Talking Gilmore

6.22: "Partings"

2006-05-10T14:21:00.000-04:00

And there it was.

First off, let me respond to the cliffhangers. The Luke/Lorelai/Chris cliffie at least left room for David Rosenthal to write his way out of the corner next season. There's a little bit of wiggle room; let's just see what he does with it.

The Rory/Logan cliffhanger was, to me, less of a "oh, no; how's this scene going to play out when it finishes" (like last year's proposal, where the scene was obviously not finished, and would pick up at the exact moment it left off) as it was a "how's this going to affect next season?" We know that Matt Czuchry has signed on for 13 episodes next season--same as this year--so he'll be a constant presence. Whether that's because Logan comes back early, or Rory spends time in London when she can, or they visit lots, or there are lots of phone calls... that's more the cliffhanger.

Now. A few favorites?

Best comic moment: Emily's line to the maid. "Have I fired you yet?" "No." "Hmmm." That was priceless!! I laughed so hard, I think I missed the entire opening of the next scene.

Best sweet moment: Logan and Rory's "I love you, Ace." "That's so much better than, 'Say hi to Will and Harry.'" But more on Logan and Rory in a minute...

Okay. Seriously. Why does Taylor get significant C-plots for the past two season finales? First the bike race, now the troubadors? There must be something in Michael Winters' contract, because I can't explain it otherwise. I'd rather have seen a C-plot with Lane, Paris, Sookie, or even more Colin and Finn. Any of those options would have been far preferable... Although I did enjoy seeing Danny P. in what must have been one of Amy's stolen hats.

I missed my Lorelai/Rory scenes. They had so little interaction during this episode--and I suppose that reflects the season as a whole, but I still wanted to see more. I understand the lack--it didn't really fit into either of the main plots--but it would have been nice. I also wanted to see Logan in his cap and gown. Not necessarily walking across the stage, because that would be too big of a scene for a secondary character, but with all Rory's pictures, I wanted her to try and get a picture of the proud girlfriend and her graduate.

As for Luke and Lorelai--I thought that Lorelai's speeches, both to Lynny (Lynny?! Is this a reincarnation of Lynny Lott?) and to Luke were excellent--but they needed to happen about 6 episodes ago. This is what we've been waiting to see, and if she had dealt with it earlier, it wouldn't have become such a showdown or an ultimatum.

I did like, though, that the first conversation was a summary of their relationship, as well as her fears and trepidations--the past, if you will; the second was the push into the future. Again, I wish it had taken a less disastrous turn, but it was a good summary.

I found it interesting that she said that she realized that Luke loved Rory during his rant in 5.22. I would have thought that she'd seen it before, and that was just an example of the depth of his love for both of them, but apparently, that was the first time she saw it? Maybe it was just the heat of emotion talking, but I wasn't sure I bought that.

Honestly... I don't have too much to say about them. I'm holding onto my optimism until next season, because it has to get better, but I'm not going to beat myself up over it all summer. I'll keep acting like they're going to happen, and like it's an inevitability, but I probably won't analyze it to death, or write fics about it, or whatever. I'll read them, and I'll cling to the hope that some of those very talented writers can portray, but in some ways, they're losing me.

I won't go so far as to say that I hope that Lorelai and Chris get together, because that would be the worst thing that could happen to her, but as much as I love Luke and Lorelai, I'm not as invested in Lorelai as a person, and therefore not quite as invested in her relationships.

Now, for the other two... I've got to say it. Logan is growing on me a lot lately--I didn't outright hate him at first, although at the beginning of season 6, he was probably my least favorite character. Lately, though, I've been impressed with what I've seen, and with their growth. Logan has grown on me because I love Rory--because she's like my friend, and I want to see her be happy, I'm okay with Logan. He's working at their relationship, and lately, he's been pushing her to work at it, too.

Favorite Rory/Logan moment of the finale? Most significant, actually, as opposed to "favorite": Logan paying for another year on the apartment for her.

That was the biggest commitment yet on his part--even more, in some ways, than him asking her to move in with him. It was his declaration that this was their house, and that he didn't want her to go back, either to Stars Hollow, or to Paris' apartment, or to some other place--he wanted her to stay there, even if he wasn't. Not because it was convenient, or because she needed a house, or because there was no other place to go, but because it's the start of building their life.

It was a huge investment in their relationship, on his part, and it was a tangible demonstration of his commitment through the year of their separation. She's still in their place until she graduates, and then... who knows. There's the possiblity that they could live in that apartment together again, or that they could go somewhere else, or... it's open from there. But that commitment said more than just that he wanted to make sure she had a place to live--it said that he wanted her to stay in the relationship, and that he was going to be there, too, even when he wasn't physically there.

To me, the difference between Rory/Logan and Luke/Lorelai was that, while R/L's scenes were heart-wrenchingly sad, they were hopeful, too. This is the most adult we've ever seen them, and that made me hopeful for their future. It was closing the door on one chapter of their relationship, and now we'll have to wait to see what the next chapter holds. That kind of transition, or "parting," if you will, is the kind that comes naturally with growing up, and it holds all kinds of bittersweetness. It's an end, but not nearly as traumatic as... well, you know.

And Alexis and Matt were on last night! Seriously--they had some of the best chemistry I've ever seen from them, as well as the strongest acting individually. I bought them both completely, and comparing Rory's breakdown at the end of 5.22 to the end of 6.22 was like night and day--some of her worst vs. some of her best acting.

But, that's that, and hopefully what is widely considered to be the worst GG season yet is behind us. I didn't think that it was quite as craporamic as some people thought, but it was definitely weaker than some. Just repeat after me: "There's nowhere to go but up." After that first week in September, everything will be back on track, and things will get back to normal.

End of Season...

2006-05-09T20:02:00.000-04:00

... and the cliff-hanger didn't hang enough for me. I feel like I know how season 7 will start.

Reaches way down deep

2006-05-09T13:47:00.000-04:00

And tonight is it.

The much dreaded, much anticipated, much discussed season finale.

I'm too spoiled for my own good, even though I tried to reform my ways about a month ago, but in the interest of not spoiling anyone else, let me just say...

It's called a "cliffhanger" for a reason. The story isn't finished yet.

Now--I think I'm less distraught over the possibilities because I care more about Rory than many Luke/Lorelai shippers do. There are many people, especially where I hang out, for whom Lorelai and her relationships (especially with Luke) are the be-all and end-all of the show. Don't get me wrong--I love Luke and Lorelai as much as the next person, but they're not the whole show for me.

To me, though, Rory is like a friend. I love her dearly, even when she's making dumb choices, and I really resonate with her, and for that, I'm as invested in her storylines as in Lorelai's.

Someone commented that she's completely unrelatable--that they don't know any young adults who have committed adultery with a married ex, or who have committed a felony. For me... I agree--I've never done that--but I can totally relate to the underlying issues. I can relate to being a college student, finding a new sense of "home," losing first loves, trying to find a niche, dealing with disappointment, searching for that perfect career, reshaping dreams... those are all parts of her underlying conflicts that are expressed in extreme and maybe unbelievable ways, but still--the core is there, and that's what I relate to.

So, with that... I'm looking forward to tonight, with a mix of apprehension and excitement, and I'll try and be better about posting my thoughts on the finale and the season in general, as well as my hopes for season 7!

6.19--"I Get a Sidekick Out of You" (kinda)

2006-04-26T13:11:00.000-04:00

Ack! I didn't post anything for 6.19: "I Get a Sidekick Out of You"! I'll chalk it up to the fact that my parents were in town, and I wasn't exactly at the computer as much as I usually am.

Quick review: I loved the episode. I really felt like I was watching an old friend's wedding, and I cried. It was so perfect and so very LaneandZach. I loved that there were, essentially, 3 weddings--one for each generation--and I love that everything reflected them so vividly.

The biggest thing was that it was just a happy episode. Until the last few minutes, people were happy and laughing, and it was a throwback to the "old" days of GG. I didn't even mind Chris--when he and Lorelai are just friends, it's okay. When they interact as parents, both involved in something that's important to Rory, I don't mind it. I still don't actually like him, and I think he's an idiot of the highest degree in most cases, but I didn't mind him.

Anyways. I haven't watched "Super Cool Party People" yet, so I can't comment on that, but I can (and will) post a conversation that Adina and I were having today, regarding Logan and Jess. As you all know, I am a hardcore Rory/Jess shipper, but I don't mind her with Logan. I've seen character growth in Logan, and I think he's honestly making an effort... so, if my perfect world doesn't come to pass (then again, everything's up for grabs after last week's big news!) and Rory ends up with Logan in the end, I won't be devastated. I'll be happier to see her with Jess, but Logan's not evil.

This is what started it: Someone on the threads said, "I LOVE the idea of a Rory/Logan/Jess triangle, because I think all three characters have their flaws yet are still likeable and able to redeem themselves (unlike certain adults on this show)," and our conversation went from there...

Alida: Interesting... would a L/R/J triangle be more compelling than a J/R/D triangle? Do all 3 of them have more redeeming qualities than others?

Adina: I don't want the show to turn into a soap opera more than it already has. I don't want another Rory triangle...if she decides/realizes she wants to be with Jess, I want her to make a rational decision and then break up with Logan because she has realized he is not who she wants to be with; not necessarily break up with Logan FOR Jess but because she realizes she doesn't love him enough to want to be with jsut him.

Alida: It's interesting, too, because both boys have changed, in different ways, for her or because of her. That adds a new dynamic to the whole thing, in a way. I agree, though--I don't want a triangle. I want a dilemma, maybe, or a struggle, but not a soap opera-y triangle.

Adina: Exactly--an internal Rory struggle.

Alida: I think that the R/D/J triangle was different, because it was at a different time in her life, and a different time in the show--triangles like that are very common in high school, whereas now, they're trying to show her relationships as being more mature and adult. Whether or not that's the case is beside the point. Also, the show at that point was much less soap opera-y altogether, so that storyline wasn't overkill, which it would be now.

Adina: She was in high school and Dean was her first boyfriend and she was struggling slightly with her new feelings combined with "but I thought I love Dean" and a desire not to have anyone get hurt. She should be mature enough to realize the "no one gets hurt" scenario isn't possible and she shouldn't make people miserable for longer than she has to.

Alida: I think the biggest thing between Jess and Logan is that right now, Logan is in these big situations with her, whereas Jess isn't--it's the old "how can you compare Jess at 17 to Logan at 22" argument. You can't. But you can compare what you know of both of their personalities... and I think that Logan's biggest points right now is that he really is trying to do right by her--he's trying to communicate, even if she's not willing. I'd just like the chance to see Jess in the same situations that Logan is in, you know?

Adina: So what situations do you mean that you want to see Jess in?

Alida: The whole long-term, been together for a year, living together, dealing with family crises, how do they deal when one of them is sick/injured, what happens when one of them screws up and they have a big fight... the general things that come along with a long-term, committed, more adult relationship, not the specifics of Logan sleeping with bridesmaids and jumping off a cliff. I think that it would be a totally different thing to see Jess in that kind of relationship now than it would be to see him dating Rory when they were in high school.

Adina: Wow... yeah, I get it. Me too! They've both grown, and as much as we say Rory hasn't, she has.

Alida: They all have. All three of them have grown since we first saw them, and I'll admit that in a lot of ways, we've seen Logan "grow into" being a committed boyfriend.

Adina: He really has, and it's not just lip service. Just look back at Pulp Friction when Logan had three dates or something...

Alida: I think that the difference is that it's because of keeping Rory that Logan has grown up, whereas Jess did it because of Rory's influence, and if he came back romantically, he would already be a committed, mature man before going into the relationship, as opposed to growing into it while they were there. Does that make sense? Not that Logan's sense of commitment is less; just that Jess' has been developed outside of Rory.

Adina: I see what you mean but I don't know if that makes a difference.

Alida: I don't know if it would, either; it's just an interesting comparison.

So. There you go. It's not quite a direct cut-and-paste of our conversation--I cleaned it up some, and made it easier to follow--but that's the general idea. It's a controversial topic to get into on the boards, because people are very passionate one way or the other, and I don't want to be responsible for starting a flame war! Still, I want to get more opinions on it. Talk to me! What do you think?

And when you're finished with that...

2006-04-14T23:56:00.000-04:00

And once you've watched the episode and finished reading the insanely long review, go over and read Greater Than. It's the conversation that I wish had taken place after Rory left.

6.18: "The Real Paul Anka"--It is what it is

2006-04-14T23:26:00.000-04:00

So, 6.18, "The Real Paul Anka"? Let me sum up all the storylines I don't care about first.

Luke and Lorelai blah blah blah.

Lorelai and the wedding dress blah blah blah.

Kirk and the Gilmores and the toxic Stars Hollow blah blah blah.

Luke and April blah blah cute scene with April meeting Jess blah blah.

Logan and Rory? Okay, I've got a few things to say here. I felt for Logan. As much of a Lit romantic as I am and always will be, I can't bring myself to fully hate Logan, and he's a complex enough character to draw me in and keep me intrigued, even if not always liking him. This episode, I believed his emotional arc, from the beginning in the apartment to the newspaper to the LDB plans to his leaving. It was a believable trajectory, and I bought the increase in his frustration with Rory, and yet I still believed that he was hurt, not just angry, when he left.

Having said that, let's get to the real meat of the episode.

Jess. It's all about Jess.

Man, I love that boy. He's easily my favorite character, and don't even get me started on Milo. He's one of the best young actors out there today (and it may warrant a separate post on the Bedford Diaries, but that's another story), and there's a reason he's so in demand right now.

Okay. Let me try and condense four days' worth of intense discussion and scrutiny of this episode into something digestable. Seriously--you have no idea how much time and energy I've been expending with my online friends, dissecting this whole thing. It's kind of sad, but not really. I refuse to believe that it's really that sad! And let me apologize (just a little) if this turns into as much a manifesto on Rory and Jess' relationship as anything else--I'll try to keep it on topic, but my thoughts lately have been flying all over the place when it comes to them, not confined to the episode.

First of all, every single time I've seen Jess since his S4 appearances, I've been impressed with the way his character has grown and changed and developed. I'll say again that he is one of the most dynamic characters on the show. He's taken his life and worked through it, and has grown up!

Jess at 17 was a kid. Jess at 22 is an adult. He's still Jess--there's still the same core of what makes him who he is, but he's softer, more mature, determined, focused, and sensitive to the people around him. Again, all without losing that internal spark of "Jess." Every single part of his appearance in this episode demonstrated that. In every action, he showed how much he's matured, and it made me so proud of him.

First of all, Luke and Jess. The thing I loved about those interactions was the fact that it showed us that they've had a developing relationship ever since 4.21, "Last Week Fights, This Week Tights." That scene and hug was just the beginning, as amazing as it was, and I was always disappointed that we never got to see Jess getting Rory's information from Luke in 6.08, "Let Me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out."

This scene, though, showed the depth of their relationship--that it had obviously been a while since they'd seen each other, but they'd been talking and communicating, and the level of comfort was so evident.

I wish that Jess would have confronted Luke on the situation with April, but in context, this was perfect. It wasn't the time or place for Jess to make a big deal about it--and we have no indication that he even knew that Lorelai wasn't part of things. All we know is that Liz told him (which also means that he's communicating with his mom!), but presumably, Liz doesn't know all the gory details as they relate to L/L. But in the setting they were in, at the time and place... this was the best "reciprocation" that Luke could have asked for, and the best validation that Jess could have gotten.

I have no doubt that hearing the words "I'm so proud of you" come from Luke's mouth was one of the things that made it all worth it for Jess.

Now, for Rory and Jess. This is what I wrote in an email to Adina, a couple of days before the episode aired:

On one level, I totally do [want a kiss], and when/if they do, I'll be jumping around the room screaming. Prepare your ears now. But on another level... what sort of dynamic do they/will they have? Will that wreck it? Will that leave them in yet another awkward goodbye? I would hate to see them revert to that sort of unfinished business, but at the same time, I don't want them to "finish" their business.

I'm seriously stressing out about this! I don't know what I want more--I want to see a Rory/Jess moment, but... it's not that I don't want something to happen behind Logan's back for Logan's sake, because I do care about him, but not that much. It's more that I don't want to see something happen behind Logan's back for Rory and Jess' sake. I don't want their friendship to constantly be built on Rory kissing him behind her boyfriends' backs--they're both better than that, and they both deserve better than that. Do you know what I mean? Get my dilemma?

And then right after the episode, I wrote:

Here's what I want to see happen: Jess kisses Rory, Rory responds, realizes that she has all these conflicting emotions. 'What? I love Logan! But I think I still love Jess! And he obviously still has feelings for me! Ack! What do I do?!'

Rory pulls away, tells Jess that she's sorry, that she's still with Logan, but doesn't throw it in his face that she can't cheat on Logan the way he cheated on her. She gets confused, and then goes home and realizes that she needs to make a decision.

Rory is caught between obligation and old feelings, and she doesn't know which is stronger, or which she should choose. She has to really struggle with it, and has to determine why she loves Logan and what about Jess draws her in, even now.

That, I would believe. I would buy her struggling with that, and I think that it would be far more believable than just hurting Jess and then leaving. I just don't buy that she would kiss Jess to try and cheat on Logan. I don't buy it at all. And maybe that was an afterthought--maybe it wasn't her initial reaction to his kiss--but I hated that they went there at all. That's not Rory. She cares too much about Jess. And yes, she may run away from him, and she may inadvertently hurt him, but I refuse to believe that she would actually try to use him like that.

I still don't think that she went to Philly to lead Jess on. I think she really did go because she was proud of him, but I think that there were a hundred other things mixed up in there. Like we were talking about before, I think that part of it was the fact that, on some level, maybe she wanted him to knock some sense into her, but when he did, it scared her, and her reaction, her words, were a knee-jerk reaction, meant to ease her own pain by hurting him.

I really, really want to see Rory wrestle with it. I hate that she threw that "I love Logan" in Jess' face, but I get that she responded, and then realized that she needed to get herself out of the situation before she did something she'd regret. That, I get. I just don't want it to end there. And even though we won't see Jess again for the rest of the season, he *has* to make an impact on her!! This has to make an impact!

I wonder if/how this will prove our theory that she reacts to his actions more strongly than he realizes. This is a little different, because in this case, he's not the one running, but he's still shaking up her world, and I wonder if she'll react as strongly to this as she has in the past.

Maybe this is where they'll take Rory's thoughts and decisions in the next few episodes. I really hope so--I hope they make her struggle with this, because it's something she needs to fight out within herself.

When the episode aired, I was screaming at Rory, and I was actually quite mad at her for hurting Jess the way she did, but after having a few days to calm down, I'm realizing that my problem with Rory in this episode wasn't the fact that she kissed Jess back, or the fact that she came to Philly in the first place, because I fully agree that it was not intentionally to cheat on Logan. It's that she verbalized the fact that the thought of using Jess to hurt Logan even crossed her mind. If it did... well, that's her reaction. But she doesn't have to tell him that she can't use him like that. It struck something in him, and coupled with the fact that she told him that she can't go further with him because she's still in love with Logan--that's a double-whammy that shows great insensitivity. I understand that she absolutely needed to tell him that she's still with Logan. I don't want her to lie to either of them. But I felt like she unnecessarily went into details that he didn't need to know.

As for Jess' response, particularly the "You and me, it is what it is" and the "You can tell him we did something if you want to" comments... broke my heart. Both of them. Again, kudos to Milo's acting there, but it just revealed something so deep and intimate about Jess and his feelings for Rory, and there's a realization that he loves Rory deeply, no matter what, and that it's a deeper realization than I think she's capable of right now, which has got to hurt him a lot.

Nothing between them is simple. It never has been, and why should it start being simple and predictable now? "It is what it is," in the sense that it has always been complicated and emotional and deeply personal, and he's learned to accept that.

"It is what it is" is a loaded statement, encompassing all this and more--it sums up, the best it can, their relationship. And while it may be vague and unspecific, it's the only way to define it.

The range of emotions playing across Jess' face when he finds out that Logan cheated on Rory is amazing. That look, combined with all the ramifications of "It is what it is," is heartbreaking. I think that Jess, in that moment, hates Logan more for hurting Rory than he's upset at Rory for hurting him. There's obviously a huge combination of emotions in Jess right then, but I got the feeling that, despite the way Rory had just acted, he was more sad for her than angry with her.

I don't think that her reaction to his kiss (the fact that she's running, again, and that she's involved with someone else, again, and the fact that cheating with him even crossed her mind) changes how he feels about her. I think that Jess is too deeply invested in Rory for his feelings for her to change that quickly. His immediate reaction changed, obviously, to hurt, disappointment, and anger, but his underlying love and care for her won't go away that easily. If it hasn't yet, after all the other things they've gone through, it won't, just because she's with someone else.

Someone suggested that his comment, "You can tell him that we did something, if you like," was the one gift he could give her in that moment--that he was sacrificing his pride for the sake of taking away some of her hurt.

That's true, but I think that not only was he sacrificing his pride; he was giving it up over the one thing that he had never gotten to experience with her. No, he didn't explicitly say, "You can tell him that we slept together," but that was the impression that I got from it.

In a way, he was giving up the chance for a romantic, sweet story of their (as yet nonexistant) first time in order to try and alleviate her hurt.

Now, the overall Rory/Jess manifesto. What are they? What can they/will they/should they be? And believe it or not, all of this is the condensed version. Of everything. If you want the whole discussion, head over to TWoP and try to follow along on the boards there!

I think that Rory and Jess will always be something to each other. I think that they've had the connection and the potential for that "great love" ever since the beginning, but it's always been their issues that have kept them apart. First Jess, now Rory, have placed obstacles in the way, but it's not for a lack of spark, chemistry, compatability, caring, belief, or love towards each other.

I think that Rory outgrew Dean, and she has the potential to outgrow Logan, but I don't think that Rory and Jess would outgrow each other. If anything, they have always spurred each other on to grow, change, and be better people, and once they figure out how to communicate and deal with their issues, they will (speaking in faith, here!) be one of those couples that you look at, and you can't imagine either of them with anyone else. But that's the challenge, as many people have already mentioned. They need to deal with their issues and be at the starting point at the same time. After that, I think they would be beside each other to work through whatever came their way, but they need to start on a common ground that they don't have yet.

This trip to Philly and Rory's reaction to Jess was never, in my opinion, about getting even for past mistakes and hurt. That's not what Rory went to Philly for; that's not what Jess saw in it. She went because he was proud of him, and the evening got more intense than I think she had bargained for. He saw another chance, but when he realized that it wasn't really the open door he had thought, it wasn't about, "Well, now we've both screwed each other over; let's call it a day."

Do I think Jess would date someone else? Maybe. But I don't see him as the type to fall in love easily, and I don't see him opening himself up quickly. He has definitely softened and matured over the years, but there's still, I think, a guardedness to him that will always be there, even though he has overcome a lot of the barriers and walls the he set up. I think that Rory will always be in his mind and heart, and if he dates someone else, especially seriously, it wouldn't be for quite a while, and it would take him a long time to get to that point with whomever it was.

Does Rory still love Jess? Absolutely. I think that her being "in love" with Logan is real, but I think that it's also a matter of choice, and a decision based on, among other things, proximity and the fact that Jess hurt her very deeply, and she needed to move away from that for her own sanity. I think that she could easily "fall in love" with Jess again--it wouldn't take more than a few days with him to give her some serious conflict. I mean, look at what happened within the space of a few hours. I think that she could choose to stay with Logan, and she could love him, but I don't think that her feelings for Jess can be that easily dismissed.

They have enough faith in each other, despite all the history between them, for each of them to go out and make a hard, life-altering change based primarily on the other's encouragement and opinion. If that doesn't say something, I don't know what does.

Reading material

2006-04-07T20:53:00.000-04:00

New stories!

Final Boarding Call on Track Twenty-Two. A fluffy, AU, future, Jess-centric fic, inspired by a glance through the forums.

And, Adina's got one up! Come Away With Me. Check it out!

6.17: "I'm OK, You're OK"--In the room, in their Bill Blass scrubs

2006-04-05T19:59:00.000-04:00

Well, well, well. The long-awaited (or long-dreaded) first episode back from the long-endured hiatus has finally happened, and... what's the fallout going to be? I'm trying to reform my spoilerwhore ways, so while I could probably tell you some of the spoilers for the next few weeks... I'm not going to. Because I don't want to think about them until they actually happen, and I don't want to cause anyone else to stumble.

Anyways, onto last night's episode.

My favorite thing was the Rory/Lorelai scenes. Overall, I thought that it was a wise move on Amy and Co's part to bring the first episode back from hiatus to Stars Hollow, especially using the Lorelai2 dynamic to kind of offset the Luke/Lorelai drama. It's good to see at least one of the show's primary relationships (oh, wait; the primary relationship) getting back on track.

I think that's the good thing that happened as a result of the rift--because Rory's growing up and moving away, there aren't as many Lorelai/Rory scenes in general, simply because they don't live in the same place anymore. The rift, and having 6 months (including a summer hiatus in there) of no Girls scenes, makes them fresher when they come back, in my opinion. Now, I think there's more appreciation, even though we don't get as much as we did in S1-3, because it's more than we got in the first half of S6. Just an observation...

Okay. Individual relationships/storylines. Lorelai and Luke. Just freakin' talk! I mean, I love them as a couple, and I want them to be together as much as anyone else, but I'm getting really tired of seeing them not talk. Scream. Yell. Fight. Have it out with each other. Please. That's all I'm asking for. Because when they're not in this weirdness, we get more scenes like the spider in the shower, and Luke's disappearing act at the front door. Which, by the way, was priceless. Loved it!

Honestly, I don't even feel like I have anything to say about them, which saddens me. There should be mountains of things to say about Lorelai and Luke, but instead, I've got huge sections ready to devote to Zach and Lane, and Rory and Logan.

Zach and Lane first. I think that MamaKim has seen the consequences of her strictness with Lane, and is reacting by attempting to meet her in the middle.

It's been three years since Dave was trying to ask Lane to prom, and since then, Lane and MamaKim have been through a lot of ups and downs, including MamaKim all but disowning Lane, and Lane moving out without telling her. I think that, as both characters have matured, Lane has started to respect her mother's opinion more, and MamaKim has started to respect Lane's ability as a young adult to make her own decisions. If nothing else, we know that they both want a relationship with each other, and have both tried to meet somewhere in the middle. Lane didn't have to get MamaKim's approval--we know that she's made major life decisions without it, but this is obviously important enough to her to go through the traditional channels, and that indicates a certain maturity.

Maybe the whole proposal has been rushed, but that doesn't actually worry me as much, since Zach has been a part of Lane's life for a long time, and MamaKim has seen him make an effort with the rest of the family, by coming to Korean New Year (even though he didn't really want to), by looking at photo albums, agreeing with MamaKim about Lane's glasses, cleaning up for the "apartment inspection," and even going to her when his relationship with Lane was in trouble. I think that those things speak more highly to MamaKim than only the songwriting; they indicate that Zach is willing to integrate his life with Lane's in the important ways that a marriage requires.

I think that the biggest difference between this and Dave's Bible reading was that this was with MamaKim. Dave's feat was impressive because he took the initiative and did it himself to gain points. Zach's was impressive in that he spent the time with MamaKim working on it, even though she obviously terrified (or, at the very least, intimidated) him, because that's what he needed to do to get her blessing on the marriage. Not only is he "proving" himself, but it gave him the chance to begin to build a relationship with his mother-in-law-to-be, probably one-on-one for the first time, and maybe that's what MamaKim was going for, more than anything else.

I'm not worried about Zach and Lane anymore, really. I think that he did a lot to prove himself in this episode, and while I still think that proposing to make up from a fight was a little off, what else would you expect from this show? If you look at its history of proposals, most of them have been spur-of-the-moment, and have usually been a reaction to something else. So this just fits. I think that Lane and Zach will be fine.

Now. As for Logan... I sympathized with him, to a point. At the beginning, there was a part of me that was glad that Rory was going to give him another chance. At the end, I felt for him a lot more, because I really believed that he was worried about Rory, and that she was completly inconsiderate (not to mention passive/aggressive to the max) to leave without telling him, especially after going back with him. Beyond the inconsideration, though, I could see him glued to his cell phone all weekend, trying to get in touch with her, trying to call everyone, calling the paper--I could see him letting it affect him. In that last scene, he looked slightly haggard, and I would venture to guess that it was because he was worried about her, not because he was out with Colin and Finn.

I decided that the reason I keep giving Logan a chance is that, while he may be clueless, he's not manipulative. When it comes to Rory, especially lately, it seems that Logan is just a bumbling fool in terms of knowing what to do, or how to handle the boyfriend/girlfriend thing. He may not make sense to many of us, and his reasoning may not be sound, but he said it himself: "In my head." His logic wasn't necessarily sound, but I really believe that he wasn't purposely trying to manipulate Rory, and he believed that he wasn't cheating on her. Whether or not the rest of us believe it is (for the purposes of this argument) beside the point.

I can give foolishness and ineptness a second chance; I can't give manipulation the same slack.

I gave him points tonight for coming to Rory right away, instead of letting things fester again. It showed me that he is learning something about a long-term relationship, and whether or not I think that Rory should have taken him back, I think that the fault or merit in that decision lies with her, not with him. I don't want to excuse what he did, but I also think that, in this case, in dealing with her taking off after the wedding, he did the right thing, and the consequences are a result of her decision to give it another chance.

Overall favorite moments?

Rory and Michel at the Inn, with the post-it notes. It smacked of season 1 and the stamps, and I loved it. Especially him calling her "Little Lorelai." Priceless!

Luke's disappearance at the front door? Hilarious.

I liked Anna. And her store. And that irritated me. But I think that she and Lorelai would get along really well, if it weren't for the fact that she's April's mom. If nothing else, it keeps Luke's taste in women consistent, though--Lorelai, Rachel, and Anna all have many similarities. Nicole... well, we just won't go there.

I liked the interaction with the Elder Gilmores. It was normal, for them--their criticisms of Lorelai's house were their "usual" banter, and it made the Grandparents (particularly Emily) the kind of three-dimensional characters that we saw in earlier seasons, rather than the manipulative plot device that she was during the past season or so.

I wanted someone to mention the fact that Jess lives in Philly when they were talking about Luke going with April's class. Would they not mention it? Especially considering next week's episode? Unless it turns out that them not mentioning him serves some plot point, I'll stay a little miffed. If it has a point... then, I guess they can be forgiven.

I liked Rory's distinction between "Luke's ex-girlfriend" and "your fiance's daughter's mother"--that was an excellent point, and I really appreciated her calling Lorelai on not dealing with it. It also, as Adina pointed out, brought out Lorelai's Mom-Voice for the first time since the rift, which is definitely a milestone. Yet another indication that things are on their way back to normal between the two of them.

Wow. This page needs a layout with a wider text box, because it takes forever to scroll through one of these mondo-entries.

Oh! We can't forget... dun dun DUN... the TRAILER! Because what happens next week??? Oh, that's right. Jess comes back! Nah, no one's excited or anything.

Thoughts? Comments? Responses? Come on--dialogue with me! What did you think?

Who's to say what's impossible

2006-04-04T18:50:00.000-04:00

And finally the hiatus is over... and, sadly, some aren't sure whether or not that's a good thing.

Here are my thoughts: I'm not giving up. I will keep my butt firmly planted in front of the TV until the series ends, because I'm far too invested in it now to give up. I'll believe that Amy has something good in store, and I'll push through the weird plotlines and contrived conflict, because there's too much that's going to happen.

And when it does, I don't want to be labelled a fairweather fan.

I think that part of it has to do with the fact that I'm not solely a Luke/Lorelai 'shipper. They don't make the entire show for me, unlike a lot of people. I can see how, if that was the biggest draw, this season (or this half of the season, so far) would be the biggest disappointment.

Of course I love Luke and Lorelai, and I hate what they're going through, but I also love Lorelai and Rory, and am glad to see them getting their relationship back on track, I'm intrigued by the prospect of where the Elder Gilmores will fit into the Girls' lives now, and Logan... well, I may think that Jess is best for Rory, but Logan is second, and he continually shoots himself down and then redeems himself in my eyes, so at least it keeps me on my toes.

So, I'll eagerly watch tonight's episode, and I'll even more eagerly watch next week's (and I'm phone-watching both episodes with Adina, which will make it even more fun!!), and I'll be at the front of the pack heading into the season finale. And, no matter what happens in these last 6 weeks, I won't give up.

And, just in case you can't wait another hour for an episode... there are more chapters of And When She Was Good. Check it out!

Update

2006-03-23T22:48:00.000-05:00

Briefly on hiatus. I never did get around to posting a review for "Bridesmaids Revisited," did I? And now, I'm completely immersed in "Let Me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out" (6.08), because I'm working on the sequel to U-Turn, and the first 6 chapters or so encompass that episode. So, I'm rewatching it almost daily while I'm working on the story.

Yes. New story. Four chapters up. Here: And When She Was Good.

Also: If you haven't seen the trailer for the back-from-hiatus episodes... check it out! And prepare to gasp and squee. I bit my hand when I first watched it--I was that excited. Although it was mostly because I didn't have a pillow handy to bite. Still--I watched it somewhere in the vicinity of 10 times in a row.

12 days until a new episode! 19 days until the return of Jess!

Hiatus

2006-03-20T21:27:00.000-05:00

I guess this blog is on hiatus, just like the show...

Empty Frames

2006-03-06T13:14:00.000-05:00

Okay, I will get a review up eventually... in my defense, it's hiatus now, so there's nothing new until April 4, which means that I'm not overlapping any episodes or anything.

Anyways. Until then (hopefully tonight), here's a little something to tide you over.

Empty Frames, a companion story to Moving Day. I really, really like the two-word titles, don't I?

Look at me!!

2006-02-17T14:00:00.000-05:00

A little bit of shameless self-pimping, because really, what other kind is there?

U-Turn is finished--the epilogue is up, so now you can see it all in its Jess-loving glory!

Also... Tuesday Morning is a bit of an angsty, post "Vineyard Valentine" one-shot.

6.15--You've got Mass Ass

2006-02-15T22:15:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, I know. it's after 10 p.m., and I'm just now posting this. And, I have to apologize for a not-so-untainted review--I've spent too much time today on the TWoP forums, so I already have second and third and fourth opinions of the episode running through my head.

Also, Chapter Five of U-Turn is up. So go read it. And then tell me what you think. Please? Only the epilogue left... I'm just doing some last edits on it, and it should be up before the end of the week (just in time for Jen's visit, the watching of the end of season 4, and her subsequent re-read).

Now. Onto a review of 6.15, "A Vineyard Valentine."

I guess this one just had two main storyline-ish things--Rory/Logan and Lorelai/Luke. Really, this week, it all boils down to those two relationships, since we had a location shoot, which equals very limited townie interactions and storylines.

I liked the first Rory/Logan scene, in the apartment, if only because Logan's waking up looked so much more natural and less corpse-like than this. That was just creepy on every level. Besides that, though, I liked their interactions, although I was a bit put off by the timeline. Usually, GG doesn't focus on specific dates (with a few exceptions, like Rory's birthday, Luke's Dark Day, or Rory's sentencing), but the past two episodes have been very focused on the dates--Paris specifically mentioned last week being Feb 3, and this is the weekend before Valentine's Day, making it the 10th. Therefore, Rory and Logan have lived together for a week, and they already have the basis to know that they "see each other less now that [they're] living together"?

I can accept that they've gone to the Vineyard before, especially since they would probably have wanted a place to get away from Yale and the pool house during the fall, but it just seemed like they were showing them as having lived together longer. A fairly minor point, though, considering the fact that they have been together for close to a year (minus their break), and have obviously spent a good part of that time staying at each other's houses.

Whale sperm made me laugh. Out loud. Several times. Yes, I am a junior high boy.

Now, I have to talk about Rory for a minute. There's a lot of Rory-hate out there, and I can understand some of it, but I actually have quite a bit of sympathy for the character right now. I may not agree with all her decisions, or the attitudes she has towards them, but I'm actually enjoying watching her try to figure out a balance in her life. It's seemed to me lately that she's trying figure out how she fits into all these opposite worlds that she seems to be stuck in. I didn't see it so much when she was younger, probably because she still lived in Stars Hollow, so her life at Chilton and FND's were more like "visits" to the world of high society, but lately, I've seen her trying to figure out the whole balance, and I kind of like it. I just remember myself at 21, and even though I wasn't trying to balance such extreme lifestyles, there's a huge sense of finding your identity as an adult and beginning to discover where you fit into life.

For instance, her fight with Emily over the DAR--It surprised me a little bit that she was so insistent on staying in it, but then I thought that it might not be such a bad thing, if she balances it out with the rest of her life (which is what she wasn't doing before), and still makes time to go to the Winter Carnival in Stars Hollow. Those two things, shown almost back-to-back, really struck me as both being significant parts of who she is, and I loved watching her do both.

Also, I really loved the cooking scene in VV. I liked that she was moving away, a little bit, from being Lorelai's mini-me, but still included Lorelai in her life and the new things she was interested in, and let their banter extend to something new (showing that they can change, but their relationship can move with them).

And random side note to the cooking: It shows a way in which Rory is growing up in a different way than Lorelai did. Lorelai was thrown into a grown-up world at an age where pop-tarts and junk food were still haute cuisine, and even though she grew up quickly and admirably in the other areas of her life, her diet was always an area where she remained a 16-year-old. Rory, I think, is getting to the age where the junk doesn't cut it as much any more (in most social circles, not just the ones that Logan runs in), and she's starting to experiment and play around with that. I thought it was cool, and very indicitive of the fact that she's not 16 anymore, as much as everyone may lament the fact that OldRory isn't there. If she was exactly the same at 21 as she was at 16, I would be concerned.

And I liked Rory and Logan's domesticity, and playing house. It shows a level of comfort with each other--particularly in the fact that she was playing host in his house. Obviously she had been there often enough to be comfortable with it, and I know that I totally do that when I'm at a friend's house--when I get to the point where I can go through the kitchen cupboards without asking (and without feeling awkward), that's when it's most fun. Plus, I think that it was appropriate, since it was her mother and stepfather-to-be, not his friends or family, that they were entertaining.

Logan, on the whole... still good. There were a few things that I was like, "Dumb kid," but they weren't on the same level as the "Logan's such a smarm!" moments from the first half of the season. I thought that it was great that he gave Luke the heads-up about the gifts at dinner, but it might have been better if he had re-thought his plan once he realized that there would be more than just the two of them there. I didn't think that he was trying to show Luke up, though--he was very generous, once he realized Luke's situation, and he can't really be blamed for not knowing Luke well enough to realize that Luke doesn't "do" Valentine's.

It bugged me that Luke and Logan introduced themselves again. They've met at least twice--granted, the first time was under "less than ideal" circumstances (and I thought that the way they handled that with Christopher last week was hilarious), but they were both at Rory's 21st birthday, too. Even though they haven't spent much time together, they shouldn't need to be re-introduced.

Logan and Mitchum... I felt bad for him. I think he made a dumb move by blowing off the London trip, and maybe Mitchum was justified in his anger, but I still felt for Logan, being lambasted in front of his girlfriend and her parents(ish) like that. Public humiliation is never fun, whether it's deserved or not. And the look on his face at the end of the fight was just heartbreaking. He looked like such a little boy, and I couldn't help but feel sympathetic.

I get his reasoning behind not telling Rory about London, too, even though, again, I think he should have told her. Avoidance is beautiful sometimes, and I got that he really wanted to believe that it would all be okay, but at the same time, she's fallen hard for him, and I really believe that he has for her, too, and if he doesn't tell her until he leaves, he (as a 23-year-old) is hurting her in the exact same way that Jess did as an 18-year-old. I think that if they're trying to write this as an adult (or becoming-adult) relationship, they would do well to avoid that particular comparison.

And now. Luke and Lorelai.

I couldn't believe Luke for a good part of the episode. He's not the type to be so petty, and I was so irritated by the way that he was badmouthing Logan to Lorelai. It has nothing to do with whether he likes or doesn't like Logan; the fact is, this is yet another character inconsistency in Luke right now. He's not that kind of two-faced, and it made me really sad to see that.

And that was what made the long-awaited I Love You seem less special. I mean, we've been waiting for it forever (and I liked that it was made obvious that this wasn't the first time they've said it), but it seemed like that whole scene, as sweet as it was, was tainted by everything lately. It was like AS-P said, "You know, the fans are getting really mad at Luke, and beginning to hate them. Let's give them a scene that they can squee over so that they forget just a little bit that they hate it so much."

Because I did love the scene, and I loved them waking up together--that sweetness has been missing lately--but it was then two steps forward, one step back, when they went back to the diner and Luke didn't pick up on the fact that Lorelai wanted to meet April. Plus, we haven't even gotten the benefit of seeing Dad!Luke lately. We've just seen Jerk!Luke without the sweetness of watching him learn how to be a dad.

Having said that, though, I'm still willing to wait it out and see where they're going with this. I think that there's a reason for the L/L storyline, and there's a reason for the way Rory is developing, even though those are both major points of contention right now, and I'm not going to give up on either.

I should probably have more to say about Lorelai and Luke, but right now, I don't really have anything. I wanted to love it more, but I was still put off by the scenes before and after the ILY.

And now, to end with some fun lines and moments...

Did anyone else notice that Logan didn't call Rory "Ace" once this episode?

I loved Luke's "Is that wise?" It was a normal-Luke moment, and I really appreciated that.

The whole kitchen bit with Lorelai and Rory... the banter is back, and I love it!

And the "Mass Ass"? Hilarious!

So there you go. Thoughts? Because really, no one comments on this thing, so I'm just sending my thoughts out into cyberspace and letting them float.

All around the cobblers bench...

2006-02-14T11:29:00.000-05:00

I know that I've been the negligent blogger recently - the one who can come up with the idea but has no follow through.

I would feel bad, except that I did say this about this blog. That make me off the hook, right?

Anyway, perhaps tonight's episode will inspire me to write. Only 11 more hours until I get to see it! :)

My muse is playing whack-a-mole with my creative instincts

2006-02-13T09:48:00.000-05:00

So apparently, when my muse strikes, it hits me in the head with a 2x4.

I wrote Moving Day as a one-shot, but a number of people, particularly over at Illusive, clamored and clangored for more chapters. Now, I realize that I don't have to accomodate them, but I started thinking about all the different places that the story could go, beginning with that one-shot as the first chapter.

And came up with at least 5.

So, I'm not just writing a story off of that one-shot. Oh, no. That would be too simple. I'm writing a series. Probably five different stories, each one 5 or so chapters long, that begin with "Moving Day" as the first chapter. The stories themselves will have nothing to do with each other, but it's just an exercise in storylines to see how far down completely different paths the same beginning can take us.

Which means that I'm going to be stuck in the minds of Rory and Logan for a very long time. I'll definitely need to write something else in between, just to keep myself from going too crazy!

Moving Day

2006-02-11T23:41:00.000-05:00

My muse hit. I wrote a new story. It's nothing epic; just a one-shot, a post-ep for 6.14. Moving Day, up at BWR. Go tell me what you think. Please?

Chapter Four

2006-02-09T11:07:00.000-05:00

U-Turn chapter 4 is up at BWR. Check it out, please!

Hotplate Harriet strikes again

2006-02-08T13:51:00.000-05:00

Alright. Here we go. 6.14, "You've Been Gilmored," review, coming up!

Much filler. I'm looking forward to the Valentine's episode, just because they'd better do something with it. Still, even though it seemed like filler, there were good things about it, and definitely review-able. :o)

First, though, let me pick apart last week's promo and prove my point that the Evil Promo Monkey is trying to take over the world. If, by chance, you didn't watch the promo, go down two posts and click on that link, and then come back here.

Okay. First of all, did anyone else think that they were trying to look like they were setting up a Rory/Logan pregnancy announcement? That's what happens with the magic of splicing, people. I knew, because I read spoilers, that the "big announcement" was the moving in, but it's amazing what they can make you think it is.

Let's pick this apart clip by clip. First three images? Rory and Logan's "whirlwind romance"--the Birkin bag debacle, the evil dinner at the Huntzbergers', and the success at the paper. No complaints there, so far. Then. Over the Logan voice-over of "Look, we'll figure this out, okay?" from the phone call where he is doing nothing so romantic as hugging her to reassure her, we see the hug from her breakdown over Mitchum's criticism at the end of S5. Then, cut to a random shot of the insurance dinner, then Emily's face from the first FND of the episode, then Rory's phone call with Lorelai and Lorelai's phone call with Chris are merged together to make one ultra-dramatic conversation.

And what did I say about it? How much do you want to bet that none of the spliced scenes have anything to do with each other, and 80% of the promo is from the last 10 minutes of the show? There you go. Evil Promo Monkey. I told you.

Okay, onto the episode.

Again, the Luke/Lorelai storyline was less than utterly compelling, but the difference was that this week, Rory and Logan weren't nearly as interesting (or sweet) as last week. The Lorelai/Michel storyline was cute, but it was better for the fact that we got to see Michel in all his glory, rather than the fact that the storyline did anything to further the plot. I actually didn't mind the Rory/Chris interactions, simply because it was good. It was a nice father/daughter moment, without intruding on Lorelai at all.

I have to say that I'm fascinated by Lorelai's commitment to repairing the extended-family relationships, or at least to not slamming the doors for Rory to build those relationships. She's going so far above and beyond in her efforts to make sure that things between Rory and the Gilmores and between Rory and Christopher are good, and that's kind of cool to see. Except for the minor fact that she's fixing all these other relationships and not her relationship with Luke. Or maybe she's doing that because he's not trying to fix things.

And, in defense of relationships being restored, I was so glad to see that movie night, complete with pop-tarts, was restored. It was yet another example of Rory and Lorelai getting back to where they should be, after not being there for so long. I think that we're actually starting to see this relationship get back to a place that it hasn't been since before "Raincoats and Recipes." It's still somewhat tentative, as we see in the phone call, but they're both taking those baby steps to where they should be.

Luke and Lorelai were less awkward this week than they were last week, but their familiarity wasn't the "aww-able" kind. For instance, my favorite L/L familiarity comes in "Twenty-One is the Loneliest Number," in some of their interactions there, about the link sausages, and the cooking fried chicken, and the smoke coming out of the nose. That's the kind of familiarity that is incredibly intimate and sweet. This kind was... not bored, per se, but almost just co-existing. I'm not saying that I want a fight, but I just want them to deal with everything!

The insurance dinner was just weird. Are they setting us up for something April-DNA-Luke's not the dad-related? If not, I don't think that dinner had much point, unless the whole thing was just a setup for Lorelai's comment about Richard and Emily accepting the relationship. In which case, may I just say, overkill! If it was an April thing... I dunno. It just seemed so random, and such a major way to spend so much of an episode. But then again, that's what filler is--when they spend so much focusing on Michel's jealousy of everyone who has anything to do with Lorelai (does anyone remember his insane jealousy to Tobin?) and the insurance business.

In the eternal question of "is Logan successful in redeeming himself not only in Rory's eyes, but also in the eyes of every viewer?", this week didn't do much to sway me one way or the other. Although I have to wonder at his relationship with Colin and Finn, if they can come move Rory at a moment's notice. Still. I wonder where the "moving in" thing is going; if he realizes the kind of commitment that it is. I think he does--I really do think that he made the offer on the spur of the moment, but I don't think that old Logan would have done that. The spontaneity of it was only possible because of the underlying commitment. But we'll see. They do love to prove us wrong on all things relationship-related.

Chris. Every Chris and Logan similarity is being slammed over our heads right now, and it makes me wonder how big of an anvil this is. "Chris isn't right for Lorelai; Logan isn't right for Rory?" Is it setting up a huge breakup? I guess we'll see. I did love Rory's line, though, "Interesting yardstick you're using." At least she realized the absurdity of the bond between boyfriend and dad. Like I said before, I actually enjoyed Chris' interactions in this episode, mostly because I didn't feel (with one exception) like he was barging in where he shouldn't be. And I liked his outfit.

The one exception. Caling Lorelai when he did. I don't necessarily have a problem with him playing the Dad card and telling Lorelai that Logan and Rory had moved in together. What I do have a problem with is the fact that he didn't give Rory a chance. She was obviously not trying to hide things from Lorelai--she told her as soon as she got home (and in her defense, it seemed like the day that never ended, in terms of life-altering occurrances, so we'll forgive her for not calling Lorelai first!), and didn't beat around the bush. If she hadn't told Lorelai, Chris would have had every right, I think, to share the news, but his timing sucked.

Anything else? I loved Paris' resignation speech. Leave it to Paris to try to preserve her dignity, even if it was only in her own mind. I actually kind of liked the fact that Rory wasn't an original choice for editor--it was only after the other, more legitimate, options had been exhausted that they overlooked her semester off and put her name up. Plus, I think that it shows that she really is a loyal friend to Paris, because she was never looking to take over Paris' position. I think that, through all of this, Rory has been more than patient with Paris, and has really tried to bridge the gap between the two sides, playing mediator as often as possible.

And the Gilmore timeline strikes again. So... we've got a FND at the beginning, and then we skip a week to the next Friday, and that's when the rest of the episode takes place. I think. Because the editor-ousting, the eviction, the moving into Logan's, the visit from Chris, the Michel/Lorelai Weston's coffee, the insurance dinner, and the phone call all took place on Friday. February 3rd, incidentally, if anyone cares. Oh, and we fit the Luke-hangs-the-key-rack and the first Michel scene somewhere into that week between FND and FND. Seriously. This show's timelines are just so far out there sometimes.

Anyways... I think that's it. Thoughts?

U-Turn

2006-02-05T13:44:00.000-05:00

Chapter 3 of U-Turn is up at BWR. Go read.

Evil Promo Monkey in action

2006-02-04T16:27:00.000-05:00

Mmmkay. I don't know how spoiler-free anyone out there is, but if you want to see the Evil Promo Monkey in action, check out this WB promo for the upcoming episode.

Any guesses what it's talking about? Come on. What does it sound like it's talking about?

But, since I am not at all spoiler free, I can say with a small degree of certainty that from the actual spoilers, it's probably not what it sounds like... of course, we'll all see after the episode is over, but still.

How much do you want to bet that none of the spliced scenes have anything to do with each other, and 80% of the promo is from the last 10 minutes of the show?

Because that's what the Evil Promo Monkey does.

You really did only like me for my looks, huh?

2006-02-03T12:24:00.000-05:00

Alright! Let's get some content up here! And let's see how many posts we can put up in one day...

Just to get the ball rolling, I'm going to post my thoughts on 6.13--Friday Night's Alright For Fighting. If I emailed these to you already, I apologize for the redundancy, but I think that from now on, I'll post instead of email. Okay. Enough talking. Here you go:

Okay, first of all, let me say that this was a strange "Freaky Friday" esque swap between Logan and Luke. Seriously. It was like Logan filled that role in Rory's life that Luke usually fills in Lorelai's--the one that steps in to fix things and pick up her slack, and Luke took the avoidance track (albeit on a smaller, not-so-alcohol-soaked scale) of not dealing with things that Logan was so expert at for the first half of the season (can you believe that we're officially into the second half of season 6 already?!). The whole episode was kind of alternate-universe, though. I was more drawn in by the Rory/Logan storyline than the Luke/Lorelai one, and as I'm rewatching it to write this, I'm finding myself fast-forwarding the L/L scenes, which just isn't right. I'm all for Logan getting his act together, and I'm liking the way they're playing this out, but it seems that they can't have both Girls in good relationships at the same time; it's like they have to alternate dysfunction.

I'm going to just pretend that the teaser scene didn't happen. That was the most awkward L/L interaction since "Say Something," and it was just so... weird. Well-acted, but just too awkward for words, and I want to pretend I never saw it. However, Lorelai not cancelling everything could be a setup for another fight, or it could be a big anvil that things are going to be okay and June 3 will still go ahead. Although, based on timeline and certain spoilers, I doubt that.

Luke is... I don't know what to think. I think that they're writing him out of character for what he's been for 6 years. I'm not even talking (at this point) about waiting 2 months to tell Lorelai about April; I just think that he's being too oblivious to Lorelai's emotions. Yes, he's a guy, but he has proven, over and over, that he's pretty attuned to Lorelai, even before they were dating. I just don't see him suddenly becoming Mr. Insensitive. I appreciate his efforts with April, but I don't like him being so excited and not seeing Lorelai. I would have absolutely no problem with his "Geometry for Dummies for Dummies" if he was more willing to include Lorelai in it all. I love that he's so excited to be a dad, but I wish he wasn't so determined to do it alone.

Okay. Onto Logan. I really liked him in this ep, mostly because he got Rory back by really knowing her. Finally. The coffee was fine, but I like that it took him actually doing his job on something that means the world to her in order for her to give in. Back in s5, when we first met Logan, Doyle informed us that he was good at what he did; he was just too much of a playboy to be any good. I love that we saw him being good at it--the 90 wpm typing, the instincts about staffing the newsroom; the articles he was pulling... he does know his stuff, and even though he may hate it because of his father and the pressure, I really don't think he hates it because of what it is. Also, he gets brownie points for not saying a word about their date, and just pitching in. And, I loved that he pulled strings using his name. That it all came down to how seriously he was taking it, and he came through and used the connections for something other than partying or getting a platinum credit card. So, big Logan points this week. And Rory points for stringing him along a little until he proved himself.

It also shows that he takes her seriously. I really thought that they worked together, and that he didn't belittle her in any way. Now, we know that he's taken her at least somewhat seriously as a journalist ever since the LDB article, but this, especially in light of everything that happened, was a bonus affirmation.

The show seems to take the growth of certain characters seriously, aside from the main ones. We've seen it most (in my opinion) in Jess, in the ways he's changed and come back, and I think we're starting to see something in Logan. The difference, so far, is that Logan is changing in full view, and as a direct result of his relationship with Rory and his growing up and all that. Jess took Rory (and, I think, Luke) as an impetus and changed on his own, out of sight. Obviously, that's mostly due to casting and contracts and stuff, but it'll be interesting to see how they further both of those character developments--one in plain view; one out of sight.

The Gilmores. The fight scene was interesting, and I think I did like it. The filming was so different from most GG scenes--adding to the alternate universe feel of the episode, and that added to the weirdness, but it was good. It added to the whole chaotic feeling without having to show the entire fight, and it showed the passage of time, again, within the time constraints of having the entire conversation. I hope that it infers that they actually dealt with some stuff, instead of just yelling about it, but I think that's something that remains to be seen.

And, I have to say, I loved Lorelai's concern for Rory's relationship with the grands. I think that shows a real maturity on her part--that she, after all this time, understands the relationship that Rory has had, and doesn't want her to sacrifice that. The crazy scarf scene was a good mix of the goofy scarf and the serious topic.

Paris. Don't even go there. That girl has gone crazy, and they'd better fix her soon, because Liza Weil deserves better. That's all I have to say about her.

Okay. Onto some great moments and lines:

Any time Lorelai parodied the Gilmores. Especially at the dinner table, especially calling "scene!" on herself. I laughed so hard.

Drunk Emily recapping her takedown of Shira.

Logan's line: "You really did only like me for my looks, didn't you?" Funny, telling, and leaves the door open for Rory's realization that she can now (perhaps) like him for more than that.

Bill's line: "All that was missing were the Kaballah bracelets and the matzoh."

Logan's moment as he hung up the phone. "And that's how it's done at the DAILY NEWS!" I loved that he got so excited about it, and again, it wasn't just about Rory. He got excited for the sake of what he'd done, and the accomplishment. And then the moment was ruined by Paris' emergence from her random office of cardboard.

Random extras in that scene. The "The computer crashed again!" guy, milking his one line for all it was worth, and then the random hugging couple (pink shirt girl and blue shirt guy) that must have taken lessons from the Alexis Bledel School of Physical Affection. That was awkward. But, for once, Alexis and Matt weren't. The exuberant hug was great, and the kiss wasn't all that bad, either.

And, Rory's back. This is the Rory that we know and love. Driven, a little bit of a mama's girl when it comes to dealing with conflict, but not a complete spineless wimp... it's good to see her back.

And I'm still going to pretend that the Luke and Lorelai in this episode never happened. That we can just erase that part of it, and pretend that they're fine.

Okay, long enough? I think I covered all the character analysis--this week, it was much more about that than it was about the acting... I mean, it was good. The usuals were all excellent--I loved the acting in the fight scene, but then again, Kelly Bishop and Ed Hermann always nail it, and they bring out some of the best in Lauren Graham.

Template to come...

2006-02-03T10:49:00.000-05:00

I'm eventually going to try and find an actual Girls template, but for now, this is pretty and simple and it works.

Here we go, ride the pony... this is how we do it

2006-02-03T10:28:00.000-05:00

So here's my GG story.....

It's fall 2001. I'm living off-campus, anxiously awaiting the day in a few months when I will finally move into residence. One of my housemates, Heather, is sitting infront of the tv one night, watching a show that I have never heard of. She tells me the name. I sit and watch with her, totally enjoying the banter back and forth between characters, the great clothes and the (relatively) clean storyline.

I forgot the name of the show. My class schedule changes, and I'm not home to watch it again all term. I miss it, but figure that I should be doing homework instead of watching tv anyway.

Fast forward two years. My friend Julie, who I've known since Kindergarten, tells me about this great show that she watches every week, Gilmore Girls. I watch it with her for a few weeks, but then I have to move again, so I have no tv to watch it on. I realize at the end of this time that it was Gilmore Girls I was watching in first year.

It's half way through season 5. My husband and I are given a TV. And the obsession begins, now that I can finally watch it every week.

First it was just a habit, something that I did for an hour a week. But then it became more than that; a social time with Julie every once in a while. A few minutes a week reading spoilers. A conversation with Alida about it.

And now look at where I am. Afraid that we won't have TV next year because I will miss Gilmore Girls too much. Writing a blog about a tv show. Looking for sales on the dvds.

Am I progressing or regressing? Only time will tell.

All in

2006-02-03T09:40:00.000-05:00

Hello, hello, hello.

This was suggested by my favorite person who actually lives in Ontario right now (had to qualify that so I didn't forget about Kim)... my dearest Jen!

This is our geek-dom. We will review episodes, discuss all things Gilmore, and squee together.

You in? All in?

Heh. See? It's starting already!