Category Archives: Television

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. 

Originally aired September 21, 2004 – November 9, 2004.

This new season if Gilmore Girls finally sees Lorelai and Luke together. The sexual tension has built for four years, but that doesn’t mean the relationship has diminished the quality of the show. Throughout the first couple episodes of the season, the new couple is kept apart because Luke had to go with his sister and brother-in-law to help with the Renaissance festival circuit. The distance allows fans to see the two as a couple without seeing the two as a couple. Anticipation grew until the two finally went out on a date in the third episode.

Seeing the townsfolk get upset over the relationship was an interesting wrinkle. Apparently, two shop owners have previously gotten together and it ended in a hot mess. Taylor rallies up Stars Hallow to convince them Lorelai and Luke are headed towards disaster.

A lot of their relationship is typical television garb. Again, that’s not a bad thing. We knew R ichard and Emily would have a problem with the couple, but it is interesting to see the two parents take meddling to a whole new level. Because the Gilmores are separated for the moment, they each have to attack Luke in their own, cruel way. First, Emily insists on dinner with Lorelai and Luke and indirectly insults Luke every step of the way. She’s a mastermind, and now we get to see it. Then Richard takes Luke golfing. Luke doesn’t golf. The entire time is spent on Richard convincing Luke to franchise his diner, so that if their relationship lasts, at least the blue collar worker will be somewhat respectable.

On the other hand, Rory and Dean are back together. The long distance thing isn’t really working though. Especially considering Dean left his wife for her, and a lot of Stars Hallow residents are pretty bitter about that. Pretty dramatic stuff. Even Luke isn’t happy with Dean at the moment; this is a huge departure from how much he loved him in the past.

Things get murkier when Logan, a swarmy, rich kid is introduced into Rory’s life. His father is a newspaper magnet and Logan “works” at the Yale newspaper. He’s also a member of the Life and Death Brigade – an ultra-secret club that nobody really knows about. There’s an entire episode dedicated to Rory writing about it and getting invited to a weekend soiree. It introduces a major theme: is Rory too safe? Logan definitely pushes her boundaries, much like Jess, but seems safe enough, much like Dean.

In the final episode of this batch Emily and Richard throw a party for Rory, unbeknownst to her, to help Rory find a suitable boy because they aren’t a fan of Dean. Rory bumps into Logan and some Brigade members and they all have a gay old time. However, Rory forgot that she was supposed  to slip away early for a date with Dean. Once he sees her come out tipsy, and late, he realizes he will never be a part of her world and breaks up with her.

She’s heartbroken, but the episode ends with her being dropped off by Logan and the Brigade, drunkenly walking into her childhood home as Lorelai looks on. Clearly her mother knows her little Rory is finding her place in the Yale world.

Some notes on minor characters:

Paris has been reduced to a caricature of herself yet again and is barely in the show. Lane started dating her bandmate/housemate Zack. Christopher popped back up again and his wife left him and his baby to fend for themselves. Sookie is preggers. Again. Oh, and Jackson dethroned Taylor as town selectman.

We’ve focused heavily on the Girls so far this season, and its a little upsetting because last season did a good job of making the show pretty well-rounded. Then again, the show is about them. So, no major complaints.

Originally aired March 2, 2004 – May 18, 2004

The last two episodes of this season are the only ones I am going to talk about. The final third of this season was terrific, but these last two – the climax of the series is terms of episode count – were everything.

Lorelai:

The inn is opening and everything is going according to plan. Her parents are separated (which is weird) and she’s done with Jason (which is perfect). Luke’s sister gets married and Luke invites Lorelai to the wedding. He’s realized she is the one for him and it absolutely is about time. They share unofficial cute moments. She’s not sure what it means, but he is. It all culminates in the best first kiss ever. Or at least one of them. We’re not sure on where this will lead at the moment because of other plots that transpire, but one this is for certain: Lorelai and Luke finally realize they love each ‘other. It’s just the question of whether or not they will follow through with it.

Rory:

She’s been talking to Dean and his wife doesn’t know it. At one point, after finals, she calls him for a ride because she’s stranded after a bad date. They’re hitting it off. He’s happier with her. She’s about to invite him into her dorm room when: JESS ENTERS. He’s back in town for his mother’s wedding and realized – thanks to Luke – that he is still in love with Rory. Here’s one of the best scenes of the show. It’s also heartbreaking. It’s a moment I’ve had and love that the show portrayed it perfectly.

So she says no.

The next episode she and Dean almost kiss. But he’s married! I know. Except that doesn’t stop him. He goes over to her place and she loses her virginity. Lorelai catches them after the fact and the two have a huge fight about how she is the other woman. I love Rory and Dean almost as much as I love Rory and Jess. This was a near perfect moment, but near perfect isn’t perfect. We end the season with Rory on her front porch, breaking down in tears. She has realized her perfect moment is a sham, and knows she probably can’t rectify it.

This show has had a hard time balancing a lot of Rory/Yale and Lorelai/inn this season, but came through with a solid finale. It was everything the show needed going into a new season.

Originally aired November 18, 2003 – February 24, 2004.

The first part of this season really allowed for minor character growth, and that continues. I’ll touch on Lane and Paris, but this batch of episodes have a lot of juiciness surrounding Rory and Lorelai.

Let’s start with the juciest: Jess is back. Rory hasn’t seen or heard from him in months and the kid has the nerve to show up in her town! He’s brought back because his mother Liz comes to Luke seeking advice. While Jess just wants to get his old clunker of a car and leave instantly, he finds out leaving Stars Hallow isn’t quite as easy. Everyone in town is mad at him and rightly so. The awkwardness of Rory and Jess running into one another is played perfectly in these episodes until in culminates in Rory confronting him. Jess simply says that he loves her and walks away. Possibly for good this time.

Her love life is basically non-existent here, but Lorelai’s sure is picking up. She’s dating Richard’s business partner Digger, who’s real name is Jason, but I like the nickname. I don’t really care about how their relationship unfolds. I just think it’s funny that the show decided to give her a steady boyfriend simply because it took the sexual tension away from Lorelai and Luke for a season. In season three it was hot, hot, hot between them. The actual plot of Lorelai having to hide the relationship is a sufficient twist, but I can’t help but want to scream at her for not realizing he’s not even close to being perfect for her.

My favorite episode of this batch was “The Incredible Sinking Lorelais” in which both Lorelai and Rory are having the worst weeks ever, but can’t seem to get a hold of one another. Lorelai turns to Luke for a loan, but has a meltdown before asking. He loans her the money for the inn, but that isn’t what is important. Notice how I said that Jason isn’t perfect for Lorelai? Why wasn’t she able to talk to him about her terrible week? No, she turns to Luke because they are meant to be together. Similarly, Rory turns to Dean. I’m not a fan of him getting married and feel it was a way to subdue the relationship between the two high school sweethearts. I mean, knowing what comes eventually makes me wish that Dean just dated some other basic girl. But, alas. This is life and life is messy.

Another great episode is when Emily bumps into the girls at the mall and goes on a shopping rampage. Just something funny and was nice to see her be HBIC.

Let’s get on to two of Rory’s friends. First: Lane. She and her band are doing well. Lane is happy. She decides to sneak out for a gig that doesn’t actually happen, which results in her getting kicked out. This opens up a world of plots for the character. She stays at Yale for a bit, but in the final episode of this grouping, moves in with her bandmates. I love this decision and really don’t remember exactly how stories develop for the character.

Then there is Paris. She’s dating her first boyfriend long distance and it is going well enough. Until she meets Asher Flemming, a professor who is Rory’s grandfather’s friend/age. It’s a secret, creepy affair, but it gives the character (who is annoying, but perfectly so) a story that allows her to explore emotions.

Relationships are clearly a focal point again. But it doesn’t seem forced. They’re doing a good job of blending all of the aspects of the show together.

Originally aired September 23, 2003 – November 11, 2003.

Well, well, well: little Rory is all grown up. This season marks a departure for the show. The creators and writers have to find a way to balance Rory’s college life and relationship with with Lorelai/Stars Hallow. Unlike her time at Chilton, Yale is undeniably a more vital role in her life. No longer can she run home to mommy with every problem.

Except that’s what happens in the first batch of episodes from the Yale years.

A lot goes down in these eight episodes, mostly dealing with Rory’s adjustment and the new inn. But I find the minor character stories finally be flourishing now that there is more time for them.

Lane’s band is coming to the forefront in these early episodes, except they’re a member short. Dave Rygalski (Adam Brody) left for college in California – a subtle nod to Brody’s role in The OC. The remaining musicians are looking for a replacement guitarist, which is where Sebastian Bach, that’s right, the guy from Skid Row, comes into play. I think it’s absolutely hilarious Bach is in Gilmore Girls, but it does make for some interesting storylines.

Meanwhile, Sookie and Jackson find out the sex of the baby. Well, Sookie does and Jackson doesn’t want to know. It’s a cute little plot that doesn’t go very far. However, seeing Sookie’s transformation this season has been pleasing. It turns out everything in the Gilmore world isn’t as happy go lucky as it seems. She begins to freak out about the impending birth of little Davey; in fact, she even goes as far to claim she’ll be a terrible mother. Of course things return to normal when Lorelai talks her down from the freak out. Still, the brief moments we hear an expecting mother say she doesn’t think she wants to be a mother was a pretty real moment.

Then there’s Dean. He gets married in the fourth episode and it’s a little painful to watch. With Jess gone, it would have been beautiful to see he and Rory work things out and begin a long distance relationship. But things cannot go as smoothly for Rory as we like. She watches from a distance as Dean blissfully walks out of the church with his new bride. What is even more painful is that she doesn’t know that the night before that Dean drunkenly tells Luke that he thinks Rory is amazing and misses her. (Note: this episode features future New Girl star Max Greenfield as a buddy of Dean.)

Speaking of Luke: he got married. Then divorced. Except not. He and Nicole went on the cruise and despite Lorelai joking about marriage, he actually does it. In the first episode back he tells Lorelai that he and his bride are getting divorced because it was all a mistake. Through a series of hoops and tricks, however, Luke and Nicole decide to remain married, but not be married. Instead they will start dating again.

See why this season is so great? I can talk about so much without talking about the actual Girls. But here’s a quick rundown of what’s happening in their lives.

Lorelai is going to open the Dragonfly Inn with Sookie and Michel. There are a lot of problems with it that are simply put into the plot to give something for Lorelai to do. She’s also been flirting with Digger, the son of the man that forced Richard into retirement. Digger is now joining Richard’s firm and is becoming a new potential love interest for the elder Gilmore.

Rory on the other hand isn’t worried about love. She’s trying to survive Yale where it turns out Paris is also going and is Rory’s roommate. What I love best about Rory’s time at Yale is that she’s actually a journalist. We get to see her acting out her dream instead of just talking about it.

Clearly a lot is going on. And that’s a good thing.

One last note: “The Festival of Living Art” won the show’s only Emmy Award, for Outstanding Makeup for a Series (non-prosthetic).

First thing is first: it happened again. I grew to hate Jess when he was with Rory. It was cute when they were flirting while she was still with Dean, but once they get together Jess turns into a real dick. He sucks. He doesn’t try and she deserves better. I see why the writers did this. There was no guarantee that Milo Ventimiglia was going to stay around (he signed for a short contract), especially after they decided to go ahead with a spin off that was rightfully not picked up.

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Originally aired November 19, 2002 – February 18, 2003.

Rory and Jess are finally together. And he’s a terrible boyfriend. It’s clear there wasn’t much for the show to do once the triangle subsided and the writers begin focusing on different storylines. The result is for the better. Instead of the heavy focus on Rory’s love life we get to see Lorelai’s love life and relationship with her parents begin to blossom and unfold. Also Rory’s school life begins to take a more central role.

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The opening seven episodes of the third season contain a lot of goodness. We’re introduced to Lane’s band, which means Dave Rygalski (Adam Brody) has officially come into our lives. We get a guest appearance by John Hamm. We get the resolution of the Dean-Rory-Jess love triangle. For now.

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