Not long ago, I offered a prize to the commenter who cooked up the best argument for luring Lauren Graham back for an eighth season of “Gilmore Girls.” While I may have been secretly hoping that everyone would forget the whole thing and not call me on reneging on the offer, I ultimately decided to forego the route traditionally opted for by most political creatures. I decided to live up to my word.

First, a couple of comments that didn’t win, but will certainly posit those responsible for deciding whether the show returns or not as Grinches should this season serve as its swan song:

“As a member of www.gilmoregirls.org I support their Great8Mandate. Gilmore Girls has been such an inspiration to me as a single mom of a 16 year old daughter who has had severe mental illness since she was 3 years old. Gilmore Girls has given me hope as a parent as well as laughter when I wanted to cry. I am modeling my relationship with my daughter after Lorelai's loving relationship with Rory and it's working. I am finally having a wonderful bond with my only child as a result of what I learned from Gilmore Girls. This fine show needs just one more season to fully tie up plots and come to an conclusion that fans can prepare for. Shis show has saved my relationship with my child and I'd like to see it be given the chance to end well. Please, just ONE more season is all I ask. Thank you, Lori”

And:

“Hi, I have a pretty selfish reason for watching the Gilmore Girls. I started watching the show after my husband died from lung cancer. I was working from home and when the workday would end...GG was on (the reruns). I started watching and even have purchased seasons 1-6 on DVD. I haven't enjoyed a show this much in 20 years. I just pray we get another season in Stars Hollow. Noreen”

But now, the winning comment, courtesy “Chloie:”

“Before I go on rambling, I would like to thank David Kronk for writing 2 articles on this subject and being so supportive of GG and the Great8Mandate!

“Now onto the topic at hand!

“I could name a million reasons the show should stay but that would take a while and would probably take up the page so I'll name a few!

“Everyone could benefit from doing another season in my opinion.

“The network is slowly but surely failing terribl(y), and falling apart! Half of their shows are on the verge of cancellation due to sucky ratings, they can't afford to lose (if I'm not mistaken) one of their top shows. The network will go down the toilet if they start getting rid of their top shows.

“The actresses, I hear, want to move on to bigger and newer things. If they stay another year, they could have a whole years notice to set stuff up in there careers before the show ends. I'm sure they don't want to get stuck, when the show ends, with no jobs and no leads on a new job. In the position they are in right now, they could also convince the writers to do something more with there characters and storylines so that they get some attention drawn to them by movie/tv writers.

“Now the viewers of course will benefit. The show is far from finished with storyline. If they end the show now, there will be so many loose ends, the show won't get a satisfying ending and after 7 years, they deserve a satisfying ending. Everyone does including the cast!

“We still need to see

“~ Luke and Lorelai together, happy and on there way to a family!

“~ Rory with some sort of storyline such as a career or a lead on a career.

“~ Lorelai and Emily’s relationship at some sort of truce or on actual good terms.

“and much, much more!

“The show NEEEDS another season! Please give us Season 8!!”

Some may note that I chose a winner who brazenly sucked up to me. This is true. But, she misspelled my name, so the way I see it, I’m actually being wildly open-minded in not taking offense to that. (Even more evidence of my open-mindedness: I’m offering to spring to mail stuff over the border, to Canada, which is where the winner’s email address suggests she lives.)

Congrats, Chloie. I’d misspell your name in retaliation, but most folks might think that it kind of looks as if you may have done that already.

* UPDATE: A fan of the show submits this update:

"Just last week the show was filming at USC (for Yale graduation scenes) and a local fan did her best to try and get any season 8 scoop. She apparently chatted up as many crew members as possible and each gave her the same story. No one knew if the show would be back next season, but they all hoped it would be. Most seemed to expect the decision to be handed down in May. Some crew members predicted only a slight chance for season 8, while others were fairly optimistic. It seems safe to say that no decision regarding season 8 has yet been made. If it has, no one's told the crew members because the fan noted that everyone 'hoped to come back a paycheck next year.' One crew member mentioned that it's a good sign that none of the Gilmore sets had yet been struck."