Aired: October 8, 2002
Written by: Daniel Palladino
Directed by: Gail Mancuso
Guest Starring:
Liz Torres -Miss Patty
Sean Gunn- Kirk
Sally Struthers – Babette Dell
Michael Winters – Taylor Doose
Jared Padalecki – Dean Forester
Granville Van Dusen – Darren Springsteen
Places in this Episode:
Gilmore House
Luke’s Diner
Chilton
Emily and Richard’s House
Springsteen House
Miss Patty’s
Summary: Rory’s receives her Harvard application in the mail. After interviewing an admissions officer and a college consultant, Rory realizes her application needs to be more personal and unique. She scraps all of her original ideas and obsesses over getting into Harvard. In the meantime, Lane uses the Gilmore House as her office for selecting people for her band.
Smile in a Cup for this Episode — When transitions and changes arise, our natural reaction is to cling to the past, but there is a healthy approach we can take. We should simultaneously spur on and support those we love in the changes, while also intentionally clinging to the normalcy and comfort of the relationship.
Keeping Count–
Cups of Coffee in this episode: 2
References to Literature, Movies, or Pop Culture –Holmes and Yoyo, Hee Haw Honeys, Robert Reed, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, Dead Souls, The Accelerators, Adolescents, Adverts, Agent Orange, Angelic Upstarts, Agnostic Front, Ash, AC/DC, The Animals, A-ha, William Faulkner, Sylvia Plath, David Bowie, Johnny Bravo, SpongeBob Square Pants, The Ramones, John Boy, Environmental Protection Agency, Hilary Clinton, Charlie Rose, The Beatles, Brat Pack, Pixies, The Breeders, Danny Gans, Tolstoy, Turgenev, Gogol, Macbeth, Shakespeare, Falstaff, Henry IV , The Merry Wives of Windsor, the Kennedys, Chopin, Paderewski, Matisse, Harry Potter, Dead Kennedys, Jello Biafra, The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, The Wu-Tang, Christiane Amanpour
Noteworthy Lorelai-Luke Moments:
- As soon as Luke hears that Lorelai wants the Soda Shoppe he suddenly caves.
Noteworthy quotes:
“So, tell me something, Harvard Hair, How bad do you want to please your parents?” – Carol
“My Mom… and really bad, but it’s not hard to please my Mom. She’s okay with anything I do. As long as I’m happy, she’s good.” – Rory
Observations & Questions:
- Anyone else find it odd that their mailman just helps himself into their house and then doesn’t even close the door when leaving. Rory didn’t bother to close the door either. I am glad to see that the door remains open for the whole scene and doesn’t just magically close.
- Yay! Rory got her Harvard application in this episode!
- Lorelai shares that Rory’s nickname was Droopy Drawers when she was a child. “That’s right. You had these little OshKosh cords and they were way too big and once at the mall, they fell right down to your knees and I said, “Whoa, there, Droopy Drawers!”
- Poor Rory. The panel expresses their disdain for essays that lack originality, specifically mentioning Hilary Clinton. Panic floods Rory’s face. Then they comment on her paraphernalia on her wall.
- HAHA! Luke forces the kid and Kirk over to Taylor’s market.
“I am telling you Luke, if we don’t quickly furnish these skateboarding Z-Boys with a moral distraction they are going to turn Stars Hollow into Dogtown.” - “Taylor, no, no, no, no, and every day from now on ‘til the end of my life, I am gonna come in here and say, “Taylor, no!” And when I die, I’m gonna have them freeze me next to Ted Williams, and when they find the cure to what I died of and they unfreeze me, my first words are gonna be, “How’s Ted?” followed closely by, “Taylor, no!” – Luke
I love Luke and Taylor’s banter. - Kirk did not understand Luke’s sarcasm and asked if he could interview for the Skateboard and Pop shop. Why does this boy need another job?
- I can so relate to Rory immediately slamming the phone down as soon as the Harvard Graduate answered the phone. I used to be so timid at speaking with others on the phone. I would beg my Mom to do it for me.
- Heyyyy. This is the first time we hear Dave Rygalski’s voice as he leaves a message for Lane’s band. I will admit, Adam Brody was once a childhood crush.
- Lorelai’s phone voice for Rory is so cringey haha! How sweet of her to take over for Rory, though.
- Anyone else have a difficult time keeping up with which version of alumni to use?
- Lorelai uses humor to help work her way through uncomfortable situations. I always empathize with her when Rory seems to fit in with the Springsteen’s and she has a hard time keeping up.
- “Quizzes at dinners keep the Springsteens sharp.” Interesting concept.
- “Yes, very good Rory.” … Y’all, the siblings admittedly are creepy with how they match and repeat one another.
- Carol is similar to how Lorelai was as a teen. I love her eclectic style and excitement for life. She is a waitress and a birthday bunny!
- Rory thanks Lorelai for not putting her on a conveyor belt towards her plan for Rory’s life. I appreciate that Lorelai took her negative experiences as a teen and used it to parent in a way that fosters Rory’s independent dreams and goals.
- Taylor pulled out the big guns to coerce the town into letting him open his Soda shoppe.
- HAHA! There is a tiny Jackson holding a Zucchini.
- “No, don’t apologize, I love you… for that. For being that way. I love it” – Lane is just immediately infatuated with Dave.
- Rory has finally relaxed from her stress in applying for Harvard, but then comes Dean adding pressure asking her about the outcome of their relationship when she goes to Harvard. Why did he just roll up on 10. “Why are you being like this?” – Rory
YES, GIRL! I want to know the same thing. - Then Jackson jumps into pressuring Lorelai to process what will happen to Rory’s room when she moves out to go to Harvard.
- “Let’s just hang.” – Rory “That sounds great.” – Lorelai * I love that they walk through the town square arm in arm in the closing scene. No matter what changes come their way, their relationship will be the priority.
Smile in a Cup 