7.16 Will You Be My Lorelai Gilmore

TV.com Summary: While she is in the midst of planning Lane’s baby shower, Rory gets a long-awaited call from The New York Times offering her an informational interview. Lorelai takes over the shower-planning duties, and finds herself brokering peace between Lane and Mrs. Kim over how Lane plans to raise her twins. Logan finally admits his business disaster to Rory, who offers him her full support, but when Logan announces that he is flying to Las Vegas to blow off steam with his old college pals Colin and Finn, Rory is disappointed and worried. When Luke discovers that Liz and T.J. are trying to sell his boat, he decides to make some changes in his life and take April on a long boat trip over the summer. Finally, Lane is put on bed-rest and must be wheeled through Stars Hollow in her bed to attend the shower at Miss Patty’s. Writer: Gina Fattore, Gayle Abrams / Director: David Paymer

Elise’s Comment:

Vintage!

An episode filled with precious moments shared between amazing characters. The writing was well done, the acting was good, and Sam Phillip’s music was the perfect added touch. This episode definitely had Stars Hollow vibe written all over it.

The moments shared between Rory and Lorelai were real, like in the old days. No superficial talk, no cold shoulder. Real mother-to-daughter, friend-to-friend conversation. It made me think, for an instant, that an 8th season wouldn’t be that horrible.

I have to admit that Chris’s absence in the episode might have something to do with it. Lorelai was back to her previous self, walking around town, planning events, talking to Luke.

I like where the Lane storyline is going. I didn’t remember them mentionning that she was having boys. Did they? I had this prediction that it would be. Lane’s relationship with her mother never ceases to amaze me. As much as she wants to be different from her mom, inside her she realizes how her mother brought her up well… despite everything.

The baby shower was a true Stars Hollow event, loyal to its predecesors. The painting on those jumpers (onesies?) was very original. Lorelai can sure throw an amazing party.

I’m glad we saw more of April today. I hope we see her come to Stars Hollow before the season ends. Luke seems to be doing better, although he realizes he wants change in his life. Liz made him realize that. I like how she talked about their father. I felt like I had just got a peek into a old photo album.

The boat was in the garage where it used to be stored. Remember when Luke had to move it because the old lady owning that garage was moving into a retirement home? The boat ended up in Lorelai’s garage. I don’t remember what happenned to it after Luke and Lorelai broke up, but I was surprised to see it back in this garage. And as we saw, Liz and TJ moved into that house. Am I completely lost, or did the writers fast foward over that whole explanation?

I have a good feeling about Rory’s talk with a New York Times writer. It’s unfortunate we didn’t get to see the interview. I feel like the writers want to tie up too many loose ends, so they skip over some parts.

Finally Logan. His trip to Vegas is not a good sign. The old Logan is resurfacing. I wonder what Paris would say on the subject.

I give this episode an A.

[Written by Elise in 2007]

7.15 I’m a Kayak, Hear Me Roar

TV.com Summary: At Friday night dinner, Lorelai works up the courage to tell her parents about the break-up of her marriage, but is derailed by their argument over the healthy meals and no-alcohol policy Emily has instituted to help Richard recover from his heart attack. Lorelai enlists Sookie to bring Richard healthy but delicious meals, then helps Emily organize Richard’s business affairs. Over a shared bottle of scotch, Lorelai finally tells her mother about the breakup of her marriage. Rory attends an awkward birthday dinner for Logan with Mitchum Huntzberger, who asks her to help him steer Logan in the right direction. Later, Logan receives disturbing news about the online company he purchased. Also, Luke shares his home with Liz , T.J. and their baby daughter while their house is being fumigated. Writer: Rebecca Rand Kirshner / Director: Lee Shallat-Chemel

7.14 Farewell, My Pet

TV.com Summary: Two days after his by-pass surgery, Richard is on the road to recovery, and Rory returns to Yale, where she finds that Richard’s economics class is now being taught by an attractive young TA, Tucker Culbertson, who flusters Rory with his charm. While Lorelai tries to distract herself from the issues in her marriage, she and Sookie focus on planning a funeral for one of Michel’s beloved dogs. Finally, Christopher returns ready to talk, and he and Lorelai discuss the main problem that has haunted their marriage – Lorelai’s feelings for Luke. Writer: Jennie Snyder / Director: Jamie Babbit

7.13 I’d Rather Be In Philadelphia

TV.com Summary: In the hospital waiting room, Lorelai, Rory and Emily anxiously await word on Richard’s condition. When Logan hears what is happening, he borrows a helicopter to be by Rory’s side, but Lorelai is unable to reach Christopher, who is still angry over their fight the night before. Upset by Emily’s attempt to remain calm by dealing with her social calendar, Lorelai is relieved when Luke shows up unannounced and volunteers to run errands for Emily. Christopher finally arrives to be with Lorelai, but the scene at the hospital is more than he can take when he sees Lorelai talking to Luke. Writer: Rebecca Rand Kirshner / Director: Lee Shallat-Chemel

7.12 To Whom It May Concern

TV.com Summary: Noticing Sookie’s recent odd behavior, Lorelai forces Jackson to tell her the reason. Luke and Anna attend a hearing to decide their custody battle over April. With help from Paris, Rory finally makes amends with Lucy, who tells her that she and Marty have broken up. While attending Richard’s economics class at Yale, Rory witnesses a frightening scene. Finally, Christopher finds the letter Lorelai wrote for Luke’s character reference and confronts Lorelai about whether he was her second choice. Writer: David Babcock / Director: Jamie Babbit

7.11 Santa’s Secret Stuff

TV.com Summary: Rather than celebrating Christmas while Rory is in London over the holidays, Lorelai and Christopher decide to put their holidays on hold.Once Rory returns to Stars Hollow, they decorate several Christmas trees, do their shopping and even bake Christmas cookies for the first time as a family. Turning up unexpectedly at the inn, Luke asks Lorelai to write a character recommendation letter for his custody battle over April. Lorelai struggles to write the letter until she and Rory run into Luke and April at the mall and Lorelai suddenly remembers how important Luke has always been in Rory’s life. Inspired, Lorelai writes the letter and mails it to Luke’s attorney. Rory decides she will write an apology letter to her friend Lucy, explaining why she and Marty kept their past friendship a secret. Writer: Rebecca Rand Kirshner / Director: Lee Shallat-Chemel

7.10 Merry Fisticuffs

TV.com Summary: Luke and Lorelai share a sweet moment when Luke introduces her to Liz’s new baby. Christopher witnesses the scene and it adds to his concern that Lorelai isn’t fully committed to their marriage. The next day, Lorelai and Christopher get into a fight over whether they should exchange vows at the elaborate wedding party Emily is throwing for them. Luke contacts a lawyer over his custody troubles with Anna, then runs into Christopher and the two have an ugly confrontation in the streets of Stars Hollow. Meanwhile, when Logan discovers that Rory and Marty have been pretending that they just met, rather than admitting their previous friendship to Lucy, he reveals the truth to Lucy. Finally, Emily gives Lorelai a warning about her marriage. W: David S. Rosenthal. S: Jackson Douglas.

Coffee*3’s Comment:

The fight between Luke and Chris was bizarre. It was almost like they weren’t fighting each other but the issues each one was dealing with (Chris feeling that Lorelai won’t stay with him and Luke struggling to be a part of April’s life). It’s as if the writers were trying to physically show that these two characters are struggling with internal conflict. The christmas music and knocking over the ornaments – Luke getting his arm caught in a ribbon on a package – were funny, but the scene didn’t work for me.

Chris’ asking Lorelai about having children and wanting to start at that exact moment when Lorelai was not exactly responding with a resounding “Yes!” made me uncomfortable. Just a few hours earlier he saw how Lorelai glowed holding Doula and how natural she looked with Luke and a baby. I was uncomfortable because I was afraid that Christopher’s push for a child was to hold Lorelai to him; he sees her wanting to wait (even a few months) as waivering on their relationship. This, of course, is reinforced in his mind by her not wanting to have the wedding party. This is just how I am reading his motivation and has nothing to do with Lorelai’s motivation. For example, I see Lorelai not wanting the Gilmore-planned wedding party because it’s the sort of thing she ran away from. If she and Chris were planning the party themselves it would be a different story.

Did anyone notice at the wedding party wine sampling Christopher saying he had to go to work after his fight with Lorelai? Interesting! What’s he do?! Before he got rich he worked with risk assessment…

Someone on the board mentioned the theme of Marriage and Compromise. I don’t know what to say on this. It’s different for each couple. You do need to compromise on some things, but they should be behavioral things like one person cooks dinner and the other does the dishes. It should not be things that affect a person’s core identity or beliefs. It also shouldn’t be an ultimatum. Chris is behaving like a sulking toddler. As for those who complain that Lorelai is being selfish and wanting things her own way this is nothing new, she always has (ex. not telling Rory that Chris and Sherry wanted her to visit over winter break because she wanted Rory with her). And really, did anyone else find it completely ironic that Emily Gilmore of all people was preaching about compromise?! I didn’t think she knew the word!

I miss the Rory-Logan magic. Where’s the fiery repartee they used to have? And actually, Logan could have answered Lucy’s question on how he and Rory met honestly by telling her they met in the dorm hallway (and not through Marty). He was with his friends trying to find some girl Finn met the night before and Rory was hanging up a notice about Asher Fleming’s wake. They had a great repartee and it ended with him saying she should call him Captain. [I’ve often thought it would be cute after they started dating if she did.] As much as I believe Lucy needed to know that Marty and Rory knew each other previously, Logan telling her in that way wasn’t it. Logan could have easily dodged the question and let Rory tell Lucy in private. Unfortunately I read Logan’s “honesty” as a jealous reaction due to Marty and not because he felt bad for Lucy. I say jealous because Logan reacted to Marty’s appearance in Rory’s life again much like Rory reacted to finding out Bobby was a beautiful, intelligent, outgoing female. The distance is causing insecurities in their relationship.

And where is Lane?!

[Written by Coffee*3 on December 6 2006, edited by Elise on January 16 2007]

7.09 Knit, People, Knit!

TV.com Summary: When Christopher questions Lorelai about why she has avoided involving him in the daily life of Stars Hollow, she admits her concern that her old friends may not accept him. Christopher makes an effort to bond with the townspeople, and Lorelai brings him to the town knit-a-thon, where his well-intentioned gesture brings the event to an early end. When Olivia throws a 2002-themed birthday party for Lucy, Rory gets her chance to confront Marty about his coldness toward her. Finally, Luke is touched by the birth of Liz and T.J.’s baby, and when he learns that Anna is planning to move to New Mexico with April, he demands equal rights as a parent. W: David Grae. D: Kenny Ortega.

Elise’s Comment:

This episode answered a lot of my questions from last week and previous episodes.

Answer #1: April had been staying with Luke this whole time. I actually didn’t see it as being two months and was surprised when it was mentionned. But the fact that Anna went to New Mexico explains it a little.

I agree with what was mentionned in the other comments: Luke is becoming a “softy” for children. It came gradually, I find. Who can forget the time he told Lorelai “but what about the kids?” in season 5. I really enjoy the interraction he’s had with April and I don’t want it to stop. When it was first mentionned that she was moving I thought “Oh, the writers just want to write her out… one less thing to worry about”. But I am glad to see that Luke is fighting this. I think I’ll start a poll on the subject…

Answer #2: We will see Paris, and a lot of her. I too believed that “moving on my own” meant that Rory would live alone. Going back to Paris doesn’t really scream independence, but it reflects reality. It also shows that although Rory could ask her father to pay her an appartement, she prefers to live modestly with roomates. I am glad we will see more of Paris actually (Oh my god, did I just say that?). And I have to agree, her dance moves with Doyle were hilarious.

Answer #3: The artsy girls (I still can’t remember their names, which highly reflects my attachment to them) were brought into the story in order to bring back Marty. I makes sense now… but at first it seemed so out of the blue to bring those two new characters in. I don’t know where this Marty story is heading. Probably just a source of (possible) conflict between Rory and Logan, because things aren’t perfect.

Comment (the-only-one-I-have-so-I-won’t-write-a-number): Notice how Christopher’s donation didn’t give the right impression to the citizens of Stars Hollow? Those same people judged Christopher during the first season when his credit card was rejected (he wanted to buy Rory that Oxford dictionnary… news travelled fast). Just a nice contrast that shows how things changed for him.

[Written by Elise on November 29 2006, edited on January 12 2007]

7.08 Introducing Lorelai Planetarium

TV.com Summary: Lorelai invites Rory over to dinner to tell her that she and Christopher got married in Paris. Rory pretends to be thrilled while Christopher is in the room, but later tells Lorelai how hurt and angry she really is. Logan surprises Rory with a visit and an announcement that he is relocating to New York to start his new internet company. Meanwhile, when April faces a medical emergency, a frantic Luke turns to Lorelai for help. W: Jennie Snyder. D: Lee Shallat-Chemel.

Elise’s Comment:

What an episode. It certainly helped in explaining the things that were left in the air at the end of last week’s episode. Although the episode wasn’t spectacular, important events took place.

1. Rory’s parents are married
She wasn’t thrilled. But then she accepted it and seems to be o.k. with it. “Things are going to chance around here” says Christopher. Lorelai doesn’t seem all right with it. I can’t help but compare it to a less-than-enthusiastic Lorelai who couldn’t remember to give Max keys to the house. She wasn’t anti-change when Luke moved in… she even let him renovate the house! These similarities can’t be overlooked. What does it all mean?

2. Luke is a father
And a good one he is. I’m not too sure what the arrangement is between him and Anna, but he seems to be spending a lot of time with April. I like how he is now really involved in her life: washing jeans, talking about teenage gossip… taking her to the hospital.

3. Luke and Lorelai are speaking…
And Luke knows she’s married. I was very surprised at how he called her without hesitation. It shows just how much he cares for April. We didn’t see that big face-off that the preview promised, I wonder when it’s actually going to air. Luke seemed o.k. with the ring on Lorelai’s hand… but considering the situation (hospital), it’s probably going to hit him later and then he’ll “explode”.

4. Logan is moving to New York
What a development. Just this week, when Rory was talking to him ont he phone at the beginning of the episode, I was wondering how they would make that relationship work. It just seemed impossible to keep it going long distance like that… and we almost never saw Logan. I’m glad they made the change.

5. Rory is looking for a place to live
The change will be good I think. She’s never really been in her own place (that dorm room with Paris was, well, controlled by Paris, and the pool house gave her anything but privacy). I wonder if she’ll look for a roomate though? Paris? Now that she’s not on the Yale Daily News, we rarely see Paris. And what about those new girls? I still don’t get their role on the show. Speaking of newspapers, that business card she got this week… possibilities!

Overall, the episode moved things foward, but not too much, which is good. It looks like the writers have finally dealt with the bombs that were dropped t the end of last season. now that the reparation is started, things can move and evolve.

P.S. I don’t understand the relation between the title of the episode and the content of the episode, other than brief mentions of the building being named after Rory.

[Written by Elise on November 22 2006, edited on January 12 2007]

7.07 French Twist

TV.com Summary: Christopher and Lorelai take his daughter GiGi to visit her mother in Paris. Despite severe jet lag, they manage to have a wonderful, romantic time enjoying the city and each other. Back in Connecticut, Rory comes to the end of her tenure as Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Daily News and suddenly finds herself unsure of her future. Her new friends Olivia and Lucy suggest a trip to Stars Hollow for a girls’ night while Lorelai is out of town. When they return, Rory is surprised to find that Lucy’s new boyfriend is her old friend Marty, who pretends not to know Rory. Christopher and Lorelai return home with a surprise for everyone. W: David Babcock. D: Lee Shallat-Chemel.

Elise’s Comment:
Where do I begin? This episode surprised me. I usually have a pretty good idea of where the writers will go with things… not this year. Everything that hapenned during this episode went against what I thought would happen.

I’ll start with the big shocker: Lorelai and Christopher getting married in Paris. I also can’t believe they got swept away like that and did something so impulsive. I was very surprised that Lorelai went through with it. I still have that gut feeling that Lorelai and Luke will end up together. Well, things aren’t resolved between them… they’ll need to speak eventually.

Now that I think about it, Lorelai getting married impulsively doesn’t surprise me as much. It was reactive of her to do that, as opposed to being proactive. It’s a result of her feeling rejected by Luke, and having to wait to get married. I really don’t know where her relationship with Christopher will go. And I agree with something mentionned on the Forum: it does have its resemblances with the Luke/Nicole marriage.

Then on to Rory. I am also confused as to what happenned at the Yale Daily News. Things are moving too fast and we are missing important parts. Are they doing this on purpose, slowly bringing us to the series finale? As mentionned on the Forum, she was probably Paris’s replacement until the end of term. Still, I don’t understand why the writers are taking her off the paper completely. And, I don’t like those girls she hangs out with.

Marty is back. What does this mean? Did anyone notice how bizare he acted when he was with his girlfriend? Very un-Marty.

Things keep getting more intense for Lane. Sleeps with her husband for the first time, has a bad experience, gets pregnant, has twins, her mother moves in. Although, I have to admit the Mrs Kim scenes are funny. I’m glad they are giving Lane a bigger role this year.

I missed Sookie, Michel and the Gilmores in this episode. We didn’t see much of Luke either, which was weird. Things are in transition, I just don’t know where they’re going. I agree, there may be more drama this season… but I really get a feeling they want to bring the show to a close (and of course get high ratings).

I give this episode a B.

[Written by Elise on November 15 2006, edited on January 12 2007]