The late Edward Herrmann, who played Lorelai’s father, Richard, liked his character and found him easy to relate to, but he didn’t like the precise, fast-paced talking and 80-page scripts, telling A.S. Berman for “The Gilmore Girls Companion” that “even for old pros like Kelly [Bishop] and myself it was tough.” On the other hand, Graham found beauty in it, telling the Los Angeles Times that “there’s a kind of joy — that language does something to you — it’s really invigorating.” She’s also quick to acknowledge that it’s a lot more work. “I liken it more to theater,” she said. “You’ve got long speeches, long sentences that require more sculpting, and you have to be prepared.”
Lorelai’s monologue is infused with so much emotion and regret, years of distance put between her and her parents, but in those four minutes, we saw it all crumble as she remembered one of her fondest memories of her father, a moment frozen in time that was kept a secret for all of these years. Emily didn’t even get one word in, but the smile on her face said that she knew this was Lorelai’s moment. This scene, and others like it from the original series run, are the emotional backbone of the show, and it’s impossible to imagine anything different.
