Melissa McCarthy has portrayed many iconic characters throughout the years, but her most recent foray into the world of comedy is a much better follow up to her beloved Gilmore Girls character than some of her other works. Melissa McCarthy made a name for herself in Gilmore Girls portraying the now beloved character of Sookie St. James, a quirky chef whose love of food and loyalty to her friends and family knew no bounds. Though McCarthy would play the character of Sookie for seven years, Sookie’s absence in Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life left many wanting to see her character back on screen once again.
Since the end of Gilmore Girls, Melissa McCarthy’s roles have become staples in the world of comedy thanks to her comedic timing and commitment to her characters. Some of Melissa McCarthy’s best movies showcase her incredible comedic talents, including 2011’s Bridesmaids, which earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Now, McCarthy’s latest comic outing sees her once again take on the role of a chef and acts as a much better follow-up to Sookie St. James’ passion for food than her critically-panned 2017 movie.
Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story sees Melissa McCarthy return to the cooking world as Donna “Stan” Stankowski, a NASA scientist who joins the Kellogg’s team to help them best rivals Post in a race to create the next best breakfast food. Stan is a character who is a driving force within the Kellogg’s team, with her passion for food and science echoing throughout the movie, making the pop tart seem even more like a revolutionary event in the breakfast food timeline. This is in stark contrast to McCarthy’s appearance in 2017’s Cook Off!, which fails to capture the same love for food that Unfrosted does.
Where Unfrosted ignites a love for cooking, there is a level of uneasiness in Cook Off! as the hopeful cooks battle it out in the hopes of winning a $1 million cash prize. McCarthy’s character Amber Strang only appears as an extended cameo, yet always seems to be on edge as she hesitantly cooks under pressure she can’t handle, a far cry from Unfrosted‘s Stan whose self-assurance makes the Pop-Tart’s untold story seem grander. Though both Cook Off! and Unfrosted are critical failures, McCarthy’s portrayal of Stan makes audiences yearn for the return of Sookie St. James much more than her Cook Off! counterpart.
Though almost all the Gilmore Girls cast returned for Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life in 2016, Sookie St. James was one of the few characters who barely made an appearance. Sookie’s absence in A Year In The Life was due to scheduling issues, and although Melissa McCarthy was able to make a brief cameo in the final episode of the revival, Sookie’s absence as Lorelai’s best friend and business partner was a big loss in A Year In The Life. However, McCarthy’s appearance in Unfrosted makes the desire for Sookie’s anticipated return even stronger.
Sookie’s appearance in A Year In The Life represented who Sookie was at her core: a baker, and Lorelai’s best friend, as she presented Lorelai with an array of cakes for her wedding to long-time partner, Luke. Now as Stan in Unfrosted, Melissa McCarthy’s iconic portrayal of Sookie seems to live on through Stan as both characters’ shared quirkiness and love for food. Though there is no news about A Year In The Life season 2, several of Gilmore Girls‘ cast members have expressed their desire to return to Stars Hollow again, and could see Melissa McCarthy revive her role as the beloved chef once again some time in the future.