The Gilmore Girls Episode You Forgot Featured Secretary Of State Madeleine Albright
As one of the leading figures in foreign policy, Madeleine Albright was quite a notable figure. She was the first woman to hold the office of Secretary of State and went on to support many policies, including a push to expand NATO (via CNN). Albright served as part of former President Bill Clinton's administration until 2001 and had published several books in the years that followed, as noted by USA Today.
On March 23, 2022, Albright died from cancer at the age of 84. This reminded many people that while politics were a large part of her life, she also made a number of appearances on television shows. She was not a prolific actor but guested several times, playing herself in NBC's "Parks and Recreation" as well as "Madam Secretary" (via IMDb). This is understandable, as both shows centered around the function of government, big and small. However, fans may have missed her brief appearance in an episode of the family dramedy "Gilmore Girls."
Rory's role model comes to her in her time of need
Throughout seven seasons and an eventual revival on Netflix, the titular Gilmore Girls have done some pretty shady things. However, there are genuinely heartwarming moments of the show as well. In Season 6, Rory (Alexis Bledel) is adrift. After years of striving towards a career in journalism, her hopes are dashed when her boyfriend's father Mitchum Huntzberger (Gregg Henry) tells her she "doesn't have" what it takes to make it in her chosen profession. This sends her into a tailspin that culminates in her stealing a yacht and dropping out of Yale. But what is worse is what it does to her relationship with Lorelai (Lauren Graham). Instead of spending her birthday together as they planned, Lorelai and Rory are at odds. Rory has moved away from home and the two have become estranged.
The only way for Rory to cope with her life choices is with the former secretary of state. No, Madeleine Albright doesn't actually make it to Stars Hollow. Instead, she appears to Rory in a dream. This dream harkens back to Season 1 when Lorelai tells her the story of how she was born. Instead of Lorelai, Rory dreams it's Albright. Rory has always idolized impressive women and finds comfort in one, even though she really wishes it could be her own mother. Lorelai is the most important person in her life and if Rory can't have her, at least she has her idol.