(S07E11) When I was out in LA, I ran into a few members of the Gilmore Girls cast at the various network parties. Whenever I brought up the topic of whether there's going to be another season or not, the answer I got didn't seem to vary much. It wasn't definitive by any means, but the general feeling was that, yes, we're probably seeing the last episodes of the long-running show.That's a good thing, folks. While episodes like tonight's had quite a bit of the chemistry of the first five-plus seasons, you just know that it's not going to last. But at least we're seeing some peeks into what we might see in the second half of the year, and it certainly looks like the Chris/Lor 'shippers are going to be disappointed.
Think about it; didn't it just seem like Lorelai had this look of "My God! Luke is maturing before my very eyes!" as she listened to his plea for her to write that letter of recommendation? After all, he's now stepping up and defending his right to be in April's life and he's asking Lor for help. Too bad this didn't happen a year ago, right? Anyway, between this scene and the scene in the science store, Lor realizes that Luke hasn't only been in her life a hell of a lot more than Chris, but he's been more of a father to Rory than Chris has ever been. And judging by the scenes from next week, Chris is going to find that out as well (you knew the minute she got up from her typewriter that Chris was going to find the handwritten version. Too bad we have to wait until next week to see it).
This episode proves once again that Lorelai and Rory speaking to each other on the phone can't replicate the chemistry between Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham when they are interacting in person in a scene. That has been in woefully short supply this year, and I hope they give Rory more excuses to hang around Stars Hollow; maybe make her winter break two or three months long or something.
The whole Christmas-in-January plot? It was cute, I guess. It served as a convenient way to show that Rory has been in London with Logan. It also gave them an excuse to show GiGi (I thought she was in France?) talking about Santa and to put Rory and Lorelai in silly holiday sweaters. I thought it was funny that Lor didn't mind talking about Luke in front of GiGi, figuring she wouldn't understand a word of it. I'm surprised she didn't blab when Chris walked in the room; that's what usually happens in TV-ville, right?
And Chris still doesn't seem to get it; yes, the Ror/Lor Xmas tradition seems weird and closed-off. But instead of going with it, Chris overdoes it again, pulling out stockings that even Martha Stewart would find too ornate. He's trying to force the family together instead of letting it find its flow, and it's not working.
Here's what I don't get, though: Rory's a pretty sharp person. How can she equate "I didn't tell artsy chick about me and Marty" with "hey, how 'bout telling Dad about helping Luke keep his kid?"
Always nice to see April again, and that's saying a lot, considering what a disruptive force she was last season. You can see that she's Rory from Season One, with all the precociousness and desire to break out of being a kid and just do what she wants. It's kind of sad that such a bright kid, even a fictional one, needs to be stuck in the middle of such a dispute, but that's the way it is. I mean, how many teenage girls get all happy when they get a rock-polishing kit?
OK, a quick word about the "Lane is giving birth to a beach ball" plot. When was the last time we saw her and Zack? Because she's gone from "I'm pregnant!" to being seemingly 8-9 months along. Yes, I know twins are a hefty load for a woman to carry; just ask my sister-in-law (Rich's wife, of course). But, if the calendar is to be believed, Lane should only be 4-5 months along. I guess she could be this big already, but it seems like they're exaggerating her belly just so we could have an episode full of "Angry Behemoth Lane." It does seem like she never got a chance to have fun as an adult; from hiding her drumsticks from her mother to being pregnant within two years. Yikes. I don't blame her for still wanting to be rock 'n' roll, despite the bundles of babies she's got growing inside her. Nice touch with Sebasitan Bach's kid (not his real kid, his character's kid). It's a little girl wearing a Ramones t-shirt and a ski cap. "What up?" Cool.
By the way: one Michel scene and one Sookie scene. Why even bother calling them to the set if you're not going to give them anything to do?
So, like I said, overall, the episode wasn't bad. And the Aerie Girls finally got the boot, which is always a good thing. But I can start to hear a faint sound in the background of this show. When I strain to hear it, I recognize it's sound: a rattle. The death rattle. Can you hear it, too?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1-23-2007 @ 10:11PM
Pamela said...
Except for the scenes exposing Luke and his April's strong bond, and his verbalizing his predicament to Lorelei, this episode was a big bore. The whole late Christmas thing was filler, with Christopher again trying to buy his way in on the traditions with those awful stockings. There seems to be no communication between Lorelei and Chris, as everything seems to be a surprise to him. The letter writing task made Lorelei even more aware of how much Luke has been in her life. The sooner that Chris is out and Luke is back in, the better. If this is going to be the last season, please make it happen fast so the last episodes can be Luke and Lorelei together, happily, at last.
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1-23-2007 @ 11:13PM
beanspants1 said...
milhaus was excited about his rock tumbler in the simpsons episode about the puzzle and the gay dudes (i think).
oh yeah, i thought it was one of the better episodes this year, though I guess i was surprised that loreli and rory would go to a mall. i see them as specialty shoppe supporters only and $200-tshirt-buyers.
i actually feel a bit sorry for chris. he tries so hard, and fails every time. oh, tv, what a cruel cruel mirror thou art!
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1-23-2007 @ 11:15PM
Tess said...
God, is it too early to send Gigi to boarding school? The last thing this show needs is a piping baby voice.
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1-23-2007 @ 11:18PM
Aaren said...
Totally agree about the Lane thing. What the heck? Plus it was a pretty sad fake pregnancy-belly. One thing that really bugged me about episode though was when Lorelei and Rory were walking around Star's Hollow in what was supposed to be January. Why was itreally sunny, and more importantly, why were there trees all over the place in the background that were in full bloom with tons of bright green leaves?? It didn't seem remotely cold or icey and we couldn't see anyone's breath. They had a few little trees by the gazeebo that were bare and then a bunch all aroudn them that looked like it was summertime! It just really threw me for a loop and I couldn't stop looking at them.
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1-23-2007 @ 11:36PM
justelise said...
About Chris not getting it.. Not only does he not get it but he's trying to turn this new blended family into some sort of bourgeois upper-crust Brady Bunch with the ridiculous stockings and the obnoxious idea of caroling as a family. Isn't this the same kind of family he rebelled again with Lorelai when they were still in HS? Isn't this the same kind of culture that he turned his back on?
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1-24-2007 @ 12:16AM
Joel Keller said...
Aaren, given how warm January was in the northeast (this past week was the first one where temps weren't in the 50s or 60s. Heck, one day earlier this month, it was 72 degrees), the depiction of Stars Hollow doesn't seem all that inaccurate.
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1-24-2007 @ 12:25AM
David said...
Aaren,
This winter has been really warm and some of the trees have been blooming and leaf buds were starting to come out. The creators knew this and added a new sense of realism to the show.
:-D
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1-24-2007 @ 12:26AM
Courtney said...
I do not understand who season 7 Christopher is compared to the Christopher in all the other seasons. He always seemed to blend perfectly with Rory and Lorelai, that was his biggest charm was how well he understood the "Gilmore Girls". This new Christopher is depressing and all the characters are starting to look far from their old shells. I mean Rory did not say one intelligent thing this whole episode, she just basically repeated almost everything Lorelai said. And where are all the other towns people? Andrew? Taylor? Gipsy? Jackson? All gone for stupid storylines that I could care less about.
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1-24-2007 @ 12:31AM
Aaren said...
Yea, but bright green leaves all over the trees?? That was the main think that irked me...it has been warm here in the midwest too but our leaves are long gone...
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1-24-2007 @ 12:34AM
David said...
Courtney if you start asking questions about all the writing issues on the show your head would explode.
My favorite one isn't the fact they made Luke have a daughter for no other reason to piss of Loreli. My favorite is the fact in the first season of the show the grandmother was really pushing for Luke and Lorelai, to an insane level, she thought they would be perfect together. She never meantion Chris and Lorelai in the present day. Then in season 4 or 5 she magically hates Luke and tries to hook up Lorelai and Chris every damn way possible. It was just really odd.
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1-24-2007 @ 3:00AM
Noreen said...
Seeing as the show is taped in sunny Burbank, CA, the closest depiction of coldness is having the characters wear coats & scarves. And it looks like the CW is cutting costs for the show, because back on the WB the whole town-set would be blanketed with fake snow. But now all we get is one shot of a little bit of snow-falling.
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1-24-2007 @ 5:04AM
Lily said...
At first I felt the same thing about Lane's pregnancy, but then I remembered that when we came back in September the time passed in Stars Hollow was just right after the season finale last season. Remember that time didn't skip until like the 3rd episode of the season - so I think that in this episode Lane was like 8 months pregnant - which, I guess lines up - except that I agree about her belly looking so fake.
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1-24-2007 @ 6:14AM
jOHN said...
April has been growing up so fast, I doubt that she'd still need her "special" bicycle helmet.
If anything, this week's show showed to Lorelei her biggest fears about getting close to a man was false... that a man can get close to her AND be a father figure to Rory.
Lorelei is not scared of hurting herself, but is so protective of Rory, that she'll do anything short of blocking men of hurting Rory.
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1-24-2007 @ 8:44AM
Jamie said...
I tend to agree with Lily on the timeline of Lane's pregnancy. Remember she got married in April/May & got pregnant on her honeymoon, which would make her 8 months pregnant. The season premiere happened right after the finale, but the first couple episodes kept happening weeks and weeks later until the third or fourth episode it was fall.
Even though Logan wasn't in this episode, I'm just glad we got to see Rory and Lorelai together, it seemed like forever since we've seen them together.
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1-24-2007 @ 9:04AM
Viv said...
Bring back Amy!
Bring back Amy!
Nothing has been the same since she quit writing the script. We're praying it dies this year -- we can't quit watching, but it's like seeing a beloved family member fade from disease. You really want to move on to other things.
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1-24-2007 @ 9:29AM
Tammy said...
I think Lily is right, Lane should be about eight months pregnant now. However, I hate that TV seems to think every woman carrying twins is the size of a cruise ship. And if Lane really was that huge, I would be amazed if she could be on her feet all day waiting tables.
I thought last night's episode was mediocre. I'm tired of Lorelai acting like a child and Christopher acting like, well, Christopher. I have loved this show since the pilot, but I really hope this season is their last.
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1-24-2007 @ 10:12AM
courtney said...
Personally, I've never seen anything as stupid and absurd as those aerie girl sessions. I watched just a few seconds of the first one and thought "yikes, is this what the once wonderful, clever GG has been reduced to?" Sadly, the answer was yes. Good riddence however the end came about.
I fell in love with this show from the pilot - and, now, it is so hard to watch - I too would like to see it end this year. It's painful to watch the horrid dialogue, bad direction and silly storylines.
I watch the first five seasons now as if they are a different show because, for me, it is a different show. Watching now is mostly from habit and because I would like to see a good ending for the characters I care most about. But, I haven't watched a full episode since last year's terrible Valentine's episode.
(I'm a different Courtney that the earlier one above. Just wanted to clarify.)
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1-24-2007 @ 11:10AM
Robin said...
I felt that Lane "appearing" so big (even with twins)was more of her perception of what she looked like to people.
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1-24-2007 @ 12:26PM
David said...
Viv
Amy what's her name wrecked the show. The last few seasons she wrote the show into a ditch and then went "Well I screwed up this show, let's leave".
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1-24-2007 @ 5:46PM
Adrienne said...
Exactly, Viv! ASP was the one who had to give Luke a daughter that he didn't need. She was the one who had Lorelai end up in bed with Christopher at the end of last season. It would have been nice if Christopher and Lorelai hadn't married, but those are the cards we've been dealt.
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