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

[txhorns79]

Not sure how many inside doors the shed had.

 

I don't recall it having any.  I remember Rory telling Emily they used a curtain to divide up the shed for privacy.   

[Taryn74]

 

Lorelei actually had a really hard time sharing her life with anyone. I think that's often par for the course when a parent has been single for SO long. She never lived with a man. Ever. A lot of single parents lived with the father/mother of their child initially, but Lorelei never did. She was on her own from day one and always did things her way. After 16 years, that's a hard habit to break. So I don't really find it odd that she had such a hard time with it, but with Max she didn't even seem to WANT to try. 

 

Which is exactly why I hold the very unpopular opinion that it was Lorelai who chose exactly what kind of role Christopher would play in Rory's life when Rory was young. 

 

(Don't mind me.  Just over here kicking a dead horse.)

[txhorns79]

Which is exactly why I hold the very unpopular opinion that it was Lorelai who chose exactly what kind of role Christopher would play in Rory's life when Rory was young.

 

I would say there is some nuance to that.  I think of it more as Lorelai took control, and Chris was too weak and/or disinterested to challenge her.  I would have loved to have known if she ever discussed her plan to run away from Richard and Emily's with Chris prior to her doing so.   

[Taryn74]

I would say there is some nuance to that.  I think of it more as Lorelai took control, and Chris was too weak and/or disinterested to challenge her.    

 

Oh, well, sure.  I doubt Lorelai ever verbalized that she wanted to be in control of All Things Rory, and probably never even realized she was putting out those vibes, but I definitely believe things were exactly the way SHE wanted them to be, even if she did continue to play the "the door to Rory was always open to you" card for years.  I also believe Chris would have had to have challenge not only Lorelai, but his parents as well, and Emily hit the nail on the head when she said he was a charming but weak boy, and he just didn't have it in him to fight them all.

 

I would have loved to have known if she ever discussed her plan to run away from Richard and Emily's with Chris prior to her doing so.

 

 

Oh wow, I've never even thought about that.  My first instinct is 'No, she didn't' but I'll have to ponder it for a bit.  Interesting.

[txhorns79]

Oh wow, I've never even thought about that.  My first instinct is 'No, she didn't' but I'll have to ponder it for a bit.  Interesting.

 

We share the same instinct.  I mean, if you think about it, her entire plan to run away was pretty damn reckless.  She was abandoning her support system and resources, she didn't have a job, she had no place to stay, she didn't have a high school degree, she didn't appear to have much money and she had to care for a 1 year old.  Essentially, the only way she was able to be successful was that she found a benevolent employer/mother figure who basically provided for all of Lorelai and Rory's needs until Lorelai was able to fully support herself and Rory.         

[lottiedottie]

Hi Everybody! I just started watching this show.  I usually watch the episodes that air on ABC Family (right? That's the channel that airs it?). Today was the episode where Rory's great grandma was going to give her access to her trust fund in order to pay for school. I missed a little of the scene with Lorelai, her mother and her grandmother and the reason she didn't get access to the trust fund. Can anyone explain what happened to me?

[Luciano]

Hi Everybody! I just started watching this show. I usually watch the episodes that air on ABC Family (right? That's the channel that airs it?). Today was the episode where Rory's great grandma was going to give her access to her trust fund in order to pay for school. I missed a little of the scene with Lorelai, her mother and her grandmother and the reason she didn't get access to the trust fund. Can anyone explain what happened to me?

Trix catches Emily and Lorelai squabbling about the money loudly in the restaurant and takes back the offer because it's causing problems and Lorelai isn't mature enough to be handling the trust fund.

[ShellSeeker]

I'm watching "The Incredible Shrinking Lorelais," and I'm thoroughly annoyed by both Lorelai and Rory. 

 

First, Lorelai hasn't been paying the contractor because she and Sookie are just about of money. The poor guy is trying to run a business and clearly feels uncomfortable coming to them to ask when they're going to pay him what they owe him. Sookie says that Luke has offered to loan them money, but Lorelai of course won't take it because she is so proud and has to do everything herself. God forbid she ask for help, better to force the guy to work for free. I get that part of the charm of Lorelai is supposed to be her staunch independence, but it makes her very selfish sometimes.

 

Second, Rory is just simply stunned to find out that her roommates are fed up with Lane crashing in their suite. Seriously?? Your friend shows up out of nowhere and you let her move in without even asking your other suite mates, and then let her stay for weeks on end, and you don't think that's going to bug anyone? And when you ask them about it and they say yes, it's bothering them, you look at them like they've just kicked a puppy and then skulk out of the room?

 

My first year in college, my roommate's best friend got kicked out of her house, so she stayed with us in our room for weeks -- and of course no one asked if it was OK with me. It was really infuriating.

[junienmomo]

I'm watching "The Incredible Shrinking Lorelais," and I'm thoroughly annoyed by both Lorelai and Rory. 

 

Yeah, that happens to most of us sometime during the series. It will get better. Have a giant cup of coffee and at least two Mallomars.

Every character becomes unbelievably grating at some point in the series. Maybe not Fran, or Mia, or Mrs. Lanahan.

[amensisterfriend]

I'm watching "The Incredible Shrinking Lorelais," and I'm thoroughly annoyed by both Lorelai and Rory.

 

It's funny, because as much as I love how the show (at least the first four seasons of it!) managed to wring so much truth and emotion out of relatively minor, daily occurrences, that same thing can contribute to why the characters annoy me sometimes. Comparatively speaking, they lead the most charmed lives ever, so when we're supposed to sympathize with them so mightily the one time their lives aren't TOTALLY idyllic, it's sometimes a tough sell. I want them to get some perspective---especially since most real life people and fictional characters have things ever so much worse!

 

Actually, TISL is a fairly bad episode, IMO---especially by S1-S4 standards. It's so heavyhanded, the reminders that the girls are going through parallel breakdowns are so clunky, and the scenes where Lorelai sobs to Luke and Rory sobs to Dean both just feel so overwrought and poorly done to me.  

[txhorns79]

It's so heavyhanded, the reminders that the girls are going through parallel breakdowns are so clunky, and the scenes where Lorelai sobs to Luke and Rory sobs to Dean both just feel so overwrought and poorly done to me.

 

I think my issue is that Lorelai has a real problem, while Rory has an entirely contrived issue.  It's just like: "Oh, woe is Rory, she'll have to *gasp* drop a class."  Meanwhile, Lorelai is facing the loss of her business, which had been her dream for years, and likely, bankruptcy.  They just don't mesh.   

[amensisterfriend]

Meanwhile, Lorelai is facing the loss of her business, which had been her dream for years, and likely, bankruptcy.  They just don't mesh.

 

ITA. I have trouble taking Lorelai's occasional financial woes too seriously, though, since at every point in the series she had people willing and eager to lend or even just give her pretty much unlimited amounts of money :)

[ShellSeeker]

To be fair, I did understand why Lorelai was so frustrated with Sookie though. She (Sookie) made such a huge production out of having to approve her fancy sink, and then she didn't show up to do it. Lorelai was right that the freight to send that thing a second time would be a fortune. Yes, Sookie was dealing with a newborn, but I did feel for Lorelai. She just wanted to get her hair done in peace and couldn't even do that.

[txhorns79]

To be fair, I did understand why Lorelai was so frustrated with Sookie though. She (Sookie) made such a huge production out of having to approve her fancy sink, and then she didn't show up to do it. Lorelai was right that the freight to send that thing a second time would be a fortune. Yes, Sookie was dealing with a newborn, but I did feel for Lorelai. She just wanted to get her hair done in peace and couldn't even do that.

 

Totally.  Sookie left Lorelai in a lurch, and was a lousy business partner.  It felt like she and Lorelai never really defined what their roles would be during the construction period, so they ended up with Lorelai doing most of the work, and it was very unfair. 

[amensisterfriend]

Oh, god yes, Sookie was insufferable in this episode! Then again, I find her insufferable through much of S4-S6 :)

[ShellSeeker]

Oh, god yes, Sookie was insufferable in this episode! Then again, I find her insufferable through much of S4-S6 :)

 

Can't argue with you there. The whole thing with the "kid food" at the Lord of the Rings birthday party was so ridiculous. Actually, the bit with Sookie snapping at the little girl, then having a panic moment about impending motherhood was pretty true to life. But all the drama with the jalapeno mac and cheese was really dumb. What kind of a nitwit thinks that kids would eat green mac and cheese and a rum raisin cake?

[amensisterfriend]

Hee---sadly, IMO Sookie is even more shrill and selfish and maddeningly irrational in S5. Just thought it was fair to warn you :) 

[JayInChicago]

My first year in college, my roommate's best friend got kicked out of her house, so she stayed with us in our room for weeks -- and of course no one asked if it was OK with me. It was really infuriating.

 

Ok, so I kind of love Lane being there because it's so cute to me that they are getting time together in a show that didn't often showcase that relationship. Also, I just really love Lane lately. One of my favorite moments is (I think it's later that same episode) when Lorelai sits on the person on the couch thinking it's Rory and it turns out to be Lane. I love when she pulls down the cover and looks at Lane and then Rory and says "I think this belongs to you." 

 

THAT ALL SAID, i had tons of people visit me at college my first year, and while it wasn't for more than a few days at a time, that episode has made me realize I was being fucking rude as hell. In a way if it only inconvenienced Paris, who I think owes Rory big time for basically socializing her as a human being (though I also love Paris), it would have been one thing. But clearly Janet and Tana were over it too. 

 

Also I love Chester Fleet.

[FozzyBear]

Oh god. The California episodes. This was supposed to be a back door pilot, right?

[txhorns79]

Oh god. The California episodes. This was supposed to be a back door pilot, right?

 

Yeah.  It was a show built around Jess. 

[lottiedottie]

I'm new to the show...I've been watching the episodes as they air on ABC Family during the day. I'm also trying to start from season one on Netflix when I have time, but that's kind of slow going!

 

Two things about this show so far: One, I really dislike Luke. What an unpleasant asshole. He clearly learned to act at Joey Tribbiani's Smell The Fart Acting class because he always looks like he's smelling something bad. And he's just a miserable SOB.

Two: Stars Hollow is the busiest little small town I ever saw! Any given outdoor scene has more people milling about in the background than a college quad. It's kind of distracting, to be honest.

 

Oh, wait--one more thing...Does Paris EVER get the stick out of her ass? God, she's annoyingly uptight!

[GreenScreenFX]

I kind of agree with your points to a degree...but it is a tv show... So I can allow for artistic license....

Small towns: I used to live in Boulder Co and it was busy like that even during a blizzard on Christmas break , so that seems realistic. I guess even in a small town people have to eat.

Luke was a bitter curmudgeon but he clearly cared about everyone, especially Lorelei and Rory. So I think (characters) gave him a pass.

And is the Paris question rhetorical?

Edited February 21, 2015 by GreenScreenFX

[lottiedottie]

Well, maybe I should move to Boulder, because I love the idea of a busy small town like on GG, but that always seemed to be the thing of myth!

[GreenScreenFX]

I'm guessing Boulder is a lot bigger... But I dont know.....has anyone pinpointed Stars Hallows equivalent? I am sure they have.

[Eeksquire]

I believe Stars Hollow was based on a small town in Connecticut that the Palladinos visited (I want to say Washington Depot? But I'm not 100% sure that's the right small town in Connecticut).  Whether there would be that many people around downtown probably depends more on whether there's many businesses in town than anything else - if you work "in town" then sure, you might walk to the post office or Luke's or wherever during the day; if you live in a bedroom community where most people are commuting to NYC/Boston/New Haven/Hartford, not so much.  

[dustylil]

Yes, it was Washington Depot. Although it is quite a bit smaller than the fictional Stars Hollow.

 

As to people milling around the downtown, remember that one of Stars Hollow's principal industries was tourism. So it wouldn't just been townies going about their business, but also visitors there for the town festivals,  leaf peeping,  visiting the shops that catered to tourists, etc.

 

Hmm, I've heard many descriptions of Paris over the years, but with respect, never "uptight". I would have thought having a serious affair with a much older, distinguished author at the ripe old age of nineteen would have precluded such a descriptor.

[GreenScreenFX]

Omg..... Paris is literally the text book definition of uptight! If a text book verb could have a picture... It would be Pais. Paris will give birth to a diamond before she unclinches.....

[GreenScreenFX]

What you describe as "much older and distinguished" I define as icky grandpa

And I'm 44.

[dustylil]

I was attempting to be tactful, GreenScreen :)

Also, I found Asher Fleming considerably more attractive and appealing than Richard Gilmore. Although to be sure, if he had been her first serious romance, I would likely go along with "icky".

Given Paris' inability to control either her conduct or her emotions, I guess I have difficulty describing her as "uptight" as I understand the term.

[GreenScreenFX]

Tact is just not saying true stuff. I'll pass.

A direct quote from Buffy.... I just couldn't let it lie there.

[GreenScreenFX]

Back to Paris, sorry. I am not sure what your definition of "uptight" is.... But Paris is wholly and completely the entire definition of "uptight" I can't picture another character on this or any other planet that is more uptight than Paris Gellar. Again, that girl is going to shit diamonds.

[dustylil]

Sorry, not familiar with Buffy beyond knowing it was an iconic television series.

 

I really don't want to belabour the point - but as I use and understand the term, someone who is uptight is unable or unwilling to express his or her feelings. From her earliest days at Chilton we saw Paris vehemently making her views and feelings known to both staff and fellow students, often  quite caustically. She continued the practice at Yale, most notably  responding to a girl asking if it was raining with, "No it's National Baptism Day. Tie your tubes, idiot."

 

An uptight person is also one concerned with behaving in a socially acceptable manner and is often rigidly conventional. Not only did Paris begin a romantic relationship with a man some forty years her senior, she did so while continuing to string along her current boyfriend. Her later involvement with Doyle went from "speed dating" to "speed bedding" in a matter of hours. She also showed little deference to traditional authority figures be they politicians, university professors, or the grandfather of a close friend.

Edited February 22, 2015 by dustylil

[GreenScreenFX]

I'm slow...... Kudos to you

Edited February 22, 2015 by GreenScreenFX

[lottiedottie]

Well, I'm only in the first two seasons of the show, and Paris is definitely what I would consider uptight, at least at this point.

Edited February 22, 2015 by lottiedottie

[Luciano]

Someone who is uptight could also be seen as high-strung, constantly tense, unable to relax easily, just plain rigid. Paris falls under that to me: bringing note cards on dates in case conversation lags, needing a life coach to help her relax (and then going nuts with the craft corner that was meant for that reason), the Harvard interview, micromanaging at the newspaper, and this thing:

It's good to have a plan, but that was five months completely organized to the point that she had a slot for tray-sledding (which Rory had to convince her to move up a few weeks when they finally got snow).

[txhorns79]

Back to Paris, sorry. I am not sure what your definition of "uptight" is.... But Paris is wholly and completely the entire definition of "uptight" I can't picture another character on this or any other planet that is more uptight than Paris Gellar.

 

Yeah, I'm not really certain how Paris wouldn't be seen as "uptight."  I think the confusion may be that it seems some believe a person must be uptight as to all aspects of their lives to be seen as uptight, or there may be a belief that because Paris is rude, that she isn't uptight.  In terms of her relationship with Asher, look at how much she tried to control what other people did or did not know about what was going on.  Heck, she had a wake for the guy, but no one except Rory had any idea it was anything more than a deeply weird theme party because Paris had kept the relationship such a secret.  I would say the definition is broader than what dustylil cited from Merriam-Webster.

 

I think Luciano pretty much has it right in terms of Paris and her behavior.        

Edited February 23, 2015 by txhorns79

[yeswedo]

Reminder that it's ok to have differing opinions about whether or not Paris is uptight!

[dustylil]

I do wonder if the relationship of Paris and  Asher was supposedly kept such a secret, how was it that Marty and others were making book on the exact circumstances of his death - and Paris' part in it?

[GreenScreenFX]

I don't want to harp too much more on this.... When I say Paris is uptight, I didn't mean sexually.

I think she was entirely too stressed out about her life in general. My definition of "uptight" does not have anything to do with her sex life. I say she's uptight because she is SO constantly critical of herself and others, that she can not relax.

I also think (to a lesser degree) Emily, Luke, and Rory are uptight. I think Richard is probably the most laid back, followed by the town, then Lorelai.

Edited because I can not spell Lorelai consistently to save my life.

Edited February 25, 2015 by GreenScreenFX

[Betweenyouandme]

I see Paris as more high-strung, petulant, disgruntled, and neurotic than uptight. She could let loose and be seen as ridiculous, kiss girls and teachers, get drunk, etc. To me, Emily Gilmore is more uptight, though even she had her moments, but it wasn't a daily or weekly thing to really let loose. I mean, she gave the appearance of calm, but she wasn't.

However, I see Paris not being calm because she was emotionally off kilter. I thought Emily was rarely truly calm because she thought things should be just so.

Sure Paris wanted the grades and for people to do what she said, but to me that isn't all she was. She could be uptight but it wasn't her main trait, imo.

To me, Paris had one main issue- she had a really hard time getting along with others in an empathic way. I think her over the top personality was in reaction to people and situations getting to her too much. She liked her inside world. That's where she was comfortable. Rory got Paris sometimes. And, when she did, Paris dialed back the neuroses...a lot.

This was different I think than how Emily relaxed when she had a touching moment with Lorelai. One is feeling emotionally balanced. The other is feeling less guarded and rigid.

Edited February 25, 2015 by Betweenyouandme

[solotrek]

Can I throw in my 2 cents? I just found some pennies.

 

IMO, someone who is uptight is usually a person who has full control of their emotions. They may be angry, tense, nervous, but they are also fully conscious and aware of it. Kind of calculated about showing their emotions and in general.  Paris was extremely high-strung and anal retentive, but in the end too neurotic to be considered uptight.

Edited February 25, 2015 by solotrek

[BC Mama]

If we are going to discuss uptight characters, Sookie deserves mention! The woman had a diagram for loading her dishwasher!

[GreenScreenFX]

Ok... Clearly Amy Sherman-Palladino is the one that is uptight.

[dustylil]

BC Mama actually I can understand Sookie having a diagram for loading up her dishwasher. It must have been one of the hardest working appliances in both her personal and professional kitchens. If it wasn't working at peak efficiency, she could be held back in preparing  her gastronomic creations. At work she could have minions washing dishes by hand but at home, that might be more problematic.

It's a pity she wasn't that focussed on the smooth functioning of other areas of her cookery realm (e.g. staff management, cost effectiveness. etc.).

[Eeksquire]

 

It's a pity she wasn't that focussed on the smooth functioning of other areas of her cookery realm (e.g. staff management, cost effectiveness. etc.)

... not setting herself on fire.  (I kid.  I love Sookie, although once she got pregnant, the character became a little too shrill and unreasonable for my taste.)

[alexa]

I am rewatching Season 1, and I have always wondered why Max was so off and on in the writing of these episodes.  They start out with him being a quick focus in an early episode, then you have a few where he is never mentioned, he re-materializes suddenly, they date very shortly, they have the kiss at school so they break up (and then he isn't mentioned for a few episodes).  Then all of the sudden she remembers him and misses him.  I always find it very disconnected, and it has always been why I wasn't convinced she liked him as much as she said.  I see it as an issue with the writing, not the characters, though.

[Aloeonatable]

Don't think anyone's posted this yet. Cute read.

 

http://www.bustle.com/articles/70734-what-if-gilmore-girls-rory-gilmore-ended-up-with-jess-dean-or-logan-this-should-end

[Nostariel]

What an incredibly obnoxious article, ugh.

[lottiedottie]

I binged watched the last two episodes of Season 4 and several episodes of season 5 today (hooray for working at home!). Up until this point (I've seen bits of Seasons 1,2 and 3) I have really disliked Luke because he's such a miserable SOB! But then, as soon as he and Lorelei start dating, I find him to be much more likable. He smiles and seems relaxed...for now. He was actually sort of cute about the whole thing. And I love that when they went on their date, he was like "I'm in" and there was none of that stupid crap where someone says something, it gets misconstrued, and then no one is sure if they are liked by the other one and it's just one big annoying mess. They actually talked about their feelings! It was refreshing.

 

I hope Logan becomes more likable, because right now he seems like every rich kid douche that ever walked the planet. 

 

ETA: I think I might be slightly obsessed with this show. I only ever saw an episode or two when it originally aired, so I'm happy that Netflix has it on instant play now!

Edited March 23, 2015 by lottiedottie

[lottiedottie]

So, for some reason, my 10 year old son enjoys watching Gilmore Girls with me. Earlier, after we had finished watching an episode from season 6, he said to me "I don't think Logan and Rory are meant to be." Cracked me up!