The verdict is out:
I’m OK, You’re OK. Rory (Alexis Bledel) forgives Logan (Matt Czuchry) for his indiscretions, then needs some time for herself, so she pays a visit to Lorelai (Lauren Graham) in Stars Hollow. Although Lorelai (Lauren Graham) refuses to admit that she is upset, Rory can tell that she is bothered by the news that Luke (Scott Patterson) will be gone for a few days on a field trip with his daughter, April (Vanessa Marano, who does not appear in the episode). Against Lorelai’s wishes, Rory pays a visit to the store owned by April’s mother, Ana (guest star Sherilyn Fenn), to spy on her. Meanwhile, when Zack (Todd Lowe) finally works up the courage to ask Mrs. Kim (Emily Kuroda) for permission to marry Lane (Keiko Agena), he is surprised at the deal she makes with him. Melissa McCarthy, Edward Herrmann, Kelly Bishop, Yani Truesdale, Liza Weil and Sean Gunn also stars. The episode was written by Keith Eisner and directed by Lee Shallot Chemel.
Wow, they’ve been going a really long time without new episodes this season. (Not as bad as VM, but close!) Anyway, at least there’s promise of Lane-y goodness.
Luke’s Awesome Spin-turn Of Emily Avoidance!
Mrs. Kim, Pop Producer!
Oh Jess, what is that thing on your head?
I missed the show, and after this week there are only 4 more episodes this season!
I really liked the beginning, the bonding moment between Paris and Rory, and was frustrated that the boys showed up. I was similarly frustrated that Rory just sort of went back to Logan, almost just because he told her to. Whether you think that her reaction to the information about Logan’s activities was fair or not, the fact is she clearly has a problem with it, and isn’t going to just get over it because she moved back in with him. And honestly, this is all getting way too “Friends” for me, and I don’t like it, I don’t like it at all.
I always like Mrs. Kim, especially when she reveals some aspect of her personality that you never suspected before.
Not a bad episode, but after the marathon dry spell, I sort of hoped for a little more out of it. The only progress was between Lane and Zach, which I’m more OK with now.
In the previews, doesn’t it look like Jess is wearing a t-shirt with Rory on it? That would be mildly creepy.
(When I said I missed the show, I meant I longed to see it, not that I didn’t get to see this week’s episode, obviously.)
It was a good episode, with lots of fun bits. But my GG interest seems to be flagging right now. Is it just me? Has Veronica Mars set my standards unfairly high?
Bill’s “Friends” comment is pretty apt: there are all these characters I care about (yes, there was a time when I liked Friends), but most of the plots have them just spinning their wheels, and their problems are starting to feel sitcom-y and forced for the sake of drawing out story arcs, less like serious stuff that’s organic to the characters. I don’t think the show has gone down in quality per se; I just wonder if it’s the kind of show that works best when all the characters are more raw and unformed and there’s more time spent on getting to know them and they’re dealing with real central questions in their lives? Right now it’s just feeling kind of… slick and overly produced, I guess. It’s good and I still enjoy it, but it moved me more in its garage band days.
Or maybe I’ll feel entirely different about it next week, who knows. Especially if Jess stops ironing his head.
Wonderful thing about this ep, though, was the surprising and yet *so right* alliance between Mrs. Kim and Zach. Oh my god, I loved that. Can I marry Lane too?
Karen, I feel the same about flagging interest and VM. I think this season has been problematic. I’m hoping that if next season is the last one, they’ll get it together. I feel guilty for the flagging! (And I do still love the show.)
Loved the Lane, Zach, Mrs. Kim bits — Mrs. Kim and Zach have great chemistry.
The interesting thing to me in contrasting the Gilmore girls’ romantic lives at the moment is the difference between Luke and Logan. Logan at least gets that Rory really isn’t “fine” and is willing to try and change that, but I think Luke is so oblivious to Lorelai’s feelings at this point that it’s almost credulity-straining.
So we know this season supposedly ends with a wedding… seems increasingly likely it will be Zach and Lane’s. Maybe they get to use the fairy church with the merry-go-round.
First-time visitor (well, at least first-time since maybe three moves ago–Shaken & Stirred has certainly gotten around since I last checked in.) Gotta say, it’s great to find some fellow Gilmore-heads in the aether. Thought I was the only one.
I’ve been enjoying this season, but you’re right, it’s not the same. The real problem is there hasn’t been enough lighthearted zaniness, not enough of the great ensemble cast popping in to throw things offkilter. We need more than just a little bit of Kirk popping in to inform Lorelei of her parents grand scheme (which obviously is a plot to buy Lorelei & Luke a nicer house for a wedding gift). Taylor hasn’t reared his pompous bloated head in ages, no Miss Patty. Heck, even when Sookie is onscreen, we don’t have her being a hazard to everyone around her with her passionate one-mindedness causing potential accidents leftandright. The overall tone has gone too serious–not even “Friends”, but almost Soap Opera. I’m still enjoying it, and there are good moments, but the serious nature of the plot was merely the structural bones of why we love the Gilmore Girls. It’s never been about the plot. It’s about the characters, and it’s about the laughs, especially the somewhat outlandish and absurd things that would pop up.
The best Gilmore Girls moment last night was actually on the NBC show Scrubs, where Turk is in the hospital talking about how he wanted a night to himself, be a man, watch sports. Then they cut to him lying on a couch, eating cookie dough, calling JD with tears in his eyes to talk about Gilmore Girls. Priceless…
Oh, and of course we love the incredibly sharp, fast-paced & witty dialog, which has also been lacking…
I haven’t watched the episode yet, but I agree with everyone on the flagging interest – Rory and Lorelei have changed for me. I don’t like a lot of where their characters have gone as people – I’m getting bored with them, and while they have always been rather self-centered that heart that leavened this seems to be gone.
A lot of the characters I really loved (like Lane and Sookie) have been marginalized into nearly always reactive positions to Rory or Lorelei. (Yes, I know there was always a lot of this, but Sookie used to feel like a person, now she feels like a sidekick and nothing more.)
I’m not missing zaniness per se, but rather a zest, an enjoyment in the Lorelei/Rory interactions.
I suspect some of our flagging is directly related to ASP (and even DP) cheating on the show this season. They went off and developed another show, starting shooting, and then, bam, the CW thing kills it. I’m hoping maybe they will re-engage. We’ve had so few ASP eps this season.
Ah, no wonder then. The show’s been Fireflown.