Season 1: Episode 1 – Pilot

Aired: October 5th, 2000 (that explains the 90s fashion!)

Written by: Amy Sherman-Palladino
Directed by: Lesli Linka Glatter
Special Appearance: Edward Herrmann (AKA Richard — Interesting! Was he not intended to be a full time, permanent cast member?)

Guest Starring:
Liz Torres — Mrs. Patti
Jared Padalecki — Dean
Alex Borstein — Drella, the Inn’s harpist
Emily Kuroda — Mrs. Kim

Places in this Episode:
Luke’s Diner
Independence Inn
Stars Hollow High
Kim’s Antiques
Gilmore House
Richard and Emily’s House

Summary: In this episode, we meet single mother, Lorelai Gilmore, and her teenage daughter Rory Gilmore.  Rory, who is depicted as unique among her Stars Hollow High peers, learns she is accepted into a private school named Chilton.  Lorelai, who manages the Independence Inn, must pay the enrollment fee and the first semester’s tuition prior to Rory’s first day of school. With nowhere else to turn, Lorelai visits her estranged parents and asks to borrow the money.  Mrs. Gilmore agrees with the condition that Lorelai and Rory will weekly call and visit for Friday night dinners. 

Smile in a Cup for this Episode — Rory is proud to already be like her Mom. Although, Lorelai was pregnant at sixteen, she has worked hard and has moved up at the Independence Inn to eventually move towards her dreams of owning her own Inn. In similar fashion, Rory is moving up to her dream of going to Harvard. 

Dreams take hard work and perseverance.

 

 

Keeping Count–

Cups of Coffee in this episode: seven (not including Lorelai’s 5 cups prior to Luke’s)

Emily’s maids: one 

Stars Hollow Events: Teen HayRide

References to Literature, Movies, or Pop Culture — Jack Kerouac, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Stephen King, Madame Bovary, Moby Dick, Brittany Spears, Rosemary’s Baby, and Mommie Dearest

Noteworthy Lorelai-Luke Moments:

• Opening Scene- Lorelai begging for coffee and Luke concerned about her health. Fun, flirty banter 
• Closing Scene — Luke looking dapper– no flannel and no hat. Lorelai compliments him and he gives a slight smile saying “You look nice too.” Lorelai then says to Rory, “Behold the healing power of a bath”.  

Noteworthy quotes:

“If you’re gonna throw your life away, he’d better have a motorcycle!” – Lorelai

Advice from Mrs. Kim:

• “Boys don’t like funny girls!” — Yikes. I can’t say I agree, but how classic of Mrs. Kim. Love her. 

Observations & Questions:

• Is the main Stars Hollow street bigger and more crowded?
• Luke’s Diner was definitely a Hardware Store previously. I did not remember seeing all of the old Hardware clues so clearly before.
• I love that the first line is Lorelai begging for coffee. 

• Why is Sookie so clumsy? My girl is burning her bangs, hitting her kitchen staff with pans, and doing a plethora of other dangerous things. 
• Lorelai and Sookie are already dreaming up their own Inn in this episode. Love that.
• Michel is dishing out a lot of sass per usual. Glad to see some things never change.
• Lane and Mrs. Kim are already here full force with their hiding and conservative ways.

• Outside of school, Dean watches Rory walk by, but she didn’t even notice him. He then tells her he has been watching her because “you’re nice to look at and you’ve got unbelievable concentration.”  Wow…(rolls eyes). Can you tell I am not Team Dean? But no worries for those of you who are, I do appreciate Dean and will point out positive qualities as we go along.
• The “La la la” melody by Sam Phillips plays when Rory and Dean walk off from school together to go meet Miss Patti. I have a theory that certain songs play during specific types of moments. For instance, this melody captures an important moment for Rory as she is meeting her first boyfriend. We will see if that theory holds true as we carry on. 
• Rory is carrying a brown leather backpack– where is that iconic yellow backpack? Is it just me, or doesn’t it seem like she would rock the “fancier” backpack at Chilton. When does the backpack switch? 
• The girls are eating… salad… before Luke brings their burgers.  Okay, really they are just  picking at the salad, but they had salads all the same. Maybe Luke forced them to order a salad.  When Luke brings the real food, Lorelai quickly places that salad to the side. 
• Lorelai and Rory both turn on Macy Gray after their argument. Cute.
• Why are there no books on Rory’s shelf by the door? It’s mostly nick nacks. Also, where is the Harvard paraphernalia?
• Emily opens her own door, not once but twice! She also takes the jackets herself. Where are her maids? There is a maid in the kitchen, but not a maid at the door. 
• Lorelai asks Emily how Bridge Club is going, not the D.A.R. Is that what she is into these days?
• Is the dining room different in Richard and Emily’s?  It seems more closed in. Where are the windows? 
• I can’t handle Luke and Lorelai’s smiles and looks in the last scene. How did you go so long without knowing Lorelai?!