“Gilmore Girls” continues to lead a successful life in the streaming industry, and fans are hoping for a second season of Netflix’s revival of “A Year in the Life.” The show is full of quirky but cute characters that make the city of Star Hollow charmingly unique. However, there is no more unique character than Kirk Gleason.
Kirk, played by character actor Sean Gunn, is a local weirdo, and that’s saying something. Kirk is strange, but with good intentions, and his entrepreneurial plans often become the subject of jokes. He is also prone to accidents and gets seriously injured during his participation in the show.
Bullying by his family
Kirk is perhaps the most eccentric resident of Star Hollow. Most of his friends and neighbors treat him well, although they are often annoyed by his quirks. However, his family seems especially cruel to him, especially his mother.
She never appears on screen, but Kirk describes her as bossy and possessive; she won’t even let him drive a car or have keys to his own house. Kirk mentions how his mother once made baskets for his brothers for the city’s “Basket Application” festival, but excluded him. Being the youngest in a family of twelve shouldn’t be easy, but Kirk’s family made sure it was as difficult as possible.
Bullying by Louis Daines
Luke’s uncle, Louis Danes, is infamous in Star Hollow. He dies during one of Luke’s most important episodes in Gilmore Girls, prompting other characters to remember him. They describe him as violent, hot-tempered and rude, a bully in every way. He once laughed at Miss Patty, telling her “please kiss her ass,” and was even more against city holidays than Luke.
Louie’s bullying of Kirk was especially intense. He once kicked Kirk’s dog, leaving her so traumatized that, according to Kirk, “she was never the same again.” During Halloween, Louis scared Kirk so much that he never went to treats again. Bullying can take many forms, and what Kirk went through as a child explains a lot about the kind of person he grew up to be.
Failure in his many entrepreneurial schemes
Kirk had funny quotes from Gilmore Girls. Part of his charm was how easily he seemed to blend into all possible jobs, never succeeding in any of them. Kirk works in almost every company in the city, including a beauty salon, a library, a pizzeria and Doose’s.
However, Kirk also undertakes several entrepreneurial efforts, but they all fail. For example, he is trying to sell customized mailboxes, including in the shape of Condoleezza Rice’s head. Kirk also becomes a realtor, sells shirts, creates an Uber-like business called Ooober, and tries to open a Luke’s-like diner across from Luke’s. Kirk is enthusiastic, creative and adaptable; if he had more commitment to his business and a little more energy, he could be as successful as Paris.
Become homeless after leaving your mother
In the first seasons of Gilmore Girls, Kirk lives with his controlling mother. After Luke forces him to seek independence, Kirk abandons his mom only to realize he has nowhere to go, effectively becoming homeless.
Kirk crashes with several friends and neighbors, including Lorelai and an unnamed family whose children stick things up his nose. He also stays in Michel’s mobile home and Luke’s unfinished boat. Although all the other residents of Star Hollow accept him, it is sad to see that Kirk is purposeless and has no place to call home. The show treats his situation as a joke, but the storyline isn’t completely outdated.
Kirk the cat hates him
In the season 3 episode “Deep-fried Korean Thanksgiving”, Kirk announces that he has a cat, which he also named Kirk. However, Kirk the Cat hates Kirk the man, scratching him whenever he tries to get close. Kirk’s injuries get worse every time Lorelai and Rory see him—he even says that sixty percent of his body is scratched—and by the end of the episode, he sleeps in the gazebo to escape from Kirk’s Cat.
Once again, the series treats the storyline as a joke. Honestly, it’s funny, mostly because of Sean Gunn’s great comedic moment. However, it’s also sad to think of poor Kirk being pushed around by another figure. Gilmore Girls like to give their animals human features — the dog Paul Anka is a perfect example of this. However, Cat Kirk was just a jerk.
Being pinned to Fran’s box
Fran is the beloved owner of Weston’s Bakery in Star Hollow. She dies in the season 3 episode “Say Goodnight, Gracie”, and a funeral is held in the city, at which her coffin is carried around the town square to give her one last walk. Unfortunately, the coffin gives in and crushes the Pick, opening in the process.
