Gilmore Girls Hot Take: Dean Did Actually Love Rory, But Wasn't Good At It

Gilmore Girls was an extremely important TV show for anyone growing up in the early 2000s. As it explored the complicated nature of mother-daughter relationships through the example of the dysfunctional Gilmore family, it never shied away from the themes of friendship and romance.

However, as the show's core audience grew up, many things that seemed romantic and heartbreaking when the episodes aired didn't feel quite right anymore.

Fans of the show began to go so far as to label some characters as public enemies upon reflection. Dean Forester eventually became one of them.

It's not surprising that people are against Dean's relationship with Rory, considering how badly he treated her at times. It's not surprising that people point out the manipulation and control that went on in their relationship, and how wrong Dean was for it. However, that is what made the story interesting and relatable.

To say that Dean wasn't in love with Rory just because he acted like a jerk about it, or to say that he wouldn't be capable of loving at all, is a very risky statement that doesn't feel very well thought out.

To better understand the dynamic, many viewers need to be reminded of the characters' ages. They were both 16 when they met, so their story progressed from their late teens to young adulthood.

Dean made a lot of mistakes navigating that relationship, it's fair to admit, but he was motivated by a very real but unfamiliar feeling that he didn't really know what to do with.

Not many people are good at romance and love the first time around, and many high school sweethearts end up breaking up not because they didn't love each other enough, but because they weren't mature enough to articulate their feelings well. Unfortunately, that was the case with Dean and Rory.

If you want to refresh your memory of a heartbreaking story of young love gone wrong, you can rewatch Gilmore Girls by streaming the show on Netflix.