Alexis Bledel played a significant role in the series finale of ER, and it made one unpopular Gilmore Girls storyline even worse. When ER was on the air for 15 seasons, many famous stars played doctors or patients, and it’s fun to rewatch the emotional last episode and remember Bledel was there at Cook County Hospital, too.
But even though it’s enjoyable for fans to point out Bledel’s turn in the medical drama’s unforgettable last outing, her plotline will likely remind fans of a certain Gilmore Girls storyline. And it’s definitely one of the main issues with the popular drama that is still the subject of much discussion today.
Alexis Bledel Played Intern Julia Wise In The ER Finale
Alexis Bledel portrayed Dr. Julia Wise in the series finale of ER, “And In The End…” and her intern character does a great job at the hospital. While you would expect a character who isn’t a doctor to fade into the background, especially in the final episode of a long-running, popular medical drama, Julia actually has a solid storyline.
When talking to a patient who has a fatal kind of cancer, Julia is kind, capable, and ready for anything. The moving conversation between Julia and the older man touches on feeling proud of the life of you’ve lived, being ready for death, and hoping that it isn’t painful.
Like every amazing episode of ER, the finale is about a weighty, heavy topic, but it doesn’t feel suffocating or scary. And Bledel’s character fits right into the action.
The actress played Dr. Wise in 2009, two years after wrapping up her arc on Gilmore Girls and a few years before her three-episode Mad Men stint. While it’s a much shorter part than Bledel’s time on The Handmaid’s Tale from 2017 to 2025, she makes a big impression, even among ER cast members who were there long before her.
Alexis Bledel’s ER Character Makes Rory’s Terrible Gilmore Girls Season 5 Internship Worse
Unfortunately, there’s one big issue with Alexis Bledel’s time on ER, and that’s the fact that Rory Gilmore has a terrible and poorly crafted internship storyline in Gilmore Girls season 5.
In episode 20, “How Many Kropogs to Cape Cod?” Rory becomes a timid, scared intern at the newspaper Stanford Eagle Gazette, which Logan Huntzberger’s (Matt Czuchry) father Mitchum (Gregg Henry) runs. It’s bad enough watching Rory ask permission before doing anything, but then Mitchum says she’s not cut out for journalism, which takes this plotline from awkward to incredibly disappointing.
Seeing Bledel on ER as a strong, intelligent, and capable intern who is clearly on the right track to becoming a successful and passionate doctor only drives home how much Rory flounders. Julia not only acts the way that Rory should, but she sails through her duties at the hospital the way fans thought Rory would at the newspaper office.
Julia even arrives early near the end of the ER finale as she said she had trouble sleeping so she wanted to see a baby she helped deliver and look at some charts. That’s the kind of enthusiasm, dedication, and attention to detail you would think Rory would have.
Fans hate this Gilmore Girls season 5 storyline because Rory is so distraught that she steals a yacht, which starts an awful chain of events that are painful to think about. She fights with Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and drops out of Yale, none of which fits with her character.
Decades after the season 5 finale aired in May 2005, we’re still asking ourselves why Rory wasn’t her usual smart, organized self. This was a major missed opportunity to show a young character going after her dreams, just like the end of the Netflix revival A Year in the Life upset everyone with Rory’s surprise pregnancy.
Why Rory Is Still Alexis Bledel’s Best Character, Despite These Flaws
Even though it’s difficult watching Rory be so weak and afraid to speak up or take initiative during her journalism internship, Rory Gilmore remains Alexis Bledel’s greatest character. For much of Gilmore Girls, besides her strange behavior here, she’s confident, productive, and in charge of her life.
From making pros and con lists to tackling a mountain of homework at a new school to writing about a parking lot and making it sound thrilling, Rory is mostly an inspiring character who makes learning and being good at your job cool.
That’s not always shown on TV, but, like the characters who endure on teen dramas, Rory doesn’t only want to fit in, and she has more nuance to her. Bledel is always a likable presence, but because you can see yourself in Rory, as she’s growing up and moving past hard times, her Gilmore Girls character will always be endearing.
- Release Date
-
2000 – 2007-00-00
- Network
-
The WB
- Writers
-
Amy Sherman-Palladino
