Luke was a major character in Gilmore Girls from the very beginning, presenting a sort of father figure to Rory and a sarcastic friend and confidant to Lorelai. He was always written to be Lorelai’s eventual love interest, and fans waited for a long time – six seasons – for this friendship to turn into something more.
However, not everyone loves Luke or his pairing with Lorelai and on the Gilmore Girls subReddit, some unpopular opinions are aired.
Luke Is A Bad Match For Lorelai
There are a host of Redditors flying in the face of common opinion on this topic. Most fans believe that Luke and Lorelai are meant to be together. The Luke and Lorelai love story is one of the things that fans love most about the show. Some fans, though, believe that they just weren’t a good fit.
User Pinkgirl_13 says that while they love Luke, they don’t love him and Lorelai together. Some fans feel that they didn’t have enough chemistry and certainly weren’t great at communication. Some say that Luke shot down Lorelai’s ideas and didn’t let her be herself, while others say that he gave in to her too often. Most fans, though, view these points as challenges to overcome in an epic and long-awaited romance.
Luke Is An Unlikable Character
Most fans love Luke, including his curmudgeonly ways. He may appear somewhat grumpy and sour, but Luke is also kind and loyal, and he loves Lorelai. It is true, however, that there are plenty of times he acts in a way that he is later ashamed of.
User bangtancat points out that there are a number of times that Luke lashes out and acts irrationally and immaturely. This includes attacking a teenager, Dean, because he thinks he broke Rory’s heart.
Jason Is Better For Lorelai Than Luke
A few fans preferred Jason and Lorelai to the more commonly shipped Luke and Lorelai. Reddit user Geechu explains this opinion by saying it is because Jason had so much in common with Lorelai, including being witty, fast-talking, and hating his parents.
Kiwiqueen26 adds that while Jason would be able to fit into the world of the rich, elite society that Lorelai’s family belongs to, Luke just can’t. Luke did have trouble in any social situation with Lorelai’s family. Emily and Richard did not approve of him, and Emily actively works to split the pair up. Luke’s discomfort when put into fancy dinner party situations also causes plenty of relationship tension.
Christopher Is Better For Lorelai Than Luke
Most GG fans really don’t like Christopher, either as a character or in a relationship with Lorelai. So it’s a pretty contentious opinion to think that he is actually better for Lorelai than Luke. Since Chris repeatedly fails as a father, including being pretty flaky, undependable, and generally absent, most fans think of Luke as more of a father figure to Rory.
Several Redditors, however, actually like Chris and think he is a better match for Lorelai. SerenaMom is one such fan and they add that although Chris is a bit immature, it works because Lorelai is too.
Luke Was Awful In Seasons 6 & 7
Most GG fans are ecstatic when Luke and Lorelai’s relationship finally develops into a romance after six seasons of tension and friendship. Many of these fans who had been waiting for this to happen for so long were able to forgive Luke for any annoying character traits.
Some fans, however, feel that Luke’s personality underwent a negative change, and he caused a lot of unnecessary drama in his relationship with Lorelai. Reddit user owokay23 writes that when Luke is with Lorelai, he becomes whiny and easily offended. He is also unreasonably stubborn about dealing with his daughter April by himself. Crittab adds that they believe the show did his character a disservice in the name of creating drama.
Lorelai Didn’t Deserve Luke
Many GG fans believe that Luke and Lorelai were meant to be together from the beginning. It’s just how the show is set up. Fans are also supposed to love Lorelai, and when they don’t like their relationship, are more likely to fault Luke. This makes believing that Luke is too good for her a bit of a contentious opinion.
Pinkgirl_13 says that Luke is way too good for Lorelai. User sign09 agrees, listing a number of things that Lorelai did wrong in their relationship and asking why “Nobody ever questions if Lorelai ‘deserves’ Luke.”
Hating The Hat And The Plaid
Redditor nz5353 shares the unpopular opinion that Luke was an unappealing and unimpressive-looking man. They felt he was particularly unrefined in his appearance and hated that he always wore flannel shirts and a backward cap.
Looks are, of course very subjective, but most fans have grown a fondness for Luke’s slightly shabby working-class appearance. It fits his character, his small-town upbringing, and serves as a contrast to the upper-class world that Lorelai rejected. The wardrobe also makes Luke a more relatable character.
Luke Didn’t Really Care About Rory
Reddit user 8hushbrush puts forward the unpopular opinion that not only are Lorelai and Luke not a good match, but that Luke only did things for Rory to impress Lorelai. They add that Rory and Luke’s relationship seemed awkward.
Luke was more like an uncle than a father to Rory and was an important person in her life from a very young age. Most fans feel that he truly cares for her, regardless of Lorelai. He certainly seems very proud of her intelligence and achievements and is sometimes overly protective of her when it comes to boyfriends.
