Dean, Jess or Logan?
There are three kinds of Gilmore Girls fans and you can tell which category a person falls into by asking that simple question. The battle over which of the love interests of Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) is the best is decades-old—and it hasn't let up over time, with the 2016 Netflix revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, only breathing new life into the shipper war.
So, we're doing what Gilmore Girls fans do best: Continuing the debate and ranking all of her on-screen romances, including sweet first boyfriend Dean (Jared Padalecki), bad boy Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) and cocky college beau Logan (Matt Czuchry). Of course, Rory wasn't the only Gilmore dating around during the beloved WB series' seven season run, with Lorelai (Lauren Graham) getting engaged multiples times. And their pals also had their own romances, including the sweet love story of Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) and Jackson (Jackson Douglas), as well as the unexpected choices of Paris (Liza Weil).
But which Stars Hollow couple reigned supreme? Grab some coffee and get ready to feel some feelings...
He sued her father. He almost destroyed Luke and Lorelai's burgeoning relationship. He went by the nickname Digger. What more do we need to say?
They got married impulsively as teenagers (what a fun trope, said no one ever!) and then he promptly cheated on her. The only thing she got out of this marriage was disappointment and a mean meatloaf recipe.
We still can't believe a proposal with a thousand yellow daisies was wasted on a dud like Max Medin-ugh.
Remember that time Luke randomly married Nicole on a cruise ship? And then she cheated on him? Yeah, we try to forget about it, too.
Ick.
Sorry, but the fact that he called her Mary (you know, Virgin Mary?) still creeps us out.
Rachel was Luke's first love, whose dreams were just too big for Stars Hollow. She was super-sweet and pushed Luke to realize his feelings for Lorelai. Thanks, girl!
OK, hear us out: Lane deserved more than Zack, who was a convenient filler for the void left by Adam Brody's exit. Sorry, not sorry. He's the rebound, NOT THE ONE.
Two weirdos, one weird relationship. Not the most epic of romances, but she did deal with his night terrors. So, true love.
Dave was definitely the one that got away (or, you know, ran off to become Seth Cohen on The O.C.). Come on, he inscribed his bible, with "This bible belongs to God but is being borrowed by Dave Rygalski." Swoon City, population: us.
You never forget your first love...but that doesn't mean you should continue an on-and-off relationship for over a decade. While we liked Christopher, we didn't love these two together, especially when they thought it was OK to run off and get married without Rory (their daughter!) being there. Unforgivable.
Fact: These two could take over and run their own country. They were made for each other.
Sigh, the unsung heroes of Stars Hollow also made up its most solid couple that flew so under the radar you often forgot about them...until you needed a cup of sugar from next door.
Yes, he made her a car and was her first love. But he also cheated on his wife with Rory. Talk about a great way to lose your virginity. Basically, Dean was ruined for us. Still, their quick reunion during A Year in the Life was random, nostalgic and bittersweet in only the way a catch-up session with your childhood sweetheart can be.
She made him a better person, and he helped her learn what she really wanted to do with her life. Often over-shadowed by Rory's two other major love interests, Logan is the dark horse among Gilmore's guys...and possibly Rory's (spoiler alert!) baby daddy?! We're going to need another revival STAT.
Of all Rory's love interests, he was the one that challenged (and frustrated) her the most. The classic bad boy. If only they had met later in life...and watching their brief interaction during the Netflix revival just proved how potent their chemistry still is.
While Lorelai and Rory's love lives were unpredictable and (deliciously) wrought, there was something so sweet and simple about Sookie and Jackson's love story. You always argue over produce with the one you love!
"Will you just stand still?" Fact: These two had the best and most-earned first kiss in the history of first kisses. And everything else was pretty epic, too. (Let's just all pretend April Nardini, Luke's daughter, never showed up and ruined everything, mmmkay?)
Emily: "No! I did not sign on to your dying. And it is not going to happen. Not tonight, not for a very long time. In fact, I demand to go first. Do I make myself clear?"
Richard: "Yes, Emily. You may go first."
Oh, how much more significance this exchange from the series' original took on in the revival after the 2014 death of star Edward Herrmann. BRB, SOBBING FOREVER.
Gilmore Girls is available to stream on Netflix.