It's hard to find a bigger fan of Gilmore Girls than Luke Danes actor Scott Patterson, but there's one particular episode he hated filming. Patterson actually almost never played Luke, because the character was originally written as a woman in the Gilmore Girls pilot script. However, the Gilmore Girls script change was a welcome one, as the will-they, won't-they love story between Luke and Lorelai was one of the show's best throughlines, and we fans couldn't get enough of their grumpy-sunshine dynamic.

The love for not only Luke and Lorelai's relationship, but Gilmore Girls as a whole, has not diminished since the show ended 18 years ago. There are Gilmore Girls podcasts galore, but none with as many in-depth behind-the-scenes revelations as I Am All In with Scott Patterson, in which Patterson rewatches the show and interviews of the Gilmore Girls cast. Patterson has many hot takes and is very vocal about his love for the show. However, a certain episode stands out as being a miserable filming experience, and it speaks to a bigger problem with the show.

Scott Patterson Said He Was "Treated Like An Object" Filming Gilmore Girls' "Keg! Max!" Episode

The Scene Involved Lorelai & Sookie Ogling Luke

Though Gilmore Girls season 3, episode 19, "Keg! Max!" is best ed for Max Medina briefly coming back into Lorelai's life, it contains one scene that didn't age well. In it, Luke is in the kitchen at the inn doing repairs, and Sookie confesses to Lorelai that when she went to check on him, she had accidentally placed her hand on his butt. The two women openly stare at the body part in question, making lecherous comments, all of which Luke can hear.

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As uncomfortable as the scene is to watch, it was even more uncomfortable for Scott Patterson to film. Patterson talked about his negative Gilmore Girls filming experience on his podcast, saying:

“I realized it wasn’t OK, and it didn’t make me feel comfortable at all. It made me feel really embarrassed, actually. It is infuriating to be treated that way — it is infuriating — because you’re being treated like an object. It’s disturbing, and it’s disgusting, and I had to endure that through that entire scene and many takes. It was all about the butt, the butt, the butt, the butt. When we weren’t filming, we were sitting down — people were still talking about the butt, the butt, the butt. It was the most disturbing time I have ever spent on that set, and I couldn’t wait for that day to be over. It’s as disgusting for women to objectify men as it is for men to objectify women, and it’s as harmful. Just because it was 2003 doesn’t mean it was OK. It’s never OK, and I didn’t feel comfortable doing it, and it pissed me off. And I never said anything, so I was angry at myself for never saying anything. But I had this job, and I didn’t want to make waves and all that.”

Lorelai Frequently Belittles & Undermines Luke Throughout Gilmore Girls

They Have A One-Sided Relationship Throughout Much Of The Show

While this is certainly the most egregious example of Lorelai mistreating Luke, she sometimes goes too far. In an early episode of Scott Patterson's I Am All in Podcast, the Luke actor took particular issue when Lorelai jokingly said, "Okay, burger boy, dance". Perhaps this could be written off as banter, but even when Luke is dishing it right back, he doesn't speak to Lorelai this way.

Now, Lorelai does lots of nice things for Luke in Gilmore Girls, but it's hard to argue that during the first half of the show, their relationship is pretty one-sided.

Look, Lorelai doesn't owe Luke anything for all the favors he does for her — he chooses to do them. But she's been known to take advantage of his generosity. When the inn catches fire in season 3, Lorelai and Sookie take it upon themselves to totally invade Luke's diner to feed their customers. Now, Lorelai does lots of nice things for Luke in Gilmore Girls, but it's hard to argue that during the first half of the show, their relationship is pretty one-sided.

Gilmore Girls Leans Into Mean-Spirited Humor, Particularly About People's Bodies

The Revival Doubles Down On These Jokes

Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) on pool loungers in Gilmore Girls a Year in the Life episode 3, summer

It's one thing for Lorelai to treat Luke the way she does — in the end, they fall in love and their relationship balances out. But the "butt" episode is indicative of a bigger issue with Gilmore Girls, and that's their frequent mean-spirited jokes about people's bodies. It's a particularly harsh truth about Lorelai that she's a bit of an insult comic. Just because she's whimsical and talks fast doesn't mean her words aren't hurtful.

This rubs off on Rory, too, and in season 4, she publishes a scathing review of a ballet performance in which she completely body shames a dancer. When confronted about her article, Rory hides behind her journalistic "duty". But that's nothing compared to the fatphobia in the 2016 revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, when Lorelai and Rory publicly make fun of men's bodies at the local pool. Honestly, I love Gilmore Girls and what it's done for female-driven TV — but it's a witty enough show that it didn't need this cruel humor.