Gilmore Girlshas many hilariousside characters, fromKirk (Sean Gunn)with his many jobs to the lovable and overly enthusiastic Babette (Sally Struthers). These characters fill out the colorful town of Stars Hollow, makingGilmore Girlsthe comfy, rewatchable series it is. While the antics of such characters make up some of the series' best moments, it makes sense that their roles are small because they have a minimal effect on Lorelai’s (Lauren Graham) andRory’s (Alexis Bledel)day-to-day life. However, one exception is Michel Gerard (Yanic Truesdale), who never got the attention he deserved.
Michel is present from the beginning as the concierge at the Independence Inn and later as Lorelai andSookie’s (Melissa McCarthy)right-hand man as they open the Dragonfly Inn. His snarky and demanding personality complicates Lorelai’s job, but he is more than that. Michel is one of her closest friends, but unlike Sookie, he doesn’t get to be the focus of his own story. Michel may always be around for a joke, but he doesn’t get any significant individual plots untilGilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, which proves how close he and Lorelai are. Though the revival corrected the oversight,Michel still represents a missed opportunity for the original series.
Michel Is an Important Part of Lorelai’s Life
While Lorelai and Sookie’s friendship is great, Michel rounds out the group.Michel’s inability to get along with Sookie and his admiration of Lorelai’s mother set these three up to be a perfect triowith both appreciation for each other and conflict. However, their actions are usually confined to work, limiting their storylines. Michel and Sookie share an antagonistic relationship, always arguing or competing, which brings chaos to their work environment but could also serve the rest of the series well.
Similarly, Michel provides a unique challenge for Lorelai. Unlike most of her Stars Hollow life, Michel admiresEmily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop)and the lifestyle that Lorelai ran away from. Occasionally, Michel complicates Lorelai’s relationship with her parents, like in theSeason 3 episode"Eight O’Clock at the Oasis," where he convinces her to attend an auction Emily is hosting where Lorelai meets a man fromthe Gilmores’world. While Sookie accepts Lorelai’s distance from her parents, Michel bridges the gap, which could have made him take a more significant part in her life. In truth, Lorelai doesn’t have many close friendships outside of Sookie andLuke (Scott Patterson)when they are not fighting. But when given the opportunity, Michel serves as another kind of friend to Lorelai, challenging her while still being endearing, proving he should have been used more frequently.
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Michel’s Strong Personality Could Have Added Drama to Stars Hollow
Michel is a difficult person to be around, which makes him so funny. He is often selfish and rude, allowing him to be a unique and witty addition to the series. On the rare occasions when Michel gets a central role in an episode,Gilmore Girlsshows that behind his prickly exterior, he is a sensitive man. Though he irritates Lorelai and Sookie during the funeral for his dog, it shows a different side of him as he reaches out for help in his grief. Similarly, his rivalry with the Independence Inn’s night manager, Tobin (Bruce McCulloch), shows Michel’s insecurities as he fears Lorelai and Sookie like Tobin better and tries to ingratiate himself with them. In these brief storylines,Gilmore Girlsproves there is more to Michel than the vain and condescending man on the surface,making his lack of screentime more upsetting.
Michel’s strong personality could have provided many opportunities for the series.Despite seemingly living in, or at least near, Stars Hollow, he doesn’t fit in with the quirky town. Making Michel a regular at the town meetings could have expanded his character and added conflict for Stars Hollow. After all, he is particular and stubborn, making Michel a great candidate to go head-to-head with Taylor Doose (Michael Winters). Michel may not havethe small-town charm that Stars Hollowis overflowing with, but his personality would have been perfect for adding a new dynamic to the town.
‘Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life’ Corrects the Mistake the Show Made
Gilmore Girls:A Year in the Lifedoes right by Michel, showing his and Lorelai’s relationship as she fights to keep him on at the inn. With Sookie on to a new adventure, Lorelai has a closer bond with Michel than ever, so when Michel also considers leaving, it becomes an emotional story for Lorelai.The revival even gives Michel a happy endingas he is happily married, a stark contrast to the original series, which doesn’t show his relationships. In a surprising change of pace,A Year in the Lifeconfirms that Michel has a husband and introduces the idea that they plan to adopt a child. In this way, the revival allowed Michel to grow and develop a happy life, but it also proved that the original series should have done more with him.
Gilmore Girls
A dramedy centering around the relationship between a thirtysomething single mother and her teen daughter living in Stars Hollow, Connecticut.
Gilmore Girlsis currently available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
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