All the Mormon References in Gilmore Girls

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Gilmore Girls, the hit TV show featuring mother-daughter duo Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, is known for its fast-paced dialogue and pop culture references. It should come as no surprise then that the show makes several references to Mormons throughout its seven seasons. Here’s a breakdown of all the ones we could find!

“They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?” Season 3 Episode 7

In this episode, Lorelai and Rory enter a 24-hour dance marathon. Though they are determined to win, both mother and daughter face arguments that challenge their ability to finish the competition. In this scene, Lorelai faces the ramifications of sharing her opinion on how many children her best friend Sookie should have with her husband.

Jackson: “Hey Lorelai, just wondering, how’s my running? Got an opinion on that?”

Lorelai: “Jackson, what’s going on?”

Sookie: “Nothing. He’s mad at me, and he’s taking it out on you.”

Jackson: “Oh, I’m not mad. I just didn’t realize that when I married Sookie, I also married you. I didn’t realize I was a Mormon, my mistake.”

“Ted Koppel’s Big Night Out” Season 4 Episode 9

The Gilmore clan attends the Harvard-Yale football game, where Lorelai enjoys seeing her normally uptight parents tailgate in style. She and her father have the following conversation that makes a backhanded reference to the high Mormon population in Utah as Lorelai pours her father a drink from a flask.

Lorelai: “How that?”

Richard: “Oh, that’s fine if we were in Utah.”

Lorelai, filling the cup up: “Message received.”

“The Nanny and the Professor” Season 4 Episode 10

Lorelai and Sookie dream of opening their own inn; at the start of this episode, Lorelai, her concierge Michel, and Sookie have a meeting. While there, Lorelai and Michel are shocked to see their old night manager, Tobin, babysitting for Sookie.

Lorelai: “Now Tobin, we heard you’d moved.”

Tobin: “Yes, right after the old inn burned down. I moved to Utah because I heard there were a lot of job opportunities for industrious Mormons.”

Lorelai: “I didn’t know you were a Mormon.”

Tobin: “I wasn’t so I became one. The paperwork took weeks. And I didn’t know about the alcohol thing.”

Lorelai: “They famously abstain.”

Tobin: “No coffee, either. The choir was fabulous, but then there’s the funny underwear. It didn’t last.”

Later on in the exchange, when Tobin describes all of the home decorating stores he knowns online he adds:

Tobin: “I spent a lot of time online when I was a Mormon. There wasn’t much else to do.”

“Norman Mailer, I’m Pregnant!” Season 5 Episode 6

Rory and her friend Paris work for the Yale Daily News. While Rory struggles to come up with a story for the features section, Paris is thrilled to be covering the religion section.

Paris: “Did you know that priests have a fabulous sense of humor?”

Rory: “Just stay one lighting bolt’s length away from me at all times, please.”

Paris: “You want to go check out some Mormon bingo around 5th?”

Rory: “No thanks.”

“But Not as Cute as Pushkin” Season 5 Episode 10

Paris and Doyle, the editor of the Yale Daily News, bond at a speed-dating session. After sitting down with a drama major, Paris forces the rotation.

Paris: “Doyle.”

Doyle: “Paris.”

Paris: “Surprised to see you here.”

Doyle: “I could say the same for you.”

Paris: “So, you find any good prospects?”

Doyle: “Oh yes, one girl wants to have eleven children. The second one was cut off quickly. Thank you, by the way. I believe the words Latter-day Saints were about to come out of her mouth.”

“He’s Slippin’ ‘Em Bread…Dig?” Season 6 Episode 10

After a long estrangement, Rory and Lorelai enjoy their reunion. They discuss another financial avenue to pay for Rory’s tuition so she won’t have to be under the thumb of Lorelai’s parents, who took Rory in and provided for her while the two were fighting.

Lorelai: “You were only there for three months. You’re not in my league. We can’t swap war stories yet.”

Rory: “They had their reverend come over to talk me out of having sex. They never did that to you.”

Lorelai: “Five times they did that to me. The last time they triple-teamed me with a priest, a rabbi, and a Mormon missionary.”