John’s “Gilmore Girls” Season 5 flashback review, johnvhansen.com, Sept. 17, 2014
“Gilmore Girls” Season 5 (2004-05, WB) – I can’t say Rory was entirely likable this season, but I did enjoy seeing the junior Gilmore girl squirm during the first day of her newspaper internship. No writing staff does “awkward” better. And the last 10 minutes of the season finale was both awe-inspiring and “aww”-inspiring. I loved how director Amy Sherman-Palladino lingered on Lauren Graham’s uncharacteristically speechless face at two key moments: First, when her parents wrest Rory from her; second, when she listens to Luke’s rant, inspiring the best “Will you marry me?” in recent TV memory.
– John Hansen, “Long live TV’s Fab Four,” Brainerd Dispatch, June 2, 2005