Flick ThisIf you’ve been reading the columns I’ve been writing for THUD over these past few months, you know that I, Brendan Leonard, am a fan of the girl show – and I’m not talking about the one you can get for ten bucks at Christie’s in North Canton, Ohio. Devin has referred to these shows as “Gay Stuff for Women,” and I would say that’s an accurate moniker – it’s stuff way outside my targeted demo (white suburban geek), but unfortunately, I’ve found myself suckered into them time after time again. 

Shows like Grey’s Anatomy. Everwood. One Tree Hill. Not Brothers and Sisters, because I still have mixed feelings for Brenda Chenowith. The O.C., until recently. You know…for girls. 

One of the best girl shows in recent memory was Gilmore Girls, the mother-daughter comedy-drama that aired first on the WB, and then on the CW. Today, Variety reported that Gilmore Girls has been cancelled by the CW, and that the series will come to an end when the finale airs on May 15th. 

This should come as no surprise to fans of Gilmore Girls, which I found on DVD and loved, but only made it through the first couple of seasons before life intervened. (I wanted to be Luke so badly. Dear god, did I ever want to have my own diner in a quirky New England hamlet, despite a) having no business sense whatsoever, b) not knowing how to cook, and c) not looking like Scott Patterson.) Gilmore’s been running aground for a few years now, what with Rory (Alexis Bledel) dropping out of college, then going back to college, and Lorelai (Lauren Graham) finally getting together with Luke, then breaking up with Luke, then sleeping with her old boyfriend, then getting back together with Luke. I won’t even go into the bullshit that Loralai’s parents (Kelly Bishop and Edward Herrmann) have been fed, except to say that I really wish Pa Gilmore hadn’t turned out to be a vampire. 

In addition to the bullshit on screen, there was behind-the-scenes b.s. as well. Creator and executive producer Amy Sherman-Palladino left amidst contract negotiations after the sixth season (in THUD land, this is known as “pulling a Sorkin”), and contract negotiations over Alexis Bledel wanting more time to do a spin-off flick about a zombified version of her Sin City character were what apparently caused the demise of the show. Also, the ratings weren’t what they used to be, and the love from critics (including my old man, who called the first season of Gilmore the best new show of the season) had petered off. And it was bringing down Veronica Mars. 

Still, if any of you have read this far and are ready to begin the cries of “closet case!,” then I recommend tracking down the first season of Gilmore and watching the episode where Richard (the father/grandfather) has to go to the hospital. There’s a scene between Herrmann and Bishop that’s just wonderful television, and for scenes like that, I’ll keep watching these girl shows for as long as they keep making ‘em. So, you know, forever. 

Dare to be girly, true believers!