While A Year In the Life’s Paul was mostly forgotten after his brief role in the Gilmore Girls revival, the very fact that he was so forgettable highlights a major issue with the miniseries. The entire cast of Gilmore Girls was great, but Alexis Bledel’s Rory was one of the show’s most important characters. Viewers followed Rory through the perilous terrain of high school and college, seeing her grow from an idealized teen overachiever into a more believably rounded, but still kind and ambitious, young adult.

The fact that neither of Gilmore Girls’ endings focused on Rory’s love interests proves that Logan, Dean, and Jess weren’t as central to its story as her own character arc. That said, like all of Lorelai’s major romantic relationships, Rory’s various love stories did develop her character and flesh out her personality. Each relationship saw her grow and change as a person, something that was epitomized by Rory breaking up with Logan to pursue a career in journalism in the original Gilmore Girls finale.

Paul Is The Biggest Example Of How Rory Has Changed In A Year In the Life

Rory’s Earlier Gilmore Girls Love Interests Were Taken More Seriously

At the time, this signified that Rory was no longer the petulant character who impulsively stole a yacht after Logan’s father mildly criticized her. Since the controversial Gilmore Girls arc that split up Rory and Lorelai, she has become more ambitious, clearer in her plans, and strong enough to cut Logan out of them so she could prioritize her future. This is why it was an unwelcome surprise to discover that she was cheating on her boyfriend, Paul, with an engaged Logan in A Year in the Life.

Rory’s cheating often gets a lot of focus in discussions of A Year in the Life, but cheating itself isn’t entirely new thanks to her relationship with a married Dean. However, what makes Rory’s relationship with Paul notable is that she repeatedly forgets about him completely, not just that she cheats on him. While cheating plotlines could be morally complex and fraught with sympathy, Rory repeatedly forgetting she even has a boyfriend even though they have been dating off-screen for two years is more like a misguided attempt at a running gag.

A Year In the Life’s Paul Gag Shows How Mean Gilmore Girls’ Revival Was

A Year in the Life’s Tone Is Detached And Aloof Unlike The Warmer Original Series

Not only does this specific gag fall flat, but it is also completely out of character for Rory. One of the biggest problems with A Year In the Life was its oddly mean-spirited tone, something that didn’t exist as much in the original show. There are some great moments in the revival, but scenes like Rory and Lorelai body-shaming fellow bathers at a public pool in episode 3, “Summer,” feel nothing like the original show.

In A Year in the Life, Lorelai does eventually tell Rory she has to break up with Paul. However, this is only part of the running joke, whereas the original show’s Lorelai would’ve truly held Rory to account for her actions. Similarly, Luke not remembering Paul, when they’ve clearly spent time together, doesn’t fit his character. For all the parts of A Year In the Life that work, Paul’s role in the Gilmore Girls revival is a stark reminder of its shortcomings.