{Cite web|url=http://observer.com/2016/11/on-the-gilmore-girls-revival-every-costume-tells-a-story/|title=On the 'Gilmore Girls' Revival, Every Costume Tells a Story|last=Sheppard|first=Eleni|date=November 25, 2016|website=Observer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827091112/http://observer.com/2016/11/on-the-gilmore-girls-revival-every-costume-tells-a-story/|archive-date=2017-08-27|url-status=live|access-date=August 26, 2017|quote=Emily Gilmore—arguably the third Gilmore girl ...}} with Mashable's Proma Khosla calling the outfit "legendary". E! reported that critics and fans were unable to stop talking about the outfit. Bishop admitted that the jeans were intended to shock audiences,{{Cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2016/11/08/Gilmore-Girls-Kelly-Bishop-Emily-is-dealing-with-widowhood/3411478625140/|title='Gilmore Girls' Kelly Bishop: 'Emily is dealing with widowhood'|last=Mulé|first=Sarah|date=November 8, 2016|website=UPI|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924140705/https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2016/11/08/Gilmore-Girls-Kelly-Bishop-Emily-is-dealing-with-widowhood/3411478625140/|archive-date=2017-09-24|url-status=live|access-date=September 24, 2017}} Maben was surprised that the producers decided to include the scene in which Emily debuts the outfit in the trailer, at first assuming that they would have preferred to keep it as a surprise until the revival was released. Entertainment Weekly ranked the jeans among "the most shocking moments of the revival".{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/gallery/gilmore-girls-revival-best-worst-fashion/emilys-jeans-episode-1-winter/|title=Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life: The Best and Worst Fashion|last1=Boardman|first1=Madeline|last2=Goodman|first2=Jessica|date=November 29, 2016|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826032945/http://ew.com/gallery/gilmore-girls-revival-best-worst-fashion/emilys-jeans-episode-1-winter/|archive-date=2017-08-26|url-status=live|access-date=August 25, 2017|last3=Highfill|first3=Samantha|last4=Bamforth|first4=Kelly|last5=Derschowitz|first5=Jessica}} Entertainment Weekly
Edward Barsamian of Vogue published an article entitled "13 Life Lessons I Learned from Emily Gilmore", writing, "whether you love or loathe her, [Emily] provided countless life lessons many of which some of us still use today." Bustle contributor Caitlin Flynn dubbed the character "one of the most underrated moms on TV". BuddyTV placed Emily at number 13 on their "Worst TV Moms Ever" ranking. Flavorwire placed Emily at number seven on the website's ranking of "The Top 10 TV Grandmas of All Time". TV.com ranked Emily the 15th greatest television grandmother.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/news/tvs-greatest-grandmas-22829/|title=TV's Greatest Grandmas|last=Diamond|first=Ilana|date=May 7, 2010|website=TV.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819103642/http://www.tv.com/news/tvs-greatest-grandmas-22829/|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live|access-date=August 19, 2017}} Grandparents.com included Emily among "The 22 Greatest TV Grandparents". Bustle published an article recognizing "13 Emily Gilmore Fashion Lessons That We Can All Learn From", calling it "widely underrated" while praising her use of "accessories, shapes, and colors to make each outfit pop." According to author Julia Musto, the character also teaches "lessons about how to be an actual Queen, awesome grandmother, expert shopper, and brutally destroy your enemies with their deepest and darkest fears and insecurities." The Daily Beast
= Racism allegations =
The way Emily treats her maids has been widely criticized, a common complaint made against an otherwise well-received character. Several critics have accused the running gag of being racist due to the fact that the majority of Emily's maids are non-English-speaking women of color, who she often fires.{{Cite web|url=https://www.glamour.com/story/10-gilmore-girls-moments-that-will-totally-make-you-cringe-now|title=10 Gilmore Girls Moments That Will Totally Make You Cringe Now|last=Rosa|first=Christopher|date=February 17, 2017|website=Glamour|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217205858/http://www.glamour.com/story/10-gilmore-girls-moments-that-will-totally-make-you-cringe-now|archive-date=2017-02-17|url-status=live|access-date=February 17, 2017}} Christopher Rosa of Glamour felt that "there isn't anything funny about a spoiled white person disposing of women working in her home like they aren't human beings." The Frisky
Despite agreeing that Emily's relationship with her maids has always seemed racist, calling it Gilmore Girls
Stronger criticisms have endured; Amladi dismissed Emily's relationship with Berta and her family as "a weaksauce commentary on immigrants moving in and taking over", additionally criticizing the fact that she sells her large home in which they could have all lived comfortably in favor of moving them to a smaller beach house, accusing the character of treating them like objects. Despite having mostly praise for the character, Vanity Fair
References
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