Christopher Returns – Season 1: Ep. 15

Aired: March 1st, 2000

Written by: Daniel Palladino

Directed by: Michael Katleman

Special Appearance: Edward Herrmann – Richard

Guest Starring:

Liz Torres – Miss Patty
Jared Padalecki – Dean
Michael Winters – Taylor Doose
David Sutcliffe – Christopher Hayden
Peter Michael Goetz – Straub Hayden
Cristine Rose – Francine Hayden
Jackson Douglas – Jackson Belleville
Sean Gunn – Kirk Gleason
Mike Gandolfi – Andrew

Places in this Episode:

Gilmore House
Softball field
Bookstore
Luke’s Diner
Emily And Richard’s House

Summary: Christopher visits Stars Hollow for the first time. The town is all a buzz about Rory’s dad.  Christopher spends a day with Rory and tries to make up for old time by buying her dream book. Instead, his card is declined.  Next, the Gilmore girls and Christopher attend dinner at Richard and Emily’s, along with Christopher’s parents, who haven’t seen Rory since she was a baby. The night ends with harsh words and decisions that cannot be taken back. 

Smile in a Cup for this Episode — No matter what failures we have haunting our past, redemption is possible. Light pierces through the darkness, offering a new hope and purpose. 

 

Keeping Count–

Cups of Coffee in this episode: 6

References to Literature, Movies, or Pop Culture — Happy Days, Alfalfa, Charles Dickens, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, The Odyssey, Chuck Berry,  You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, I Love Lucy, Fiddler on the Roof

Noteworthy Lorelai-Luke Moments:

•  Poor Luke is waiting for Lorelai for their painting “date”.
• Luke is hurt when he realizes she didn’t come because of Christopher. 
• Lorelai snuck in and painted the diner for Luke. How sweet! It is no coincidence that as soon as these big shifts happen with Christopher  — she is always thinking of Luke. 

Noteworthy quotes:

“I know you heard a lot of talk about various disappointments this evening … But I want to make this very clear. You, young lady, your person and existence, have never, ever been, not even for a second, included in that list.”  – Emily

“Then he smiles, and its… Christopher.” -Lorelai

“Here’s to Rory…” Lorelai
“ …the bright spot in all the darkness.” – Christopher

Observations & Questions:

• It’s painful how smoothly Christopher, Lorelai, and Rory fit together. I always root for Luke, but also secretly root for their family to work out. Their chemistry is off the charts. 
• “It’s my ‘friend’ Dean’s.” Ha! Friend… “She has a Dean?” “She has a Dean.”
• Kirk’s sass game is reaaaaalll strong.  I would not have pegged him for a softball guy. 
• Ah ha! Dean admits he has a motorcycle to Christopher. Did he lie to Lorelai, or get it after he told her he would not let Rory ride it?
• “That’s a Dean?” “That was a Dean.”  cute Dad/Daughter moment!
• Al’s Pancake World — he does not serve pancakes, but switched to international cuisine.  I always find Al such an interesting character, but we never officially meet him that I can recall. 
•  Miss Patty ain’t wasting no time! She not only flirts with him, but then picks up her phone to let the news spread round. 
• Haha! I literally laughed out loud at Taylor’s phone. The antenna is so large! I remember those from childhood. 
• Poor Christopher! “Boy, I gotta tell you —  did they get your description wrong! Oh, yea! Much more George Clooney than Brad Pitt. Andrew, don’t you think he’s much more George Clooney than Brad Pitt?””  I ADORE Christopher and Rory’s smirk and sympathetic looks to one another. 
• Book of your Dreams — The Compact Oxford English Dictionary.  Rory, baby. Of course that is your dream book.   Anyone else love dictionaries growing up? My grandmother gave me a dictionary when I went to college and challenged me to learn a new word each day. 
• Poor Christopher! He must have felt so embarrassed and ashamed.  He was trying to make up for his past mistakes, and then they crept right back into his knight-in-shining-armor-moment.
•  Of course Christopher didn’t follow the no cell phones rule. 
• Oooo… Emily looks good in that shade of blue! 
• Emily and Taylor have the same phone. I wonder if anyone else uses this phone?
• Emily has the same maid as last episode! She didn’t answer the door, but she did actually take their coats this time! Maybe its because they have important guests this time. 
• “Christopher, ol boy. My gosh, how are you?” Richard is over the moon at the thought of Christopher and his girls. 
• It’s difficult to believe that there are people more uptight than Richard and Emily, but Christopher’s parents take the cake. “I see you haven’t changed, Lorelai.”
• Aww Rory’s curtsey. Precious babe. I love how she awkwardly stumbles on her words and Christopher says “That, she got from you.”
• Emily and Richard are so proud of Rory! I love it. 
• Oh my gosh. I cannot stand Straub. But I am ALL FOR RICHARD TELLING HIM OFF. Yes, Richard. Yes. “How dare you?!… Shame on you!”
• Christopher, now would be a great time to stand up for Lorelai and Rory.
• Although I hate the situation, I do appreciate that Richard is able to open up to Lorelai for how deeply this affected him and Emily. It is painful to dredge up the past, but ultimately talking and pressing into the hard places brings healing. 
• Emily’s moment with Rory in the kitchen made me wanna cry, smile, and laugh all at the same time. 
• No no no!!! Lorelai is with Christopher when she is supposed to be painting with Luke! 
• Okay, but she was thinking about Luke first thing in the morning… I think that’s a clear sign here. 
•  Where did Lorelai get those adorable I Love Lucy pajamas. 
• “Lor, I wanna marry you.” … Okay, but for real… inwardly I think  ‘Lorelai, those eyes. How do you turn down those eyes?”
  My outward expression is exactly Lorelai’s thoughts.   “You are out of your mind. You are completely insane. You have flipped your lid!”

• Realistically, Christopher has such good intentions and I can get behind that, but he really is not ready to be a full time Dad and Husband. 
• Are you guys not concerned about Rory hearing all of this?
• “Rory needs her dad.”  — I can appreciate Lorelai’s ability to put aside her own hurts and feelings to do what’s best for Rory. 
• “Honestly? I will probably always love him.” – Lorelai 
• And cue the Lalala music — not with Christpher and Lorelai — BUT WITH LORELAI PAINTING LUKE’S DINER! Yes, yes, yes.  Luke is the one for you, Lor.