All Episodes Talk: Lorelai and Rory and the People They Love

[Kohola3]

French Twist aired Nov. 16th

Farewell My Pet aired Feb. 13th.

 

But that's when the episodes aired. I'm not sure that reflects the intended time of the episode.  For example, in Farewell my Pet, the spring semester at Yale was just starting. Isn't that normally just after Christmas?

[solotrek]

But that's when the episodes aired. I'm not sure that reflects the intended time of the episode.  For example, in Farewell my Pet, the spring semester at Yale was just starting. Isn't that normally just after Christmas?

This year the semester starts the day after MLK Jr Day (this Tuesday). So I assume around the same previous years.

[timimouse]

Noted. Thank you!

[lulu1960]

I recall a comment Emily made to Lorelai basically saying something about Emily's 40 year marriage verses Lorelai' 4 month one.

[dustylil]

With respect, it was 40 days not four months. It was said  in I'd Rather Be in Philadelphia, the episode before the marriage imploded.

[lulu1960]

I knew there was a comparison. Thanks for the clarification.

[timimouse]

Ok, so I have two questions:

1) What happened to Lorelai's trust fund? Did it get revoked when she became pregnant? And if so, does it get passed onto someone else? And if it wasn't revoked, why does she have so much money trouble? Instead of taking a loan from her parents, she could've used her trust fund money for Rory's schooling, innit?

 

2) Am I the only person who was underwhelmed by Rory's (2nd) 16th birthday party? Especially after learning about how great Lorelai was at throwing parties... cops breaking up previous parties she threw for Rory and what not. It just seemed like a regular party with the towns people and food and drink. Meh.

[txhorns79]

1) What happened to Lorelai's trust fund? Did it get revoked when she became pregnant? And if so, does it get passed onto someone else? And if it wasn't revoked, why does she have so much money trouble? Instead of taking a loan from her parents, she could've used her trust fund money for Rory's schooling, innit?

 

I can imagine a scenario where if Lorelai did have a trust fund, she refused it, and at that point, the trust was revoked and the money was put towards something else.  I mean it would have been a little weird for her to dramatically run away from her parents and reject their lifestyle, only to show up again to collect her trust fund.     

 

The second birthday party was lively, but I agree, it didn't seem particularly wild.  It didn't really match the other parties described by Lorelai. 

Edited February 2, 2016 by txhorns79

[HeySandyStrange]

 

2) Am I the only person who was underwhelmed by Rory's (2nd) 16th birthday party? Especially after learning about how great Lorelai was at throwing parties... cops breaking up previous parties she threw for Rory and what not. It just seemed like a regular party with the towns people and food and drink. Meh.

 

The impression I got was that the whole "cops broke up Rory's awesome grade school birthday party" was some tongue and cheek inside joke on Rory and Lorelai's part, not exactly what happened. Then again, this was Star's Hollow: the neighbors could've called the police because more then five people were standing in the girls' yard after 9 pm or their trash can was overfull or some bit of quirk like that.

[dustylil]

What happened to Lorelai's trust fund? Did it get revoked when she became pregnant? And if so, does it get passed onto someone else? And if it wasn't revoked, why does she have so much money trouble? Instead of taking a loan from her parents, she could've used her trust fund money for Rory's schooling, innit?

 

Given  that Emily and Richard were quite gracious - all things considered - when Lorelai became pregnant, I doubt that they (and any other trustees that might have been involved) would have cut her off financially at that point in time.

However, Richard was more than willing to manipulate the terms of Rory's trust fund - which I believe she was to come into when in her mid-twenties - in order to compel her to return to Yale. Perhaps he wanted comparable stipulations  for Lorelai to have access to her trust money at a similar age. Quitting work at that "motel" for instance and returning to Hartford with Rory. With those conditions and an established and happy life in Stars Hollow,  I could see Lorelai giving the trust fund a pass.

 

[Commando Cody]

I only went through the series once - recently on Netflix. So I can't remember some of the particulars. 

 

Did we ever meet Sookie's mother? I was watching something recently that had Marsha Mason in it. She could have played Sookie's mother. 

[stopthestatic]

I only went through the series once - recently on Netflix. So I can't remember some of the particulars. 

 

Did we ever meet Sookie's mother? I was watching something recently that had Marsha Mason in it. She could have played Sookie's mother. 

 

No. Sookie's mother was dead in the series, they mention that in 104 I think.

[solotrek]

The magic risotto that she made at her mother's deathbed that kept her mother alive a few more months.

[Guest]

I don't know if Lorelai would have ever had a trust fund.  It can be one of the mysteries of the ever-changing Gilmore wealth. 

[Commando Cody]

I was never that invested in the Sookie character. I don't even think i liked her that much. It's probably why I don't remember anything about her background. I think the scene that totally killed her character for me was when the two orderlies showed up to take her husband to the surprise! forced vasectomy. Those two looked like they should  be putting him in a straight jacket and dragging him off to the insane asylum.

[RainbowBrite]

I was never that invested in the Sookie character. I don't even think i liked her that much. It's probably why I don't remember anything about her background. I think the scene that totally killed her character for me was when the two orderlies showed up to take her husband to the surprise! forced vasectomy. Those two looked like they should  be putting him in a straight jacket and dragging him off to the insane asylum.

My opinion of Sookie started to go downhill around the time of her first pregnancy and the catering business. In Norman Mailer, I'm Pregnant! she absolutely irritated me. I have had two babies, and I am so offended by how she was depicted during her pregnancies; shrill, demanding, needing to be coddled.

[dustylil]

I am so offended by how she was depicted during her pregnancies; shrill, demanding, needing to be coddled

 

To say nothing of her making no provision for the running of the Dragonfly kitchen after the birth of her second child.

 

Appalled as I was by Jackson not admitting he had not had the vasectomy and that they ended up  playing a version of Russian roulette in their birth control methods, it was difficult for me to feel too sorry for Sookie.

Edited February 4, 2016 by dustylil

[Melancholy]

So, I've always been a little puzzled on why in Secrets and Loans, Lorelai actually does give into Emily being the guarantor of her loan to get rid of the termites and repair her house instead of agreeing to Luke's thinly veiled suggestion that he'd pay the contractors for the work and Lorelai could pay Luke back at her own leisure. Why was it better for Lorelai to have to pay a bank's interest and pay on a bank's schedule and swallow her pride to accept Emily's conditions (under the expectation that Emily would demand more time with Lorelai on a regular basis) than for Lorelai to pay Luke back, interest-free with the knowledge that Luke wasn't going to ask anything of Lorelai for the loan and with Lorelia' greater comfort level with Luke versus her parents. Plus by needing the senior Gilmore to guarantee the loan- Lorelai kind of proved Rory's point that the grandparents needed to get involved true. 

 

Maybe because Lorelai isn't depending as much on friends/family if they're just acting as a guarantor but the real loan is coming from a bank as opposed from the individual friend/family member? I think that's probably it. But then, why not have Luke be the guarantor with his superior credit? LOL, maybe it's because Lorelai thought it was possible that she wouldn't be able to pay the loan back (after all, the banks thought so) and she'd rather default with her parents than Luke. Shitting where she eats practically all of her meals versus just an easily given up Friday Night Dinner. 

Edited February 6, 2016 by Melancholy

[Kohola3]

So, I've always been a little puzzled on why in Secrets and Loans, Lorelai actually does give into Emily being the guarantor of her loan to get rid of the termites and repair her house instead of agreeing to Luke's thinly veiled suggestion that he'd pay the contractors for the work and Lorelai could pay Luke back at her own leisure.

 

Because it allowed the elder Gilmore hostage story lines to continue.  We can't try and see logic in ASP's writing.  It will bring on an aneurysm.

[Melancholy]

Because it allowed the elder Gilmore hostage story lines to continue.  We can't try and see logic in ASP's writing.  It will bring on an aneurysm.

 

But it did nothing for the "elder Gilmore hostage story lines." No real story developed out of Emily holding her DAR meetings at the Independence Inn. I seem to recall Emily only working on DAR stuff at the Independence Inn in Dead Uncles and Vegetables. And the FNDs remained All About The Chilton Loan until Lorelai paid it back. BTW, really easily for someone who also had a hefty loan for the termites/re-doing the structure of her house. You'd think she'd want to put the money Richard gave her towards the termite/house loan first because that's the one with interest and potential late fees attached. However, the termite loan basically just disappeared as a plot. 

Edited February 6, 2016 by Melancholy

[Smad]

But it did nothing for the "elder Gilmore hostage story lines." No real story developed out of Emily holding her DAR meetings at the Independence Inn. I seem to recall Emily only working on DAR stuff at the Independence Inn in Dead Uncles and Vegetables. And the FNDs remained All About The Chilton Loan until Lorelai paid it back. BTW, really easily for someone who also had a hefty loan for the termites/re-doing the structure of her house. You'd think she'd want to put the money Richard gave her towards the termite/house loan first because that's the one with interest and potential late fees attached. However, the termite loan basically just disappeared as a plot. 

We can't try and see logic in ASP's writing.  It will bring on an aneurysm.

[Taryn74]

I don't know.....I'd be hesitant to borrow $15,000 from a friend, even a really good friend and even if I knew that amount of money wouldn't be putting them out at all.  (In my circle of friends, that's a HEFTY amount of money, LOL, but it didn't seem to be a problem for Luke.)  Plus, Lorelai and Emily were already at the bank, speaking to the lender, who was obviously a good friend of Emily's.  For Lorelai to refuse to take the loan at that point just because Emily was going to be a co-signer, would have just been needless drama.

[Melancholy]

I don't know.....I'd be hesitant to borrow $15,000 from a friend, even a really good friend and even if I knew that amount of money wouldn't be putting them out at all.  (In my circle of friends, that's a HEFTY amount of money, LOL, but it didn't seem to be a problem for Luke.)  Plus, Lorelai and Emily were already at the bank, speaking to the lender, who was obviously a good friend of Emily's.  For Lorelai to refuse to take the loan at that point just because Emily was going to be a co-signer, would have just been needless drama.

 

Yeah- but then it made many of Lorelai's previous actions in the ep look like needless drama. So apparently, getting the elder Gilmores financially involved, one way or another, WAS necessary or at least the best alternative and Rory correctly summed up the situation. 

[Taryn74]

Yeah- but then it made many of Lorelai's previous actions in the ep look like needless drama. 

 

Well, though, what else is new?  Heh.

 

So apparently, getting the elder Gilmores financially involved, one way or another, WAS necessary or at least the best alternative and Rory correctly summed up the situation.

 

I agree.

 

Maybe I misunderstood your earlier post.  I thought you were questioning the wisdom of Lorelai taking the loan (with her mother as a co-signer) rather than just borrowing the money from Luke?  That's what I was responding to.

[txhorns79]

I don't know.....I'd be hesitant to borrow $15,000 from a friend, even a really good friend and even if I knew that amount of money wouldn't be putting them out at all.  (In my circle of friends, that's a HEFTY amount of money, LOL, but it didn't seem to be a problem for Luke.)  Plus, Lorelai and Emily were already at the bank, speaking to the lender, who was obviously a good friend of Emily's.  For Lorelai to refuse to take the loan at that point just because Emily was going to be a co-signer, would have just been needless drama.

 

Given the money per week Lorelai must have been spending at Luke's, maybe she was embarrassed at the idea that of Luke silently counting how much she was spending on eating out, while she still owed him money.  

[JessePinkman]

First time GG viewer and I just finished the series. I loved it. LOVE IT! 

 

I was bracing myself for April and season 7 and I have to be honest, I didn't hate either. April was fine, she was barely in the show and she was there she was...fine. She's a plot device, whatever. That was the real problem, the secret daughter is so soap opera and GG isn't soapy. The whole spontaneous Christopher marriage was also very soapy. But I think all of the characters managed to stay true to themselves. 

 

I'm not sure I understand how some fans and the actors didn't realize that the season 7 finale was the series finale. It felt like a series finale. It ended at the right point if you ask me, the whole premise of the show was centered around Rory's education so we got to watch her finish high school and college. It made sense. And Luke and Lorelai kissed (I've read for years that Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson did not get along but their chemistry was off the charts, I'm glad that whatever their relationship was like off the show didn't come through on the show) ! What more did people want?!

 

Also season 7 was not demonstrably different than the other seasons. If anything the second half of season 6 was the real problem, I felt actively depressed watching it because Lorelai seemed so damn sad. It was too much.

Edited February 7, 2016 by JessePinkman

[txhorns79]

I'm not sure I understand how some fans and the actors didn't realize that the season 7 finale was the series finale. It felt like a series finale.

 

If I remember right, they were having negotiations for a possible Season 8 up almost until the time the finale aired.  I believe there were also articles at the time saying that finale was written to either be a season or series finale. 

[JessePinkman]

If I remember right, they were having negotiations for a possible Season 8 up almost until the time the finale aired.  I believe there were also articles at the time saying that finale was written to either be a season or series finale. 

 

Thanks, yeah I just started reading up on that. The finale just felt so final, I'd be disappointed honestly if there was a season 8. They'd have to find some way to get Rory back to Stars Hollow/Connecticut and that would've been incredibly lame.

[lulu1960]

That sounds right. It was literally April or May that we ( the fans) got the news there would be no season 8.

[DisneyBoy]

If I remember right, they were having negotiations for a possible Season 8 up almost until the time the finale aired. I believe there were also articles at the time saying that finale was written to either be a season or series finale.

True. Back on the TWOP forums, it was stated that Lauren, as producer, stepped in and insisted on a few rewrites and little touches for the finale on the off chance that it ended up being The End.

... which kind of clashes with the whole story about her finding out the series was cancelled after the fact and being caught off guard by it during a dinner at a restaurant. If she insisted on special touches in the last episode that would make it feel like it was wrapping up the series and giving fans some resolution, then she must have known it was likely the show would not continue, right?

Edited February 7, 2016 by DisneyBoy

[Eeksquire]

 

... which kind of clashes with the whole story about her finding out the series was cancelled after the fact and being caught off guard by it during a dinner at a restaurant.

Well, not necessarily - you can know something is possible and still hope that it's not going to happen.  Plus, I don't know how these announcements are usually made to cast and crew, but you'd think it would be, at a minimum, during business hours and in ordinary communications from studio to cast and crew and not an unceremonious cell call during people's downtime.  If my boss called me at 7pm on my cell phone to tell me that I was fired and the business was shutting down, I'd be pretty caught off guard, even if I knew it was a possibility before that.

[txhorns79]

Plus, I don't know how these announcements are usually made to cast and crew, but you'd think it would be, at a minimum, during business hours and in ordinary communications from studio to cast and crew and not an unceremonious cell call during people's downtime.  If my boss called me at 7pm on my cell phone to tell me that I was fired and the business was shutting down, I'd be pretty caught off guard, even if I knew it was a possibility before that.

 

Why would it matter?  Is the situation going to be better if you hear it at 4:30 via memo on the studio lot versus getting a call at home at 6:30?  

 

[solotrek]

Plus, I don't know how these announcements are usually made to cast and crew, but you'd think it would be, at a minimum, during business hours and in ordinary communications from studio to cast and crew and not an unceremonious cell call during people's downtime.

 

The cast and crew for Stargate SG1 found out at their 200th episode celebration party. The cast of Eureka found out on Twitter from fans. It's not like a normal firing.

Edited February 7, 2016 by solotrek

[takalotti]

I know this isn't important, but I just realized Lorelai and Chris are both only children. So Rory has no aunts or uncles, and thus no cousins. I have no idea why this never occurred to me before or why it popped out at me now.

[readster]

I know this isn't important, but I just realized Lorelai and Chris are both only children. So Rory has no aunts or uncles, and thus no cousins. I have no idea why this never occurred to me before or why it popped out at me now.

She has third cousins from Richard and Emily's families, but yes. Chris and Lorelai were only children. As the old saying goes: "Those who should have more children, don't because they find only 1 child too much work." Even though as we learned from both families, nannies were used on a regular basis. "Those who shouldn't have more than one child do." The entire town of Starshollow except for Kirk. Which if I was his parents, I would have stopped right there. We never got a real reason why Chris and Lorelai were done in ones. However, as we saw over and were told over the course of the series. Emily, Richard, Straube and Francine seem to find raising their kids more work than they thought it would be. 

[dustylil]

We never got a real reason why Chris and Lorelai were done in ones. However, as we saw over and were told over the course of the series. Emily, Richard, Straube and Francine seem to find raising their kids more work than they thought it would be

 

With respect, the number of children  a couple  has isn't always a matter of choice.

except for Kirk. Which if I was his parents, I would have stopped right there

 

My recollection is that Kirk was the youngest of his family. So it appears that they did end having children then.

[readster]

With respect, the number of children  a couple  has isn't always a matter of choice.

My recollection is that Kirk was the youngest of his family. So it appears that they did end having children then.

Oh trust me. I know that. My wife and I only having one child was not a matter of choice. We were very fortunate to get him and my cousin is lucky she is having a second child. Her husband and her have been plagued with fertility problems since day 1. Yet, no one else in their families had any problems. The problem is, that seemed to be the problem with Emily, Richard, Straub and Francine. It was by choice not other reasons. While other shows usually explain why they were only children from: "We got one, that was enough." or "We tried for three years and luckily got you." I also had forgotten about Kirk being the youngest and even the mentioned of his brother going out with Lulu briefly and the talk of his sister when Kirk had to watch his nieces. It just seem Kirk (because they had to write him like this) couldn't get his life together and out of the house until his mom finally kicked him out and he married LuLu. 

[Melancholy]

Kirk was one of many siblings. His life is almost UNREAL. From A Tisket, A Tasket.

 

KIRK: I don’t need you to buy me another basket. I won this one. You can’t just come by and take it away. Just because you have a girlfriend and she made this basket for you doesn’t give you the right to bully those of us who don’t have girlfriends or anybody to make a basket for them.

JACKSON: Well, I wasn’t trying to bully you.

KIRK: Not this year, not last year, not the year before that.

JACKSON: Okay Kirk.

KIRK: My mother didn’t even make one for me.

JACKSON: Oh, that’s very sad.

KIRK: She made one for all my brothers and sisters but not for me.

JACKSON: That’s terrible, Kirk.

KIRK: Twelve brothers and sisters, the only one without a basket – me.

JACKSON: Okay Kirk, what’s it gonna take?

KIRK: Two hundred and fifty dollars.

JACKSON: Kirk, you’re kidding me.

KIRK: Twelve brothers and sisters.

[txhorns79]

The problem is, that seemed to be the problem with Emily, Richard, Straub and Francine. It was by choice not other reasons. While other shows usually explain why they were only children from: "We got one, that was enough." or "We tried for three years and luckily got you."

 

Yeah, I don't think we were supposed to imagine that they all had entirely unmentioned fertility problems.  It's basically just plot convenience.  If Lorelai or Chris had siblings, they could serve as alternative sources for financial help, and give Lorelai less reason to borrow money from her parents.   

[shron17]

Yeah, I don't think we were supposed to imagine that they all had entirely unmentioned fertility problems.

Some people don't talk about those kinds of things though, especially after more than 30 years, so it is possible.  The other reason it worked well as a plot device were the stories we heard about Lorelai and Chris growing up together.  If one or both had siblings they presumably wouldn't have been as close.

[txhorns79]

Some people don't talk about those kinds of things though, especially after more than 30 years, so it is possible.

 

Maybe.  I just think it's like Lorelai's finances, which fall apart entirely if too much thought is given to how she lives the way she does. 

[RainbowBrite]

While other shows usually explain why they were only children from: "We got one, that was enough." or "We tried for three years and luckily got you." 

 

From personal experience, I am an only child and my parents have never even given ME a reason for why they didn't have more. I think it is because they only ever wanted one child, but for all I know it was due to fertility issues. The fact that Lorelai and Chris were both only children was noticed by me, but I never expected any sort of explanation. I do also agree with PP's who felt it was a plot device. 

[Kohola3]

Good Lord, Kropogs was rerun today and I cannot even articulate how much I hate that episode. There is not a single second that I don't hate with the heat of a thousand suns.  Rory's baby talk is at it's height.  Richard and Emily could not have been more obsequious at the dinner.  Logan could not have been more smarmy.  

 

Never again, I swear.

[lulu1960]

I agree with you on the Kropog hate. Not sure who was worse. Exceptionally mean and condescending Emily, Don't give a crap Logan, or Sits by while it's happening Rory

[moonb]

The only scene in Kropogs I ever watch is Richard's phone call to Lorelai about the Dragonfly appearing in the travel magazine, because I enjoy Richard's season 5 admiration of Lorelai's successful business. Everything else I skip as fast as possible - all 4 Gilmores are at their most exasperating character-wise, and there's that stupidity about Emily's behavior to Lorelai at Friday night dinner, not to mention Rory and Logan.

[andromeda331]

I have a question, I noticed people saying Jess and Liz lived in NYC but I don't remember anyone ever

saying that on the show. I know he went there after the car accident and was living their again in season

four. But I didn't think he was from there. Was it ever said on the show and which episode?

[lulu1960]

Was it mentioned in Nick and Nora? Perhaps when Luke was talking to Lorelai in his apartment.

[solotrek]

This might be a dumb question, but how many people outside of the wedding party actually change at the location of a wedding ceremony? Emily and Richard made it seem like Luke was an idiot for wearing his suit on the drive to the ceremony, but, isn't that what everyone not in the wedding party does? I know they were doing some not so subtle belittling, but it's just such an odd thing to pick.

[Melancholy]

This might be a dumb question, but how many people outside of the wedding party actually change at the location of a wedding ceremony? Emily and Richard made it seem like Luke was an idiot for wearing his suit on the drive to the ceremony, but, isn't that what everyone not in the wedding party does? I know they were doing some not so subtle belittling, but it's just such an odd thing to pick.

Well, I don't think Richard was really doing the belitting, or even expecting Luke to change at the ceremony site. Luke, himself, was walking into the hotel, concerned that his pants got wrinkled on the ride over and Lorelai was IMO, obnoxiously shutting down his presentation issues with the "stop being such a nancy-boy about the pants!" Richard noticed the same wrinkling that Luke did and offered to have his tailor steam out Luke's pants. Emily, on her own, strove to fuck with Luke's head by acting like OF COURSE Luke brought another (definitely far more expensive suit) to change into at the ceremony to in one fell swoop, put Luke on the defensive that he doesn't make a habit of wearing suits, cut off the chance to steam out his own trousers to look more presentable, worry about the inevitable cutting remark when Luke shows up to the ceremony in that suit, think his own suit isn't good enough, and feel even more adrift from Lorelai changing on-site into a Gilmore approved dress because she's the one of that tony tribe. I think Richard eagerly went along the idea that Luke was changing into another suit at the ceremony because Richard is generally used to seeing men come in with more expensive and well-preserved outfits so he thought Luke would be of that number when Emily said he would.

Edited March 8, 2016 by Melancholy

[readster]

This might be a dumb question, but how many people outside of the wedding party actually change at the location of a wedding ceremony? Emily and Richard made it seem like Luke was an idiot for wearing his suit on the drive to the ceremony, but, isn't that what everyone not in the wedding party does? I know they were doing some not so subtle belittling, but it's just such an odd thing to pick.

I agree. Someone who has been through a wedding and served in a few. Usually people dress before they come to a wedding. Usually, the main wedding party (unless pressed for time) only change at the church or place, but usually only the bride, maybe the groom and the bridesmaids. For my own, my brothers and I changed before we went to the church. Same goes for my two brother-in-laws, but my one friend changed at the church because he was coming from another location and didn't want to get the tux ruined or dirty. I served in one, where I dressed directly at the garden it was held in due to the weather that day, but I had my tux days before the wedding. So, for Emily an Richard to say that to Luke was not only odd, but also AS-P trying to telegraph more of: "Look out Luke, Emily is trying to break you and Lorelai up."