Oh, this is a nice contrast to the ideas from my video about Kirk being a multipotentialite! Considering his childhood and having many siblings, it's totally understandable why he would put so much effort into proving himself to the town! Especially if he had some siblings that outshined him at home.
I was thinking it would be also kind of parallel to your video. I also think that he is a multipotentialite, even if perhaps his backstory was the initial driving force. I was going to mention your video in this one but then as I reached the end of recording it, I completely forgot. :( Your video was truly excellent.
To me, Kirk feels like a cartoon character (Looney Tunes especially), not just because of his personal traits, but also because of his physical abilities. Like he is badly injured in an episode and then completely healthy in the next or even during the same one
It can be both, he can be neurodivergent AND be trying to reclaim childhood trauma (feeling neglected at home). I love Kirk. I forgive the show runners for the jarring inconsistencies in the first season, it’s clear they didn’t plan his character but quickly saw his value and I’m glad they did.
After watching this, I think Kirk was neglected (or much likely abandoned) by his father. I think he made up the story about the basket, his mother actually seems overbearing not neglectful. That's probably why he wants Taylor's respect so much.
Kirk is like glue. He sticks to the people he cares out. When you decide to include him, he can get annoying, and sometimes, you have to wash him off. Most importantly, he holds the town together. Kirk is the heart and soul of the show🥰
Kirk makes top 5 Stars Hollow townsfolk for SURE 😂 His antics cheer me up in so many ways. On that note, I sincerely appreciate how his character was never flanderized, like he wasn't dumb for the sake of comedy. He had human moments and spots of genius that rounded him out through all 7 seasons.
My theory is that Kirk made up the story about having 12 brothers and sisters to convince Jackson to pay more for the basket. Kirk never mentions any siblings at any other time, and his mother characterized as being overbearing not neglectful.
@@Charliebeth Thanks for letting me know! I still don't buy the whole basket story. I think Kirk will pull out all the stops when he sees an opportunity to save or to make money. I think he had an absentee dad though, that's why he's all about earning Taylor's admiration.
@@doesitmatterwhoiam8838 yeah I understand that argument. I can agree with you that hee might have exaggerated his family to earn sympathy so that Jackson would pay more for the basket. My theory is that he has one older brother whom he was always in the shadow of. Also, about hi father's suit. It's possible that his father had a viewing/ wake and was cremated so his father was dressed in the suit for the viewing/wake before he was cremated. Idk... That's just how I make sense of that idea.
@@Charliebeth Okay, yeah, that's right. It's funny I've watched the show at least ten times, but I never paid much attention to Kirk's facts. Maybe his father died when he was really young, or his father didn't pay him much attention.
I love Kirk! The "Pinky and the Brain" reference is perfect! ☺️ Finally, possibly a controversial opinion, I think he looked beautiful as the revolutionary lady of the night.
11:24. Only disagreement - I think Kirk tries to buy the Twickham house because he sees what Luke wants for Lorelei and doesn’t want to outdone by another ‘sibling’. He might have gotten anxious because Luke has finally gotten this about his life together before Kirk could do that for himself. It’s a little pettiness between someone he’s drawn close to.
Oh good! I wasn't sure if people would be bothered by that analogy. I don't know how it popped into my head, but once I started to think about it, it started to make sense to me.
This was a very smart and sweet deep-dive. A perfect glimpse into the many layers, gifts and frailties of an often disregarded, misviewed charachter. Seeing the melancholy into the "fun" needs a profound knowledge of the human heart... and having a HUGE one. Thank you so much for taking me back to Stars Hollow. ❤
I love the connection between Luke and Kirk it's clear they have a friendship, unique as it may be. And also Taylor to me almost feels like a father figure to Kirk
The fact that this video begins with Kirk as the lady of the night in the revolutionary war re-enactment, saying what is possibly the single greatest sentence in that episode, makes this the best GG video on TH-cam forever and always. (Slight) Hyperbole aside, I wasn't aware that there were some fans who don't like Kirk or found him irrelevant compared to the other main characters. I always saw Kirk as the one who really embodied Stars Hollow in its quirkiness and its commitment to tradition, as we can see in the town events/holidays. However funny or strange they may seem, they're still taken pretty seriously. It's not unlike how seriously Kirk takes his (multiple) jobs and business ventures (#methodactor). The fact that it's Kirk that's set up as the spiritual successor to Taylor in the future should, I think, be an example of Kirk being integral to the town's success and its spirit. You can't organize the kinds of events that Stars Hollow hosts without utter commitment and conviction. He can be annoying, but you still love him. That's Kirk. Or is it Stars Hollow...? I really enjoyed this video on Kirk's character and history. I wouldn't have ever considered that Kirk works as hard as he does as a form of seeking some form of validation or attention as a result of a neglectful childhood. But I can see how that can be the case. What always struck me (since it's probably more overt in the show) is how Kirk seems to latch onto Taylor and then Luke as positive male role models in his life. Kirk wants to please Taylor when it comes to showing how responsible he can be, and Kirk trusts Luke almost implicitly, like an older brother. Considering that Kirk's father wasn't in his life and he presumably doesn't have a consistent or supportive relationship with his siblings, perhaps he saw these men as filling some sort of void in his life as present, dependable figures. I love the idea that Kirk does as much for Luke as Luke does for Kirk. It makes their relationship all the more endearing to me. Thank you for making this video! ☺
Thank you so much! I didn't know that people didn't like Kirk either, but I went on Reddit to do some fan research on the character. I understand why some people don't like him but I will always be a Kirk fan.
I've also heard that the show was going to make it a bit for Sean Gunn to play different characters every time. I think it's probably a good thing they didn't since it allowed the writers to incorporate Kirk better into the town. I like your Twickham House theories. Mine was kind of weak to be honest. I like how your theories work with my head canons for the show. :)
I’m autistic and I relate to Kirk a lot. People write-off us “quirky”, annoying, stupid, untrustworthy when we are just being ourselves. It’s tiring but I do like to see him celebrated too.
Thank you :). I really appreciate you saying that. I want to eventually incorporate more research and information apart from just my observations. For now though, I'm having fun putting my spin on things.
I'd like to hear as well, I hope he's as charming and funny irl as his characters. I realised recently Sean Gunn and James Gunn are related, yet Kirk's similarities to DC and MCU an were never referenced in the ayitl revival.
@@PensiveWhiskersI think it’s partly because of your voice and how the video sounds, it feels like I’m watching S1 again. Also likely because I love GG.
Thank you for this video! I love Kirk. I remember loved seeing him in the new series, he had a pet pig named Petal. It's mentioned that everyone in town advised him not to have a child, it would be dangerous.
Thank you for watching! I'm thinking of doing a review of the revival at some point so I will return to Kirk and all the character and how they turned out.
That was something that really bothered me about the revival, actually. It was totally not the town's place to decide that Kirk and Lulu would not make good parents because they are quirky, and to come together to manipulate them out of procreating. If Kirk and Lulu want to have kids, the have the right to have kids. As the video shows, Kirk is quite capable in a lot of ways, and even if he wasn't, so long as he isn't abusive, it's just not other people's business and stinks of eugenics.
I believe Kirk screws up on purpose. He likes attention and he's willing to run a car into a diner for it. Also, the thing about being a weirdo is that, yes, people notice you, but they also tend to disregard you. I agree he's most likely neurodivergent, I think making money, saving money, investing money, and scamming people out of money (like the ladies with the rings) is something that fascinates him.
Hi. I just wanted to tell you that I love all your videos about Gilmore Girls. You’ve really put some serious thought and effort into them. And I like the way you think and analyze each character very thoroughly.
@@PensiveWhiskers I want to word it better, feels like you somehow got an hour's worth of content smushed into 20 minutes 🙂 I'll have to watch again and again to appreciate all the nuance
I took what you said as a compliment, 🙂I think my response came out wrong too. I like to have videos that don't drag so I am happy that it had good pacing. By the way, thank you for always sharing your thoughts and watching, it means a lot.
This was SUCH an amazing, comprehensive analysis of Kirk and I'm super here for it. You noticed things about him i had kinda missed although most of it i hadn't (because I've paid far too much attention to this show over the years, i guess 😅). I did find myself thinking during some of the Kirk/Luke stuff that season 7 shouldn't count. That the characterization is so different for so many of them once Amy Sherman-Palladino wasn't involved, that idk it’s hard to fully integrate some of that stuff into my mind. Luke doesn't look like Luke to me wearing that black ballcap 😭. Etc. You know. I really loved your observations about Kirk and frugality. Kirk and his presence in Luke's diner. And especially how seriously you took the Cat Kirk references lmao. This was a super enjoyable video essay. Thank you for all your effort looking into a character who is very worthy of stasus as a favorite. He really is a big part of the creative charm that makes the show what it is.
Thank you! I will have more GG videos coming, although they will be interspersed with other shows. Perhaps I will cover another show that you like as well.
Kirk is the man , he’s my favourite character in the show, me and my sister always be quoting this dude , and my sister barely watched this show, she just sat in with me through a few watches proves how goated he is
I love that you think Kirk is always attempting to help Luke. I think he just thinks of Luke as his good friend, we don't really see him have friends at least not until Kyle.
I appreciate this video about Kirk. I love Kirk as a character. I personally headcanon him as trans. It explains why he has a few name changes early on. It also helps explain why he is less familiar with dating and why he’s going through a journey of self-discovery, because figuring out his gender identity was just one of his steps of figuring out his personal identity. I also have a sillier concept of Miss Patty being Kirk’s mother, which is why he has such an artistic sensibility and why they are often seen working together.
I literally just started the video and I already love it. Kirk is my religion 🙏 edit: your theory of validation also makes total sense when he starts dating Lulu, having a girlfriend was something that he probably never thought it would be possible so he tells everyone about her 🥺
True, he really tries to advertise his relationship with Lulu. He's so proud of it and it would make sense for his character to want to share that information with everyone.
I love the idea that Kirk tried to buy the Twickham house as another way of watching out for Lorelai, and the comparison to Pinky & the Brain! I could see the opening of Kirk's being interpreted as a misguided attempt to show Luke how much Kirk looks up to him.
I'm happy you are enjoying them! I plan on doing a video on Lane's and Rory's friendship with a friend of mine which I will put on my channel. Not quite a Lane video but I will finally have more Lane content. I might do a video on Lorelai and her relationships but I know that will be a hefty video so it may be a while before I get to it.
This was such a great video. For a minute, you actually had me shipping Kirk and Lorelei, which I never thought would happen, so kudos to you. You also made me appreciate Kirk and Luke's friendship (though Luke would shudder before calling it that); some of your points felt like a stretch (I think he genuinely wanted to buy the Twickham house, since he was basically homeless at the time) but overall, you make it clear how much these two men secretly care for and look out for each other. When it comes to inconsistencies, the main thing that coms to mind once Kirk is established as a character is the fact that once he is homeless and living with Lorelei (and other towns people) his night-terrors (which is a real condition) seem to no longer be an issue. Paris mentions him talking in his sleep about dealing blackjack, but that's not the same. Finally, I can't come to a video about Kirk without bringing up my main issue. It's not actually about Kirk himself, but more about how the town treats Kirk. I know you reference it being all in fun and not to be taken too seriously, and sometimes they are even kind to him, but they can also be very cruel to him. The moment that nailed this home for me was in A Year In The Life (I'm not sure if you count that as part of canon, as you didn't reference it in your videos). Lorelei tells Rory that Kirk and Lulu, who at this point have been a stable and loving, if quirky and strange couple for over a decade at this point, were overheard discussing having kids, and the town bought him a pig to stave this off. Yes, Kirk seems okay with having a pig, he loves the pig, and I guess it was enough for him and Lulu to stop discussing kids for now, but who gave the town the right to passive-aggressively tell Kirk and Lulu that they are too "quirky," to be trusted to raise kids. That is not their place, and it's really screwed up when you think about it. Much as I love Gilmore Girls, the town and the protagonists have a sometimes cruel sense of humor, and just a mean edge to them at times, which I attribute to Amy Sherman-Paladino's cruel sense of humor, and he belief that people are born evil and need to have goodness kicked into them (she actually said that in an interview). Anyway, I'd love to get your take on my thoughts on the town's cruelness towards Kirk and whether or not it crosses the line. Again, great video.
I do think that the town is at times dismissive of Kirk and the town's actions can be cruel (like you said, giving him a pig to discourage him from having kids). I think this was due to the show's treatment of Kirk as pure comic relief rather than a real person. I feel that Kirk was treated more like a sitcom character than a character on a drama show. I know that Gilmore Girls is not squarely classified as a drama show but it's also not exactly a pure comedy. Personally, I am not a fan of treating Kirk in this way. It crosses the line for me but not for the show. This was a creative decision by the writers that doesn't align with my view of characters on this type of show. This is actually one of my quibbles with the show. I have been considering making a video on how sometimes the comedy hinges on scenarios that would actually be upsetting or mean-spirited in real life. I hesitate to call these things out because I feel that it is likely a personal preference. I'm sure there are plenty of people who are not bothered by it. I haven't been mentioning the revival in a lot of my videos. I want to say that it's because I plan on doing a full video on the revival, but the truth is, I get kind of lazy. 😳 I am still planning on doing a video on the revival. The Twickham house theory was totally a stretch on my part. There is a part of me that ships Kirk and Lorelai together. 🤫 Thank you so much for sharing your opinion!
I would watch and possibly comment on both of those videos (the mean-spiritedness of the show one, and the revival one). I loved the show so much growing up, and it broke my heart to have it pointed out to me how cruel the characters sometimes are, and the things that don't age well, but I think I can still love the show and acknowledge it's flaws. You're welcome. Thank you for responding to my opinion (and so quickly too!)@@PensiveWhiskers
One thing I thought was interesting about Kirk is that unlike other funny and silly characters, he wasn’t watered down or presented to be dumb. Instead his funny traits were shown to be integral. I liked his character so much that I made a video about him being neurodivergent, but to be honest, I wouldn’t mind a whole series about what makes him who he is. Especially about he and his mom Also the comparison to pinky and the brain is golden
I have 2 theories to explain why Kirk was “Mick” in the beginning either A) since he has 12 siblings it’s possible one of them could look almost identical to him so “Mick” was really just one of his older brothers. Or B) in very Kirk fashion he went through a period of wanting to change his name and so introduced himself as “Mick” for a while before getting bored/giving up since none of the townsfolk who knew him as a child bothered with it. (I imagine Babette getting confused and pestering him about why he wants to be called something else and always forgetting to say the new name) And yes I know his character wasn’t officially fleshed out yet script-wise, this is just what I tell myself for it make sense story-line wise.
I feel like there were some really sweet and important moments in A Year in the Life with Kirk. They really highlighted his relationship with Luke and especially Lorelai. It also showed how much Lorelai cares for him even if she is annoyed by him times. I think we need a part 2 😊
I like kirk he's such a sweet guy i like the relationship between kirk and luke i wasn't laughing at the situation with kirk and the cat due to my own experience with dealing with cats
One thing I thought was interesting about Kirk is that unlike other funny and silly characters, he wasn’t watered down or presented to be dumb. Instead his funny traits were shown to be integral. I liked his character so much that I made a video about him being neurodivergent, but to be honest, I wouldn’t mind a whole series about what makes him who he is. Especially about he and his mom
Kirk is so sweet and weird! I live the different relationships he has with the people in town! It's a shame cat Kirk doesn't like him! I love Lulu for him, they are sweet together! My fave moment with Kirk and Luke is when Kirk demands he take back that Lulu might touch him again..but I felt weird when Kirk took on the Jesus role.. way too seriously... he's unique. He's just...Kirk!
IMO, he was the original thirty-something! I think Kirk was a great student at Ms Patty's, has always been slightly different (on the spectrum perhaps) and returned to the town and the million odd jobs after trying to make it in the real world. That would also explain why he's always trying to make those inane short films and acting/singing in town productions.
I agree with you about cat Kirk! I also really hate the mean cat trope on tv shows. They did it on Friends too when Rachel gets a sphinx cat that ends up being "evil." I totally hate it! Cats are misunderstood enough as it is.
@PensiveWhiskers yeah totally! Even on Girls Next Door, which was a reality show Bridget said they added hissing noises to make her cat look mean when she was actually really sweet.
Love Kirk so much haha I really like your Pinky and The Brain analogy although I think that's Kirk & Taylor all the way . Taylor is literally trying to dominate the town all the time and is quite bitter in the way he enforces his power over other people not regarding their feelings or being aware of how fastidiously nitpicky he can be.
I swear that Kirk was inspired by this guy in my neighborhood, well actually a friend. He has all types of job in the neighborhood, from selling Xmas trees and actually featuring in the New York Times article because the million weird jobs he has. One of them renting school buses as Airbs. He makes good amount of money from all this weird jobs, but no one will date him cause he’s kinda weird and always has a new job in his mind that you got to be a special girl to keep up.
I like the fact that Kirk is odd, but still beloved in Stars Hollow; he never makes the town uncomfortable 🤷🏽♀️ Maybe Kirk is some flavor of neurodivergent, but because he matches the energy of his town, it doesn’t matter to anyone 😂
I appreciate that you don't just take Kirk and his actions as "It's a joke", but consider it as part of the story. In Improv, if there's a joke which doesn't fit with the rest of the story, we call that gagging, and it detracts from the overall experience even if you get short-term laughs. It means there's parts of the story we should ignore and it takes us out of it. So as viewers, if we consider it as part of the comprehensive whole, it creates a better watching experience.
I've heard about that in improv, I've never done it but I've watched improv shows and I am always incredibly impressed by how quickly the actors can play off each other. Thank you for interpreting my narrative in such a positive light. I sometimes think that my videos are too silly since my interpretations go beyond what the writers intended. I'm treating these characters like real people which I know can be a little absurd.
@@PensiveWhiskers Not absurd at all! That's exactly what the writers want you to do. In fact, by accepting the situation, and then psychoanalysing the character, it creates a more cohesive environment to enjoy the show. That's the entire concept of Yes, And. 😁 And you did an excellent job of psychoanalysing the character in a way which fits a cohesive narrative. A narrative which helps me really appreciate Kirk's final scene in the revival where he's proud of the wedding decorations he made for his friends.
The episode that spoiled Kirk for me was the one where the Dragonfly was opening and Kirk was basically vandalizing his (free) room because he had "issues". No thought whatsoever to how it would be wrong to mess with someone else's property, he just felt entitled to do so.
Actually the crazy town members are a great plot point, imo. They explain why Lorelei is so at home there. She's weird, they're weird in thier own ways, everyone accepts the weird and they accept Lorelei.
Oh, this is a nice contrast to the ideas from my video about Kirk being a multipotentialite! Considering his childhood and having many siblings, it's totally understandable why he would put so much effort into proving himself to the town! Especially if he had some siblings that outshined him at home.
I was thinking it would be also kind of parallel to your video. I also think that he is a multipotentialite, even if perhaps his backstory was the initial driving force. I was going to mention your video in this one but then as I reached the end of recording it, I completely forgot. :( Your video was truly excellent.
@@PensiveWhiskers I'm happy Kirk is getting so much love and appreciation, he's such an underrated character! And thanks ^^
sidenote: kirk's short film is oscar worthy and a masterpiece
Agreed. 🙂 I had a section where I mentioned the film, but I ended up cutting it out since all I did was praise it.
@@PensiveWhiskers well of course, what’s to criticise?
@@PensiveWhiskers could you please please please post a video just talking about the film?? We need it
YES.
Oh gosh, now that is a task, I would have to think about how I would approach it. That is a cool idea.
Kirk is my favorite character too. Kirk is the spirit of Stars Hollow.
Yes! he captures the essence of the town. 🙂
Whenever he is on screen it cheers me up lol
To me, Kirk feels like a cartoon character (Looney Tunes especially), not just because of his personal traits, but also because of his physical abilities. Like he is badly injured in an episode and then completely healthy in the next or even during the same one
He definitely is like a cartoon character. Also kind of reminiscent of Jim Carrey roles.
It can be both, he can be neurodivergent AND be trying to reclaim childhood trauma (feeling neglected at home). I love Kirk. I forgive the show runners for the jarring inconsistencies in the first season, it’s clear they didn’t plan his character but quickly saw his value and I’m glad they did.
That is true; he can definitely be both (I considered that as well). I think they found gold in Sean Gunn.
After watching this, I think Kirk was neglected (or much likely abandoned) by his father. I think he made up the story about the basket, his mother actually seems overbearing not neglectful. That's probably why he wants Taylor's respect so much.
Kirk is such a king.
Kirk is THE method actor. Jared Leto and Joaquin Phoenix wish they could reach his level.
Hahahahaha, I could see that.
Kirk is like glue. He sticks to the people he cares out. When you decide to include him, he can get annoying, and sometimes, you have to wash him off. Most importantly, he holds the town together. Kirk is the heart and soul of the show🥰
The townspeople not being essential to the plot, but being more than just random background characters is why they are great.
Kirk makes top 5 Stars Hollow townsfolk for SURE 😂 His antics cheer me up in so many ways. On that note, I sincerely appreciate how his character was never flanderized, like he wasn't dumb for the sake of comedy. He had human moments and spots of genius that rounded him out through all 7 seasons.
I agree, I think the show was able to make him a sympathetic character and not just someone to be made fun of.
kirk is so silly i love him
My theory is that Kirk made up the story about having 12 brothers and sisters to convince Jackson to pay more for the basket. Kirk never mentions any siblings at any other time, and his mother characterized as being overbearing not neglectful.
Actually, he does mention a brother who used to date Lulu in a later episode so he at least has one brother.
@@Charliebeth Thanks for letting me know! I still don't buy the whole basket story. I think Kirk will pull out all the stops when he sees an opportunity to save or to make money. I think he had an absentee dad though, that's why he's all about earning Taylor's admiration.
@@doesitmatterwhoiam8838 yeah I understand that argument. I can agree with you that hee might have exaggerated his family to earn sympathy so that Jackson would pay more for the basket. My theory is that he has one older brother whom he was always in the shadow of. Also, about hi father's suit. It's possible that his father had a viewing/ wake and was cremated so his father was dressed in the suit for the viewing/wake before he was cremated. Idk... That's just how I make sense of that idea.
@@Charliebeth Okay, yeah, that's right. It's funny I've watched the show at least ten times, but I never paid much attention to Kirk's facts. Maybe his father died when he was really young, or his father didn't pay him much attention.
@@doesitmatterwhoiam8838 I've watched the show more than I can count and I can't not retain odd little side mentions.
I love Kirk!
The "Pinky and the Brain" reference is perfect! ☺️
Finally, possibly a controversial opinion, I think he looked beautiful as the revolutionary lady of the night.
That is a hot take. I like him in that dress, he pulls it off.
11:24. Only disagreement - I think Kirk tries to buy the Twickham house because he sees what Luke wants for Lorelei and doesn’t want to outdone by another ‘sibling’. He might have gotten anxious because Luke has finally gotten this about his life together before Kirk could do that for himself. It’s a little pettiness between someone he’s drawn close to.
That is a good interpretation; I like it. My Twickham house interpretation was definitely a stretch.
Ooh this is interesting 🤔 I was always interested in why he decided to make this decision so seemingly hastily and this comment makes a lot of sense
I love comparing luke and kirk to pinky and the brain. I absolutely love that.
Kirk is definitely one of my favorite characters
Oh good! I wasn't sure if people would be bothered by that analogy. I don't know how it popped into my head, but once I started to think about it, it started to make sense to me.
Kirk and Luke feel like brothers to me, I love their relationship. They can always rely on each other even though they fight 😁
This was a very smart and sweet deep-dive. A perfect glimpse into the many layers, gifts and frailties of an often disregarded, misviewed charachter. Seeing the melancholy into the "fun" needs a profound knowledge of the human heart... and having a HUGE one. Thank you so much for taking me back to Stars Hollow. ❤
Thank you for this beautifully written comment. 😍
I love the connection between Luke and Kirk it's clear they have a friendship, unique as it may be. And also Taylor to me almost feels like a father figure to Kirk
Kirk is my absolute favorite character on the show
The fact that this video begins with Kirk as the lady of the night in the revolutionary war re-enactment, saying what is possibly the single greatest sentence in that episode, makes this the best GG video on TH-cam forever and always.
(Slight) Hyperbole aside, I wasn't aware that there were some fans who don't like Kirk or found him irrelevant compared to the other main characters. I always saw Kirk as the one who really embodied Stars Hollow in its quirkiness and its commitment to tradition, as we can see in the town events/holidays. However funny or strange they may seem, they're still taken pretty seriously. It's not unlike how seriously Kirk takes his (multiple) jobs and business ventures (#methodactor).
The fact that it's Kirk that's set up as the spiritual successor to Taylor in the future should, I think, be an example of Kirk being integral to the town's success and its spirit. You can't organize the kinds of events that Stars Hollow hosts without utter commitment and conviction.
He can be annoying, but you still love him. That's Kirk. Or is it Stars Hollow...?
I really enjoyed this video on Kirk's character and history. I wouldn't have ever considered that Kirk works as hard as he does as a form of seeking some form of validation or attention as a result of a neglectful childhood. But I can see how that can be the case. What always struck me (since it's probably more overt in the show) is how Kirk seems to latch onto Taylor and then Luke as positive male role models in his life. Kirk wants to please Taylor when it comes to showing how responsible he can be, and Kirk trusts Luke almost implicitly, like an older brother. Considering that Kirk's father wasn't in his life and he presumably doesn't have a consistent or supportive relationship with his siblings, perhaps he saw these men as filling some sort of void in his life as present, dependable figures.
I love the idea that Kirk does as much for Luke as Luke does for Kirk. It makes their relationship all the more endearing to me.
Thank you for making this video! ☺
Thank you so much! I didn't know that people didn't like Kirk either, but I went on Reddit to do some fan research on the character. I understand why some people don't like him but I will always be a Kirk fan.
YOU HAVE A VIDEO ABOUT KIRK. God, its perfect😂❤ I love him, and your video, as always, is great.
Thank you! Kirk is truly fantastic. The show wouldn't quite be the same without him.
Every town needs a Kirk.
I’d love to have a Kirk. 😄
I absolutely love Kirk! He makes the show so much fun.
Kirk has always been my favourite character, too
I've also heard that the show was going to make it a bit for Sean Gunn to play different characters every time. I think it's probably a good thing they didn't since it allowed the writers to incorporate Kirk better into the town.
I like your Twickham House theories. Mine was kind of weak to be honest. I like how your theories work with my head canons for the show. :)
That's such a good theory! I love it.
I’m autistic and I relate to Kirk a lot. People write-off us “quirky”, annoying, stupid, untrustworthy when we are just being ourselves. It’s tiring but I do like to see him celebrated too.
Your gilmore girls videos are top tier
Thank you :). I really appreciate you saying that. I want to eventually incorporate more research and information apart from just my observations. For now though, I'm having fun putting my spin on things.
I just met Sean Gunn at a Con last weekend, so this is perfect timing!
That is really cool! He seems like a really cool guy. How is he in person?
I'd like to hear as well, I hope he's as charming and funny irl as his characters. I realised recently Sean Gunn and James Gunn are related, yet Kirk's similarities to DC and MCU an were never referenced in the ayitl revival.
I been waiting for this
I'm sorry it's a little late. I have to stop making promises. 😅
I adore him completely! I’m autistic and I think he’s autistic, I love his directness. Also, Lorelai and Kirk remind me a LOT of Sheldon and Penny.
I have adhd and I see a lot of myself in Kirk, as well as, maybe some autistic tendencies. He’s a great character
I totally agree about Cat Kirk, it always makes me sad for both Kirks.
Same!
I watch a lot of tv/movie/book analysis videos and yours are by far my favourite!
Wow, thank you! That is quite the compliment. 😄I hope they will keep getting better over time.
@@PensiveWhiskersI think it’s partly because of your voice and how the video sounds, it feels like I’m watching S1 again. Also likely because I love GG.
There’s a theory that Kirk is actually an escaped Lodge Spirit from Twin Peaks
Omg I love your Gilmore girl video 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶
Thank you so much! 💜
Thank you for this video! I love Kirk. I remember loved seeing him in the new series, he had a pet pig named Petal. It's mentioned that everyone in town advised him not to have a child, it would be dangerous.
Thank you for watching! I'm thinking of doing a review of the revival at some point so I will return to Kirk and all the character and how they turned out.
That was something that really bothered me about the revival, actually. It was totally not the town's place to decide that Kirk and Lulu would not make good parents because they are quirky, and to come together to manipulate them out of procreating. If Kirk and Lulu want to have kids, the have the right to have kids. As the video shows, Kirk is quite capable in a lot of ways, and even if he wasn't, so long as he isn't abusive, it's just not other people's business and stinks of eugenics.
I believe Kirk screws up on purpose. He likes attention and he's willing to run a car into a diner for it. Also, the thing about being a weirdo is that, yes, people notice you, but they also tend to disregard you. I agree he's most likely neurodivergent, I think making money, saving money, investing money, and scamming people out of money (like the ladies with the rings) is something that fascinates him.
Hi. I just wanted to tell you that I love all your videos about Gilmore Girls. You’ve really put some serious thought and effort into them. And I like the way you think and analyze each character very thoroughly.
Hi ☺ thank you! This means a lot. I have been trying to do my best and it means so much that you want to watch what I made! ❤
another great one!!!
I love Kirk. He is my favorite as well.
This was very comprehensive for how short it was ☺️ I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts!
The fact that a 20-minute video felt short is a good sign. Thank you! 😁
@@PensiveWhiskers I want to word it better, feels like you somehow got an hour's worth of content smushed into 20 minutes 🙂 I'll have to watch again and again to appreciate all the nuance
I took what you said as a compliment, 🙂I think my response came out wrong too. I like to have videos that don't drag so I am happy that it had good pacing. By the way, thank you for always sharing your thoughts and watching, it means a lot.
This was SUCH an amazing, comprehensive analysis of Kirk and I'm super here for it. You noticed things about him i had kinda missed although most of it i hadn't (because I've paid far too much attention to this show over the years, i guess 😅). I did find myself thinking during some of the Kirk/Luke stuff that season 7 shouldn't count. That the characterization is so different for so many of them once Amy Sherman-Palladino wasn't involved, that idk it’s hard to fully integrate some of that stuff into my mind. Luke doesn't look like Luke to me wearing that black ballcap 😭. Etc. You know.
I really loved your observations about Kirk and frugality. Kirk and his presence in Luke's diner. And especially how seriously you took the Cat Kirk references lmao. This was a super enjoyable video essay. Thank you for all your effort looking into a character who is very worthy of stasus as a favorite. He really is a big part of the creative charm that makes the show what it is.
Amazing. I love Kirk. He is consistently the best part of the show and Stars Hollow.
Ok officially subscribing to the channel, keep the GG videos coming, thanks!
Thank you! I will have more GG videos coming, although they will be interspersed with other shows. Perhaps I will cover another show that you like as well.
i would love to see a video about you discussing the class divide between Rory and Logan, a full analysis
I now believe Luke and Kirk are the next best relationship in the show, following Luke and Jess. Your GG videos are great ❤
when kirk sets up his own coffee biz that was his version of luke's lol
Kirk is the man , he’s my favourite character in the show, me and my sister always be quoting this dude , and my sister barely watched this show, she just sat in with me through a few watches proves how goated he is
He truly is iconic. :)
if kirk has fans,i am his number one fan, if kirk has no fans then iam his only fan period.
I love Kirk so much! I had a work colleague that reminded me so much of him! What a great personality!
I love that you think Kirk is always attempting to help Luke.
I think he just thinks of Luke as his good friend, we don't really see him have friends at least not until Kyle.
Your take is most likely what the show intended; I tend to run wild with my interpretations sometimes.
@@PensiveWhiskers and that's what we love about you and your videos
Thank you 💜☺
kirk is my fave character!
amazing video!!
I appreciate this video about Kirk. I love Kirk as a character. I personally headcanon him as trans. It explains why he has a few name changes early on. It also helps explain why he is less familiar with dating and why he’s going through a journey of self-discovery, because figuring out his gender identity was just one of his steps of figuring out his personal identity.
I also have a sillier concept of Miss Patty being Kirk’s mother, which is why he has such an artistic sensibility and why they are often seen working together.
Adored this video lol. At one point I almost teared up
Thank you! 😊 Kirk is a fun character to discuss.
I literally just started the video and I already love it. Kirk is my religion 🙏
edit: your theory of validation also makes total sense when he starts dating Lulu, having a girlfriend was something that he probably never thought it would be possible so he tells everyone about her 🥺
True, he really tries to advertise his relationship with Lulu. He's so proud of it and it would make sense for his character to want to share that information with everyone.
Kirk has a place and purpose in Stars Hallow. He’s really dependable!!
I love the idea that Kirk tried to buy the Twickham house as another way of watching out for Lorelai, and the comparison to Pinky & the Brain! I could see the opening of Kirk's being interpreted as a misguided attempt to show Luke how much Kirk looks up to him.
That was my feeling as well; imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, although it's not always interpreted in the best way.
I love Kirk on screen...but having a kirk in my life? I'd run for the hills!!!
Hahaha, he is kind of like Paris in this way; in real life, he would be a different experience.
@@PensiveWhiskers Paris, Kirk, Taylor,Cordelia, Sgeldon...tv is full of characters that are kinda fun to watch but you'd murder them in real life ;)
i was waiting for this one!!
found your channel yesterday and watched all your gilmore girls videos!
would love to see your opinions on lane, she's my favorite
I'm happy you are enjoying them! I plan on doing a video on Lane's and Rory's friendship with a friend of mine which I will put on my channel. Not quite a Lane video but I will finally have more Lane content. I might do a video on Lorelai and her relationships but I know that will be a hefty video so it may be a while before I get to it.
This was such a great video. For a minute, you actually had me shipping Kirk and Lorelei, which I never thought would happen, so kudos to you. You also made me appreciate Kirk and Luke's friendship (though Luke would shudder before calling it that); some of your points felt like a stretch (I think he genuinely wanted to buy the Twickham house, since he was basically homeless at the time) but overall, you make it clear how much these two men secretly care for and look out for each other.
When it comes to inconsistencies, the main thing that coms to mind once Kirk is established as a character is the fact that once he is homeless and living with Lorelei (and other towns people) his night-terrors (which is a real condition) seem to no longer be an issue. Paris mentions him talking in his sleep about dealing blackjack, but that's not the same.
Finally, I can't come to a video about Kirk without bringing up my main issue. It's not actually about Kirk himself, but more about how the town treats Kirk. I know you reference it being all in fun and not to be taken too seriously, and sometimes they are even kind to him, but they can also be very cruel to him. The moment that nailed this home for me was in A Year In The Life (I'm not sure if you count that as part of canon, as you didn't reference it in your videos). Lorelei tells Rory that Kirk and Lulu, who at this point have been a stable and loving, if quirky and strange couple for over a decade at this point, were overheard discussing having kids, and the town bought him a pig to stave this off. Yes, Kirk seems okay with having a pig, he loves the pig, and I guess it was enough for him and Lulu to stop discussing kids for now, but who gave the town the right to passive-aggressively tell Kirk and Lulu that they are too "quirky," to be trusted to raise kids. That is not their place, and it's really screwed up when you think about it. Much as I love Gilmore Girls, the town and the protagonists have a sometimes cruel sense of humor, and just a mean edge to them at times, which I attribute to Amy Sherman-Paladino's cruel sense of humor, and he belief that people are born evil and need to have goodness kicked into them (she actually said that in an interview). Anyway, I'd love to get your take on my thoughts on the town's cruelness towards Kirk and whether or not it crosses the line. Again, great video.
I do think that the town is at times dismissive of Kirk and the town's actions can be cruel (like you said, giving him a pig to discourage him from having kids). I think this was due to the show's treatment of Kirk as pure comic relief rather than a real person. I feel that Kirk was treated more like a sitcom character than a character on a drama show. I know that Gilmore Girls is not squarely classified as a drama show but it's also not exactly a pure comedy. Personally, I am not a fan of treating Kirk in this way. It crosses the line for me but not for the show. This was a creative decision by the writers that doesn't align with my view of characters on this type of show.
This is actually one of my quibbles with the show. I have been considering making a video on how sometimes the comedy hinges on scenarios that would actually be upsetting or mean-spirited in real life. I hesitate to call these things out because I feel that it is likely a personal preference. I'm sure there are plenty of people who are not bothered by it.
I haven't been mentioning the revival in a lot of my videos. I want to say that it's because I plan on doing a full video on the revival, but the truth is, I get kind of lazy. 😳 I am still planning on doing a video on the revival.
The Twickham house theory was totally a stretch on my part. There is a part of me that ships Kirk and Lorelai together. 🤫
Thank you so much for sharing your opinion!
I would watch and possibly comment on both of those videos (the mean-spiritedness of the show one, and the revival one). I loved the show so much growing up, and it broke my heart to have it pointed out to me how cruel the characters sometimes are, and the things that don't age well, but I think I can still love the show and acknowledge it's flaws.
You're welcome. Thank you for responding to my opinion (and so quickly too!)@@PensiveWhiskers
Kirk was a great character :-) I always kind of thought of him as everybody’s weird little brother. Pretty much how he was treated in the show.
Poor Kirk. His back must hurt from carrying the show 😔
🤣 Yeah, I can't imagine the show without him.
One thing I thought was interesting about Kirk is that unlike other funny and silly characters, he wasn’t watered down or presented to be dumb. Instead his funny traits were shown to be integral. I liked his character so much that I made a video about him being neurodivergent, but to be honest, I wouldn’t mind a whole series about what makes him who he is. Especially about he and his mom
Also the comparison to pinky and the brain is golden
I loved the Pinky and the Brain sidenote, and you getting rilled up for cat Kirk.
Some really pensive whiskers there.
"Yes, I have some balls"
😆
I have 2 theories to explain why Kirk was “Mick” in the beginning either A) since he has 12 siblings it’s possible one of them could look almost identical to him so “Mick” was really just one of his older brothers. Or B) in very Kirk fashion he went through a period of wanting to change his name and so introduced himself as “Mick” for a while before getting bored/giving up since none of the townsfolk who knew him as a child bothered with it. (I imagine Babette getting confused and pestering him about why he wants to be called something else and always forgetting to say the new name)
And yes I know his character wasn’t officially fleshed out yet script-wise, this is just what I tell myself for it make sense story-line wise.
I like your theories. ☺️ I’ve heard of the brother theory before, I think it’s the most viable one.
I feel like there were some really sweet and important moments in A Year in the Life with Kirk. They really highlighted his relationship with Luke and especially Lorelai. It also showed how much Lorelai cares for him even if she is annoyed by him times. I think we need a part 2 😊
I was thinking of doing a separate video on A Year In the Life, so there will be a part 2 to Kirk :)
Who doesn't love Kirk. :)
I think some of the jobs are just Kirk showing up, like he did at the Dragonfly
Legend
I like kirk he's such a sweet guy i like the relationship between kirk and luke i wasn't laughing at the situation with kirk and the cat due to my own experience with dealing with cats
I'm glad I'm not alone. I had to deal with a traumatized cat once and it wasn't fun. Cats can be very violent and they seriously hurt you.
WE love kirk
Cat Kirk is his Paul Anka
Kirk is my animal spirit
One thing I thought was interesting about Kirk is that unlike other funny and silly characters, he wasn’t watered down or presented to be dumb. Instead his funny traits were shown to be integral. I liked his character so much that I made a video about him being neurodivergent, but to be honest, I wouldn’t mind a whole series about what makes him who he is. Especially about he and his mom
I started not liking Kirk but he grew on me. Kirk aged the best out of the entire cast in the revival lol
He did age well. Sean Gunn looks fantastic!
I didnt appreciate the kirk character fully until i started watching gg again as a young adult
Kirk is so sweet and weird! I live the different relationships he has with the people in town! It's a shame cat Kirk doesn't like him! I love Lulu for him, they are sweet together! My fave moment with Kirk and Luke is when Kirk demands he take back that Lulu might touch him again..but I felt weird when Kirk took on the Jesus role.. way too seriously... he's unique. He's just...Kirk!
IMO, he was the original thirty-something! I think Kirk was a great student at Ms Patty's, has always been slightly different (on the spectrum perhaps) and returned to the town and the million odd jobs after trying to make it in the real world. That would also explain why he's always trying to make those inane short films and acting/singing in town productions.
I like this idea! I could see Kirk moving away in his twenties and then coming back after his dreams weren't fully realized.
I agree with you about cat Kirk! I also really hate the mean cat trope on tv shows. They did it on Friends too when Rachel gets a sphinx cat that ends up being "evil." I totally hate it! Cats are misunderstood enough as it is.
I never realized there was a mean cat trope! 😆 I do remember that episode from friends with the Sphinx cat.
@PensiveWhiskers yeah totally! Even on Girls Next Door, which was a reality show Bridget said they added hissing noises to make her cat look mean when she was actually really sweet.
Oh my gosh, I remember that show! What a throwback. I had no idea they did that.
@@PensiveWhiskers yeah! They have a podcast now about the show called Girls Next Level and Bridget was literally just talking about that.
He needs to be seen - this is a new perspective i haven't seen / thought of
I'm happy you enjoyed it!
Kirk is Barbie ❤
Kirk is Barbie, Kirk is life
Love Kirk so much haha
I really like your Pinky and The Brain analogy although I think that's Kirk & Taylor all the way . Taylor is literally trying to dominate the town all the time and is quite bitter in the way he enforces his power over other people not regarding their feelings or being aware of how fastidiously nitpicky he can be.
Oh! I can see that as well! That is a really good point.
Angel!
I swear that Kirk was inspired by this guy in my neighborhood, well actually a friend. He has all types of job in the neighborhood, from selling Xmas trees and actually featuring in the New York Times article because the million weird jobs he has. One of them renting school buses as Airbs. He makes good amount of money from all this weird jobs, but no one will date him cause he’s kinda weird and always has a new job in his mind that you got to be a special girl to keep up.
That is very interesting! I hope the guy from your neighborhood is doing well.
I always want his law to be that he became a ravanger after he somehow ends up in space, most likely after he becomes an astronaut 😂
Kirk may not be mu favorite but hes in the top 5/ maybe even top 3
It's pinky and the brain !
I like the fact that Kirk is odd, but still beloved in Stars Hollow; he never makes the town uncomfortable 🤷🏽♀️
Maybe Kirk is some flavor of neurodivergent, but because he matches the energy of his town, it doesn’t matter to anyone 😂
I appreciate that you don't just take Kirk and his actions as "It's a joke", but consider it as part of the story. In Improv, if there's a joke which doesn't fit with the rest of the story, we call that gagging, and it detracts from the overall experience even if you get short-term laughs. It means there's parts of the story we should ignore and it takes us out of it. So as viewers, if we consider it as part of the comprehensive whole, it creates a better watching experience.
I've heard about that in improv, I've never done it but I've watched improv shows and I am always incredibly impressed by how quickly the actors can play off each other. Thank you for interpreting my narrative in such a positive light. I sometimes think that my videos are too silly since my interpretations go beyond what the writers intended. I'm treating these characters like real people which I know can be a little absurd.
@@PensiveWhiskers Not absurd at all! That's exactly what the writers want you to do. In fact, by accepting the situation, and then psychoanalysing the character, it creates a more cohesive environment to enjoy the show. That's the entire concept of Yes, And. 😁 And you did an excellent job of psychoanalysing the character in a way which fits a cohesive narrative. A narrative which helps me really appreciate Kirk's final scene in the revival where he's proud of the wedding decorations he made for his friends.
The episode that spoiled Kirk for me was the one where the Dragonfly was opening and Kirk was basically vandalizing his (free) room because he had "issues". No thought whatsoever to how it would be wrong to mess with someone else's property, he just felt entitled to do so.
Did Cat Kirk ever warm up to Human Kirk?
I like to think that Cat Kirk was adopted out to Babette who tamed Cat Kirk's feral ways.
@@PensiveWhiskers Oh, wow!
W Kirk
Yes Cat Kirk is a dark story. Sometimes dark story, being played for laughs, makes them tolerable.
Actually the crazy town members are a great plot point, imo. They explain why Lorelei is so at home there.
She's weird, they're weird in thier own ways, everyone accepts the weird and they accept Lorelei.
The human Kirk and cat Kirk thing makes me horribly sad. Especially how his mom seems to like cat Kirk and Kirk’s feelings are double hurt.
Phew, so I'm not alone, thank you!
Istp Luke, intp kirk
You sound like Lane!
Thank you 😊
Luke is Kirk’s best friend.