Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life tied up a lot of loose ends Gilmore Girls nine years later. However, Max Medina (Scott Cohen) is not one of them. Max was Lorelai Gilmore’s (Lauren Graham) first fiance and Rory Gilmore’s (Alexis Bledel) former Chilton Academy teacher. Lorelai ends her relationship with Max by abruptly leaving town on her wedding day, and has several other relationships before breaking up with Luke Danes (Scott Patterson).
Although several of Lorelai’s exes make appearances in A year in the life, Max is notably absent. Lorelai’s other exes, Christopher Hayden (David Sutcliffe) and Jason”Digger“Stiles (Chris Eigeman) appears in A year in the life why they both still have ties to Lorelai’s life years after their relationship with her. Christopher is Rory’s father, and Jason is a friend and business partner of Lorelai’s late father, Richard Gilmore (Edward Hermann). Since Max no longer has any connection to Lorelai, it only made sense for him to be absent from the show’s revival.
Why Max Medina Wasn’t on Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
The series creator said it didn’t feel natural, including the character
Max Medina is a character from Lorelai’s past. Now that Rory is in her 30s A year in the life, it wouldn’t be natural for Lorelai to keep in touch with him for so many years after how things have turned out now that Rory is an adult. Lorelai’s breakups with Jason and Christopher were much more final and concrete, whereas she once left Max at the altar. Not only has Lorelai moved on, but Max appears to have left town as well.
Series creator Amy Sherman Palladino said Weekly entertainment that she couldn’t find a way for Max to get back to A year in the life. “One person I didn’t figure out how to get into was Scott Cohen, who we love so much. Not that we’re not still thinking about him, but we can’t figure out how to get Max there,” the Gilmore Girls explained the creator. “We had so much history. We leave the stories on the cutting room floor before we start.”
Sherman Palladino has previously stated that she and several cast members are always open to another Gilmore Girls revival (through Rolling Stone), so it’s still unclear whether Max will still be able to appear in the future. Years later, he may have married and had children of his own. He is a highly educated person and since then he could have become a university professor. This future would only make sense to be explored if Max returned to Stars Hollow or has a connection to the main characters again.
Why it’s a good thing Max Medina wasn’t on Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
It wouldn’t fit into the narrative structure
Despite the chaotic initial ending, Lorelai and Max eventually had a final conversation during the original execution of Gilmore Girls. Much of the program explores the impacts of trauma and generational patterns. Both Jason and Christopher fit these patterns, as Christopher’s absence had a long-term impact on Rory, and Jason represents the rich, high society life that Lorelai left behind. Max Medina simply got caught in the crossfire of Lorelai’s chaotic life and ultimately didn’t need to play a bigger role.
The addition of Max would have made the show’s revival seem packed with cameos, and it would have defeated the purpose of examining the people who haunt the main characters. On the other hand, the appearance of Rory’s first ex-boyfriend, Dean Forrester (Jared Padalecki) added an important layer to the show. The former couple broke up when Rory fell in love with Jess Mariano (Milo Ventimiglia) and reconciled when Rory was studying at Yale and Dean was married to Lindsay Shaw (Arielle Kebbel).
The duo’s case is exposed to the entire city and receives strong criticism from Lorelai. who is outspoken against infidelity. In the years that follow, Rory maintains a relationship with Logan Huntzberger (Matt Czuchry), graduates from Yale and moves on. When she faces difficulties later in her career and returns home for inspiration, her encounter with Dean reveals that he has remarried and has children of his own. Their conversation shows how much they have grown and matured as adultsand a similar scene with Lorelai and Max in A year in the life I wouldn’t have thrown the same punch.
Sources: Weekly entertainment, Rolling Stone