How to play the Gilmore Girls episode timeline

The cards are memorable Gilmore Girls episodes, each with a short note about what happens, and you put them in order of original air date. One episode is waiting on the timeline with its date shown. Read the next card's note and choose a gap for it among the others. If the gap is right, the date is revealed. If it isn't, the episode slides into its real spot regardless, and you lose one of your three lives.

The deck covers the original run, Chilton years and Yale years alike. Boyfriends are the clearest marker: who Rory is dating and where Luke and Lorelai stand tell you roughly which season you're in. Stars Hollow's town events come around again and again, so a festival or a dance on its own proves little. Holiday episodes and Friday night dinners are the cards that blur together.

Want a longer game? On the deck tree you can tick this deck alongside any other one measured in exact air dates, and they shuffle into a single timeline together.

What's in the deck

Here are 28 of the 29 cards you might be dealt, with 1 more in the deck. Their values stay hidden until you place them.

Rory's Birthday Parties Emily throws Rory a party with her Chilton classmates
Kiss and Tell Rory and Dean kiss in Doose's Market
Rory's Dance Rory and Dean fall asleep at Miss Patty's
Concert Interruptus Tickets to the Bangles
That Damn Donna Reed Rory and Dean play a classic sitcom couple
Love, Daisies and Troubadours Max proposes with a sea of daisies
Red Light on the Wedding Night Lorelai calls off her wedding to Max
The Road Trip to Harvard A road trip to Cambridge
Run Away, Little Boy Rory plays Juliet opposite Tristan
The Bracebridge Dinner A Victorian dinner and a sleigh ride at the inn
A-Tisket, A-Tasket The town basket auction
Teach Me Tonight Jess crashes Rory's car
I Can't Get Started Sookie's wedding and Rory kisses Jess
They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They? The town dance marathon
A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving Four Thanksgiving dinners in one day
Dear Emily and Richard Flashback to Rory's birth
Those Are Strings, Pinocchio Rory's valedictorian speech at Chilton
The Festival of Living Art Rory and Lorelai pose in a living painting
Raincoats and Recipes Luke and Lorelai kiss at the Dragonfly test run
Written in the Stars Luke kept Lorelai's horoscope in his wallet
You Jump, I Jump, Jack The Life and Death Brigade's umbrella jump
Wedding Bell Blues Emily and Richard renew their vows
Blame Booze and Melville Rory steals a yacht after Mitchum's verdict
A House Is Not a Home Lorelai proposes to Luke
Friday Night's Alright for Fighting The infamous Friday night dinner fight
Partings Lorelai gives Luke an ultimatum
French Twist Lorelai and Christopher marry in Paris
I'd Rather Be in Philadelphia The family keeps vigil after Richard's heart attack