Friday, December 2, 2016

Gilmore Girls Recap - Season 1 Episode 17 "The Breakup, Part 2"

Even though the revival is now available on Netflix (and I've watched it twice in it's entirety) I'm still dedicated to blogging my "essential" Gilmore girls episodes.    

Season 1 Episode 17:  "The Breakup, Pt. 2" 



 
Here's what happens:  

Rory and Dean breakup because Dean says "I love you" on their 3 month anniversary and Rory says she needs to think about it.  She reiterates how amazing and perfect their date was and how she just needs time to respond, but this isn't enough for him.  Ugh, Dean ... this is why you get such a bad rap.   


In true "Rory fashion", she wakes up bright-eyed and bushy tailed the next morning with a list of tasks and projects to complete as a way to avoid dealing with her emotions (I'm also a list-maker!).


Lorelai tries to convince Rory to stay home in her pajamas, eating pizza and ice cream while watching sad movies.  But Rory has furniture to rearrange and garden hoses to buy.  Clearly this is the best breakup recovery method ever, right?   


Rory decides to go with Lane to a Chilton party  ... yikes.  Rory, are you sure you want to spend your first single night with people who you can't stand?  


Meanwhile, Lorelai is experiencing her own feelings because she hasn't fully recovered from her breakup with Max Medina. All this stuff about wallowing is making her realize that she's still not over Max. 

 LORELAI: Yeah, Rory and Dean broke up and um, she won’t wallow. And I told her that she should wallow you know because that’s supposed to help you get through the pain and then you can accept it and then you can get over somebody and you can move on with your life. And then she asked me how long it was before I got over you and I didn’t know what to say you know because I can’t lie to her, and I realized that if I gave her any time frame at all I would be lying because I’m not over you and I don’t know how long it will be before I am. And who am I to be teaching her about healing and moving on and breakups any how. I mean I might as well be teaching her how to eat fire or swallow a sword or put her legs behind her head you know, because at least that’s a trade. I mean the first two are, I don’t know about putting the legs um, behind your head, but the point is that I’m an idiot and I’m a hypocrite and I really miss you.

  

Lane hits it off with Henry, a Chilton student on the path to becoming a doctor.  Yes, even Mrs. Kim would approve ... which freaks Lane out in every way possible.  


Fresh from his public breakup with Summer, Tristan - the guy who has been creepy and pursuing Rory the entire season - makes a move and kisses Rory.  And she cries.  A lot of teenage hormones in this episode.   







Monday, November 14, 2016

Gilmore Girls Recap - Season 1 Episode 15 "Christopher Returns"

Season 1 Episode 15:  "Christopher Returns"  


Synopsis:  As a way to make up for lost time with his daughter, Christopher unexpectedly comes to Stars Hollow to see Rory and Lorelai. When Emily becomes aware of his arrival, she arranges a dinner for both the Hayden's (Christopher's parents) and the Gilmore's to reunite.  Despite the fight that arises between the two families, Christopher and Lorelai rekindle their teenage romance...kind of.  The next morning emotions are high when Lorelai realizes she's letdown Luke  and broke her promise to re-paint the diner with him. 

Who is Christopher?  Up until now we know 1)  Christopher and Rory talk once a week and 2) Dean (Rory's boyfriend) reminds Lorelai of Christopher - below is a clip from Episode 7 "Kiss and Tell".  

 

Right off the bat we get the impression that Christopher hasn't visited Stars Hollow and that he is very unreliable.  The fact that Lorelai reminds Rory that he's "going to come and go as he pleases" doesn't set the tone for a typical father-daughter relationship, especially compared to the connection Rory has with her mom.  
Christopher tells Lorelia he's been "tying up the loose ends" of his life which Lorelai wants to believe, but she knows Christopher better than anyone and doesn't feel so confident about his life changes. 


Emily coordinates a family reunion with the Hayden's and Gilmore's.  It's interesting to see both Lorelai and Christopher dreading the evening.  Emily and Richard dote on Christopher and Richard is very proud of Christopher's business sense. It's kind of hard to watch because in other episodes Emily and Richard react so negatively to Lorelai's choices and how she progressed to where she is.   

  

When Christopher's parents show up words are exchanged, insults are swapped and Presidents' heads are mocked.  I love that Richard takes defense of Lorelai and states how successful she's become.  The moment between Lorelai and Richard is so real and the most honest we've seen between Richard and Lorelai.  We heard in the episode "Forgiveness and Stuff" that Lorelai feels like a disappointment to her parents, especially her dad.  Watching Lorelai thank Richard for defending her and then hearing him go on about how he felt embarrassed and upset that she didn't follow "proper procedure" is tough to watch.  

I admire Lorelai in this episode, vocalizing her rights and her wants for her life and Rory's.  Like I've said in previous posts, I identify with each "Gilmore girl" separately ... and in this episode I'm on Lorelai's side.  
  

Christopher and Lorelai meet up on the balcony of her old bedroom to commiserate together, reminisce about their childhood and get a little too intimate with one another. Christopher confesses that even if Lorelai hadn't gotten pregnant he still wouldn't have made it through Princeton, which Lorelai doesn't believe to be true.  


The next morning Lorelai wakes up panicked because she wasn't there to help Luke repaint the diner as she promised.  She immediately heads to the diner to apologize, but Luke knows it's because of Christopher.  Later, Christopher tells Lorelai that he wants to marry her, which exposes how immature both Christopher and Lorelai can be.


RORY: Do you love him?
LORELAI: Honey come on.
RORY: Answer me.
LORELAI: Honestly?
RORY: Yes.
LORELAI: I will probably always love him.
RORY: Ok so?
LORELAI: But that doesn’t change the fact that he still has a long way to go before he is ready to take us on full time. I mean you are a handful, Missy. And while I am pure joy and sunshine every waking hour, I still have my own set of needs that - that must be met. It just wasn’t right babe. You have to trust me on that. Mm? Talk please




   

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Gilmore Girls Recap - Season 1 Episode 10 "Forgiveness and Stuff"

Season 1 Episode 10:  "Forgiveness and Stuff"  


In the grand scheme of all Gilmore girls episodes this one doesn't necessarily stick out for most people, but for me this is one of my favorites in the first season and in the series. It has all my favorite things which makes this show my favorite ... 1) the uniqueness of Stars Hollow with the opening scene where Miss Patty is leading the Christmas Pageant dress rehearsal. 2) Major Lorelai and Luke moments where we see how much Luke cares for Lorelai (as a "friend") and for Rory too.  3) Lorelai and Rory's relationship which we know is very close, but I love the insight we get of Lorelai worrying about Rory and her concern of Roy being like her. 

   
MISS PATTY: Taylor come quickly. Our ‘before’ Mary is about to become an ‘after’. Who else in town is knocked up?

It's the aftermath of the fight from Rory's Dance between Lorelai and Rory and also with Emily and Lorelai.  Emily un-invites Lorelai to the Christmas party.  


Dean comes over (albeit very creepily to the window) to apologize to Lorelai for keeping Rory out too late on the night of the dance.  This is a nice scene between Lorelai and Dean where we once again hear about her worry for Rory and how she doesn't want Rory to end up like her, since she was 16 when she got pregnant.
DEAN: We sat down and we were reading this book and then we fell asleep.
LORELAI: Pick a more interesting book next time.

In this scene Luke shows a lot of concern about Rory dating Dean, and Lorelai tells him she's bummed she isn't at her parents Christmas party.  He makes her a Santa burger because he knew she was feeling left out from being un-invited to the party.  I love the hints of flirtation we get between these two. 




 

When Lorelai gets the phone call that, Richard, her dad was taken to the hospital Luke decides to drive her so she can be there.  In the car we learn that Lorelai doesn't have any warm childhood memories with her dad, but says he was a good provider.  She confesses to Luke that she feels her dad sees her as a disappointment.  

At the hospital Emily is surprised to see Lorelai since she didn't expect her to show after their fight. Luke remains at the hospital to support Lorelai even though he hates hospitals.  


I really enjoy Emily in this episode because we're starting to her depth as a character.  I love the part in the hospital room when Richard is starting to have a serious talk in case he dies and she demands to "go first" because she didn't "sign on to his dying".  I also like how she's more perceptive about Lorelai and Luke's friendship  moreso than Lorelai is. During the episode with Rory's birthday parties Emily says that Lorelai is pleased that Luke looked at her like a Porterhouse steak. Which is a very funny line.  In this episode, at the end when Emily and Luke are sitting outside the hospital room, she asks Luke about his friendship with her daughter.

EMILY: So what exactly is going on between the two of you?
LUKE: Nothing. Really. We’re friends, that’s it.
EMILY: You’re idiots, the both of you.   

I really like the moment that Lorelai has with Rory when she tells her she knows nothing happened with Dean the night of the dance and that she trusts her. 

LORELAI:  Because you are your  mother's daughter.

Finally, the last scene of this episode is really great with Lorelai stopping by Luke's diner to give him a present.  The blue hat she gives him is the hat he wears throughout the entire series. 


Friday, November 4, 2016

Gilmore Girls Recap - Season 1 Episode 9 "Rory's Dance"

When I originally created my list of "essential episodes" Episode 9 "Rory's Dance" did not make the cut.  However, upon re-watching I realized "Rory's Dance" advances a couple of common themes in the series and solidifies Rory and Dean's relationship. Plus the story from this episode flows into Episode 10 "Forgiveness and Stuff", which I knew was going to be included on my list because it's one of my favorites.    

Season 1 Episode 9:  "Rory's Dance" 
Brief synopsis: There's a formal dance at Chilton and Rory decides to go with Dean. At the dance Tristan (a Chilton student who has a thing for Rory) gets into a fight with Dean, which reveals just how much Tristan likes Rory. Meanwhile, Emily and Lorelai share some sweet bonding moments which are later obsolete after a huge fight between the two, caused by Rory coming home late after the dance.  Or ... like, the next morning.  Oops. 


I love all of the Gilmore girls for different reasons.  Re-watching the series as an adult I've identified with Lorelai more than I did when I watched the show back when it aired in the early to mid-2000s.  However, I still see myself as a Rory ... even if she can be painfully naive at times. 


The scene with Lorelai and Rory in the car coming back from Friday night dinner is a sweet moment between mother and daughter. I like how Lorelai (the social and outgoing Gilmore girl) communicates with her daughter Rory (the more shy and reserved Gilmore girl) about going to the dance.   

Tristan has been pretty insufferable so far and the way he treats Rory is really irritating.  Re-watching this series I'm more "team Dean" than I thought I'd be, which I know won't last very long (foreshadowing).  However, between these two, Dean is shining brightly and I'm seriously worried for Paris, who obviously likes Tristan ... she also is not high on my favorite character list at the moment (also foreshadowing), but she definitely deserves better than Tristan.    

DEAN: Rory's mentioned you.
TRISTAN: Oh yeah?
DEAN: Yeah. I wouldn't get quite so excited about it.
TRISTAN: Oh, why, did she say something mean?
DEAN: She said you're a jackass.
TRISTAN: Really?
DEAN: Actually, no, Rory doesn't use words like that. I embellished a little.

Connection between Lorelai and Emily.  So far in the series we have not seen the softness between Emily and Lorelai.  We've only been aware of the strained relationship they have due to Lorelai's pregnancy and her leaving Emily and Richard when she was 16 years old.  We're also starting to get the underlying thread of Emily parenting Rory - her granddaughter - because of the circumstances with Lorelai.  This is an apparent theme throughout the series.    
In this episode, in the process of making Rory's dress Lorlai hurts her back. On the night of the dance Emily stops by to take some pictures of Rory, and she notices Lorelai in pain and insists on staying and taking care of her. This is the first time we see Emily as "mothering" Lorelai, which is a very sweet moment for the two of them.   

  

Within mere minutes we're back to the contentious relationship between mother and daughter because Rory accidentally stays out late.  Emily starts to have flashbacks of Lorelai at 16 and reprimands Lorelai for Rory's behavior.  The tensions between mother and daughter are so apparent in this episode and not only are the moments of Emily and Lorelai washed away, but we're left with a rift between Lorelai and Rory.   



Saturday, October 29, 2016

Gilmore Girls Recap - Season 1 Episode 2 - "The Lorelais' First Day at Chilton"

I'm including the second episode of Season 1 on the list of necessary episodes to watch because it is essentially an extension of the pilot episode.  It gives us more insight into already existing characters, introduces us to new characters, and sets the tone for a couple of themes for the future.
  
Season 1 Episode 2: 
The Lorelais' First Day at Chilton 

Have you ever had one of those mornings when you hit the snooze button and sleep right through the alarm, only to frantically wake up late for a major appointment?  If the answer is yes, you will relate to Lorelai in the first part of this episode.

It's the morning of Rory's first day at Chilton, a private school in Hartford, Connecticut, and Rory walks into Lorelai's bedroom to discover that Lorelai is still asleep. This scene cracks me up because it shows Rory being the more level-headed and responsible of the two, as opposed to Lorelai who has overslept, uses a fuzzy alarm clock and didn't appropriately plan her laundry schedule.

Rory: I can't be late on my first day of school. Do you know what happens to people when they're late on their first day?
Lorelai: It's shorter?
Rory: For the rest of the year, they're labeled "The Late Girl."
Lorelai: How dramatic.


Lorelai's rough start to the day gets much worse when she goes to meet Headmaster Charleston and finds her mother, Emily already in his office. Poor Lorelai. I love this scene because Emily has such funny remarks about Lorelai's cowboy wardrobe.  "Do you need a ride or is your horse parked outside?" and "Dinner, Friday night. No spurs please."  She's one funny broad.     
  

To recover from this horrible morning, Lorelai stops in at Luke's where she orders a "jumbo coffee". We are once again reminded of Lorelai's coffee addiction and Luke's resistance to serving it to her.  I love that we're starting to see some banter and chemistry between Luke and Lorelai.     


More than one person in Stars Hollow commented on Lorelai's outfit choice for Rory's first day at Chilton, and because of this we're starting to sense that Lorelai and Rory don't just "live" in a town ... but they're part of a unique community where everyone knows what's going with everyone. A little invasive, but charming. 

Similar to her mom, Rory is also having a rough day.  At Chilton we are introduce to some new characters - we meet Paris, Madeline and Louise (AKA the "mean girls" of Chilton).  Paris Geller is very academically competitive and is currently at the top of the class, so she sees Rory as a threat which causes conflict between the two. To make matters worse, Rory accidentally wrecks Paris' school project while trying to open her locker ... oops! 


Tristan is another student at Chilton and he keeps calling Rory "Mary".  At the end of the episode we learn that it's a reference to the Virgin Mary because they think she's "goody-goody". I find Tristan very annoying and creepy ... I really can't stand him.

 

Themes:

1)  Rory wants to go to Harvard and become a journalist...and be like Christiane Amanpour. In the Pilot episode we learned that it's Rory's dream to go to Harvard and this premise is strong throughout the first couple seasons of the series.  Also, her idol Christiane Amanpour is mentioned again in the future.  

Headmaster Charleston: What are your aspirations?
Rory: I want to go to Harvard and study journalism and political science.
Headmaster: On your way to being…?
Rory: Christiane Amanpour.
Headmaster: Really?
Rory: Yes.
Headmaster: Not Cokie Roberts.
Rory: No.
Headmaster: Not Oprah, Rosie, or one of the women from The View?
Rory: No.


2)  Luke and Lorelai are "just friends". This might be my favorite scene of the episode ... the look on Luke's face when Lorelai mentions that a Chilton dad asked her out is priceless. Major foreshadowing ...   



3)  Contention between Lorelai and Emily.  Emily's involvement is coming across rather pushy in this episode.  It's nice she wants to be involved in Rory's school (because she is in fact paying for it) but it's starting to be a little too much for Lorelai.   In one scene Emily wants to buy more skirts and socks for Rory, which Lorelai explains she's already purchased.  In another scene Emily informs Lorelai that she's purchased a parking space for Rory, when Rory doesn't even have a car.  The realization that Lorelai left home when she was 16 years old is becoming apparent in some of these scenes.  Emily comes across as mothering Rory because these were some of the things she wasn't able to experience with Lorelai, after Lorelai got pregnant and moved away.  This tension will obviously be an underlying theme throughout the series.



A couple honorable mentions

I needed to include this short clip somehow.  This show is known for it's fast talking and I just find this scene so funny with Lorelai's rambling and how Rory needs to nudge her to get her to stop. Classic Gilmore girls. 



In this episode we meet Jackson, Sookie's produce supplier.  The peach scene was a quirky moment for Sookie and Jackson, and while this interaction didn't advance the plot forward, he will eventually have a larger presence in Stars Hollow and the series.  
  


Thursday, October 27, 2016

Gilmore Girls Recap - Season 1 Episode 1 - "Pilot"

Gilmore girls has been a favorite show of mine since I started watching it in the early 2000's, back when the WB housed Dawson's Creek, Felicity and had a frog as the network mascot. It's crazy to realize how long ago that was because I still feel so connected to the characters of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore.

The Gilmore girls revival, A Year In The Life is coming to Netflix on November 25th, 2016 and in preparation I've been re-watching the series. I wanted to indulge in my obsession just a bit more and recap what I think are the necessary episodes for each season. So, if you're behind on your bingethon or don't have time to watch the entire series ... maybe I can help you get caught up, but no promises!  

Season 1 Episode 1: 
"Pilot" 

Welcome to Stars Hollow! I think this episode sets the tone for this series so well.  We see the relationships between mother and daughter with such apparent dichotomies: Lorelai and Rory Gilmore have a close relationship while Emily and Lorelai Gilmore have an estranged relationship.  In the first scene we notice a couple things about "the Gilmore girls", they are more like girlfriends than mother and daughter ... and they LOVE coffee.  Throughout the episode we learn that Lorelai became pregnant with Rory at 16, she left home and because of this she now has an estranged relationship with her parents Richard and Emily Gilmore. Rory has a dream of attending Harvard,  and when she gets accepted to Chilton, an esteemed private school, Lorelai goes to her parents for help in paying the tuition.  In return for assisting with Rory's school, Emily requests a weekly Friday night dinner.

So, who do we meet? . . . . Stars Hollow is full of unique and eccentric characters:

1) Luke runs the diner, wears flannel and a baseball cap, serves the coffee (that Lorelai and Rory very much need) and judges Lorelai and Rory on their coffee consumption.



2) Sookie is Lorelai's best friend.  She is an adorably, clumsy and talented chef at the Independence Inn.

3) Lane has been Rory's best friend since Kindergarten and loves Alternative Rock CDs and junk food, but has a strict Korean mother - Mrs. Kim.


4) Michel is the sarcastic and unpleasant concierge of the Independence Inn.


5) Dean, who in retrospect is more endearing than I remember, is the guy who just moved from Chicago to Stars Hollow and has "noticed" Rory. Dean's first interaction with Rory is very innocent and teen awkward, but it's kind of sweet he's paid attention to what she's reading and he gets her cultural references.


Overall, I think this was an impressive first episode to a series. It introduced characters in an organic way and provided tension and conflict, which really advances the story and relationships forward.


LUKE: Coffee. . .fries. I can't stand it. This is so unhealthy. Rory, please, put down that cup of coffee. You do not want to grow up to be like your mom.
RORY: Sorry, too late.

    
More to come!