One is the Loneliest Number: Unpopular GG Opinions

[dustylil]

Maybe she'd be thinking that Lorelai was paying back the loan she took from the bank to fix her house from termite damage.

 

Presumably Lorelai had been paying off that much smaller loan  since she had taken it out the previous year. Given what we saw of the attitude and conduct of the various Gilmores when money was involved (I recall Trix nastily raising a several decades old loan - long since repaid -  that she made to her beloved son), I think Lorelai was correct in getting rid of her financial obligation as quickly as possible.

[readster]

Presumably Lorelai had been paying off that much smaller loan  since she had taken it out the previous year. Given what we saw of the attitude and conduct of the various Gilmores when money was involved (I recall Trix nastily raising a several decades old loan - long since repaid -  that she made to her beloved son), I think Lorelai was correct in getting rid of her financial obligation as quickly as possible.

I agree with that, especially what happened later on with the Dragonfly. However, when Richard revealed the investment he didn't want Emily knowing about it and in a way I think Richard thought Lore would use the money for her own business. He knew she had been talking about it forever and let's face it 75K would have probably solved all of Lorelai's problems with the Dragonfly when she was trying to get it up and running in season 5. Let's face it, if someone would hand me that kind of money right now, I be going everywhere paying off debt and a family member, I had to borrow money from in a heart beat but I would spread it out across those debts and then keep a little for future investment. When there is a windfall of that amount, keeping some is a good thing. Of course, we know how Lorelai was with finances.

[solotrek]

I kind of don't find it believable for her to have paid that all off. It was around $10,000 no? That means about $1000/month. We didn't see them make any lifestyle changes to really finance that. They still go out every day for maybe multiple meals, buy food from multiple establishments for one meal at times.

 

But regardless, she got that check right after the inn burned down. You'd think she'd be wise enough to save some of that money due to her lack of job security at that point and also the fact that her daughter was going off to college.

 

Of course I also agree with people saying that getting out of that mildly toxic contract as quickly as possible makes sense.

 

Though, did we know for sure the entire check was spent on paying back the loan?

Edited October 14, 2015 by solotrek

[dustylil]

solotrek, the wording of my post was inartful. I was suggesting that Lorelai was in the process of paying the smaller loan, not that she had completed the payment.

[JayInChicago]

YALE MATTRESS

That is all, carry on.

[dustylil]

YALE MATTRESS

 

I had to read that twice. I first thought it said YALE MATTERS :)

[Guest]

What is your unpopular opinion on the YALE MATTRESS?

 

(I have very strong feelings about that episode....)

[JayInChicago]

I now hate that episode so much I find it unwatchable. Nothing made sense about the timeline--apparently that day had about 40 hours in it. Also Lorelai was sooooo grating in the episode. I really dislike the mattress subplot (device?) and it really messes with reality to think that Rory had to have her Mommy come and make her seem cool to a bunch of her building-mates (or is it buildings-mate??) who we basically never see again. Also the ()(# howling. Also, I'm sorry, but the line about "Lorelai'ing" a few places to find the good coffee.  i dunno, i just ... I understand that it was a big episode in the chronology of the show--they had been working to get Rory to Yale for so long. But eh.

 

i do like Paris in it though.

[Guest]

Thank you. I thought I was the only one in the world who hates that episode.  

 

Lorelai is at her worst in that episode. She treats Luke so poorly, expects him to treat Chip poorly, lies constantly, and just is an annoying, hyper, shrill helicopter parent.  Money woes?  Who cares! Precious needs a soda fridge in her room! And dinner for 100 girls!  

[readster]

Oh yes, how I loathe that episode with the hate of a thousand torches to burn the mattress. Hey, Rory! You are 18, time to be an adult!

[Guest]

Lorelei, your ADULT OFFSPRING will not spontaneously combust if you take 5 minutes to go home and get your car instead of imposing on Luke some more.

[dustylil]

I share in the disdain. I recall thinking when I first saw the mattress episode, that Lorelai and Rory had just spent several weeks  in Europe, pretty much together 24/7 - surely they would both enjoy  a bit of physical and emotional space. Clearly, I was wrong.

That said, I did think the scene at the end where Lorelai returns to her empty house and wanders around was quite well done. For such a talky show, the showrunners also did well without dialogue.

[JayInChicago]

Yes, I was super cranky when I wrote that and forget to add that I did like the very end with Lorelai contemplating the empty house. 

[readster]

Presumably Lorelai had been paying off that much smaller loan  since she had taken it out the previous year. Given what we saw of the attitude and conduct of the various Gilmores when money was involved (I recall Trix nastily raising a several decades old loan - long since repaid -  that she made to her beloved son), I think Lorelai was correct in getting rid of her financial obligation as quickly as possible.

What was worst was the fact that Richard and Emily both told Trix that she was paid back just over a week later. Meaning what ever the money was for, it was over an emergency and they didn't have the money right there at the moment. Richard said it best: "What kind of financial problems must I have had to pay you back in a week's time."  Felt more along the lines of: "Mom, we were in a car accident, we are fine but can I borrow money to fix the car, we just paid the mortgage and childcare and I don't get paid until next week." Trix acted like Richard was drowning in debt. Made no sense at all.

[John Potts]

Rory was so much better when people challenged her:  in her first day at the Yale Daily News, Paris tricks her into arriving late and assigns her the repaving story and she writes a great story. When she first meets Logan, she criticizes him for treating Marty like a servant - and he points out that's what he pays him as (which I think we're meant to see as terrible - only how often does she stand up to Emily over treating her servants much worse?). Basically, any character that doesn't buy into the "Cult of Rory" is a villain in ASP's eyes - only I think she's at her best when people do challenge her - one reason I love Paris and can't see Mitchum as a villain for pointing out that Rory doesn't have what it takes to be a journalist (if her response to criticism is to go crying to mommy, she has no future as a reporter).

[Guest]

What was worst was the fact that Richard and Emily both told Trix that she was paid back just over a week later. Meaning what ever the money was for, it was over an emergency and they didn't have the money right there at the moment. Richard said it best: "What kind of financial problems must I have had to pay you back in a week's time."  Felt more along the lines of: "Mom, we were in a car accident, we are fine but can I borrow money to fix the car, we just paid the mortgage and childcare and I don't get paid until next week." Trix acted like Richard was drowning in debt. Made no sense at all.

 

Not to nitpick, but it was 2 months. Not one week.  I think he probably had some investments turn around, is my guess.

[solotrek]

So I know I'm one of few Jason/Lorelai fans around here, but is anyone else curious what would have happened if Christopher had entered back into Lorelai's life during that relationship? They knew each other as kids, Jason seems a lot more clever and quick than Christopher, didn't really like each other, etc...It would have been more entertaining than the Luke/Christopher interactions.

[Guest]

I think Jason was really the best match for her out of all of her relationships.  He understood a lot of her issues more because he came from similar ones. He seemed to understand Richard and Emily on some level. He could challenge her.  

 

I'll duck from the virtual tomatoes being thrown my way. 

[desertflower]

It's funny, no matter what our opinions are we all at some point feel like we are in the minority. I like Luke and Lorelai and often feel it is unpopular, at least here. But people who don't like them together also feel that way. :) Good to have varying opinions though.

Even though I liked Luke as endgame I agree Jason was a pretty good match for her. It would've been interesting to see him and Christopher interact.

Edited October 15, 2015 by desertflower

[candall]

I would have preferred to have had Lorelei scratch that lifelong Christopher itch earlier and ultimately wind up with Luke, the surly yin to her exhaustingly effervescent yang.  To me, they made each better whereas Christopher just seemed to be. . .indulgent.

 

(Caveat:  I say this without having seen the last half of the last season.  But I like to read ahead.)

Edited October 15, 2015 by candall

[Guest]

I actually thought she would have ended up fine by herself, in a relationship with Luke, in a relationship with Digger, or even with Chris.  I think she genuinely loved each of them for who they were and no relationship was perfect but could be worked through.  I think they each brought out a different facet to her personality.

[amensisterfriend]

So I know I'm one of few Jason/Lorelai fans around here, but is anyone else curious what would have happened if Christopher had entered back into Lorelai's life during that relationship? They knew each other as kids, Jason seems a lot more clever and quick than Christopher, didn't really like each other, etc...It would have been more entertaining than the Luke/Christopher interactions.

 

I totally agree that Jason was her most compatible match by far! Their senses of humor, personalities, intelligence, quickness, quirkiness, etc. were just so well matched---they got each other and had a ton in common but had a few complementary differences as well. If you combined the strong romantic, naturally happy and effervescent chemistry Lorelai had with Christopher with the awesome compatibility she had with Jason, you'd have had the one Lorelai "ship" I could love and root for without reservation...but, alas, this is GG, where all the significant others and romantic relationships were moderately to majorly problematic, so I was left at the tiny table who thought she'd have been genuinely happier and better off single :) 

 

 

 

I like Luke and Lorelai and often feel it is unpopular, at least here.

 

In my experience, it's by far the most popular GG romance...I've found that those of us who are indifferent or worse to them are a tiny but chatty minority :) (Interestingly, though, I've found that new viewers or people who are rewatching the series for the first time in a long while are less overall enamored with Luke and Luke/Lorelai---maybe because our 2015 ideas about gender and relationships make Luke's brutish temper tantrum stuff less appealing to contemporary audiences...?) 

 

 

 

To me, they made each better . . .

 

I've wanted so much to feel this way! And I completely get why others WOULD feel this way :) Granted, one of my general UOs about TV romances is that I'm not a fan of polar opposites getting together---I like to see at least some commonalities, a few shared perspectives and interests and an 'I get you' connection that makes me believe they could be happily together in real life while opposites like L/L just seem exasperated and bewildered by each other more often than not. I know that for many the resulting bickering is chemistry, but for me it's just tiresome and annoying and makes me wish they'd both find people who they can actually connect with instead. (UO alert: While I see Luke as single, I totally could have gotten behind a Luke/Gypsy pairing--they're both surly, bitter, big on personal space, great at fixing things, able to keep customers because they're so good at what they do despite insulting them and always being such downers, etc.)

 

I do think, though, that opposites CAN make for interesting couples if their differences prove more complementary than just depressingly incompatible. Sadly, I don't see Luke and Lorelai in that category...and I really, really tried! Once they got together, Luke remained a perpetually negative, enthusiasm-squashing killjoy who complains about every little thing despite Lorelai's efforts to appreciate life a bit more and step outside his very narrow comfort zone, while Lorelai was still an impulsive, babbling, often immature whirlwind despite what might in theory have been Luke's grounding presence. They never explored and got into each other's different interests---in part because Luke hates most everything about life and doesn't HAVE any real interests, but still. They didn't even seem especially admiring of or intrigued by the traits that the other had which they themselves didn't possess like successful 'opposites' are---instead, they just seemed impatient and irritated and unable to get where the other was coming from. Once they became more than friends, they just seemed awkward and uncomfortable at best and flat out unhappy at worst, at least in my UO. And the thing with the 'opposites attract' trope is that in order to believe that two profoundly different people are so consistently drawn to each other, you have to really sell the 'attracts' part---and for the vast majority of their relationship, L/L (IMUO, obviously) had less romantic/physical chemistry than I've ever come across. They couldn't even exchange more than chaste pecks on the cheek unless they had consumed a fair amount of alcohol first, and Lorelai/Lauren Graham seemed to find Luke/Scott Patterson about as appealing and attractive as I do---which is to say not much at all :)  

 

Despite Rory/Logan's many problems, I actually think they were a much better example of a couple's differences in temperament/personality/etc. proving complementary rather than just barriers to connecting. And if you had told me back towards the beginning of S5 that I'd end up holding the very UO that Logan/Rory were actually much better matched than Luke/Lorelai, who I used to like the idea of before I saw what they were like together, I never would have believed you :) (Though I would still have preferred Rory to break up with Logan after the events of LMHYBRO...which may or may not be an unpopular opinion!) 

Edited October 15, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[Guest]

In my experience, it's by far the most popular GG romance...I've found that those of us who are indifferent or worse to them are a tiny but chatty minority :) (Interestingly, though, I've found that new viewers or people who are rewatching the series for the first time in a long while are less overall enamored with Luke and Luke/Lorelai---maybe because our 2015 ideas about gender and relationships make Luke's brutish temper tantrum stuff less appealing to contemporary audiences...?)

 

I think of it is also when you watch episode after episode, you see it more.  Those of us who obsess over it.... um, I mean, talk about it, have likely watched the episodes one after the other and repeatedly.  I think some of these things stick out more both by watching repeatedly and also together (as opposed to spread out with a week between episodes).  

[desertflower]

That makes sense that those things are more noticeable over repeated viewings. As ever, mileage varies because I found Luke to be handsome and thought they had some great scenes together. I guess what it comes down to is I never took Luke's anger very seriously, mostly because the other characters didn't seem to. He's like a grouchy old guy who has some heart underneath but doesn't show it easily. Sitcommy grouchy, if that makes sense. Lorelai even says at one point how she loves Ranting Luke. But he shows his feelings for her by doing things and being there at the drop of a hat whenever she asks.

Not trying to change anyone's opinion, just sharing my viewpoint. :)

Did they ever say what happened to Alex? I liked him too and he kind of vanished.

[FozzyBear]

I think of it is also when you watch episode after episode, you see it more. Those of us who obsess over it.... um, I mean, talk about it, have likely watched the episodes one after the other and repeatedly. I think some of these things stick out more both by watching repeatedly and also together (as opposed to spread out with a week between episodes).

My UO is that in general, Gilmore Gitls doesn't really stand up to binge watching. There are too many inconsistencies in character development and internal logic that don't stand up to scutiney. Plus the series does have a fair number of "idiot problems". You know, things that are only problems if everybody acts like an idiot and never just have straight forward conversations with each other. Rory's shopping list for Yale is a perfect example. Rory and Lor make this giant production about how the can't possible find time to go to Friday dinner and buy...soap and pens? It's such a short list! Just stop at the Hartford Target on your way to dinner! I feel like those sorts of problems don't bug as much when your spacing episodes over a year, but when you watch 2 or 3 in a day for a couple of days in a row you start to wonder why these chicks can't accomplish basic shit in life. I feel like GG is the last show I remember of its kind (writing centric, strong point of view, loyal fan base) that was obviously written before the Netflix model sort of changed TV. I wonder if ASP would have done some things differently if she had one eye on how the show would play in a streaming format the whole time.

[dustylil]

In many respects Jason was a good match for Lorelai. But two things about him troubled me. First was him not telling her of his inability to sleep in the same bed as another person. He was then in his mid/late thirties. Presumably, he had had a number of romantic relationships before Lorelai and the issue had arisen previously.Surely other women had reacted with surprise and embarrassment to his request that they remove themselves from his bedroom before falling asleep. Why hadn't he developed a game plan to deal with it? At the very least, he could easily have raised the matter of his insomnia earlier in the relationship - or even earlier that evening - and prepared his partner for the situation. Gorgeous as that guestroom was (and I still covet it), it still didn't make up for the humiliation of metaphorically being kicked to the curb.  His behaviour struck me as narcissistic and insensitive. 

 

The second thing was his decision to humiliate his father by going into direct business competition with him. I am not clear as to what dire things Floyd had done to him - beyond raising him in considerable comfort and ease, providing him with a first class education and - cruellest of all - giving him a fast track career in the insurance field. The senior Mr. Stiles was distant and cold but that seemed to be par for the course among the well-to-do fathers in the GG universe. Going into business with Richard to get back at his father seemed like an immature and childish thing to do. And I shared Emily's disdain for him.

 

[FozzyBear]

In many respects Jason was a good match for Lorelai. But two things about him troubled me. First was him not telling her of his inability to sleep in the same bed as another person. He was then in his mid/late thirties. Presumably, he had had a number of romantic relationships before Lorelai and the issue had arisen previously.Surely other women had reacted with surprise and embarrassment to his request that they remove themselves from his bedroom before falling asleep. Why hadn't he developed a game plan to deal with it? At the very least, he could easily have raised the matter of his insomnia earlier in the relationship - or even earlier that evening - and prepared his partner for the situation. Gorgeous as that guestroom was (and I still covet it), it still didn't make up for the humiliation of metaphorically being kicked to the curb. His behaviour struck me as narcissistic and insensitive.

The second thing was his decision to humiliate his father by going into direct business competition with him. I am not clear as to what dire things Floyd had done to him - beyond raising him in considerable comfort and ease, providing him with a first class education and - cruellest of all - giving him a fast track career in the insurance field. The senior Mr. Stiles was distant and cold but that seemed to be par for the course among the well-to-do fathers in the GG universe. Going into business with Richard to get back at his father seemed like an immature and childish thing to do. And I shared Emily's disdain for him.

Hehe. That room made me fall in love with Jason. I don't like sharing a bed either and if some guy showed me my very own room right after sex I would probably propose on the spot! But you're right, the writing is very clunky and it makes no sense that he couldn't find a better way to float the idea to Lor. Again, idiot problem!

[JayInChicago]

I'm very shallow. I would have done it for the Kielh's products.

[solotrek]

dustylil, maybe Jason and Lorelai were a good couple because they were both insensitive narcissists with one percenter parent issues.

[readster]

I understood that Jason had problems sleeping with someone else. When Mrs. Readster and I got married it was an adjustment for her and even before she had problems with previous relationships. However, she made adjustments to handle that so it didn't come off as weird or a problem with others. That's why I never got why Jason hadn't figure something out at that point in his life. However, that bedroom was awesome. I think the biggest problem between Jason and Floyd was the fact that Floyd kind of wanted Jason to take over the family business and Jason didn't want everything handed to him. He wanted to earn it all himself and not use his father as a reason where he got in life. Why Jason hated his nickname Digger, he wanted to forge his own way. Of course as we saw in the magical world of GG that all the rich families got pissed off at you if you didn't take their life style. 

[dustylil]

With respect, if Jason wanted to make it on his own, why did he stay in the same town, in the same line of work, and arguably pursue some of the same clients as those of his father's firm? He was single and childless, why not begin his consulting business in the west or the south?

[readster]

I also agree with you dustylil, nothing was holding him back from leaving town. Especially, considering how his parents were, why not just pick up and set up shop elsewhere. Of course, a very UO, what was with his dog? It was a cute dog, I loved that dog and I wanted a story behind Jason's dog. Yet, he was anti-social and was like a living statue. 

[Kohola3]

It was a cute dog, I loved that dog and I wanted a story behind Jason's dog. Yet, he was anti-social and was like a living statue.

 

Another "quirky" character from the ASP line of bizarre behaviors.  I so wanted to go grab that little cutie and haul him away since Beagles are SO not like that!

 

And on another note, I forced myself to watch French Twist for the second time.  I can't believe how my hatred for that episode has only grown exponentially.  The insipid galpals Olivia and whatshername were so totally vapid (so Boyfriend was like blah, blah, blah and then I was like blah, blah, blah), Rory's breakdown about the future was so horribly acted, and I need to wash out my brain with bleach for every minute of the Paris scenes.  Honest to God, two adults obsessing for scene after scene about being hungry....my eyes rolled all the way to the back of my head.  And of course, like everything else on GG, deep pockets solved the problem.

 

And don't get me started on the "wedding".  

Edited October 16, 2015 by Kohola3

[Guest]

Jason's parents were probably very similar to the Gilmores- cold and demanding. I don't think we saw anything that justified Lorelai's parental issues either.

[dustylil]

For me the prime difference in Jason  and Lorelai regarding their respective relationships with their parents was that Lorelai kept the estrangement a private matter.There were no signs on the lawn of the Independence Inn saying "Richard and Emily - Keep Out", as I recall. Jason, on the other hand,  chose to make his alienation from his father quite public in the business community in which they both worked.

[readster]

For me the prime difference in Jason  and Lorelai regarding their respective relationships with their parents was that Lorelai kept the estrangement a private matter.There were no signs on the lawn of the Independence Inn saying "Richard and Emily - Keep Out", as I recall. Jason, on the other hand,  chose to make his alienation from his father quite public in the business community in which they both worked.

How very true and it wasn't like the Gilmores really went on talking about the estrangement either. Which of course was something bothered me about the entire talk why Chris, Lorelai and Rory couldn't be a big happy family to make everything right. The only people who really cared was Emily. Straube and Francine afterwards could have cared less and it was Emily constantly wanting that, which lead to Chris's stupidity in trying to always get her.

[FozzyBear]

Jason's parents were probably very similar to the Gilmores- cold and demanding. I don't think we saw anything that justified Lorelai's parental issues either.

Another UO. From what we saw in "Lorilies first coatillion" Emily and Richard were not that bad about the pregnancy. Yes they were initially upset but they just found out their 15/16 year old daughter was expecting! Show me the parents that would be mellow about that. Lor didn't react much better when Rory stayed out with Dean all night. You don't want your teenager to have a baby. Yes they wanted her and Chris to get married, but they didn't end up forcing her to do anything. When Lor goes into labor she is in her bed eating pizza or something so it's not like they gave her some "marry Christopher or get out" ultimatum. And when she finally runs away she and Rory had been living with Emily and Richard for some months (I guess. The timeline was vague) and other than wanting Lor to put the stroller away, they didn't seem particularly upset about it. I never got what was happening that was so awful. I can get that Emily and Richard weren't the easiest parents, but that episode made it seem like Lor left in the middle of the night with Rory (who her parents had probably already bonded with) and refused to talk to them or tell them where she was for months. I never got what they did to deserve that.

[dustylil]

I thought the senior Gilmores handled Lorelai's pregnancy and Rory's arrival  with considerable grace and kindness. That Lorelai decided to leave their home was due more to her wanting to be independent and to ensure her own child had a different upbringing than the one she had had than anything else. Fuelled as she was by both maternal and teenage hormones.

 

I think it is not made clear whether or not Lorelai immediately notified her parents of her whereabouts. However, there has never been a mention of Missing Persons Reports or police searches. Nor any comments from Richard  and Emily on how they were going out  of their minds with worry. Lorelai would have been an idiot not to let them know where she and Rory were given that she was likely under eighteen when they left and could likely have been hauled back to Hartford. Also, I can't see Mia allowing her to stay and work at the Inn without the senior Gilmores being informed of the location of their daughter and granddaughter. At the very least it wouldn't do her business any good if it was believed that she was harbouring and employing a teenage runaway.

 

In any event we do know that Richard and Emily did visit with them at the Inn on occasion when Rory was a baby so there at was some connection.

Edited October 16, 2015 by dustylil

[Guest]

I think Lorelai's drama queen tendencies led to her magnifying her issues with her parents.

[timimouse]

So I just finished "Wedding Bell Blues" and "Say Something" and I have come to realised those are among my most and least favourite episodes at the same time. There are some things that I love ("You and me... we're DONE!) and yet I hate some of it too. No matter how many times I re-watch and Logan grows on me a little more each time, I DESPISE his first set of episodes. I really can't stand the guy at that wedding. And then he becomes Mr. Nice Guy letting Rory use his car the next day to go to Star Hollow and whatnot... just seems out of character for somebody who's keeping it casual. You do that for the woman you wanna keep not the woman you wanna f**k. Sorry, I could be biased tho. I REALLY don't like him is those earlier episodes.

Plus side of that episode however is seeing Lorelai at her weakest. We've all had that break up that breaks us and I loved how she seemed normal for once. It was relateable and reminded me that I used to like her character. That dress that Emily put her in was pretty bad though.

I will agree wit the binge-watch observation! I on my last re-watch I wasn't enjoying the show as much so I took a break and this time around I'm taking a break every few episodes and i find myself enjoying it more this time around. 

[scarynikki12]

I've always had the opinion that Lorelai suffered from depression throughout her life but had a handle on it before the pregnancy (compared to someone in therapy and/or on medication).  Absent the pregnancy, she'd have graduated, gone to college, and cut her parents out of her life bit by bit for her own emotional well being.  Maybe she'd have recognized that a psychiatrist would have done her a world of good, maybe not, but she did understand how toxic her relationship with Emily and Richard was and that distance was a step in the right direction*. So, she learns she's pregnant, she drops out of school (still don't understand why that was necessary unless Emily and Richard were so ashamed that they wouldn't let her leave the house even to go to public school), she gets some pressure to marry Chris, faces the disappointment and anger from her parents when she refused, likely gets slut-shamed by Straub (if he didn't hesitate to do it sixteen years later you bet your ass he did it during those early days), at some point is told that she's the reason Chris won't be going to Princeton or college at all (not true but Lorelai is the scapegoat for the Gilmores and Haydens and would undoubtedly feel guilt even if she fully recognized that she wasn't at fault), and loses any other friends.  Then, she gives birth.  We were never shown or told but I think that Lorelai, who I believe was depressed generally, suffered from post-partum depression on top of everything else.  If she still had a handle on her depression like I believe she did pre-Rory, then I think she'd have sucked it up until she was able to start college and get a job away from Hartford.  Instead, she ran away with a baby and no money.  Those are not the actions of someone who is emotionally stable.  Those are the actions of someone who is fleeing a dangerous situation.  And I think that, emotionally, Lorelai was in one.  I don't think she'd have pulled a murder/suicide or anything so extreme, but I think that she was in a really bad place and had just enough awareness left to understand that if she didn't leave now she'd probably break.  She took Rory with her because she didn't want her to grow up in the same emotionally toxic environment.  I do believe that Lorelai would have returned if she'd been unable to find work and only had homelessness as her alternative to Hartford but she was fortunate that Mia was a hippie type and found as much emotional stability as she could without a psychiatrist.

 

There are many things I'd change about Emily's confrontation with Mia and the details of those early days after Lorelai ran away but I also wish we'd been told that one reason Lorelai and Rory lived in the shed for so long, rather than get an apartment after a year or so, is because Lorelai had been seeing a shrink, leaving money tight.  It could have been a thing where she responded to therapy so well that she only needed to see him/her for a few years (not realistic but few things in Stars Hollow are), and then she was able to start saving money for the Crap Shack.  It would never happen because the show seemed to present therapy as a joke, rather than something 100% of the characters could have benefited from, but it could have served to open Emily's eyes about Lorelai's state of mind during that time and how little she really did know her.  Yeah, the broken leg picture clued her in somewhat but she didn't let it bother her enough to actually change or approach her for understanding. 

 

*I also have always believed that Lorelai was far more mature in the first season and regular contact with her parents, even though it was for Rory's sake, caused her a lot of emotional harm.  She reverted to the fifteen year old who got pregnant and Emily and Richard treated her as such.  It would have been one thing if the relationship had matured over the course of the show, with the finale showing that all three finally saw Lorelai as an adult and would proceed as such, but I don't think that happened.  All three of them were emotionally stuck in that year and half after Lorelai learned she was pregnant but before she left with Rory. 

[dustylil]

scarynikki12 I completely agree that the family reconciliation and FNDs were of no benefit to Lorelai. Not only did all three adults revert to the roles they had had decades earlier, Richard and Emily had no compunctions against undermining Lorelai's authority as Rory's mother. As well, somehow Lorelai had also seemed to have  become a scapegoat for things that had gone amiss over the years with the senior Gilmores. I never did figure out why  Lorelai was blamed when Emily learned of Richard's assignations with Pennilynn Lott.

 

One might have hoped that someone would have taken Lorelai aside and  talked some sense into her  once Rory was at Yale, suggesting that the two meet for lunch once a week at a college cafeteria. Gatherings of the entire clan would become only  occasional events.

 

As to Lorelai leaving her prep school when she was pregnant, that I didn't find the least surprising. The school probably had some kind of "conduct unbecoming" morals clause. As well, I can't see the Gilmores considering a public high school an appropriate option. Even assuming there were suitable programs nearby. Perhaps they intended to hire tutors for her to complete high school and prepare for college once things had settled down in the household.

 

As an aside, I must say I never understood banning pregnant girls from continuing with their studies. I know it is quite different now but back in the seventeenth century when I was in high school, public, private and parochial schools did not allow pregnant students. It never made sense to me or to my friends. Did the authorities  really think that  the sight of an exhausted girl waddling down a hallway was going to inspire the female population of a school to think - "gee that looks like fun, maybe I should get knocked up too"?

[takalotti]

As well, somehow Lorelai had also seemed to have become a scapegoat for things that had gone amiss over the years with the senior Gilmores. I never did figure out why Lorelai was blamed when Emily learned of Richard's assignations with Pennilynn Lott.

Well, I'm not at all saying this is rational, but Emily wasn't blaming Lorelai for the fact that Richard lunched with Pennilynn Lott; she blamed Lorelai for the fact that she found out about the lunches. Edited October 17, 2015 by takalotti

[solotrek]

So, she learns she's pregnant, she drops out of school (still don't understand why that was necessary unless Emily and Richard were so ashamed that they wouldn't let her leave the house even to go to public school),

 

Lorelai did say she went for as long as she could before she couldn't. I took it as her pregnancy made it difficult for her to continue going to school for one reason or another.

[Taryn74]

Lorelai did say she went for as long as she could before she couldn't. I took it as her pregnancy made it difficult for her to continue going to school for one reason or another.

 

 

True.  And Mitzi (in RBP) said she hadn't seen Lorelai since her "seventh month" which to me implies that's when Lorelai stopped going to school.  She would have been obviously pregnant long before then, so it never sounded like anything the elder Gilmores tried to hide.

[FozzyBear]

I was always under the impression that Lor dropped out of school because she ran away to the inn and was working full time. She was 16 when Rory was born and Rory's birthday is sometime in late September/early October so Lor should have been a sophomore when she found out she was pregnant and a junior when she gave birth. With Rory's birthday being so close to the start of school it makes sense that Lor might have taken that semester off with the intent of catching up later with tutors or summer school so she could graduate, but if she ran away before the next semester started she probably never went back.

Of course who knows? Lots of things in the pre show timeline don't actually make much sense. Lor and Rory have been going to the Gilmore mansion for holidays for years, but during the first Friday night dinner Emily, Richard, and Rory act like they've never met. We find out that Lor moved into her house when Rory was nine. Nine years isn't a lot of time for a maid to save up a down payment. Anna and April apparently live a bike ride away from Stars Hallow but nobody in this town where everybody is up in everybody's business mentioned to Luke that she was pregnant 12 years ago. What exactly was Christopher doing for the first 15 years of Rory's life? He was "in California" for 15 years? Really?

[dustylil]

Given how formal holiday functions at the senior Gilmores appeared to be, I didn't find it surprising that there was little time or inclination for family chit-chat. And that the Hartford Gilmores and Stars Hollow Gilmores barely knew one another.

 

I believe Rory was eleven when Lorelai bought their house, not nine. Although how she was able to save enough money on a maid's - and later a supervisor's - salary to put down a downpayment is a good question.

 

Anna lived in Woodbridge and how much time she actually spent in Stars Hollow is unclear. Given Luke's dislike of town festivals and his generally circumspect nature, I do wonder how much time they spent out and about in the community. Liz was aware of the relationship, certainly.

 

I think Christopher was riding his tricycle (pardon me, his motorcycle) around the US for a number of years and only became a businessman in California in the last few years before the series began.

 

 

[readster]

 

Did the authorities  really think that  the sight of an exhausted girl waddling down a hallway was going to inspire the female population of a school to think - "gee that looks like fun, maybe I should get knocked up too"?

 

 For a long time that was the thought. Same goes in the 60s-70s with pregnant teachers. They were made to quit when they were closed to giving birth because schools felt there was no possible way that women could teach and be a mom at the same time. Despite the media and MTV celebrating teen pregnancy. Most teen girls or younger women go: "I'm not ready for that yet." When they see their peers a teen mom. We had 5 teen pregnancies when I was in high school in the 90s and let me tell you, most girls were scared of sex because of seeing that. Of course in the Gilmore Gils Universe timelines changed frequently, people were upset just because they could and if you were rich you were a jerk.

[Gilmorefan]

Not sure if this is unpopular or not, but Lorelai's treatment of Jess was awful and really irritating. He "disrespects" her once, and she hates him for life. She acts so immaturely around him, and it bothers me. He was trying with her in the episode where he cleans her gutters, but as soon as she thinks he did something to Rory's bracelet, she's back on the hate train.

Also, why was Lorelai so attached to the Rory/Dean relationship? I honestly can't figure it out.

[Kohola3]

Also, why was Lorelai so attached to the Rory/Dean relationship? I honestly can't figure it out.

 

Because Dean 1.0 was good looking, hard working, polite, willing to put up with the GG dynamics, acquiesced to the whole debutante gig, built a car, wrangled arachnids, and did the heavy lifting when the water bottle was empty.  If I were a mother I'd like the original recipe Dean as well.