Luke Danes is a favorite character on Gilmore Girls and beloved for the great coffee and burgers at his diner. Over 7 seasons and the Netflix revival, he proved that he was a staple in Lorelai and Rory's worlds and that they could never live without him. It was always fun watching him interact with the townspeople of Stars Hollow as well.
Fans have shared reasons why they don't like Luke on Reddit, and they have also taken to Reddit to explain the love that they have for this character, from his interactions with other characters to his rants.
He Kept His Dad's Memory Alive
A fan shared in a Reddit thread that they loved how much Luke cared about his dad. They explained, "It's irable that his father - everything he stood for, everything he worked for - meant so much to him. So much that he chose to honor him with his diner and his livelihood and keep his memory going."
The fan said that while it was heartbreaking to watch Luke miss his dad, this was a significant part of his character, and it helped explain a lot of his behavior. This is definitely a thought that many Gilmore Girls viewers have had, as Luke had trouble talking to Lorelai about his emotions once they got serious, and it all stemmed from his grief and loss.
He Gave Lorelai $30,000
A fan shared in a thread on Reddit that they loved when Luke gave Lorelai money. They wrote, "He may be a bit of a grump, but he is so unbelievably caring from doing everything he can for Jess to buying food for the diner purely because Kirk likes it."
Lorelai and Luke were always there for each other and it was sweet watching Luke give Lorelai the cash that she needed to open the Dragonfly Inn. While fans wondered why Lorelai couldn't ask her parents, it made sense that she didn't always want to go to them for help, and she felt more comfortable with her good friend Luke lending her a hand.
He Looked Out For Kirk
Another Gilmore Girls viewer mentioned a quote from Luke that they loved: when he told Kirk not to break up with Lulu.
Luke told Kirk that he should be "kissing the ground that Lulu walks on" and "You are the luckiest man on the planet to have a girl like that looking out for you and caring about you." Fans always loved the relationship between Kirk and Luke, as they had nothing in common but truly loved each other. Luke is a protector and he wanted Kirk to find love, happiness, and success, and it was sweet to see him going out of his way to give Kirk advice.
He Was Thrilled About Rory's College Acceptance Letters
Another Gilmore Girls viewer shared on Reddit that they loved when Luke was excited about Rory getting into college.
It was a huge deal for Rory to get into Yale, Harvard, and Princeton, and fans cheered when Luke was right there with Rory and Lorelai, celebrating this amazing accomplishment. Luke was always one of Rory's biggest ers and he was invested in her future, proving that he was more than just the owner of the diner and the person who gave the Gilmores their coffee fix. He was an integral part of their lives and it was touching to see him get so emotional here.
The Luke/Lorelai Scene In The Pilot
Another viewer explained on Reddit that they enjoy the scene between Luke and Lorelai in the very first episode. The fan wrote that this, "Sets up their whole relationship for the show."
This was definitely a classic moment, as Lorelai asked Luke for coffee and he asked how many cups she had already had that day and she said "None" and he said "Plus?" and she said "Five, but yours is better." This scene did tell fans everything that they needed to know: Luke liked to bug Lorelai and pretend that he wouldn't serve her coffee, but of course he would do anything for her, and he was in love with her since the beginning of their friendship.
He Comforted And ed Lorelai Even Before Their Relationship
When a fan shared a favorite Luke and Lorelai moment on Reddit, praising Luke for telling Lorelai that she wasn't failing, another viewer commented "This is such an underrated scene, it's proof of how close they are even before they get together and just how much he cares about her. This whole episode is underrated."
Lorelai and Rory laughed and struggled in season 4, and in the episode 'The Incredible Shrinking Lorelais,' Lorelai confessed to Luke that she was overwhelmed with opening the Dragonfly Inn. It was amazing to see Luke as Lorelai's system here, and it made her even more confident that he was the right person for her when they did start dating.
He Was Always There For Lane
A fan posted in a thread on Reddit that it was great seeing Luke always help Lane out. They gave examples: he agreed that Zack could work at the diner, he closed the diner when Lane gave birth, and he said yes when they wanted to be the godfather to their twin babies.
It was sweet watching the Lane and Luke relationship, as they became closer once she began working for him. From the moment that Lane was hired, she showed him that she was a model employee, and he appreciated her hard work. Luke was always closer to Rory than Lane before this point, so it was nice to see this bond build.
Watching Him Connect With Jess
A fan shared in a Reddit thread that they enjoyed the connection that Luke and Jess shared. They wrote, " love how their relationship grows and how season 6 Jess thanks Luke and really appreciates everything he did for Jess. I love Luke pushing Jess in the lake-it cracks me up every time."
When Jess began living in Stars Hollow, it was tough to picture him and Luke having the kind of relationship that they did in A Year In A Life. Jess was sarcastic and not receptive to Luke's ideas, advice, and help. It was moving seeing Jess realize that Luke had a huge impact on his growing up and that without Luke, he might not be so confident and happy.
When He Went On A Rant About Taylor
A Gilmore Girls fan posted on Reddit that they loved Luke's rant about Taylor in the season 2 episode 'Lost And Found.' They enjoyed hearing Luke say that Taylor wanted to own all of Stars Hollow and "turn it into Taylorville" and have all the residents dressed in cardigans.
It was always funny seeing Luke and Taylor together, as they were equally stubborn and frustrated with one another, and while they would never it it, they shared many similar personality traits. Fans enjoyed Luke's rants about the various subjects that bothered him, as he tried to stay calm most of the time, but he sometimes just couldn't help himself.
He Cooked For Sookie During Her Bed Rest
A fan shared that they loved when Luke covered for Sookie during her bed rest.
In the season 5 episode 'But I'm A Gilmore!' fans got to see the hilarious dynamic between Luke and Sookie. She wasn't comfortable relinquishing control, but he wanted to be there for her, and many fans love Luke's kind nature and need to help out all the time. They didn't see eye-to-eye about their cooking styles, and they were both stubborn, but they respected each other.