Originally aired November 15, 2004 – February 22, 2005.
We’ve crossed the 100 episode mark. A momentous milestone for every show lucky enough to make it that far into its run. This show’s century mark didn’t disappoint either.
Richard and Emily have been separated for a while now, but neither of them have moved on with their life. Emily finally goes on a date with a man thanks to advice Lorelai gave her. It seems as if the show is actually going to split up the grandparents, but that would make the show take a pretty dark turn. Instead, a lost puppy reconciles the marriage and they spend the 100th episode renewing their vows in a huge wedding party. But before we get to that, let’s look at everything else leading up to the episode.
Lorelai and Luke are going strong. She even discovers about his “dark day” – where he simply disappears for an entire day once a year. It turns out to be on the anniversary of his father’s death. This year, however, is different. He has been storing an un-finished boat he and his father were building in an old lady’s garage, but now she needs to move it, which causes Luke to freak out and says for her to get rid of it. Lorelai, trying to be a good girlfriend moves the boat to her garage, unbeknownst to Luke. This causes a little rift, but nothing too major.
Then there is Christopher, who was missing in action all of last season, but now is suddenly very much in the picture. He comes to try to make amends with Rory, but she gives him the cold shoulder. That is until we discover that his father has died and the two sort of make up. Rory comforts him and then Lorelai does the same with a bottle of booze, but doesn’t tell Luke about the evening.
Meanwhile, Rory and Logan are flirting, but nothing officially happens. That is until the wedding episode where they decide to have sex, but without any strings. My, my, my little Rory has grown up quite a bit. But this wasn’t the most shocking part of the episode. That goes to Emily conspiring to get Christopher to profess his love to Lorelai in a bid to get her to break up with Luke.
It blows up in everyone’s faces and effectively ends Lorelai and Luke’s relationship. The next episode deals with Lorelai’s depression in an all too real way. They managed to encapsulate so many conversations I bet all of us have had immediately following a break up. Normally, Lorelai just rolls with the punches, but for two episodes now we really get to see her in a funk – a very realistic funk.
The more I think about it, the more the show feels different than ever before. Usually, when a show starts to feel different, it is because something that used to work just doesn’t anymore. However, this show really did a great job of evolving the major characters and always keeping them from becoming complacent in life. A great job, indeed.
ADAM VITCAVAGE 