Nitpicking

[dustylil]

If Lindsay had become unexpectedly pregnant - a genuine hazard for women in and around Stars Hollow! - and that had compelled them to wed, then the marriage might have made sense - even the traditional gender roles. With the two of them following patterns they had seen and viewed as successful.  But without any infanticipating, it was just odd. What on earth did Lindsay do all day?

 

Even Donna Stone - Donna Reed's character on her show - had trained as a nurse.

[CEZme]

Here's my nitpick: How is Shira Huntzburger a member of the DAR?  Shira is a Jewish name and (from the WW2 party episode) we know that Shira was a low-down waitress when she married Mitchum.  Are we to understand that she's a direct descendant of the few Jewish founders of the US?  Why did they give her the name "Shira"?  And why is nobody annoyed that Honor married "Josh", who also has a Jewish name and is looks Jewish?  Why add in extra ethnicities to their perfect Waspy world and not explain?  How could they possibly complain about Rory who has clear bloodlines from both Loralai and Christopher?

[txhorns79]

How is Shira Huntzburger a member of the DAR?  Shira is a Jewish name and (from the WW2 party episode) we know that Shira was a low-down waitress when she married Mitchum.  Are we to understand that she's a direct descendant of the few Jewish founders of the US?  Why did they give her the name "Shira"?  And why is nobody annoyed that Honor married "Josh", who also has a Jewish name and is looks Jewish?

 

 

Was Shira a member of the DAR?  I thought she just attended the party. 

 

As to the rest, I don't know if it was ever established Honor's husband was Jewish.  I'm also not following the rest of what you are saying.  Are you suggesting the Huntzbergers should have been anti-Semitic?    

Edited December 22, 2014 by txhorns79

[CEZme]

I don't know.  I'm Jewish and my radar is up given the name "Shira".  I think it's established in a few episodes that she was in the DAR.  I just don't know why they would have put those "clues" in there.  I never understood the reasoning for why Rory wasn't acceptable.  The Huntzburgers seemed like they were "old" money (modeled after the Sulzburgers who own the NY Times and have Jewish roots).  I can't believe the insertion of the names wasn't intentional, I just don't know why they did it. 

[dustylil]

Perhaps she was christened Shirley and glommed on to the more unusual Shira once she entered the glamorous world of cocktail waitressing.

[JayInChicago]

Well, this show is also the show that had a "secretly Jewish" actor's (i'm being facetious a little ok, see quote marks, noted apologizes to Scott Patterson from one product of mixed marriage to another) presumably gentile character go to the trouble of hand carving a wooden chuppah for another gentile character's wedding.

[readster]

If Lindsay had become unexpectedly pregnant - a genuine hazard for women in and around Stars Hollow! - and that had compelled them to wed, then the marriage might have made sense - even the traditional gender roles. With the two of them following patterns they had seen and viewed as successful.  But without any infanticipating, it was just odd. What on earth did Lindsay do all day?

 

Even Donna Stone - Donna Reed's character on her show - had trained as a nurse.

 

 That's exactly it. It was established in the series several times that Donna was a nurse and even said most likely when the kids would go to college she would go back to being a nurse for her husband. Considering the times that made plenty of sense. Dean and Lindsey had it in their mind: "Man works, makes great money." "Wife stays at home and raises the kids and keeps the house clean." In a way it was Amy P basically saying: "What worked in the 50s-60s doesn't apply anymore." However, it came off like they were completely morons. Lindsey did nothing but loft on her ass all day and then complained about being bored and having little money. She couldn't have been in school or working at least part time herself? Why did Dean even stay around after the divorce and everything? He could have at least gone back to school. It was just a mess.

[txhorns79]

However, it came off like they were completely morons. Lindsey did nothing but loft on her ass all day and then complained about being bored and having little money. She couldn't have been in school or working at least part time herself? Why did Dean even stay around after the divorce and everything? He could have at least gone back to school. It was just a mess.

 

I never understood why they would have gotten married in the first place.  They were what, 18 or 19?  Even under the best of circumstances, getting married that young is almost a recipe for divorce. 

[readster]

I never understood why they would have gotten married in the first place.  They were what, 18 or 19?  Even under the best of circumstances, getting married that young is almost a recipe for divorce. 

 

 But keep in mind, Amy P thought Jared's Junior Macguyver tv series would take off. Dean was suppose to never be seen again. Just like Jess's TV spin off was suppose to be a sure thing when the WB never told her to even introduce Jess's father and his wacky family and beach shack. Just like when Rick Suncliff is free, she had to cram Christopher down everyone's throats because he was Rory's daddy! Hooray for young hot men that Amy couldn't control herself over.

[takalotti]

I never understood why they would have gotten married in the first place. They were what, 18 or 19? Even under the best of circumstances, getting married that young is almost a recipe for divorce.

This is a perfect example of thinking too hard, but here's how I always fan wanked it.

So on the night of Keg! Max! Rory comes downstairs crying, Dean thinks Jess did something to her and fights him, all right in front of Lindsay.

After the fight gets broken up, I always imagine Lindsay takes Dean to task for defending Rory, accusing him of still having feelings for her. To prove her wrong, or to prevent Lindsay from dumping him, or just to show "No no, I really do love you the most!" he proposes. Being so young, Lindsay would just see the "romance" in the proposal and not the illogic of it and say yes.

Now, what really doesn't make sense is why her parents are shown being all excited about it in Chicken or Beef. I could buy them accepting that it was happening and not trying to talk her out of it or otherwise protesting, but I wouldn't expect them to be all "this is awesome!"

Edited December 23, 2014 by takalotti

[solotrek]

After the fight gets broken up, I always imagine Lindsay takes Dean to task for defending Rory, accusing him of still having feelings for her. To prove her wrong, or to prevent Lindsay from dumping him, or just to show "No no, I really do love you the most!" he proposes. Being so young, Lindsay would just see the "romance" in the proposal and not the illogic of it and say yes.

 

Well that's basically how the Max and Lorelei proposal went. The Sookie and Jackson proposal was after a fight. The Lane and Zack proposal was right after a huge breakup as well.  So if they had a scene like that, I would not be surprised. It seems to be ASP's thing.

[MaiSoCalled]

Here's my nitpick: How is Shira Huntzburger a member of the DAR?  Shira is a Jewish name and (from the WW2 party episode) we know that Shira was a low-down waitress when she married Mitchum.  Are we to understand that she's a direct descendant of the few Jewish founders of the US? 

For what it's worth, I am Jewish on my mother's side, raised Jewish, and on my dad's side am qualified to join the DAR. Shira only needs one relative somewhere in her family tree. It's not impossible. 

 

My nitpick is how being a member of the DAR was treated as immediately being in high society. It's related to your bloodlines, not your bank account. In reality I would imagine that a town like Stars Hollow with such an active reenactment group would have DAR members. 

Edited December 23, 2014 by MaiSoCalled

[readster]

For what it's worth, I am Jewish on my mother's side, raised Jewish, and on my dad's side am qualified to join the DAR. Shira only needs one relative somewhere in her family tree. It's not impossible. 

 

My nitpick is how being a member of the DAR was treated as immediately being in high society. It's related to your bloodlines, not your bank account. In reality I would imagine that a town like Stars Hollow with such an active reenactment group would have DAR members. 

 

Oh I agree, it was how the P's viewed the DAR. Like I have said up thread, we have a local chapter in IL and three of the women there told me they get a bad wrap thinking they are better than everyone else. They were grandfathered in by their parents and none of them were high in society at any point in their lives. I also hated how Shira would think Rory was such trashed considering her background that was apparently public knowledge. Something also that irked me about Richard and Emily, they felt if other families were in their high class of society they were great people. Half the people they knew, were very mean and at times morons. Add in Strobe and Christopher's side. Add in the entire Huntzburger family, Digger's parents and so forth. Half the time it was like Emily and Richard were living in their own fantasy world where anyone else would have looked at them and gone: "What drugs are you taking?" Speaking of which, why did Richard in season 6 have a long rapper gold chain on many times?

[readster]

This is a perfect example of thinking too hard, but here's how I always fan wanked it.

So on the night of Keg! Max! Rory comes downstairs crying, Dean thinks Jess did something to her and fights him, all right in front of Lindsay.

After the fight gets broken up, I always imagine Lindsay takes Dean to task for defending Rory, accusing him of still having feelings for her. To prove her wrong, or to prevent Lindsay from dumping him, or just to show "No no, I really do love you the most!" he proposes. Being so young, Lindsay would just see the "romance" in the proposal and not the illogic of it and say yes.

Now, what really doesn't make sense is why her parents are shown being all excited about it in Chicken or Beef. I could buy them accepting that it was happening and not trying to talk her out of it or otherwise protesting, but I wouldn't expect them to be all "this is awesome!"

 

 Oh I know, I can see the entire scenario of Dean proposing to Lindsay to prove he loved her more than Rory. However, how her mom acted not to mention even Lorelai's reaction to reading the engagement in the paper. There wasn't one person who did just go: "You just graduated high school and are 18 and have been together what? 4 months." "Maybe you should wait." Not that I didn't have a few friends of mine get married at 19 and 20 but they had been together for a few years. Wanted to finish up school and get a regular job before having kids. Everything with Lindsay and Dean's marriage was just the producers trying to give a send off to Jared not to mention the actress who played Lindsey apparently was cast in a TV pilot too. Of course instead of just saying they were off to college or something. This entire marriage idea came into mind and don't get me into how Luke just ignored Dean's drunken confession. Sure it came up later when he revealed to Lorelai that Dean gave up before the wedding even happened and when Lorelai asked to clarify, Luke did his "no answer" crap they had saddled him with the last couple of years. What really got me how Dean finally ended things for good with Rory was because Emily and Richard continued to act like he was some gutter trash. They treated him like that when they were first dating. At least with Jess, Emily was right. Jess was so pissed off about screwing up he decided to take everything out on Rory, Luke and Emily. He didn't even try with Emily, so what was she to think outside: "He was rude, didn't make an effort or anything." "How could you let Rory date him?" Emily had a good point because lets face it, if you don't make a good impression on Emily from the getgo, you are on her list.

[solotrek]

At least with Jess, Emily was right. Jess was so pissed off about screwing up he decided to take everything out on Rory, Luke and Emily. He didn't even try with Emily, so what was she to think outside: "He was rude, didn't make an effort or anything." "How could you let Rory date him?" Emily had a good point because lets face it, if you don't make a good impression on Emily from the getgo, you are on her list.

 

Actually, I think Jess did try with Emily. It was Rory that kept saying that he got in a fight with Dean and pushing the point to some insane degree that pushed Jess over the edge. If Rory had just been a normal human being and let the black eye go during the dinner, it probably would have gone fine. I mean it would have been hilarious dinner conversation to say that you got your black eye from a swan, but from a teenage boy point of view, especially someone like Jess, I can see why he was so reticent.

[readster]

Actually, I think Jess did try with Emily. It was Rory that kept saying that he got in a fight with Dean and pushing the point to some insane degree that pushed Jess over the edge. If Rory had just been a normal human being and let the black eye go during the dinner, it probably would have gone fine. I mean it would have been hilarious dinner conversation to say that you got your black eye from a swan, but from a teenage boy point of view, especially someone like Jess, I can see why he was so reticent.

 

Jess is lucky the swan didn't take his eye completely out. I knew someone who had a swan hit them square in the elbow and dislocated it. As funny as the story was, people were happy the swan didn't do more damage to my friend. I agree, for Jess, it would be embarrassing and even Luke found it funny but we all knew this was laying the ground work to write Jess out of the show. That's what made it so heavy handed.

[Taryn74]

Actually, I think Jess did try with Emily. It was Rory that kept saying that he got in a fight with Dean and pushing the point to some insane degree that pushed Jess over the edge.

 

Completely agree.  Jess was embarrassed and doing the best he could.  It was Rory that kept pushing and only backed off re: the black eye after she spoke to DEAN about it.  Cripes she pisses me off so bad in that episode.

[Tangerine]

Completely agree.  Jess was embarrassed and doing the best he could.  It was Rory that kept pushing and only backed off re: the black eye after she spoke to DEAN about it.  Cripes she pisses me off so bad in that episode.

 

That bothered me so much, and the fact that it took hearing it from DEAN for Rory to believe it spoke volumes about their relationship. Jess was really trying during that dinner, a dinner that he never wanted to go to in the first place. Rory knew that it would be a nerve-wracking situation for him, but she kept on pushing. Did she really think that Jess admitting in front of her grandmother that he got a black eye from getting into a fight would leave a good impression?

[readster]

Very true, and Rory should have just said: "Yeah, you look horrible." "Let's reschedule for next week." No, it was; "You got into a fight with Dean didn't you? Didn't you! Admit it." I'm sorry but at that point Jess should have just came clean going: "I got attacked by a goose ok?" "You think I'm happy I just got a black eye from a damn bird!" "There, happy?" "If not, then go ask Dean now." 

[Betweenyouandme]

Very often, Loralai's clothes don't fit her. she has a nice figure, but her clothes are so tight. Good example is the brown shirt and jeans when she visits Martha's Vineyard with Rory and Logan in Season 6.

[blackCatCollins]

Very often, Loralai's clothes don't fit her. she has a nice figure, but her clothes are so tight. Good example is the brown shirt and jeans when she visits Martha's Vineyard with Rory and Logan in Season 6.

that outfit hurts my eyes

[txhorns79]

Very often, Loralai's clothes don't fit her. she has a nice figure, but her clothes are so tight.

 

I think that goes for some of her Season 4 outfits as well.  The clothes are too tight, and honestly, really unflattering.  They make her look as though she has gained weight in between costume fittings, when in other scenes, it is clear she hasn't. 

[junienmomo]

Very true, and Rory should have just said: "Yeah, you look horrible." "Let's reschedule for next week."

 

Rory had been to enough FND to know that she shouldn't confront someone at the table, very OOC for her. She defended Dean so nicely when Richard attacked him, but then she treated Jess very badly.

[Betweenyouandme]

I think that goes for some of her Season 4 outfits as well. The clothes are too tight, and honestly, really unflattering. They make her look as though she has gained weight in between costume fittings, when in other scenes, it is clear she hasn't.

Do you think the wardrobe stylists did it to try to make her look young? Like, thinking teens wear tight clothes?

[ghoulina]

Yesterday I watched the episode where Rory gets hit by a deer. Prior to this collision, she's on the phone with Lane, asking if she left some school book at her house. I have so many issues with this scene. For one, why is Lane just lounging at home on a school day? I get that Rory's school is further away and she would need an earlier start, but it's already been established that she is running late. And I don't think Mrs. Kim would be the type to just let Lane to her own devices when she should be getting ready for school. Furthermore, she's hanging out in her closet which is all adorned with funky lights and pink, fuzzy things - as if Mrs. Kim couldn't just OPEN the closet and see all this??? It's a stark contrast between the carefully rigged floorboards of later seasons. And finally, we have the fact that Lane is even on the phone, when later in the series it's established that Lane has very strict phone rules. You can't just call her up any time you want. 

 

I'm sure it's been addressed plenty, but it just drives me batty how different things were in those first episodes (*cough*Kirk*cough). 

[readster]

Yesterday I watched the episode where Rory gets hit by a deer. Prior to this collision, she's on the phone with Lane, asking if she left some school book at her house. I have so many issues with this scene. For one, why is Lane just lounging at home on a school day? I get that Rory's school is further away and she would need an earlier start, but it's already been established that she is running late. And I don't think Mrs. Kim would be the type to just let Lane to her own devices when she should be getting ready for school. Furthermore, she's hanging out in her closet which is all adorned with funky lights and pink, fuzzy things - as if Mrs. Kim couldn't just OPEN the closet and see all this??? It's a stark contrast between the carefully rigged floorboards of later seasons. And finally, we have the fact that Lane is even on the phone, when later in the series it's established that Lane has very strict phone rules. You can't just call her up any time you want. 

 

I'm sure it's been addressed plenty, but it just drives me batty how different things were in those first episodes (*cough*Kirk*cough). 

 

 Oh its been constant how Mrs. Kim was so unaware of Lane's "secret life" things were just so obvious but she was like: "Ho, hum... Lane Kim! DO what I wish!" Yeah, that time line made no sense with Rory and Lane, she should have been in school or at least on campus by them. Kirk was so off the wall the first few episodes, then they toned it down but then went through the roof starting in season 3 again. Don't get me started on Kirk antics in seasons 5-7. We all hate season 6 and what Kirk did in those episodes was a guy just asking to be arrested. 

[ghoulina]

Kirk was so off the wall the first few episodes, then they toned it down but then went through the roof starting in season 3 again. Don't get me started on Kirk antics in seasons 5-7. We all hate season 6 and what Kirk did in those episodes was a guy just asking to be arrested.

 

LOL, well I meant more of how Kirk was first seen as Mick, the DSL installer. And then he was some random guy delivering swans. And then all of a sudden he's working at Doose's and lecturing Patty, as if they don't know each other...but then later on he's a town regular and everyone's known him his whole life. But yea, they really do up the crazy with him later on. 

[readster]

LOL, well I meant more of how Kirk was first seen as Mick, the DSL installer. And then he was some random guy delivering swans. And then all of a sudden he's working at Doose's and lecturing Patty, as if they don't know each other...but then later on he's a town regular and everyone's known him his whole life. But yea, they really do up the crazy with him later on. 

 

  Oh I know that Kirk wasn't Kirk when he first showed up. The character was always meant to be a guy who worked several jobs in and around the area. That was always the plan with ASP, Sean Gunn just became a regular because of how well he did it. It was also the classic: "We've seen him as a different character but we will pretend he's been around forever." 

[BC Mama]

Yesterday I watched the episode where Rory gets hit by a deer. Prior to this collision, she's on the phone with Lane, asking if she left some school book at her house. I have so many issues with this scene. For one, why is Lane just lounging at home on a school day? I get that Rory's school is further away and she would need an earlier start, but it's already been established that she is running late.

It doesn't bother me so much in this scene, because I think it is entirely plausible for a prep school to have an earlier start to the day than a public school. But, in other episodes either Lane or Dean are seen running off to school when Rory is off to catch her forty minute bus ride, so it is not consistent.

[dustylil]

 Just because Lane and Dean were heading off to the high school when Rory was catching her bus, would it necessarily mean they were off to classes? Couldn't they be attending club meetings, sports training, student government sessions or music practice in the morning? Or would  all high school extra-curricular activities be held after classes?

[Ms Blue Jay]

You guys have ruined me.

 

This will seem callous now because of Edward Hermann's terrible recent passing (R.I.P.) but in the episode where Richard is in the hospital for angina, all I could think rewatching it was -- holy shit, Lorelai's JEANS!!!  I can see everything!  They are sooooooo tight!  The first time I watched GG all the way through I just thought about how amazing Lauren Graham's body is (and it is amazing) but this time around I'm really focusing on the clothes.  And I don't really see myself as a prude at all, but those jeans in the hospital episode.  Seriously.  I can see her horoscope and read her mind....

[JayInChicago]

watching Paris and Asher Fleming make out is seriously terrible.  It's sort of funny for how much this show does the "important things happen off camera", *that* had to happen with Rory watching.

[Minu49]

Ms Blue Jay, lol those blue jeans, those reminded me of Kramer's Frankenstein jeans! Gosh, they look like they were painted on and I was completely hypnotized by the ass, not in a good way though! She also wears a dark blue pearl design shirt that is too short to wear on jeans, oh my that blouse is hideous.

 

Anyway, my super unpopular opinion of the day is that I like the comfortable chemistry between Chris and Lorelai, the familiarity and their warmth despite all of their history. In Presenting Lorelai Gilmore, the waltz at Patty's studio makes my heart melt and seeing the utter joy on Rory's face seeing her parents dance, awwww! And I have always believed that Luke and lorelai are better off as friends. They should have dated to get the sexual tension out and then decided that they are better off as mates not life partners. Much like Rachel and Joey. The contrived L&L ending preceded by the rushed L&C marriage and subsequent dissolution just makes me so angry. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

That dance scene is absolutely wonderful.  Lorelai's face in it!  Her expression, I feel like I don't see that beforehand or since.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Found another over-used phrase.

 

When especially Lorelai, or Paris, act crazy, Rory responds, "Oh, boy."  Mostly quietly and mostly to herself.

 

The first few times, I found it pretty funny.  On my first rewatch I've noticed it three times already in just several episodes...  Yes.. my own fault for only binge-watching this show.

Edited January 10, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[takalotti]

Maybe she realized she'd just made a leap

[solotrek]

Not sure if these are nitpicks or bloopers. In "Tick Tick Tick Boom", after Jason's dad reveals the Jason/Lorelei relationship Emily asks Lorelei to leave, and Lorelei says she can't because she's blocked in. Then we later see her trying and failing to pull out because of being blocked in. However, by that point, it's only Jason and her parents left. Lorelei arrived after Jason, which is further established when he tells Lorelei and Rory that Emily had been moving him back and forth like furniture to make things look right. So what exactly is blocking Lorelei in? Heck, Rory arrived at the same time as Lorelei and was able to leave before Jason's parents, Jason, and Lorelei.

 

Also, when Jason's parents arrive at the dinner, they have a conversation with Lorelei about how long it's been since they saw her. They all settle on "that time at camp". Except they ran into Jason's dad at that one obscure manuscript dinner a couple of weeks back. It's odd that none of the 7 of them remembered that.

[lady stark]

It  bugged me  that Luke was so clueless about Jess dropping out of school - he lived right across the street from the school and Stars Hallow is a small town. No one from the school told Luke his nephew was cutting everyday? Most high schools call the kid's parent if they cut. It was lazy writing and made Luke look stupid.

Edited January 17, 2015 by lady stark

[dustylil]

As well lady stark,  I would think Luke himself might have bothered to give the high school the occasional call to see how Jess was doing. I presume as Jess' guardian (formal or informal) he would be entitled to be kept informed of the boy's progress (or lack thereof). 

Given how much he himself had disliked his own high school days, I would have thought he might have been alert to real or potential problems that Jess might encounter. But for whatever reason, Luke appeared to take a laissez-faire approach to the matter.

Now clearly, the showrunners could not have  had Jess become the Stars Hollow valedictorian - although Taylor's resulting aneurysm would have interesting to watch. But I think they could have handled Jess' school issues and his departure from the town in a less ham-fisted manner.

Edited January 17, 2015 by dustylil

[readster]

As well lady stark,  I would think Luke himself might have bothered to give the high school the occasional call to see how Jess was doing. I presume as Jess' guardian (formal or informal) he would be entitled to be kept informed of the boy's progress (or lack thereof). 

Given how much he himself had disliked his own high school days, I would have thought he might have been alert to real or potential problems that Jess might encounter. But for whatever reason, Luke appeared to take a laissez-faire approach to the matter.

Now clearly, the showrunners could not have  had Jess become the Stars Hollow valedictorian - although Taylor's resulting aneurysm would have interesting to watch. But I think they could have handled Jess' school issues and his departure from the town in a less ham-fisted manner.

 

 I completely agree, it was in the span of 2 episodes: "Jess is a failure and magically his lone lost dad who ran way appeared." It was very ham fisted and after we saw how much of a flake Liz was and then seeing what his dad was like. You wonder why Jess was so screwed up. Especially, when Jess just did a bunch of silent phone calls to Rory including up to graduation. I mean, that was horrible. I wanted to reach through the screen and smack him and at least say: "I'm sorry." Not then just hang up the phone after Rory spilled everything to him and he just walks up the pier back to his dad's dock shack. I mean, please. Things have changed in the last few years but I'm in education. If anyone is noticed to be skipping classes guess what, it gets reported. Also places like Walmart and other retailers have policies where teens under 18 who are still in high school can only work so many hours. Even on weekends, there is a policy for it. Have been since the early 90s. Now, do some companies act like jerks and treat college kids like they can work when they want them. Oh of course by the time a kid is in college they realize places like that don't work and they quit. I also never got why Jess was so in love with working for Walmart. He got his car, he had his discount but he really enjoyed dealing with that verses working at his uncle's diner and going to the school library? Jess was a moron at times but he wasn't that stupid but of course, ASP had this perfect spin off series in her head and she needed Jess to headline it. When even when she worked on introducing all of the characters, the WB still said the show wasn't going to happen.

[dustylil]

I could understand Jess working at Walmart and making a success of it. At Walmart, he wasn't the sullen big city teenager abandoned by both parents and cared for by an earnest if hapless uncle. The boy who beyond Rory  had few if any friends and was viewed  with suspicion by most of those he knew in Stars Hollow. The fellow who  could not admit it to himself or anyone else that the demands of high school (dreary, moronic high school!) had got away from  him and he would not be able to graduate on time.  

At Walmart, on the other hand,  he  was able to create a new identity for himself in this highly structured environment as an eager, hard working young man. And he was  rewarded for this non-Danes, non-Mariano, non-Stars Hollow identify  both in pay and respect in the workplace.

Certainly I could not imagine him working there for more than a couple of years. But as he sorted out his life (and possibly completed high school equivalency), it made a lot of sense to me.

[txhorns79]

I could understand Jess working at Walmart and making a success of it. At Walmart, he wasn't the sullen big city teenager abandoned by both parents and cared for by an earnest if hapless uncle. The boy who beyond Rory  had few if any friends and was viewed  with suspicion by most of those he knew in Stars Hollow. The fellow who  could not admit it to himself or anyone else that the demands of high school (dreary, moronic high school!) had got away from  him and he would not be able to graduate on time.

At Walmart, on the other hand,  he  was able to create a new identity for himself in this highly structured environment as an eager, hard working young man. And he was  rewarded for this non-Danes, non-Mariano, non-Stars Hollow identify  both in pay and respect in the workplace.

 

Ha!  I love the idea of someone escaping from their life for the magic of working on the WalMart loading dock.  I think Walmart was simply a product placement that Jess used to avoid his problems, and the deeper his problems got, the more he devoted himself to his problem avoidance system.     

Edited January 17, 2015 by txhorns79

[Plaid]

How much money does Lorelai have exactly? They order takeaway for practically every meal. She's an apparent shopoholic. Rory doesn't have a job in high school but it's said that she orders tons of books on Amazon. They don't lead inexpensive lifestyles at all, but then when they *need* to afford things, Lorelai acts as tho they're living on pennies.

And then I have to wonder, if they couldn't afford to fix the house without getting a loan, how did they afford to travel around Europe for 2 months and buy everyone in town a souvenir? A flight for one person to almost any European city is astronomical by itself. But two flights and then travel expenses for everywhere from Spain to the Netherlands to Turkey and everywhere in between, plus eating (especially the way they eat) that trip is suddenly costing thousands they claim to never have..

Edited February 1, 2015 by Plaid

[txhorns79]

How much money does Lorelai have exactly? They order takeaway for practically every meal. She's an apparent shopoholic. Rory doesn't have a job in high school but it's said that she orders tons of books on Amazon. They don't lead inexpensive lifestyles at all, but then when they *need* to afford things, Lorelai acts as tho they're living on pennies.

 

Lorelai's financial situation will never, ever make sense.  Sometimes she appears one disaster from bankruptcy, other times she spends money without a thought.   

 

I think they tried to establish that Rory sometimes did help around the Inn, but you are right that whatever she would have been earning, it probably wasn't enough to cover her book buying. 

[dustylil]

Plaid, not in any disputing the fantasyland aspects of Lorelai's financial situation, but Rory did have a job in high school. She worked a couple of days  a week at the Independence Inn and assisted at events there as well.

[solotrek]

A flight for one person to almost any European city is astronomical by itself. But two flights and then travel expenses for everywhere from Spain to the Netherlands to Turkey and everywhere in between, plus eating (especially the way they eat) that trip is suddenly costing thousands they claim to never have..

 

I will say that it is definitely possible to do Europe really cheap provided you do a lot of research, plan an itinerary of sorts, and wait for great bargains (ie. husband and I got a great hotel in the outskirts of Paris for ~$50/night located right next to one of their metro stations).  For instance there are often some pretty "cheap" (comparatively) flights from JFK or Newark to London or Paris. From there, get a rail pass (a student one for Rory) and go to where ever. Stay in hostels/backpacker inns and do a lot of cooking for yourself.  A lot of cities have backpacker passes as well.

 

They were backpacking and staying in cheap hostels and Richard was giving Rory a lot of money for birthdays (2 birthdays in season 1) and other occasions (I think he had a cash envelope for her after the CSPAN/Chilton Centennial/Paris Meltdown event) "for Fez" or "see Europe".  Could have been hundreds of dollars each time. If you total it all up there could be several (low) thousand dollars saved up for the trip.

 

However, you are right. Given their inability to use stoves and knives in the kitchen, their eating in Europe probably cost more than the average ticket to go there. Plus didn't they extend their trip so they could stalk Bono? And like you said, buying everyone in town a souvenir. I guess my point is, someone in their economic situation could totally afford a trip to Europe if that's what they really wanted, but probably not with their kind of mindset.

 

Though something that really bothered me this rewatch is a mix of mistake/nitpick. A lot of shows use different angles for action/reaction shots. Gilmore Girls does an awful job blending them together. In the one where Jess and Paris crash Rory's alone time, there's a bit where Milo is prepping to get the pepper for his salt and pepper fry dip and they cut to the next scene the salt and pepper is already at the wrong angle. Or in Die Jerk when Rory comes back to find the writing on the door and they have an emergency meeting, the two roommates are clearly in waiting position to do their walk and talk take and the next scene is them immediately moving and walking and talking.  And then there are scenes where people have their arm crossed at one angle and not another. I never really noticed these things before and it really bothers me. These aren't little bloopers like a misplaced cup, these are obvious things that someone on set or in the editing room should have noticed. And it happens a lot.

Edited February 1, 2015 by maculae

[txhorns79]

However, you are right. Given their inability to use stoves and knives in the kitchen, their eating in Europe probably cost more than the average ticket to go there. Plus didn't they extend their trip so they could stalk Bono? And like you said, buying everyone in town a souvenir. I guess my point is, someone in their economic situation could totally afford a trip to Europe if that's what they really wanted, but probably not with their kind of mindset.

 

I agree.  They could afford the trip, but really aren't the kind of people who would save up and budget in preparation for that trip.   

Edited February 1, 2015 by txhorns79

[ghoulina]

I had to long ago fan wave the money issue. I just pretend Lorelei has a money tree growing in the backyard, but she's only allowed to use it for "fun" purposes - take out, clothes, gifts, etc.. No Chilton or Termite remedies allowed.

[takalotti]

When Logan approaches Rory after her graduation ceremony, he has a throwaway line about how she did a better job than he did since he tripped. It's just supposed to be nervous filler leading up to her answer to her proposal, but wouldn't Rory have seen him trip herself and not need to be told about?

It could have at least gone more like, "Good job! Better than me. Remember when I tripped and grabbed on to ____? So not the person to grab on to."

I just always felt the line was weird.

[Plaid]

I agree. They could afford the trip, but really aren't the kind of people who would save up and budget in preparation for that trip.

That's the point I was trying to make. Couldn't find the wording. It's an expensive thing to plan for and being who they are, seemed impossible to do!