(S07E04) Damn you, Dave Rosenthal! You're making me start to like the idea of Christopher and Lorelai together. I can't believe I'm actually thinking it, much less writing it; but tonight's episode showed why that couple has always been so good together over the years. I just wish we didn't have to see those two be cute and laugh and have banter about Snakes on a Plane together at the expense of Luke.But Luke's OK, sorta. He's got the Tortured Plot Device -- known to most people as April -- in his life.
So it looks like we're starting to get past some of the angst and into some lighter territory, which is good for everyone, from the writers to fans like me who have been rending their garments for the last year at the show's depressing turn. In an article about the show in last Sunday's New York Post, Sara Stewart found out that most of the fans just didn't think the show was flowing as well as it had in the past. She even quoted some doofus as saying the show wasn't built for emotional angst.
That doofus is right; even under Team Palladino, the flow of the show was creaking under the weight of surprise children, freeze-outs, family issues, and overall mopitude. There were too many emotional outbursts and not enough fun, and fun is what makes this show go.But we had some fun tonight. We're six weeks past all the tsuris of the Luke/Lor breakup and the Logan departure (we kind of knew time passed due to Sookie's overflowing gourd harvest and the fact that Yale was back in session, but for some reason, they had to work the words "six weeks" into the dialogue), and it shows. Chris and Lorelai, who are taking things slowly, go on a fun date that only Chris and Lorelai could go on. A lonely Rory finds a couple of new friends at a Yale art show; even though the friends aren't really her type, she's just happy to have someone around. Luke, still a little lonely himself, is getting used to having April around, even shopping at Tar-shay for the first time (can we declare that "Target/Tar-shay" joke officially dead). Even Richard is happy; he's going to teach economics at Yale. Lots of smiles, lots of banter. Everyone's doing OK.
Well, except for Emily. During that whole scene when she's driving and talking to Richard on the phone, I was thinking, "Pheh, on TV, you're allowed to talk on your cell while driving and not get caught." Little did I know that five seconds later, she not only was going to get caught, but was going to refuse a Breathalyzer test and get hauled off to jail. Lorelai's glee at having to bail her mom out was palpable; I especially liked how she took pictures of the cops and the police station with her camera phone. It seemed like a very GG-ish topper to the "showing of Funny Face on the side of the barn" night that Lor and Chris had.
That being said, I was happy that both Sookie and Rory sounded warning bells. Christopher isn't a rebound guy, a "bouncy ball," as Sookie put it, he's a big "bowling ball", mainly because of the whole thing about being Rory's dad and everything. Rory just doesn't want her mom to get hurt again. Even Lorelai wanted to take it one step at a time, as we saw right after the movie ended. She demurred, something she never did with Chris. Then the call from the cops came and all bets were off. I'm still not overly happy the two of them are together; I think the writers have Lor going way too fast yet again. But I'm starting to warm to the idea of the two of them being a couple, even if it's just for half the season, before the inevitable comeback of Luke into the picture.
Poor Luke looks adrift right now, doesn't he? The diner looks empty without the Gilmore girls' presence. Even having Kirk complain about the women in his life and Miss Patty talk about kneecapping ballerinas didn't really help. Now we've got April to anchor him for a while (Anna dropped her off to go tend to her mother). It was cute that April wants to set Luke up with someone, but you just know that he's still a little heartbroken, trying to convince himself as much as April that it wasn't meant to be. This isn't as painful to watch as the Lor/Rory split of last season, but not seeing either Gilmore in the diner is just wrong.
Rosenthal and his staff seem to like giving Paris her moment in every episdoe; this time it was her bragging about Doyle's fact-checking job at the Hartford Courant. In true Paris style, she calls the Yale Daily News a joke, then blows off Rory to go have drinks with Doyle's work buddies, hoping that the Style editor might show up.
But it allowed Rory to meet her artsy new friends. They're kind of annoying, but anything to help her deal with LSA (Logan Separation Anxiety) helps, as we saw when Rory blew off Logan when he called. Not sure if I want to see more of them, but at least Rory's not reading Henry Miller books to figure out how to text dirty to her boyfriend anymore. That's the type of thing a woman shouldn't have to do until at least 30.
Overall, not bad. Things are normalizing. Is it classic GG from the peak of Team Palladino? No. But it's sure as hell a lot better than what we've been seeing. Hopefully, we'll stay light in tone until at least January.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-17-2006 @ 10:24PM
Annabelle said...
I thought this episode more than the others this season was out of the norm. And what is up with people going on and on about the lighting and camera angle so what. The wordage is what is important because it is the show. However, this lacked. The beinging about the snakes seemed traditional GG and it was good to see Rory and Lor have a friend moment with the packing of the clothes, but c'mon too over the top with the movie. I mean I respect they want to show Chris will fight for Lor but really?!? Normally something Lor would laugh at or make fun of all the sudden she is swept off her feet? I must say I don't want her with Chris but I am not sure if I want her with Luke he is not willing to fight for her. As for Rory, good choice with blowing the Logan call off. She seem confused about life and he seems to want to dictate what she does (London for X-mas?) I hope she goes back to herself, and not that side that her mother ran away from. Logan just wants the name Gilmore not Rory! However, overall I like the season much better than I thought and minus this episode GREAT writing and remaining true to character or as the Paladino crew left it
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10-17-2006 @ 10:49PM
Sarakastic said...
I feel the same way about Logan, do not make me start liking him now!
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10-17-2006 @ 11:00PM
Kathy said...
I don't know: Christopher has to pull out all the stops for an over-the-top date, and Lorelai still isn't completely enthusiastic. Doesn't bode well for them once real life comes crashing down around them. And has Chris been shipping his younger daughter off to his mother's for six weeks while he dates his older daughter's mother? Nice parenting there, buddy. Guess you didn't learn much the second time around, either. Loved Sookie and the Luke/April moments, though!
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10-17-2006 @ 11:05PM
MrsEldubya said...
Sorry, Lorelai looked out of place to me and like crap. She looked much better on Studio 60, what's up with that? Anyway, it's all wrong and it didn't flow for me. I'm hoping that Lor will clue in that this relationship with Chris just doesn't work now and she will miss Luke. Don't get me wrong, I like Chris and I like the Chris and Lor banter but that's where it should end. Tonight was the first time I felt like not wanting to watch GG again.
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10-18-2006 @ 1:07AM
Esther Massimini said...
Don't drink the kool-aid, Joel!
There's nothing organic or sensible about Deadbeat Dad and his return. The same Hollywood that has no concept of healthy adult relationships is bringing this trash to us.
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10-18-2006 @ 1:24AM
Lily Gilkerson said...
Lorelai miss Luke? Who's Luke? She's moved on and forgotten. Cripes, her character has been assassinated beyond belief. Christopher is still a jerk. He'll always be a jerk--and the reason Luke doesn't fight for Lorelai is that the poor sap thinks he isn't good enough for her. The sad thing is that he's got it backwards. Lorelai isn't good enough for Luke.
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10-18-2006 @ 2:19AM
jOHN said...
I kinda like Rory's new-found friends. I disagree that they aren't her type. Rory in early GG episodes was just as quirky and free-spirited. I hope they keep her new friends, because lord knows that Lane isn't popping up as much as she used to in the show.
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10-18-2006 @ 2:29AM
Sabrina said...
Thanks for being brave enough to take on the Lorelai/Luke fanatics by admiring what has been a realistic and compelling episodes of the new season. I love seeing Lorelai regain her brain, spine and voice after being a virtual doormat to the boorish Luke, who could suck the life and joy out of everyone around him. Lauren Graham does a superb job showing Lorelai's determination, vulnerability and vintage goofiness.
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10-18-2006 @ 5:20AM
KateG said...
Yay Team Christopher!
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10-18-2006 @ 11:46AM
Laura said...
I don't know whether to be glad for some fans that "Christopher and Lorelai are starting to work for you, or to be resentful that some people get to enjoy a show that's been destroyed for me.
I used to love this show and now I don't even care about Lorelai. I guess I've discovered that I need to care about the characters for a show to work for me. I never thought about it much before.
I was surprised how sick I felt at the end of last week’s episode. There’s a part of me that still regrets we’ll never see Luke and Lorelai work out their issues and learn to communicate with each other, that the show ran scared from taking that next step.
But mostly, the sight of Christopher on screen makes me feel sick, so I’m stopping now. It’s TV and it’s not supposed to make me miserable. I stuck it out all last year – for this? Some viewers can watch Christopher and feel “light-hearted” but I watch him and feel sick. I wish they’d brought the light-hearted back in a way all viewers could enjoy, that wasn’t so offensive to some of us. That’s all.
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10-18-2006 @ 8:26AM
courtney said...
Seeing this woman completely put aside Chris' choice to stay out of his daughter's life for most of her life makes me ill; this is Hollywood stuff - the deadbeat dad who also hysterically tried to break up her and Luke in S5, gets another chance with her while Luke, who has been a good friend and then boyfriend/fiance for 10 years gets thrown out like yesterday's trash - no second chance for him.
What makes Chris/Lorelai a good couple - the quipping thing? How much can anyone take of that incessant talking? I've found it annoying since season one.
They have turned Lorelai into someone who seems rather mindless right now - she is no longer of interest to me because she's really pathetic.
The writing doesn't come near anything ASP did - particulary the early years. It's like a different show with different characters.
Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.
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10-18-2006 @ 8:47AM
Lynnette said...
This show has lost its focus. It was at its best when it focused on the mother-daughter relationship and how they as a team worked their way through life. I don't understand the jump in time period from Lorelai calling Chris and then no resolution for what was said on the phone to help the viewer know where she was coming from by returning to a relationship that has been poor from the beginning (when Rory was born). I used to look forward to watching when Lorelai had a little more strength in how she conducted herself. Now it feels as though she just let's every little thing push her in a different direction without any thought on her part. I'm very disappointed and don't even get me started on the Lane pregnancy--she may have been semi-sheltered by her mother, but she went to school in modern times, had Rory for a friend, and yet knew nothing about birthcontrol? Really. By the way what happened to Sookie and her husband? Why aren't they featured more prominently?
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10-18-2006 @ 12:24PM
Allison said...
Admittedly, I didn't watch the first 3 seasons of the show, but Christopher seems so insincere to me. He feels just like a grown-up Logan. They even look the same while talking on the phone. Lorelai did not seem comfortable with him and seemed to be making herself move on.
Kathy - I think that Chris said that his mom had GG for the night - not the entire six weeks!
I actually enjoyed the April parts and seeing Luke smile. His seemed more real than Lorelai's.
Best things about this season have been Paris' bits. Hysterical!
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10-18-2006 @ 10:02AM
ALLISON said...
There's just something off about Rosenthal's touch. The tone is wrong, like hearing the wrong note sung in a familiar song. That's what it was like with Lorelai doing her riff on "Snakes On A Plane" and Chris having nothing to retort. Even the special date was missing something -- like the choice of film. I adore "Funny Face," but I think for Lorelai something more esoteric was called for. Couldn't you see them watching "Finian's Rainbow" and Lorelai saying she never misses a Francis Ford Coppola musical? "Funny Face" seemed like a safe, more obvious choice. But, back to the show, I'm still bothered by certain things -- why aren't they letting Sookie out of the kitchen? Every scene with her this season has been trapped behind the stove. They used to show Lorelai and Sookie walking through Stars Hollow occasionally.... Also, where's Paul Anka? Does Rosenthal hate dogs? And Chris' daughter, Gigi -- just an afterthought? That kid had major problems in the past and does Lorelai really want to deal with that "bad seed"? Speaking of loose ends, remember last season Lorelai had a job offer from a big-time hotel/inn chain? Remember she was considering selling the inn? Does Rosenthal remember?
I'm not giving up on the Gilmores, but it needs something more/better!
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10-18-2006 @ 10:06AM
homerj312 said...
People really need to lay off this show, it's still excellent. To say the show is too depressing now is ridiculous.
The show has always had twists and turns and has had heavy emotional moments to go along with the light hearted smart banter. I mean Rory slept with a her ex-boyfriend that was married at the time to lose her virginity, and that happened like 3 seasons ago.
I mean these people are growing up and messed up stuff happens in life and you have to deal with it, I'm glad its not all witty banter and no conflict. I guess what I'm saying is what people say makes the show depressing to me makes it interesting and not just another stupid poorly written teen drama.
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10-18-2006 @ 10:07AM
Tammy said...
Lynette, Lane and Zack did use birthcontrol, a Mexican condom, it failed. You must have missed that discussion between Lane and Rory. I do agree that she should have been on the pill since she knew she was getting married and going to have sex but that's another discussion.
I didn't like Lorelai waiting around for Chris to call her for a date. That seemed out of the ordinary for Lorelai too. Maybe it's having Rory off to college that has made her lost her whole focus. She was much more stronger as the protective mother when Rory was home than she is now. Some would argue it's Lorelai finally finding out who see is and what she wants now but I'm not sure I buy that.
I still blame everything on April. She doesn't fit and I was afraid she was trying to fix Luke up with her Mom with that whole candle talk. April is not a little Rory and never will be and what where they hoping for, a spin off show when GG was done?
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10-18-2006 @ 1:32PM
tamara said...
I hope that Rory keeps these artsy friends. Real Yale art crowd could actually learn from them.
As for Luke, I think that these changes April did to his room will help him be more sensitive and less stick-in-the-mud like. When Lorelai did all the wedding planning last season, he panicked then started to make all the shots. Now, April can make one decision and he makes it happen. If he's able to handle this, he could change and make things right with Loreli.
However, the Lor/Chris thing is cute for now.
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10-18-2006 @ 2:13PM
Angela said...
Has everyone forgotten how Lorelai ended up in Stars Hollow? She RAN AWAY FROM HOME! She turned down Christopher's marriage proposal because she knew they were too young and it was going to end badly if they got married at 17. If any couple on the show is star-crossed, it's Lorelai and Christopher...She ran away, he was sent to boarding school by his parents, and Lorelai CHOSE to raise Rory by herself in Stars Hollow, giving Christopher (and the g-parents) access on her terms, and while trying to re-kindle his relationship with Lorelai, his ex-girlfriend shows up pregnant...and then Luke happened. It just hasn't been in the cards for them at any time, and now to me, it seems that Chris and Lorelai are picking up where they left off in high school before Lorelai got pregnant, and they get to discover if this is something that is real for them, which I don't think is a completely terrible idea.
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10-18-2006 @ 2:15PM
CastingGod said...
Sorry,folks I'm all in on the Chris/Lor relationship. I think it's very Lor when Chris showed "Funny Face: he said it was her favorite movie.I wish someone would take me to a barn and show me a movie.It's typical of this show. I never was a Luke and Lor fan, it just never seemed to fit for me. And, since next week all hell is gonna break loose. If, you saw Logan is back, at least for this episode. I like that, I love this show and can't wait to see what's gonna happen next. Even though I get to read the script ahead of time I still can't wait till it's on the air. Yes, I know some of the plot lines and I'm not telling.
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10-18-2006 @ 2:30PM
Nole Filius said...
Thank you Courtney. Thank you Laura. My sentiments exactly and then some.
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