'Such a Different Vibe' (Exclusive): Gilmore Girls Writer Reveals Why Milo Ventimiglia's Spinoff Never Panned Out

Milo Ventimiglia almost carried the world of Gilmore Girls to Los Angeles, but the West Coast didn't match up to the magic of Stars Hollow.

Many fans of the beloved series know that Ventimiglia's character, Jess Mariano, was lined up to star in a spinoff set in the groovy-grungy neighborhood of Venice, Calif. The potential series got a backdoor pilot with the season 3 episode "Here Comes the Son," which saw bad boy Jess visiting his dad in L.A.

The beach town offshoot was never picked up for a full-season run, though Gilmore Girls writer and consulting producer Stan Zimmerman tells PEOPLE that there was plenty of interest behind the scenes. At the time, the hit show's creator Amy Sherman-Palladino had a house in Venice near Zimmerman's writing partner, Jim Berg, and they all appreciated what the area had to offer.

"We hung out there a lot," Zimmerman recalls. "We'd go have crazy lunches. Sherman-Palladino loved Venice ... It's a very colorful part of L.A."

He adds that Sherman-Palladino — who went on to create The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — was interested in the contrast between lively, sunny SoCal and Gilmore Girls' quiet cozy Connecticut setting.

"I think she really wanted that to be such a different vibe from the leaves falling in Stars Hollow to being out in Venice in California," says Zimmerman, whose credits include work on The Golden Girls and Roseanne. "It just never gelled into anything, but it was interesting to see Jess's life and what that would've been like."

Zimmerman started working on Gilmore Girls during its fifth season, but he says he immediately understood why the colder seasons fit the series so well.

"There is just something about the East Coast ... those leaves changing. It just has this cool, towny feeling you just want to hang out in and it's very warm," adds The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore author.

He says it even felt strange to see a switch to summer in an episode of Netflix's miniseries revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.

"It's li -

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ke, wait, there's a pool in Stars Hollow? To me, there just seems something so wrong, there should not be a pool there," Zimmerman quips, remembering his reaction to the unusually sunlit scene.

But the Hollywood veteran is well aware of the discourse and split opinions surrounded the famed series. In fact, he's become a regular attendee at the Fan Fest Society's annual FirelightEvent in Guilford, Conn., a weekend-long homage to the series hosted by the show's biggest supporters.

Zimmerman plans to return to this year's gathering from Oct. 18 to 20 to host panels with fellow writers and producers and some cast members as well. He's also excited to engage with superfans and hear all their varying thoughts on plotlines that aired and stories that they wish made it to screens.

One of the hottest topics of conversation amongst fans is the debate over which guy Alexis Bledel's character Rory Gilmore should've ended up with — Ventimiglia's Jess or Matt Czuchry's Logan.

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"Everyone's just so fascinated by what team you're on. I obviously have loyalty to Team Logan, because I was there when Czuchry was cast," Zimmerman reveals of his own opinion. "It's just fun to see people pick apart, and I can see why you would like Jess."

After years of hearing the discourse from all sides, Zimmerman says he's even developed a sort of sixth sense about who is "Team Jess" and who is "Team Logan." He can even read it on a stranger.

"I was at the airport in Columbus, Ohio, and this young woman was helping me. I go, 'Gilmore, right?' I was like, 'Logan,' " Zimmerman recalls to PEOPLE, noting how the woman couldn't believe he guessed she'd seen the show and knew which suitor she preferred.

"When I meet people, I can guess what team they're on," the expert concludes. "It's a vibe"

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