Top 5 Dean Forester moments on Gilmore Girls, revisited

Gilmore Girls fans have never really stopped arguing about Rory's boyfriends, but every single re-watch pulls Dean Forester back into the light. As someone who belongs to the #TEAMDEAN community, I find myself wanting to defend this boy every chance I get. (P.S., I do not condone cheating, and neither do I support Dean's narrative for the same)

However, there are many moments, albeit tiny ones, that stand out to me when it comes to analyzing Dean's character. These five scenes mentioned show me a Dean who is at his most real, most human, and most memorable on Gilmore Girls.

If you love the earlier seasons of Gilmore Girls and lean towards having a soft spot for Dean Forester, this one's for you!

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinion. Readers’ discretion is advised

Top 5 Dean Forester moments on Gilmore Girls, revisited

The Doose's Market kiss

Nothing beats the nervous rush of Rory's first-ever kiss with Dean on Gilmore Girls Season 1, Episode 7, 'Kiss and Tell.' In this episode, Dean turns a random grocery run into a special memory for Rory and him.

Rory's first ever kiss with Dean on Gilmore Girls (Image Via Netflix)

He hides a soda behind his back at Doose's Market, asks Rory to guess which hand the can is in, and before she could think and answer his question, he leans in to kiss her.

Rory thanks him out of nervousness, and she accidentally shoplifts a packet of cornstarch. Soon after, she runs off to tell Lane about what just happened in the supermarket. It is sweet and painfully teenage at best.

The Chilton school dance

The Chilton dance in Season 1, Episode 9, feels like a big step for both Rory and Dean. Dean decides to go to Rory's elite school for a dance and handles it without acting small or insecure. When Tristan tries to stir up some trouble, Dean decides to stand his ground without giving Tristan the attention he's so desperately asking for.

Later at night, while walking through Stars Hollow, Rory nervously asks if he is her boyfriend. Dean then asks her if she wants him to be, and this simple exchange is what officially starts their relationship on Gilmore Girls.

The handmade fixed car

Dean building Rory a pale blue 1961 Dodge Lancer is peak devoted boyfriend-ism. He works on the car for months with his dad and Gypsy, and he turns his hobby into something really special, just for Rory.

The 1961 Dodge Lancer car that Dean has been building (Image Via Netflix)

Even though the night he hands Rory the car eventually leads to their first breakup after he tells her that he loves her, the effort itself says everything about how seriously he took her. It wasn't a fling to him. It was straight up hands dirty, learning as you go.

The 24-hour Dance Marathon breakup

The 24 Hour Dance Marathon breakup is painful, but honestly? It is one of the best things Dean has done throughout the entirety of Gilmore Girls. And I love that for him.

Dean watches Rory spiral with jealousy over Jess and he finally stops pretending that everything is fine in their relationship. In front of the whole town, Dean admits he has done and says he's not her boyfriend anymore.

It hurt him to say so, but it also felt like he was at his breaking point after Rory gaslit him for months on end. The breakup scene forces Rory to reflect on what she's done (but she really doesn't do a whole lot of reflection and starts to date Jess almost too immediately). But hey! At least Dean finally stood his ground (for now)

Dean in Gilmore Girls: AYITL

When Rory runs into Dean in AYITL at Doose's Market, they share a pretty grounded and civil conversation. Dean has finally moved on from Rory (hence why AYITL Dean makes it to this list) and he now lives in Scranton with his wife, Jenny, and their kids. There is no pining between Rory and him anymore, and he seems to be doing well.

Dean in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, Fall. (Image Via Netflix)

Rory then asks him if she could write about him and their relationship in the Gilmore Girls book she's writing, and he agrees. This moment right here feels like closure has been done right, not just for the characters, but also for us as fans of the show.

Revisiting Dean and Gilmore Girls always reminds me of why there is still so much debate regarding Rory's boyfriend in the fandom. Sure, Dean isn't perfect by any means, and Logan and Jess have their fair share of good qualities, but at the end of the day, Dean (during the earlier seasons of the show) was still a young teen only trying his best to figure his life out, just like all of us do. He has his flaws, his growths, and his moments, but he did genuinely care for Rory in the best way that he could.

Dean's impact is impossible to ignore if you religiously watch the show every chance you get. This is why he truly lives rent-free in my re-watch-y brain.