21 Of The Best Pop Culture Moments In "Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life"

Gilmore Girls is known for its relationship to pop culture, so here's what the show highlighted in 2016. Spoilers ahead!

1. Goop

Layne Murdoch Jr. / Getty Images

When it happened: In the very first minutes of the revival, Lorelai accuses Rory of having been "Gooped" for looking so pristine after a flight from London.

What it is: A notorious online newsletter by Gwyneth Paltrow, filled with extraordinarily expensive recipes and tips for living your Goopiest life.

2. Marvel movies

Marvel Studios

When it happened: In "Winter," when Lorelai is talking to Luke about Rory's boyfriend, Paul. "You can’t remember him no matter how much time you spend with him, kind of like every Marvel movie ever," she said.

What it is: One of the most major blockbuster franchises out there, filled with all kinds of superheroes.

3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Warner Bros.

When it happened: In "Winter," when Paris insults one of her employees by saying she wasted her parents' money by writing college papers about "Buffy the Vampire Slayer's affect on the feminist agenda." It is also brought up again in "Fall," when Rory says "five by five" in a conversation with her father and mentions how she's been watching a Buffy marathon.

What it is: An iconic TV show that ran on The WB simultaneously with the first seasons of Gilmore Girls.

4. Wild

Knopf, River Road Entertainment

When it happened: Lorelai reads Wild at the pool in "Summer," and by the end of that episode, she decides to go on her own journey to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.

What it is: A best-selling book (turned Oscar-nominated film) written by Cheryl Strayed. It follows as Strayed decides to hike the trail after the devastating loss of her mother.

5. Tom Stall in A History of Violence

New Line Cinema

When it happened: In "Summer," when Lorelai is watching — you guessed it — History of Violence, and mentions to Luke that the main character is uncannily like him.

What it is: A 2005 David Cronenberg–directed thriller in which Viggo Mortensen plays a small-town diner owner with connections to the mob.

6. Neil Patrick Harris's family

Neilson Barnard / Getty Images

When it happened: In the first episode of A Year in the Life, Paris "lets it slip" that her surrogacy clinic hooked up Harris and his husband, David Burtka, with a surrogate to help grow their family.

What it is: Harris and Burtka DID indeed have children — Gideon and Harper, born in 2010 — through a surrogate. Paris Geller was not involved.

7. The A-listers in Woodbury

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

When it happened: Throughout the revival there are references made to a movie being shot in the neighboring town of Woodbury, Connecticut. Apparently, Matthew McConaughey buys a newspaper every day and Daniel Radcliffe really loves his Nespresso.

What it is: These are all very acclaimed actors!

8. The Mysteries of Laura

NBC

When it happened: In "Summer," when Rory mentions that Doyle sent her a script. "He gave me a copy of The Mysteries of Laura. Is that a show?!" she says to Jess Mariano.

What it is: A canceled NBC show in which Debra Messing plays a mom who is also a cop.

9. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images, Penguin Randomhouse

When it happened: In "Fall," Emily takes on the KonMari method of de-cluttering your life.

What it is: A method explored in the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up; it involves de-cluttering by looking at the material objects in your life and throwing out whatever doesn't bring you joy.

10. The celebrity chefs

D Dipasupil / Getty Images

When it happened: Every episode references or shows the celebrity chefs who are temporarily doing pop-up stints at The Dragonfly Inn during Sookie's absence. The chefs include Roy Choi (who appears), Anthony Bourdain, April Bloomfield, David Chang, Alice Waters, Rachael Ray (who also appears), Ina Garten, and Sandra Lee.

What it is: A whole bevy of very famous celebrity chefs.

11. Uber

Oli Scarff / Getty Images

When it happened: In "Fall," when Kirk launches a car service called "Öööber." He eventually has to shut it down when he receives a cease-and-desist from Uber.

What it is: A car and ride-hailing service that's all the rage.

12. Inside Llewyn Davis

CBS Films

When it happened: In "Fall," at a Friday night dinner when the family's commenting on Rory's wandering, vagabond lifestyle.

What it is: A 2013 film starring Oscar Isaac as a folk singer living on various friends couches in New York City in the 1960s. There's also a cat, an abortion as a result of an unplanned pregnancy, and Justin Timberlake.

13. The Sopranos

HBO

When it happened: In "Fall," when Lorelai tries to convince Emily to go to therapy.

What it is: A landmark HBO series in which a mobster starts going to therapy while trying to balance his family life with his ~family~ life.

14. Eraserhead

American Film Institute

When it happened: This is the movie shown at the Black, White, and Red Bookshop and Movie Theater in "Fall." Kirk dresses up as the main character to showcase his own short film, which premieres before the showing of Eraserhead.

What it is: A 1977 body horror film directed by David Lynch.

15. Star Wars

LucasFilm / Disney

When it happened: Rory has a one-night-stand with a man in a Wookiee costume in "Spring."

What it is: One of the most iconic sci-fi/fantasy franchises of all time.

16. Les Revenants/The Returned

Canal+ / Sundance TV

When it happened: Lorelai and Luke watch The Returned in "Summer." Lorelai gently chides Luke for his habit of falling asleep when they watch movies together, and she also makes it clear that the original French series is better than the American adaptation.

What it is: A French TV series about a small town where the dead reappear.

17. Game of Thrones

HBO

When it happened: It's frequently mentioned throughout the revival, but especially in "Summer," starting with Rory making the neighborhood children call her Khaleesi. Later at a town meeting, she says "give him a crystal sword, he’s a White Walker," in reference to Taylor Doose's writing partner, Nat.

What it is: A very popular HBO show featuring, among other things, dragons, queens, and zombies called White Walkers.

18. Hamilton

Theo Wargo / Getty Images

When it happened: In "Summer," in the middle of a brilliant — if seemingly unending — Stars Hollow musical number.

What it is: The immensely popular and critically acclaimed rap musical about the Founding Fathers, created by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

19. Katy Perry

Rob Carr / Getty Images

When it happened: In "Fall," when Lorelai considers buying a building in Stars Hollow from some nuns. The nuns say that Katy Perry's been sniffing around the property, so Lorelai better hurry.

What it is: A very famous pop singer.

20. The Social Network

Columbia Pictures

When it happened: In "Fall," when Lorelai advises Rory to drop the "the" from the title of her book. "It's cleaner," she says.

What it is: A 2010 movie written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Fincher that follows the founding of Facebook. Justin Timberlake's character, Sean Parker, advises Jesse Eisenberg's Mark Zuckerberg to drop the "the" before Facebook as well.

21. Kiefer Sutherland

Andreas Rentz / Getty Images

When it happened: In "Fall," when Lorelai is pushing Luke to invite more friends to their wedding. Luke casually mentions that he's been friends with Keifer Sutherland for years.

What it is: An actor who currently stars in Designated Survivor, and who previously starred in 24.