Over the last 20 years, Gilmore Girls remains a classic after originally airing because of how connected fans feel to the characters. From Lorelai's wit to Rory's intelligence, there's no shortage of fleshed out, believable and relatable characters on the show. However, one that is often overlooked and underrated is Sookie St. James, played by Melissa McCarthy.
Sookie served as Lorelai's best friend throughout the entire duration of the series. She eventually became her business partner and planned Rory's going away party in the season 7 finale. Sookie radiated goodness and sunshine, with some Reddit fans even proclaiming that she is the best character on the show.
She Can't Stand Chris
Sookie was always super ive of her best friend Lorelai, but she also represented the fandom when she found out that her bestie had reverted back to her teenage years and married Christopher Hayden, Rory's father.
Redditor ScreenHype wrote, "Obviously it's always painful to watch Lorelai and Chris' relationship and marriage in season 7, but I do love how Sookie is right there with us. She tries to be ive when they get together, but it's clear she's just waiting for them to break up, and then she's openly disappointed when they get married." Sookie just wanted the best for her friend and for her to be happy, so it's understandable that she might not like every decision Lorelai made. However, it's important to note that she never abandoned her in this time, proving her to be a great friend.
She's A Realistic Character
A lot of characters on Gilmore Girls get a bad rap for being a little too realistic and flawed, but Sookie has one of the best character arcs on the show because she seems like such a normal human being. She wants to have a career, a family, and live in her small town with her friends.
Fans on Reddit took notice of how fun-loving Sookie's character is, and that her attitude through much of the series is realistic and something to be sought after. Reddit OsitaFeroz wrote, "Every human being (and character) has flaws, [but] Sookie is great: caring, cute, hard-working, loyal, romantic... I want to be like Sookie!!"
She Was Super Generous
Sookie was always the Gilmore girls' number one fan, dating all the way back to the pilot episode when she offered to help Lorelai pay for Rory's Chilton tuition. Although she didn't have much money herself, she would've done anything to see Rory and Lorelai's dreams come true.
Redditor mimirose69 wrote of Sookie's generosity saying, "I love her!! When Lorelei needed money for Rory’s tuition, Sookie offered to sell her car to help. I thought that was such a sweet gesture." Sookie continued to show up for her second family throughout the series, even reuniting Lore and Rory at the baptism of her children when they weren't on speaking .
She Has A Great Love Story With Jackson
One of the first love stories to unfold and get a happy ending on the show was that of Sookie and Jackson. After butting heads early on in season 1, the two finally decided to date and later got engaged at one of Stars Hollow's many quirky festivals.
Reddit VTMOIL praised their love story, specifically the episode where they decide to get married, "Watching the episode where [Sookie and Jackson] get engaged and am just ing how much I love these two." Though their relationship wasn't always smooth sailing, they had a mutual love and iration for one another that was enjoyable to watch.
She's A Good Role Model
Sookie never let her career and familial aspirations get the best of her. She worked hard the entire series to have it all, going from working as a chef at an inn to co-owning an inn with her best friend. She was a working woman with a family and the primary provider of her household (something that wasn't represented a lot on television at the time).
A Reddit spoke of what a good role model Sookie was by writing, "You know who is a ionate, independent woman with a great career along with being a wholesome person? Sookie! I love her. I would love to be friends with her and learn some of those recipes although it will be hard to live up to her standards."
She Was The First Luke/Lorelai Shipper
While many fans and characters eventually became super ive (and even die-hard fans) of the Luke and Lorelai pairing, Sookie was the original captain of their ship. She recognized their chemistry early on and ed both parties to act on it.
A Reddit described Sookie's fangirling over the fan-favorite couple, "I just watched that S2 episode where Lorelai and Rory go on the road trip and when Sookie tells Luke the wedding with Max is off and he makes up with Kirk and starts pouring out the free coffee and Sookie just turns back round to the counter and smiles to herself..."
She's ive Of Rory As If She Were Her Own Child
From the very beginning of the series, Sookie made it clear that she loved the Gilmores like they were her own family, and that meant that she saw Rory as her own daughter at times. She attended all of Rory's momentous events like her high school graduation, and was willing to do whatever Lorelai needed to provide for her child.
Redditor othgg noted how there were plenty of times when Sookie acted like a mother figure to Rory, "We also see Sookie make sacrifices for Rory, like happily giving up her concert tickets so Rory could make friends, offering to 'sell her car' for tuition, baking for Rory's bakesale, etc...She takes [...] pictures at graduation like a proud mom."
She Was Hilarious Comic Relief
Teen dramas need a character to provide comic relief from time to time, and Sookie St. James did just that. She was the fun, carefree best friend with hilarious b-plots that grounded the series in a way that would've been nearly impossible without her.
Reddit how much joy Sookie's comedy brought them, "I love Sookie and always have! Esp. Drunk Sookie. 'I’ve already gone through the five stages of grieving - denial, anger. . .I don’t these two, but they were served on the rocks with salt!' Melissa McCarthy is amazing in general."
She's A Great Best Friend
Lorelai Gilmore had plenty of people around her in Stars Hollow that ed her and Rory, but none of them did as much as Sookie. Sookie was a phenomenal best friend, and part of the reason why she and Lorelai had one of the strongest friendships on the show.
Sookie went through the trials and tribulations of opening a business with her bestie, and continued to be a shoulder to lean on through Lore's several romances. Redditor curio_cursor wrote, "I don’t believe the girl gets enough credit or the love that I think she deserves as the funny, creative, ive, and grounded—if uncoordinated-and-quite-possibly-dangerous-in-the-kitchen—best friend of Lorelai. Am I wrong?"
The Revival Didn't Feel The Same Without Her
Sookie wasn't fully appreciated by fans until the revival aired back in 2016, and Melissa McCarthy only made a brief appearance as Sookie in the last episode.
Her absence was felt throughout the controversial reboot, with fans feeling like the story just didn't make sense or feel right without her being front and center or right by Lorelai's side. Reddit jdpm1991 wrote, "One of the reasons I cannot watch the revival is because I miss Sookie. it just feels weird not seeing Lorelai and Sookie together."