The 10 Funniest ‘Gilmore Girls’ Characters, Ranked

Famous for its fast-paced, pop culture-laced dialogue and quirky, distinctive humor, Gilmore Girls is among the 21st century’s most celebrated TV dramedies. The show is populated with wonderfully odd characters, each more charming than the one before. And while almost every figure in the show is funny, some are outright hysterical, contributing to Gilmore Girls‘ lasting reputation as a new classic.

10 Richard Gilmore

The late Edward Herrmann played Richard Gilmore across the show’s seven seasons. The patriarch of the Gilmore clan, Richard is a formal, dependable, and serious family man who holds values and tradition in high esteem. However, Richard is also loving, supportive, and warm-hearted, especially with his family.

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Although Richard might not be who most fans think of when naming Gilmore Girls‘ funniest characters, he was remarkably witty. He had a dry and biting humor, not unlike Lorelai’s, usually offering sarcastic or highly ironic commentaries in response to the wild antics surrounding him.

9 Rory Gilmore

Rory is Gilmore Girls‘ deuteragonist and one of television’s iconic know-it-alls. Played by Alexis Bledel, Rory is a driven young woman with dreams of becoming a journalist. Like her mother, Rory is a caffeine-addicted, fast-talking, junk-food-consuming pop culture machine with remarkably off-beat tastes.

Although she has her moments of hilarity, Rory usually plays straight woman to the more overtly out-there antics of those around here. Whether she’s keeping up with her mother or dealing with Paris’ numerous eccentricities, Rory is a more level-headed figure in the quirky world of Gilmore Girls. She is funny, but not as funny as the show’s other characters.

8 Taylor Doose

Stars Hollow has many noteworthy inhabitants, but few are more memorable than Taylor Doose, the town selectman and owner of the local market and ice cream shop. Taylor is the most influential figure in Stars Hollow; everyone knows him, and while many find him annoying, most acknowledge how hard he works for the town.

Michael Winters does a wonderful job at playing Taylor. He never shies away from the character’s obnoxious tendencies but never goes overboard so as not to make him unbearable. Taylor shines the most at the town meetings, where his near-laughable devotion to minor details that no one else thinks of, let alone cares about, makes for some of the show’s funniest moments.

7 Mrs. Kim

Gilmore Girls is all about mothers and daughters. Lorelai and Emily might be the show’s most famous parental figures, but every fan knows Mrs. Kim is arguably the best mother in town. Stern and stoic but unflinchingly supportive of her daughter, Mrs. Kim is what every mother should be. She might not agree with Lane’s choices, but she’s unconditionally there for her.

Mrs. Kim is also quite hilarious. Her abrupt, no-nonsense, overwhelming personality makes her very funny, especially when interacting with new characters unaccustomed to her. Mrs. Kim might seem intimidating at first, but fans of the show know she is a caring woman and a surprisingly humorous character.

6 Kirk Gleason

Sean Gunn has played several charming characters, although Kirk Gleason might be his most popular. The oddest townie in Stars Hollow, Kirk is famous for working multiple jobs, having bad luck, and being a constant and reliable presence in the colorful town.

Kirk is odd but endearing, a character that’s almost impossible to dislike. He might be clumsy and sometimes silly, but he is well-meaning and kind, with a wonderfully bizarre sense of humor that makes him even funnier. Gunn’s physical comedy enhances Kirk’s quirky persona, resulting in one of Gilmore Girls‘ funniest and most memorable characters.

5 Michel Gerard

Michel Gerard is the perpetually angry, rude, and short-tempered concierge at the Independence Inn and the Dragonfly. Played by Yanic Truesdale, Michel is a major supporting character in the show and one of Lorelai’s closest friends, with whom he shares a confrontational yet earnest and loving dynamic.

Although the angry Frenchman routine might occasionally seem dated, Truesdale and the show’s writers never allowed Michele to become a stereotype. Michel’s scenes were often the highlights of any given episode, thanks to his banter with Lorelai and Sookie, shamelessly self-absorbed personality, and outright impolite behavior with the customers. Michel is the definition of a scene-stealing character, and Truesdale made the most of it.

4 Paris Geller

Liza Weil‘s Paris Geller was one of Gilmore Girls‘ best characters. Although she starts as Rory’s nemesis at Chilton, the two soon become best friends due to their driven personalities and desire to excel at any cost. Paris stays with the show for all seven seasons and returns for the revival, cementing her reputation as one of the show’s breakout characters.

Paris was a tornado of nerves and energy and one of Gilmore Girls‘ most hysterical characters. Weil’s frantic performance and the show’s clever dialog help Paris become the ultimate teen overachiever, intimidating enough to give Tracy Flick a run for her money. More importantly, Paris is hilarious, delivering biting and often scathing insults as easily as she could recite Chaucer.

3 Sookie St. James

Before she became a major movie star, two-time Oscar nominee Melissa McCarthy was playing the loveable chef Sookie St. James in Gilmore Girls. Sookie is Lorelai’s best friend, an enthusiastic and extremely talented chef with a propensity for accidents.

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McCarthy is a gifted comedienne, and her innate abilities shine brightly in the role of Sookie. The character is silly and clumsy but incredibly funny and well-meaning. Her wild antics and quirks are particularly memorable, helping turn her into one of Gilmore Girls‘ most popular characters. Whether she’s burning her kitchen or arguing with her husband about the best way to hide the weed they accidentally grew on their land, Sookie is one of the show’s most refreshing and riotous characters.

2 Emily Gilmore

The incredible Kelly Bishop plays Emily Gilmore, the matriarch of the Gilmore clan and Lorelai’s overbearing mother. Emily is a larger-than-life character, a strong-willed woman who always thinks she knows what’s best for everyone. Her contentious relationship with Lorelai is one of the pillars upon which Gilmore Girls rises.

Emily is the best character in Gilmore Girls. Her stubborn, imperious personality can be annoying but it’s hilarious more often than not, especially when arguing with the equally obstinate members of her family. Emily is a wonderful character, a dynamic and complicated woman who is often incapable of relating easily with her loved ones despite having their best interest at heart. However, those contradictions make her even more fascinating.

1 Lorelai Gilmore

Many people argue whether Gilmore Girls is a comedy or a drama. Although the show featured highly dramatic moments, it was most often a charming yet eccentric comedy, largely thanks to the figure at the center of every episode. Lauren Graham’s Lorelai Gilmore is unique and colorful, full of idiosyncrasies and with a shameless love for coffee, junk food, and pop culture.

A child of the ’80s, Lorelai loves celebrities, cheap gossip, and movies and shows of questionable taste. Graham’s comedic abilities shined in nearly every episode, thanks to Lorelai’s witty, vibrant dialog, enhanced by the actress’ spirited, fast-paced delivery. Lorelai is a modern television icon, a memorable, flawed, funny, and endlessly entertaining character who fans couldn’t get enough of.