Netflix isn't only in the business of churning out original content. They're using the platform to resurrect series from the past, series such as Full House, Voltron, and Gilmore Girls. News about the return of the latter made Stars Hollow citizen wannabes sigh with content. The series stretched over seven seasons and introduced a host of peculiar but delightful personalities, most of whom called the small town of Stars Hollow home. Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) were the pillars holding up the story, but they were supported by memorable family and friends.

With Netflix's revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life hitting the streaming service this Friday, it's the ideal time to turn your sights towards Gilmore Girls. However, I realize 153 episodes of anything is a lot to add to your probably already long to-watch list. If you have time for abbreviated viewing but want to experience the breadth of charm, humor, and drama the show offers, I have a quick and dirty guide for you. These 11 episodes capture the heart of the series – I recommend watching them in chronological order:

1. "Pilot" - Season 1, Episode 1

The beginning is a fine place to start. The first installment of Gilmore Girls set the stage nicely by showing us Lorelai and Rory's unique relationship and highlighting Lorelai's strained connection with her parents, Richard and Emily. Emily's not featured to the same degree as Lorelai and Rory, but she's definitely one of the Gilmore girls. She's an influence upon both her daughter and granddaughter.

"Pilot" established Rory's lofty ambitions and Lorelai's manic but mostly endearing behavior, as well as her and Rory's addiction to coffee. Their caffeine intake is a thing of beauty. The episode rolled out the Stars Hollow welcome wagon and showed the appeal of small town life. In short, there's plenty to make you want to come back for more.

2. "Rory's Birthday Parties" - Season 1, Episode 6

The sixteenth birthday is maybe the first important birthday milestone. Becoming a teenager pales in comparison to being able to legally drive (in the United States, at least). Rory got to celebrate with two parties for her birthday, one thrown by Lorelai and one thrown by Emily. While the episode did the obvious by showing the differences between how Lorelai and Emily throw a shindig, it also gave Emily the opportunity to face an important revelation: She doesn't know Rory at all and she missed out on a huge chunk of Lorelai's life. Awww.

3. "Love, Daisies and Troubadours" - Season 1, Episode 21

Love was in the air in "Love, Daisies and Troubadours" and so was lots of pollen. Gilmore Girls is ultimately about Lorelai and Rory, but the men they love played roles of various sizes over the years. Both of them faced issues in the romance arena, so it's nice to have some warm and fuzzy happiness -- which this episode delivered on a platter as Lorelai was popped a certain question and Rory learned how to say three little words.

4. "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days" - Season 3, Episode 1

No town knows how to throw a festival like Stars Hollow. The Season 3 premiere was framed around the First Annual End of Summer Madness Festival (I want to go there). It oozed with angst. Rory returned from a summer trip to Washington DC and wrestled with Teenage Feelings, and Lorelai broke some bad news to her parents. It's a key episode not because of any huge events but because it nailed so many of the elements that make Gilmore Girls special – Stars Hollow antics, mother-daughter drama, and important conversations over coffee.

5. "They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They?" - Season 3, Episode 7

Ready for another adorable Stars Hollow tradition? I thought so. The Stars Hollow Dance Marathon was at the center of "They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They?" The events of the exhausting but stylish dance session led to maybe the most emotional moment of the entire series. I don't want to spoil what happened for the newbies, so I'll just say it involved Rory facing some consequences.

6. "A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving" - Season 3, Episode 9

Food played a large part in the Gilmore Girls over the years. Besides Lorelai's best friend Sookie being a chef, drama occurred across the table at Friday night dinner every week, Lorelai and Rory's takeout orders were legendary, and the mother and daughter often dished over meals at Luke's Diner. "A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving" mashed family and eats together as Lorelai and Rory attended four Thanksgiving dinners (the dream!) and lived to tell the tale.

7. "The Lorelais' First Day at Yale" - Season 4, Episode 2

Minor spoiler: Rory goes to Yale! Since we missed Rory's first day at high school (she transferred Chilton in the middle of her high school career), this was an important milestone to witness. Doubly so since getting into Ivy League college was a driving force in Rory's existence to that point. The arrival to campus meant a leap into the unknown, and it's hard not to feel proud of Rory for getting there. Plus there was an amusing bit with a mattress.

8. "Raincoats and Recipes" - Season 4, Episode 22

Ch-ch-Changes were in the air in the Season 4 finale. Lorelai accomplished a goal she'd been working towards and celebrated the opening of her and Sookie's inn, the Dragonfly. The test run came with a heaping side of emotion for both Lorelai and Rory and brought about both an incredibly satisfying scene and a shocking one. Events in "Raincoats and Recipes" changed the course of the series.

9. "You Jump, I Jump, Jack" - Season 5, Episode 7

Even though Rory made some uh, interesting choices in the beginning of Season 5, she still stayed somewhat in her shell. That's fine. I rather like shells. However, this episode showed how Logan -- love him or hate him – challenged Rory. We've only seen her push herself academically to this point, and it was interesting to see her try new things on the social front. While Rory took a leap of faith, Lorelai's parents wrangled Lorelai's new beau and basically proved they're never going to be happy with Lorelai's love choices.

10. "Wedding Bell Blues" - Season 5, Episode 13

Oh boy. One aspect of Gilmore Girls you'll constantly go back and forth about is Emily Gilmore. She's kind and thoughtful about her family sometimes, but just when you start to let her into your heart, she makes a manipulative move to make you forget all the positives. Such a move happened in "Wedding Bell Blues," and it was a doozy -- even for Emily! Her tactic to get what she wanted with Lorelai had severe repercussions.

11. "Partings" - Season 6, Episode 22

Seasons 6 and 7 of Gilmore Girls traveled into some rough territory, but the Season 6 finale is worth a look. As you might guess from the title, it was about saying goodbye. Rory bid Logan farewell as he left to spend a summer in London, and Lorelai threw an ultimatum at Luke about a point I don't want to give away. Like Luke, I also dislike ultimatums, but I understood Lorelai's point of view. Love, heartache, bad decisions -- it had all the hallmarks of Gilmore Girls-ness.

If you watch these episodes and enjoy them, pass go and binge the rest. Just don't forget to stock up on plenty of snacks first!