Aired: September 24, 2002
Written by: Amy Sherman-Palladino
Directed by: Amy Sherman-Palladino
Special Appearance: Edward Herrmann
Guest Starring:
Jared Padalecki – Dean Forester
Milo Ventimiglia – Jess Mariano
Sean Gunn – Kirk Gleason
Liz Torres – Miss Patty
Emily Kuroda – Mrs. Kim
Jackson Douglas – Jackson Belleville
Michael Winters – Taylore Doose
Brandon Barash – Jamie
Mike Gandolfi – Andrew
Jessica Kiper – Jess’ Girl
Places in this Episode:
Gilmore Girl House
Stars Hollow Square
Sookie’s House
Kim’s Antiques
Independence Inn
Richard and Emily’s House
Luke’s Diner
Summary: Rory returns from DC, excited to see Jess. She is disappointed, however, to see that he has a new girl. Lorelai faces Emily and Richard alone at Friday Night Dinner and must break the news about Christopher. It went about as poorly as she expected, but the happy note of the night is her makeup with Luke.
Smile in a Cup for this Episode — We can always count on our people to help us through hurt and heartache. These are the people who forgive easily and are easily forgiven. The people who pass out our favorite comforts. The people who fight for us. The people who just sit with us.
Keeping Count–
Cups of Coffee in this episode: 3
References to Literature, Movies, or Pop Culture – Connie Chung, Sid and Nancy, Leopold and Loeb, Bill Maher, Woodward, Bernstein, Harry Thompson, Tom Daschle, Judey and Vincente, Senator Boxer, Bono, Carson Daly, Cheney, Freddie Prinze Jr., Colin Powell, NATO, Doug Ose, Archie Bunker and Smithsonian, Zagat, Trent Lott, Oscar Wilde, General Sherman and Atlanta, Nell, Ralph Lauren, Leon Trotsky, Peaches & Herb, Napoleon, Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Snow White, Norman Rockwell, Dan Quayle, Wonder Woman, Small World, Williams Sisters, Wimbledon
Noteworthy Lorelai-Luke Moments:
- Luke is kind and reconciles with Lorelai. He can’t stand to see her hurting. I can’t imagine how hard it is for him to listen to her talking about being in love with other men, yet he lovingly lets her share her heart.
- I love that he offers Lorelai a donut in her most vulnerable moment. Such a Luke way of loving.
- “You’ll get it… I know. Because I know.” – Luke assuring Lorelai that she will get her love.
Stars Hollow Festivals: Stars Hollow End of Summer Madness Festival
Observations & Questions:
- I LOVE this dream of Lorelai. Of course in her dreams, her day begins with arguing with Luke about coffee and he is making her breakfast. When I first watched this, though, I remember being SO excited because I thought that Lorelai and Luke had gotten together over the Summer.
- Is this dorm in Washington the same set that is used for Rory and Paris’ Yale dorm in future episodes?
- Oh my. All of those letters from Dean and she is writing a letter to Jess.
- Rory seems so poised and mature after her Summer in DC.
- “I can’t believe this?! I finally get asked out on a date and I missed it. Was it a good ask out? … I wish I’d been there.” – Paris
Does Paris not count Tristan asking her out as a date request? - Kirk’s new job is as an entrepreneur — He sells “Hey There”, a skin-care line.
- Emily would be angry at Lorelai for not calling her when she arrived home.
- Rory nonchalantly got out of saying “ I love you” to Dean on the phone.
- Only Rory would agree to hide in the closet so that Jamie will not find her “more dateable” than Paris.
- I love the scene of Rory and Lorelai running to each other in the airport.
- “I’ve been away a while, I wanna make a nice impression.” Rory is hiding the fact that she is getting gussied up for Jess not Dean.
- Oh my word. Sookie has turned her house into the ultimate man cave. Too bad Jackson is not into that style.
- JESS. Why? On one hand, I understand. He moved back to Stars Hollow, most likely for Rory, and she kissed him; however, she didn’t break up with Dean and didn’t talk to Jess at all over the Summer.. On the other hand — cut that out!
- “Rory, what are you doing?” – I am glad that Lorelai grounds Rory and helps her to understand the truth of the situation. “Look, kid. You’ve gotta make up your mind. Jess? Dean? Jess? Dean?”
- I am proud of Lorelai for opening up to Emily and Richard about things ending with Christopher. They are obviously ecstatic about she and Christopher, so this is sure to mess up their pleasure in her. Lorelai even tries to protect their view of Christopher initially.
- Richard is really being unreasonably hateful here. Why can’t he see that this is hurtful to Lorelai?!
“ I am appalled by your attitude!”…. Me too, Emily. - “I always thought if he could just get it together, grow up – maybe we could do it. Maybe we could really be a family, in the stupid, traditional ‘Dan Quayle, golden retriever, grow old together, wear matching jogging suits’ kind of way. And then he did get it together – he became that guy…and he gets to be that guy with her. Chris is gonna have a baby with his girlfriend. He’s gonna marry her…and he’s gonna be there for her while she’s pregnant and he’s gonna be there with her while her child grows up, and he’s gonna be there for her while she does…whatever it is she does. And I am in exactly the same place that I was in before… I feel like I’m never going to have it. You know, that person. That life.And I swear, I hate admitting it, because I fancy myself Wonder Woman– I really want it. The whole package.”
This is such a great scene with Lorelai. - La la la music and the camera panning out — Just a reminder that it’s the Gilmore girls who will always have a safe place with one another.
Smile in a Cup 