Through a Glass, Darkly

Whenever Phil says the following: “The world is waiting for you. Good luck. Travel safe,” I always tear up. Every time. I love the roadblocks and the detours and the fast forwards. And I love the end of the race, when Phil tells them how many miles they’ve gone and how many countries they visited. But more than that, I love when Phil tells them the world is waiting. And he does the eyebrow pop. I look forward to it whenever I hear the show is coming back. And I always have my kleenex handy. (Though I try to wipe my eyes unobtrusively so that Mike won’t laugh too much.)

(In case you don’t know, I’m talking about The Amazing Race. And if you don’t know, why is that? It’s my favorite show! It’s back!)

I am watching the 2-hour season premiere of 90210. Stop judging me. Actually, keep on judging me. I am judging myself. But not very harshly, because I can’t stop thinking about the glory days of 90210. Which I wasn’t really allowed to watch when it was on, but which I definitely watched in syndication. And, oh, the drama. The clothes. The hair. I love it all. Can this new incarnation possibly be as good? I doubt it. And Gossip Girl is already my secret trashy show, so there’s not really room for 90210 in my life. I just couldn’t resist seeing what it would be like. (And, um, so far, it’s really really trashy.)

(Mike is refusing to watch it with me. I think this is because he has slowly been sucked in to Gossip Girl and the greatness of Chuck Bass and he knows he must stand firm on the 90210 issue or it will suck him in as well. However, that did not keep him from being excited for me when Kelly and Brenda were on the cover of this week’s Entertainment Weekly.)

(And I am not even going to tell you about how Alisa let us borrow season 1 of Dawson’s Creek, which has been taking me back to my freshman year of college. Emily and I were in a Bible study then, and I remember that my hall mates and I were always trying to get Bible study to wrap up so that we could go watch the saga of Dawson and Joey. And, of course, Pacey. Am I digging myself into a hole here or what?)

Yesterday Mike and I were looking for olive oil from Greece. My mom brought Mike some olive oil from Greece when she went back in the spring. We thought the fancy Harris Teeter might have some, so we went by there. They have a big section of olive oil, and we spent a while looking at it. Until I said, “You realize that we just spent like five minutes examining the olive oil, right? I’m pretty sure that’s the definition of yuppie.” (Then we left and went to The Fresh Market, where they had the same olive oil from Greece for four dollars less. Four dollars! How can it be cheaper at The Fresh Market!?)

Kelly “I choose me!” Taylor is on the screen!

This is the part of the blog entry where I should defend myself by pointing out that I listen to NPR and watch intelligent shows like 30 Rock and The Office and that I carried my apple core home today so that I could compost it instead of throwing it out at school. But I already told you the olive oil thing, so, between that and 90210, I am pretty sure that you have lost all respect for me at this point. Unless, of course, you are watching, too. Anyone?

This is thy hour O Soul, thy free flight into the wordless,
Away from books, away from art, the day erased, the lesson
done,
Thee fully forth emerging, silent, gazing, pondering the
themes thou lovest best,
Night, sleep, death and the stars.

—

Happy National Poetry Month!

Cookie Monster interviewed on NPR. It’s as delightful as you would hope.

The “In Character” feature on NPR got me thinking . . . who is my favorite fictional character? Though it can be from literature, film, television, or song, they specifically want it to be American, so my first thought, Anne Shirley, isn’t an option. I mulled it over. Lord Peter Wimsey, for his humor and the way he uses it to deflect his true feelings, also isn’t an option. Neither is Elizabeth Bennet, though I always think she is just a little too clever to be my friend. In fact, most of my childhood favorites aren’t eligible: Bilbo Baggins (though I think he’s more admirable than affecting), Lucy Pevensie (now I think she’s kind of annoying, to be honest), Neville Longbottom (I didn’t read him when I was a kid, but I would take him over Harry Potter any day of the week). I admire Laura Ingalls and Jo March, but there’s also a distance between us in how tomboyish they are. I love a lot of TV shows, but none of the women I can think of seem quite well-rounded enough: Rory and Lorelai Gilmore, Monica Geller, Veronica Mars, Lindsay Weir, Angela Chase. Now, Claire Huxtable, maybe, for the way that she works, parents, and can kick your butt at the same time. A lot of my favorite movie characters seem a little too old and cosmopolitan: Kathleen Kelly, Sabrina Fairchild. Maybe I could go the obvious route and choose Atticus or Scout Finch, but though I admire that book more than I can say, I wouldn’t choose those characters (though I plan to reread it this year, so maybe I will change my mind). I can’t decide if Mary Russell is American enough. She’s anther who’s probably a little too smart to be my friend.

In the end, I think my favorite fictional character is Vicky Austin. Perhaps since Madeleine L’Engle felt so close to Vicky, there’s something more real and fallible about her than other characters. I know what it’s like to need time alone, to lose yourself in a book. I know what it’s like to feel as if you don’t measure up, to feel awkward and unsure. And I know what it’s like to have big questions about life and death and suffering. Madeleine L’Engle, through Vicky, taught me that those questions are okay, that they aren’t incompatible with a life of faith. It’s because of Vicky that my favorite Psalm is 121. I still, like Vicky, am learning what it means to be me.

I do really like cookies, though. So maybe I should have just gone with Cookie Monster.

When we started the Dwight Schrute’s Travels set on Flickr, a few people thought we would be releasing a new picture of Dwight regularly. But we had mostly just planned on taking pictures of him when we visited interesting places. However, since people seem to think we should have regular pictures of Dwight, we are slowly releasing the pictures of his travels in New York. He had quite a good time. Here he is at The Met. With some crossbows. He enjoyed the whole exhibit on weapons, but the crossbows were his favorite.

1. Clarence Wiedman. Clarence Wiedman, people. So what if he’s a guidance counselor in this show? He will still shoot you. Because he is Clarence effing Wiedman.

2. Scott Patterson. Wow, I love Clarence Wiedman, because I put him on this list before Scott Patterson. It’s nice to have Scott Patterson on my TV again, even if he looks nothing like Luke Danes. (I knew Scott Patterson was on this show, but Clarence Wiedman was a surprise.)

3. From how it sounded and from what I can tell on IMDB, the bad guys in this school? Are named Palladino. It could be Palladini. But let’s just go with the first one, shall we? Down with the Palladinos!

I didn’t watch all of the first episode yet, so I may find more reasons. What I saw, though, was funny and sweet, and the show has gotten great reviews.

And it has Clarence Wiedman. He will shoot you if you don’t watch it.

Bye, Veronica. I’ll miss you (and Wallace and Mac and Keith and Piz and Dick and, yes, even Logan) and your snarky, cynical self.

So, who wants to recommend some shows I really ought to get into? Because my schedule’s pretty open. (What’s the Grey’s spinoff that Piz is in . . . should I watch that?)

Spoilers for “Bon Voyage.”

We’re all Gilmore, all the time here, lately, eh? Well, thanks for bringing up such a painful subject, since that was the last episode ever, and I won’t have anything else to to say about the show. Ever. Thanks. No, that’s fine. I’m not crying over here. There was no crying tonight.

Fine. I cried. Four episodes in a row with the crying! It’s just embarrassing now!

So, I mean, I know that when it comes to this show I am a person who keeps on going, keeps on watching, keeps on trying to paint things in a positive light. I stood firm all season, promising you guys and myself that it was all going to be okay. I was sure it was going to be okay. And so maybe it’s just me, with the rose-colored glasses, but that episode was pretty great, right? I was prepared to feel like the Lorelai/Emily relationship was unresolved, but instead I felt like they’re going to keep on talking and arguing and pushing each other’s buttons . . . and sneaking in genuine moments of love. They are going to be fine. Plus, Richard! Bringing the sentiment! I liked that it was tied in to his heart attack, that he was trying and being genuine, especially last week and this week. That was fantastic. I was prepared to feel like Luke and Lorelai were going to be rushed, but instead it felt good, like they are going to be fine. Like they both, individually, worked their stuff out and they are finally on the same page, and they’ll finally get their “middle,” just like Lorelai wanted. I’ve written more in this blog about Luke and Lorelai than any of the other relationships, but . . . I was satisfied. I never really wanted a big emotional wedding episode, or a positive pregnancy test, or a very special birth episode. I just wanted to know that they’d be happy together, and I felt like this episode gave me that closure. Overall, I was satisfied with the way tonight went down, the whole thing. If they’d come back for next season, what more could have been said, really?

I don’t want to talk too much about Luke and his amazing party-throwing ways, though, because this was, more than anything, Rory and Lorelai’s episode. Lauren Graham KILLED me. And Rory, with her, “You’ve given me everything I need.” I don’t know what else to say about it, but it was great - Rory with her job and Lorelai learning to let go. Just as it should be.

And of course, everyone in Stars Hollow, from Lane to Gypsy, Babbette to Morey, Cesar, Lulu, Zach, the unofficial town meeting, Taylor’s sicko speech, Kirk’s sash, and Luke sewing that tent. I could write a paragraph about each of them, how fun it was to see them one last time, how the townies were such a huge part of the show, and how glad I am that tonight’s goodbye included them, too. It hit the right notes - sweet and funny but not too sentimental. It was everything last season’s finale was not, to be honest. Good job, DSR. Good job.

And good job on getting Christiane Amanpour, by the way. Awesome. That was one of my trivia questions (good job, Andrea!).

I don’t want to stop writing about it, just like at the end, when it was panning away, and I said, “I don’t want it to be over.” But I like that it ended without neatly wrapping up every detail. In my head, Luke can go on the rollercoaster trip with Lorelai, and she can go on his boat trip, too. In my head, the whole cast can go on bantering and drinking coffee and having festivals and being (and driving each other) slightly crazy. It ended just as it began, in the diner. Just like I wanted, with Luke and the girls (he opened the diner for them, I love him so much) in the diner. And not a dry eye in the house.

Thanks for seven (mostly) great seasons, Gilmore Girls. We sure will miss you. Thanks for having us in “your little corner of the world” for all this time.

PS: Someone please buy this for my birthday.

I’m not ready to talk about the episode yet (though there is a spoiler at the very end of this post), but to tide you over, here are the listings for the CDs I made as party favors for our series finale party.

I didn’t mean to end up with two discs. It just happened. When I realized I had two hours worth of songs, I decided to divide them up by the two girls. Our first disc is the Rory disc, with songs relating to her and her friends, and the second disc is the Lorelai disc. Because I am a sap, it mostly relates to Luke. Also, do YOU remember any good songs relating to Max, Christopher, or Jason? I certainly don’t.

For every song that was included, there was a Sonic Youth, a Modest Mouse, some Sparks, some Pixies, some Bowie, some Metallica, even U2 . . . that didn’t make the cut. It’s already two discs, people. I had to make some decisions.

My most controversial decision was not to include the theme song. After seven seasons, I must confess that I am tired of the theme song and fast-forward (thank you, TiVo) past it every week. I included another Carole King song instead. You are welcome to make your own CDs including the song, MELISSA. I just couldn’t do it.

Anyway. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip down memory lane as I researched songs to include, remembering scenes and songs that are so much of the reason I love that show.

Disc 1: Rory

1. “How to Dream” by Sam Phillips – Welcome to Stars Hollow. You know the strummy la-las, you love the strummy la-las. Does this one need a reason?

2. “I Try” by Macy Gray – This one plays during the pilot episode when Lorelai and Rory fight about Dean, then Rory puts it on in her room and Lorelai puts it on in the living room. I always love that scene. I thought about cutting this one, but, in the end, I’m glad I left it in.

3. “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star – Rory and Dean have their first dance. Remember what the show used to be like back then?

4. “Oh My Love” by John Lennon – This song plays when Dean shows Rory the car he built for her and tells her that he loves her.

5. “Satellite of Love” by Lou Reed – Some of the songs I had to look up, but this is one I can never forget. This is the song that plays when (ahem) Dean came over to . . . borrow something from Rory. I really like the song, though.

6. “Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer” by Nat King Cole – If you could get this song out of your head after the season 3 premiere, you are a better person than I am.

7. “Girl from Mars” by Ash – I’m trying to give all of Rory’s boyfriends air time. Remember that time Jess stole a book from Rory’s room and then wrote in it and then gave it back to her? Yeah, this is the song that played when they engaged in the cute book talk. It’s not going to make me forget that he wrote in her book, though.

8. “Lily-A-Passion” by Grant Lee Phillips – Grant Lee Phillips is the Troubadour, and I love his music. This is my favorite of his songs, hands down. How can you not love a song that includes the line, “She’s a piratey soul full of vinegar and glitter?” (That is totally my goal in life, by the way.) This song could have gone either Rory or Lorelai, because it plays in the season 4 finale when Rory is walking to the diner and also in Sniffy’s Tavern when Luke and Lorelai have their first date. How it could be on the speakers/radio in Sniffy’s Tavern was never ultimately explained. Did the Troubadour get a record deal? Am I over thinking this? Anyway, I think of Rory walking past the Troubadour when I hear this, so it’s on her disc.

9. “Legal Man” by Belle & Sebastian – Rory has a Belle & Sebastian t-shirt that she mentions when she’s in college (it got thrown in the trash when she didn’t take it out of the dryer right away), so I knew I was going to include them. And then I did a little research and remembered that there was this whole story in one episode where Lane wanted the new B&S CD and Rory and Kirk and Michel coordinate to get it to her without Mrs. Kim finding out. While they are doing that, this song plays. Perfection

10. “Fell In Love With a Girl” by The White Stripes – Speaking of Lane, her band played this song in “Keg! Max!” That’s the episode in which Dean and Jess fought at the party. I wanted to be sure at least one Hep Alien cover made it on the CD. (The next episode is when Lorelai sang “Did You Ever Know That You’re My Hero” to Rory. But I left that song off this CD. Sorry.) Oh, also! The episode in which Lane and Zach got married was a painful one for me personally, as a Luke and Lorelai fan, but the wedding cake had a picture of them looking like the cover of The White Stripes’ last album. So of course The White Stripes had to be included.

11. “Science vs. Romance” by Rilo Kiley – Still speaking of Lane, when she’s considering dating Zach, she worries about how their relationship might affect their music, and plays Rory this Rilo Kiley song to compare the band before and after their breakup. I don’t love Rilo Kiley, but I do like some of their songs, and this one’s cute.

12. “Hollaback Girl” by Gil and Brian – I had to practically move heaven and earth to get a copy of this. Definitely my favorite moment from season 6 – a thing of beauty and a joy to behold, especially in a season that was desperately in need of some laughter. Special thanks to Brian for getting me a copy.

13. “So Says I” by The Shins – When Rory and Paris went on spring break, The Shins played at their nightclub. This is the song they played.

14. “The Laws Have Changed” by The New Pornographers – This band gets mentioned a lot. A lot. And this song also plays in the nightclub when Rory and Paris are on spring break.

15. “Starcrossed” by Ash – Well, here’s the deal. I was reading a site that had a lot of the music listed, and for this song, it said, “Rory and Marty sit on the bed and study.” I actually remember that scene, because I still love Marty, even if the last season made him kind of creepy. So I made a note to listen to this song, to see if I liked it. And I love it. And I love Marty. So I self-indulgently decided to include it.

16. “Don’t Sleep in the Subway” by Petula Clark – I started feeling guilty for not really having any Logan songs, especially after adding a Marty one. I have two theories on why I couldn’t come up with any. First, the sixth season had several episodes without anything but the regular Sam Phillips strummy la-las. Second, I don’t pay as much attention to the Logan scenes as maybe I should. This song is from Logan’s farewell party. British invasion! I tried to find something from the Quentin Tarantino party (these kids sure like theme parties!), but I have never seen a Quentin Tarantino movie, and I didn’t want to use that woo-hoo one.

17. “The Perfect Crime” by The Decemberists – I remember when this song played, because both Mike and I recognized it. This is a season 7 song, when Rory brought Lucy and Olivia over to Logan’s apartment.

18. “To Go Home” by M. Ward – This song plays in the bar when Rory and Paris are talking about their futures in “It’s Just Like Riding a Bike.”

19. “If I Could Write” by Sam Phillips – This may be my favorite Sam Phillips song, and it’s in a great scene – the end of the season 5 premiere (“Say Goodbye to Daisy Miller”), when Rory’s going to the airport and Lindsay is making the roast for Dean. Lindsay breaks my heart. I wanted Sam Phillips to end Rory’s CD, but this isn’t the end. Proceed!

—

Disc 2: Lorelai

1. “Now and Forever” by Carole King – I couldn’t do “Where You Lead” because I am so over that song. But Carole King did need to be included, both for the theme song as for owning the music store and letting Lane practice on the drums. I thought this one had a Gilmore-appropriate sentiment.

2. “There She Goes” by Sixpence None the Richer – I am a fan of this song, and it was in the pilot, very first thing. A great beginning. Not that I saw the pilot until later. But that is not the point.

3. “My Darling” by Wilco – This one plays in “The Deer Hunters” when Lorelai and Rory fall asleep while Rory studies for the test. I can take or leave Wilco, but this song is very sweet.

4. “Walk Like an Egyptian” by The Bangles – When the girls went to the concert, this was the first song that played. This is my nod to 80s music. I left out . . . pretty much everything else that Lorelai references. She can make her own CDs. This is my version of things.

5. “I Can’t Get Started” by Ella Fitzgerald – From Sookie’s wedding. The saddest wedding march of all time. And extremely disappointing, in retrospect . . . don’t you wish it was true that Lorelai couldn’t get started with Christopher? Would have saved us all a lot of time.

6. “Ballerina” by Leona Naess – This wasn’t actually on the show, but they used it in some season 4 promos, and I thought the lyrics were so appropriate for what the show was trying to do then – the girls were both kind of lost without each other, Lorelai was learning how much she depended on Luke . . . “I didn’t think I needed you, but I need you now.” Plus, the song is just pretty.

7. “Tell Her What She Wants to Know” by Sam Phillips – Speaking of Luke, this plays in the season 4 premiere when Luke tells Lorelai that he married Nicole.

8. “Mona Lisa” by Grant Lee Phillips – The Troubadour plays at the Firelight Festival in “Nag Hammadi is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels,” otherwise known as “the episode in which Jess comes back and Luke gets drunk (and then gives Lorelai the earrings that Liz made, but only after getting a handful of Barbie).” Such a pretty song.

9. “Reflecting Light” by Sam Phillips – Luke and Lorelai dance under the stars. You know it, you love it, you didn’t need me to tell you why I included it.

10. “Shh” by Frou Frou – Oh, how I watched the season 5 promos, desperate to know what was going to happen with Luke and Lorelai. This was when I still watched promos, obviously. This wasn’t a Luke and Lorelai one, actually – it featured Lorelai looking sad in the airport and saying, “You’re 19, you know what you’re doing.” But it’s still a Gilmore song to me.

11. “Wedding Bell Blues” by 5th Dimension – It’s only right for Emily to get a song, too, right? Here’s what played at her vow renewal.

12. “Smile” by Grant Lee Phillips – Here’s another classic Troubadour song, played at the end of an episode near the beginning of season 3 as Lorelai and Rory walked around the town.

13. “Amazing Glow” by The Pernice Brothers – Remember the season 6 finale? I know, I tried to block it out, too. Besides the plotline that shall not be named, there was also the troubadour thing, which was a fun concept, but, honestly, kind of sucked in execution. One of the troubadours was Joe Pernice, and he played this song, which is gorgeous. Don’t hate him just because of the Palladinos. (In that same episode, Sonic Youth played a song called “What a Waste” and I thought about including it and saying, “Commentary on season 6 and the resulting relationship with Christopher?” but I didn’t like the song. And bitterness isn’t my most becoming feature.)

14. “Eye of the Tiger” by Paul Anka – How could I not include a Paul Anka song? This one was actually featured on the show, too, during the Thanksgiving episode in season 6 (after Luke unsuccessfully tried to call April). Yay, Paul Anka!

15. “On the Radio” by Regina Spektor – One more promo song. I love this song, and it played during some season 7 promos featuring Lorelai and Rory being adorable together. So it’s in!

16. “Taking Pictures” by Sam Phillips – This song played right after Lorelai gave Luke the ultimatum and walked away. I don’t have anything else to say about it, but I do love it.

17. “I Will Always Love You” by Lorelai Gilmore – How can such a recent scene be included in one of my all-time favorites? I guess Lauren Graham is just that awesome. I was going to include Dolly, but . . . this one fit a little better. And it is the awesome.

18. “My Little Corner of the World” by Yo Le Tenga – This version of the song was at the end of the first season, when Rory told Dean she loved him and Max had just proposed to Lorelai. So much of the appeal of the show was the town itself, with its meetings and eccentric characters, and I wanted to close the mix by acknowledging that. This song (though performed by someone else) also plays at the end of the pilot episode, and it has long been my hope that the finale will mirror the pilot, with Lorelai and Rory in the diner. [Which, it did. And Luke was there. Love.]

There are about eight jillion wonderful articles about the end of Gilmore Girls tonight, but my favorite so far? Entertainment Weekly’s got Sean Gunn’s favorite Kirk scenes.

Enjoy!

One of the local colleges has a radio station, and when the students are gone in the summer, they let members of the community run it. Mike has completed the training, and all he has to do is take the test and then sign up for a weekly spot. You know what this means, right? Mike is going to be my very own Piz!

Spoilers for “Unto the Breach” below.

Honestly, I thought this week’s was not as good as the past two weeks were. I liked Kirk-in-a-box, and Rory and Lorelai had some good scenes, and Sookie was fun. And Babbette and Miss Patty. And the town wanting to attend Rory’s graduation. And, of course, Paris and Rory graduating (it took us a few minutes to figure out that they graduate by dorm/housing). And Emily and Richard’s song! I couldn’t believe how sweet Richard was to Lorelai, calling her “sweetheart” and telling her that it was her day, too. Really nice moment for Lorelai and the grandparents. I cried, okay. Third week in a row. Clearly I have a problem.

Part of my frustration was probably with the Luke and Lorelai storyline. I mean, it’s fine, I know things will be fine next week. But I feel like . . . let me see how to explain this. At the end of season 4, Luke and Lorelai kissed, and then Luke had to run after Kirk and all summer I was kind of worried that the show would come back and do something lame like have both of them downplay it and be all, “If you want to forget about it we can.” Try and make drama out of a simple misunderstanding. And that’s what happened last night, and I hate that. I think the show can be better than that, and not have to resort to sitcom-y tricks like that.

[Here is where I should mention that I did enjoy the "arguing in the street parallel" to last year's unspeakable finale.]

But, such is life. It was still miles better than most of the season. Speaking of which, even Christopher didn’t bug me too much last night. It would be nice to have the show exit with the idea that Christopher really wants to be part of Rory’s life . . . that’s what I wish they had done with him this year (or at some point, you know EVER) is have him and Rory deal honestly with his absence during her childhood. Last night was at least a little bit of closure in that department. I don’t hate him so much when he’s not trying to be with Lorelai, which is why I would have liked to have seen more Christopher/Rory over the course of the show. Oh, well.

But, of course, the big question is whether Logan is a self-centered jerk or just misunderstood and heartbroken. Now, I’m no fan of Logan, though I wouldn’t call myself a Logan-hater. There have been some scenes that I’ve enjoyed. I just like it better when he’s not around. I don’t know if I’m prepared to say Logan is a self-centered jerk, but there were certainly things last night that did not make him look very considerate. Here are my thoughts on The Logan Proposal Debacle.

1. A public proposal? Without making sure that she was okay with public proposals? Without making sure you were on the same page about getting married? I don’t think that makes it seem as if he considered her point of view. Also, I could not even watch the scene. That’s how awkward it was. Poor form.

2. And that whole “making sure they were on the same page” thing, let’s talk about that some more. Apparently a few weeks ago when they said they’d factor each other in, Logan meant, “We will be in the same place,” while Rory wasn’t ready for that level of commitment. I am not blaming anyone for that, but if they clearly weren’t on the same page, that’s not a good sign. The thing that looks bad for Logan, though, is that he didn’t consider that they weren’t in the same place.

3. It’s clear that Paris-and-Doyle were in direct contrast to Rory-and-Logan. How did Doyle handle it differently? He was willing to go wherever Paris went, because he wanted to be with her that much. Now, I’m not saying that Logan should have just waited around for Rory to get a job. By no means! But Doyle, in contrast, was willing to do whatever it took to be with Paris. Logan only wanted to be with Rory on his terms.

4. The whole all-or-nothing thing really seals the deal for me. If Logan really loved Rory, really loved her, he wouldn’t pressure her like that. This is probably the key thing for me. Is this how love would act?

5. And so, do I think it was really love? His actions at the end certainly didn’t make me think so. If he really loved her, wouldn’t he want her to be ready? Wouldn’t he be willing to wait? Wouldn’t he do what he needed to do for them to be together (which, at this point, is probably long-distance)?

6. And, on that note, to be fair, I want to turn that around and ask Rory the same questions . . . I do think that she fares well when we do that. She did seem to want to make him a priority and do what it took for them to be together, even if that meant long distance for now while they both started on their careers and got their feet under them. Not being ready to get married doesn’t make her a bad person, LOGAN.

For me, this isn’t about career vs. relationships. If Rory was ready to get married and wanted to get married to Logan, then, great, I guess. (It’s like when your friend dates/marries someone you don’t care for, I suppose.) If she’s happy at the end of the series, I’m happy. But if she’s not ready and Logan is pressuring her, if he’s not willing to even give waiting for her a chance . . . I don’t think he’s right for her.

Favorite scene? Kirk saying, “The rules are gray on that area.” Hee. Hee hee. Ladies and gentlemen, that’s how you have Kirk in an episode without irritating me. So cute.

And, in an act of nostalgia, I convinced Mike that, for this one last time, we should watch the promo. I wanted to see how they were promoting the series finale. And, let me tell you, Evil Promo Guy has totally given up on manipulating my emotions. He knows he has no power over me anymore so he tried to retaliate by giving everything away. I don’t even care, EPG! Bite me! But, dang, I hope next week still has some surprises in store! Hee hee.

Well, The CW and The Girls apparently couldn’t work out a deal, so there won’t be a season 8 of Gilmore Girls. Two more episodes, and that’s it. From the beginning of the season, I wanted this to be the end, but . . . we wasted so much of this last season on Christopher. It would have been nice to have a few more episodes without him.

So . . . who wants to have a series finale party on May 15 at my place, complete with games (oh, yes, I am willing to come up with some trivia) and Gilmoresque food and fast talking? Anyone?

Spoilers for “Lorelai? Lorelai?” below.

Holy Moses, I just wrote a nice long post and Firefox ate it! I’m so sad! And mad! I’m smad! My own fault, I know, but I’m still smad about it. (And why did hitting backspace make me lose the entire post? I don’t think it’s ALL my fault, okay?)

*sigh*

Well, I can’t muster up quite the same amount of excitement the second time around, but I am maybe in a good mood or something, because, honestly, I feel that Mr. Rosenthal, who wrote this one, knocked it out of the park. As did Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson. The “cheesy song leads to revelation” motif has been a theme this season, if you recall, and . . . I think it’s not a classic Palladino thing to do, but I also think that they were better at the conflict than the resolution. Seems like we are finally getting some resolution. DSR is, admittedly, not as quick with the dialogue, but he gives us a little bit more genuine sentiment. I’ve said all season that I’ll take that trade, and I still believe it, especially after tonight. I loved that Lorelai was singing as a big fat joke, and then the scene turned so quickly (not that it wasn’t obvious that was going to happen, because it totally was). And it could have been cheesy, but I think that, instead, it was really nice.

I cried, okay? Stop judging me.

I also laughed, because Mike put “I Will Always Love You” on a playlist with romantic songs and Andrea (and Susan and Alisa, too, right?) and I were like, “WHAT IS ROMANTIC ABOUT THIS SONG? THEY ARE GOING TO BE APART. FOREVER.” But now I will totally think of it as a Luke and Lorelai song. Along with “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson and “Out of My League” by Stephen Speaks. Please do not ask me why these songs make me think of Luke and Lorelai. Just don’t ask, okay? At least “I Will Always Love You” and “Reflecting Light” are legitimate.

And Rory. Oh, Rory. Calling the Providence Journal. Oh, honey. When Lorelai was talking to Rory and said that things had worked out for her and having a setback might give her perspective, I felt like maybe the show was acknowledging that they haven’t always balanced her character all that well as far as that “golden child” perception goes. The past two episodes have gone a long way in making her more likeable to me again. I want good things for her, I do. I just want to see her face a little adversity, you know? It was fun to see her around town, and I really liked the Rory/Lorelai scenes in this episode. Oh, and the Chilton throwback stuff was very fun.

Anyway. Paris’s one scene was great. Babbette and Miss Patty were fun. I loved Brian the nanny. Lane and Zach’s scenes were cute. And Kirk! And Lulu! And Gypsy! And Morey! In acceptable amounts! That all made me very happy. But none of that compares, really, with the return of the hat. I was so happy about that, because I knew that Theresa really wanted the old hat back. I know in my heart he stuffed it back there on purpose so he could wear the old one. “Lost” my foot. And, actually, I loved that Lorelai noticed the hat was back. I wasn’t sure if she would or not.

It’s a shame . . . the show is finally DOING SOMETHING with both the girls, we’ve dug out of the pile of crap that was last year’s season finale . . . and we’ve got two episodes left. I, for one, am excited to see what happens next.

(I probably forgot something this time through. Sorry about that. I reserve the right to edit. Or add stuff in the comments.)

(And can I just say, I LOVE HOW VERONICA MARS ENDED? Thanks. Just needed to get that out of my system.)

Spoilers for Gilmore Girls episode “It’s Just Like Riding A Bike.”

Holy Moses, could I have loved this episode any more? Lorelai back in the diner! Jackson’s pajamas from . . . whatever season that was (season 2? Is that right?)! Lorelai pulling Oreos out of her purse! M. Ward playing on the jukebox! Sookie and Jackson acting like normal adults instead of being shrill! Lorelai on a bike! Paris jumping up and down when Rory opened that first letter (I admit it, I cried)! Rory saying, “Right, luck,” when Paris talked about her “luck” at getting into Harvard! And, of course, Luke and Lorelai acting like themselves! Oh, how I missed the bickering. Oh, how I missed Luke taking care of Lorelai even when her whims drive him nuts. Jennie Snyder wrote another one I liked earlier this season, and I said she could stay. Good call, me. hee hee.

I also cried a little bit when Rory got rejected, even though that was, plot-wise, what I wanted to happen. It was the right thing for the story, but it still made me sad. I liked Rory in this episode - she’s easier for me to like when . . . well, I hate to say that Rory has been handed everything on a silver platter, because I know she’s worked hard, but in many ways she is a golden child, and I like her a little better when she faces adversity, especially adversity that doesn’t have anything to do with a boyfriend (a Logan-free episode? Is it my birthday?). And the post-college job thing is hard, so I think it would have been really uncompelling if she’d gotten what she wanted right away. And, you know, since Paris brought it up, what about the fact that this time their roles were reversed, that Paris got what she wanted and Rory didn’t get her dream? Those two have been through a lot together, as their conversation at the end showed . . . it also made me feel like maybe the reason I feel ambivalence (leaning towards dislike) about Logan is that not just the show but specifically Rory feels some uncertainty and ambivalence about their relationship. I like that both she and Paris have these long-term relationships but they don’t really figure into “the plan” and they don’t know when to sacrifice and when to forge ahead. I can relate to those feelings, too, in certain ways, though this is the Gilmore Girls recap and not a time to be personal. hehe.

One thing I did not like . . . Lorelai’s ENORMOUS PUFFED SLEEVES. What is this, Anne of Green Gables? That’s it. That’s all I’ve got. I liked everything else.

Last week was all about the metaphors with the hay bale maze, and this week I think the metaphor was the car, right? I like the old car? Where the old car is Luke? The new car (Christopher) cannot be the old car? And now the old car can have a new life? Am I reaching? Just agree with me, okay? hehe.

I don’t know what you think, gentle reader, but with all the Paris (and, seriously, the marked lack of Logan) and Sookie and Jackson being likeable and Luke and Lorelai bickering . . . I am pretty sure our show is BACK! I am excited about the last three episodes of this season. That was flat-out fun!

So, I never wrote about “Gilmore Girls Only,” and I don’t really know why that is. We were on vacation when we watched it, and I did, in fact, take the entire trip to Charlotte as a shout-out to me. The show and I are kind of codependent.

Anyway, what I will say about “Gilmore Girls Only” is that it was a good step in the right direction for Lorelai and Emily. I liked that we had an episode that dealt with some of their stuff. Overall I really liked that one.

Over this little hiatus, I thought a lot about the show, I watched some old favorite episodes, and I realized that, despite all my big talk, I’m not sure I want the show to go away just yet. There’s just not enough time to get everything resolved. We deserve to have everything resolved. Which is why I love the rumors I’m hearing about having a shortened 8th season. That makes sense to me, just to get a little bit further along in these stories, to get the kind of stuff we thought we were going to get this season. Before the Palladinos did their evil.

So, about “Hay Bale Maze.” I actually liked this one, too. (Rebecca Rand Kirshner, people. She can write the townies. We had Gypsy! And Morey! I love Morey! And the Troubador!!! And girls dancing as bulbs! And Kirk wearing a minotaur head! And not too much Taylor . . . and here is where I admit that I kind of missed Taylor and was glad to see him. I am clearly losing my mind.) I was copying down recipes and was not giving the show my full attention, so let me think about what I liked.

-As you can probably tell, I liked having the episode mostly in Stars Hollow. It felt comfortable. Townies, town meetings . . . the things that made this show so funny and interesting from the start. The show can really be at its best when it’s in Stars Hollow, and I felt like this was one of the strongest episodes of the season.

-I know this is cheesy, but I liked the maze as metaphor thing they had going on, with Rory and Logan choosing the same path (for now) and the maze ending in front of Luke’s Diner. The people in charge at GG have made a lot of noise about this season being about Lorelai’s journey (and, heck, I think I’ve said that several times myself), so I liked the nod to that. I am anxious to see Lorelai back in the diner . . . I thought THAT was how this episode was going to end, with her taking the maze to the diner and opening the door. Instead, we got the apologies, which was, in some ways, more than I expected. But her going to the diner is still pretty significant. That’s one of the things I’ve missed in Stars Hollow - not having Lorelai in the diner.

-I liked Luke and Lorelai’s conversation at the end. I felt like it was kind of forced, but I liked what they were saying, even if it was more directed to the fans than to each other. I think the writers are really making an effort to move things in the right direction so we’ve got some closure by the end of the season (or series, if season 8 doesn’t pan out). Which, if this was about a journey, makes sense. We need her to have gotten somewhere. So, I didn’t love the conversation, but I liked what it stood for, that there’s an end goal.

-I liked April’s new hair and glasses. Shallow, yes, but she was really cute in this episode! With her new look and her cute way of talking. I have always wanted to hate her but found it impossible. Now that she is undeniably cute, I feel vindicated in some strange way.

What I didn’t like, STILL, was Logan. I still don’t know what I am supposed to think about him. I don’t buy his remorse or his conversation with Lorelai. I agree with her that I still have some serious concerns about him and how seriously he takes things (or, to be more precise, how seriously he doesn’t take things) and his money and entitlement. I wouldn’t want my daughter dating him, either.

Logan and Rory walking away together at the end was kind of confusing, I thought. I feel like we’re building up to them going separate ways, and I felt like that was what the conversation outside the maze was about - I got “ambivalence” from Logan rather than, “I am devoted to you.” (But that . . . now that I think about it, that’s not really a new thing for me to get from Logan. He is so hard for me to read.) So, despite them taking the same path for now, I am not sure I believe that’s long term.

And, to be honest, I think that Rory should have taken the Providence Journal job. We don’t all get to follow our dreams right away, and Rory, who has gotten to go to Chilton and then Yale and was the editor-in-chief of the YDN . . . I think she needs to put in some time, to be honest. I know that she’ll get the fellowship or something better, but . . . I thought she should take the job. I was with Lorelai on this one. I think that Logan’s advice is fine for the world he lives in, and I admit that that’s the world that Rory has had one foot in for a while, but I think that those aren’t the values that Lorelai has wanted to impart to her daughter. I think she wants Rory to understand the value of hard work (not just academic work) more than she does. And if she connected so well with this editor-lady, I hate to think she turned down the job on Logan’s advice to “follow her dreams.” I also think it would be good for Rory to be nurtured by someone like this editor-lady, and good for her to have to provide for herself and make her own way. It seems a shame.

Anyway, there are only FOUR episodes left. Let’s finish out this season in grand style, shall we?

Have you seen this video of Kristen Bell and Chris Lowell? Because it is freaking adorable. (Don’t hate it just because you hate Piz. You will miss out on all the fun that way.)

Sincerely,

Kari

Spoilers for “Will You Be My Lorelai Gilmore?”

If it weren’t for the fact that it wasn’t as speedy as it used to be, I’d hardly have been able to tell that this week’s episode wasn’t old-school Gilmore. And that, my friends, is quite a compliment.

One of the things that made it feel old-school was the Lorelai/Mrs. Kim interaction. I am always a fan of Lorelai and Mrs. Kim hanging out. While Lorelai intervenes on Lane’s behalf. So sweet. This show has always, at the core, been about mother/daughter relationships, and I like that that includes Mrs. Kim and Lane.

I found Luke’s story to be somewhat less old-school. I’m not sure that previous seasons of GG would have Luke making such a big decision about his boat in one episode. I do appreciate the sentiment, that Luke is making an effort to change his life, but I also miss curmudgeon Luke just a little bit. Not like he was last season, not by any means. But sarcastic Luke, grumpy Luke from earlier seasons, I miss him. And maybe we haven’t seen him because Lorelai hasn’t been in the diner. When will Lorelai go back to the diner?

Luke and Lorelai’s scene was nice – I like that, not only is he changing, but Lorelai is seeing him change. He even went to the baby shower. The first part of last season (aka “The Good Parts” version) showed Lorelai letting Luke in on what was most important to her – her relationship with Rory. I honestly thought the second half of last season would be the parallel – Luke learning how to let Lorelai in on this new relationship with his daughter. But we all know it didn’t go that way at all. The second half of this season, though, perhaps Luke is finally learning that lesson, though maybe not limited to Lorelai. While of course I want everything to be focused on Luke and Lorelai’s relationship, I like the fact that Luke’s relationship with April has been a catalyst for him letting other people in his life. It’s a redemption of sorts for that crappy storyline.

So, didn’t Lane have the greatest baby shower of all time? I liked Lane and Rory’s moments in this one. I miss that, and I liked seeing Rory doing something with/for Lane in Miss Patty’s studio. My question is . . . who’s the godfather going to be? Please oh please let it be Sebastian Bach. Please. So awesome.

And I guess that just leaves Logan. I can never figure out what the show wants me to think about Logan. They want me to like him, right? Right? Because I think the reason I can’t tell how I feel is because they don’t seem to know how THEY feel. I’m fine with him not being perfect – Luke, my favorite character, is far from perfect. But the way all of that went down was fairly unappealing to me. I just don’t get it. How am I supposed to feel, show? What do you want from me? I am never going to be a Logan fan, but this kind of thing is the reason I often actively oppose him.

I think this show has had that problem more of late. On one hand, it’s true that in real life, people aren’t just good or bad. So in that sense, I appreciated the ambiguity of having Christopher be more than just simply a jerk (though they didn’t manage that enough to be convincing) and having Lorelai talking herself into her relationship with him. But I think it’s hard to be invested in the characters if we don’t know what they are thinking. A lot of people couldn’t tell what Lorelai was thinking earlier this season (and I include myself in that – I was saying that she wasn’t happy with Christopher mostly because I was willing it to be true), and that made it hard to know what we were supposed to be thinking about what was happening. I feel like Logan is that way a lot. When he doesn’t talk to Rory about his business deal failing and goes and hangs out with Colin and Finn, what does he think about his relationship with Rory? Maybe it’s clear to some people, and maybe the writers think it’s clear, but it always seems to leave this possibility that he’s not as reformed as she thinks, and he’s going to hurt her in the end. So I don’t invest in that storyline. That’s where I am with the Logan thing. Still unsure what the show is trying to do. Even after Logan being around since season 5. :sigh:

But, overall, great episode. Fun to watch. It’s nice to feel that way again.

Spoilers for last night’s Gilmore Girls: “I’m a Kayak, Hear Me Roar.”

How great was it to get an episode that had townies and grandparent action and no Christopher? It was like spring came early! No, like Christmas came early!

You know, the really sad thing is that the first half of the season could not have been slower, as far as I was concerned. And now I feel like we’re running out of time for the really important stuff to happen. This was episode 15, you guys. There are only seven left. Seven left this season or seven left of the series . . . I have not yet heard the final decision.

Anyway, I have to confess that I was only halfway paying attention. It had been a long day. But what I saw, I liked indeed. I think we should start with Emily, since that’s what comes to my mind first. I thought we had some great Rory/Lorelai moments as Lorelai tried to work up the courage to tell Emily about the failure of her “marriage” with Christopher. And I don’t think we’ve had an Emily/Lorelai moment quite that good in a while. Drunk on mocktails! Checking the budget! Talking about rowboats and kayaks! And, of course, Emily was back to her ice-cold self in the morning.

But here’s the thing. I titled this post in vino veritas because I think that’s what we (and Lorelai) should remember. I think those are Emily’s true feelings, that she respects what her daughter has done with her life even as she struggles to understand it. And even though Emily was practically Antarctica in the morning, what she didn’t do was say, “You screwed it up again.” Emily knows that Christopher isn’t right for Lorelai, even though it’s been hard for her to let go of that ideal.

What it boils down to for me is that, if this really is the last season, which I imagine we will know in a week or two (I heard at one point the decision would be made by the end of February), we really do have to have some progress. Amy used to say that the show was about family relationships, and how they could be one step forward and two steps back. I think that kind of thing can be fun up to a point, but it’s hard for there to be so little growth between Lorelai and the grandparents, and I blame Amy for deliberately keeping it that way (and this isn’t me just piling on Amy – I felt like this even when I trusted that she had a plan about other things). The writers they have now do seem to be somewhat better about bringing us more closure and tying up loose storylines. I am hopeful that last night’s episode moves us closer to some growth – a little more understanding. It would be a nice cap to that storyline.

I guess the next place to go is Rory/Logan. I still just don’t get it about Logan. Even when I like their scenes, as I did last night, I am left cold by the overall relationship. I honestly don’t think he’ll ever win me over. That’s not that I hate him, just that I feel kind of “meh” about their relationship. But I did like Rory throwing him all the birthdays he’d missed. Very cute. I wish they’d come up with a different way to phrase it than, “You’ve been Huntzbergered.” Really? After we ALREADY had “You’ve Been Gilmored” as an episode title? Okay. I will admit I find the similarities between being Gilmored and being Huntzbergered amusing.

I am of two minds about whether he should have told her about the business deal (which I was apparently right to feel “Danger, Will Robinson!” about) going awry. I totally get that he was trying to protect her, to let her have her fun. And I was okay with that for a while. But the more I think about it, the more I think, “No, if they are in a committed relationship, she deserves to know.” Maybe it’ll be more clear once we know what the impact will be. How much of Logan’s trust fund was up? Was it all of it? I am still unclear on this.

And, of course, I loved the townie action. I can still do without Liz and TJ (well, TJ – I like Luke and Liz scenes, especially now that she has a baby), but I love Miss Patty and Babbette. And I liked Luke a lot in this episode – trying to decide how to proceed. And what was it that Babbette said – the rooster has a face like Stonehenge? Hee.

This was, again, Rebecca Rand Kirshner (yay!), and I didn’t think it was as great as some of her others, but it did what it had to do, and it did it very capably. I certainly liked it. What I think is so weird is that the episodes feel so much more normal without Christopher. He took up so much time. What a waste. There was more time for regular Gilmore Girls stuff without having to deal with him. So here’s to “normal” episodes again.

Spoilers for Gilmore Girls episode “Farewell, My Pet.”

So, is it just me, or does it sound like Christopher has been reading my blog? He said all the things I’ve been saying! He even said part of it in a more clever way, like the “disengagement” line. I totally could have thought of that! Lorelai needed to disengage before jumping into a relationship with Christopher! My heart is so sad that Christopher came up with that and I didn’t. I feel I have let you all down.

Anyway, I mostly loved this episode. Because Lorelai gave Christopher the boot. Huzzah! Actually, let me list all the things I enjoyed about the episode before I give my (very few) negatives. Sookie was great in this episode. She was a real friend, asking the hard questions. Being honest. I love it when we get to see that part of their friendship. Michel got a story, and I have to admit that I see how they are paralleling season 1 (Richard in the hospital episode, dead pet funeral episode), but I liked the “Cinnamon’s Wake” Redux. I liked seeing the Dragonfly Inn – we have definitely been missing it. I liked Zack not wanting to sing “My Heart Will Go On.” I like the new cute TA. hee hee. I liked Paris wanting the boys to get tattoos since it would be like branding them.

I liked Lorelai and Christopher all finally saying what they really think and feel, and I like that I was right about that plotline – she does want to want you, Christopher. It would make sense if she did. You’re her first love, her babydaddy (hee), that guy that she always thought she could make it work with. I like that this breakup wasn’t about Luke . . . let me start over. The breakup was about Luke, because it was about how Lorelai’s feelings for Luke make her realize she can’t settle with Christopher. And we, the audience, know that Luke still loves Lorelai. But I don’t think Lorelai knows that. I don’t think she’s expecting to be with Luke now that she and Christopher have called it quits. And I like that. I don’t want her to jump from Luke to Christopher and back again. I want her to figure out why all this happened first.

So, Zack playing Celine Dion is classic Gilmore Girls, I think. And I think it was very effective to have Lorelai “see Luke’s face” then. But . . . it did seem a little cheesy for Gilmore Girls, don’t you think? I think it all came together really well, with the pet funeral helping Lorelai’s realization. But it was a little cheesy. That’s my only complaint, though. Since the winter break, the show has really seemed like it was back on track, with good, strong episodes and good, classic scenes. I know it is nitpicky of me to complain about this one thing. But I have been this show’s biggest cheerleader, so I think I have earned it.

And on that same note, I love that Gilmore Girls never does traditional Valentine’s Day episodes. This season, Lorelai and Christopher ended their marriage. Last season, Lorelai and Luke had a miserable time on Martha’s Vineyard. Two seasons ago, the vow renewal was right before Valentine’s Day and Luke and Lorelai’s big fight/breakup was right after it. In season 4, when the Luke/Lorelai storyline was building, the only nod we got to Valentine’s Day was that he got drunk and talked about his feelings and then gave her some earrings his sister made. Season 3’s episode was Jess showing up at the grandparents’ house with a black eye and Rory telling her mom she was thinking about sleeping with Jess. Season 2, Christopher’s baby was born. And season 1 had . . . nothing. hehe. I bet you thought I was going to say the Firelight Festival, but it aired in March! Tricky! I know you want to know how many of those I knew and how many I had to look up. I knew seasons 4, 5, and 6, and I had to look up seasons 1-3. Anyway, the show doesn’t get all sentimental most of the time, and I like that. So I guess I can forgive a little revelation during Celine Dion. But I did want to note that it made me a little squirmy.

I don’t want to downplay the fact, though, that last night’s episode was really good. That writer? She can stay. (I think her name was Jennie Snyder. Oooh, I just looked, and she wrote the episode earlier in the season where Rory got pissed at Lorelai and Chris for getting married in Paris. She can definitely stay.) It had townies, but not too much quirk. It had humor. It had actual conversations. I didn’t feel ashamed or disappointed to be a fan.

So, from here, I guess what we need to see is Lorelai and Christopher end the “marriage” (find out it’s not real!), Emily and Richard be on Lorelai’s side (like I said last week), and Luke and Lorelai moving toward each other. As far as Rory, I am still not all that into Logan, no matter how cute they are together. I just can’t do it. I am sorry, Susan. But I would like to see Rory get a job or go to grad school or something. And I would like to see her keep hanging out with Paris. And I would like to see her be there when Lane has her babies. And I would like to see more of Lucy and . . . whatever that other girl’s name is. These are not all that much to ask. Please let these things happen.

I am going to have to watch this one again, I think, because I know I have forgotten some things, but these are my disjointed thoughts this morning.

Spoilers for Gilmore Girls episode “I’d Rather Be In Philadelphia.”

Again (Rebecca Rand Kirshner), last night’s episode had a certain sweetness to it that the Palladinos often eschewed in favor of quirkiness. Not that we didn’t get quirkiness last night – Babette was her lovable self, with the jungle bedroom and the dog walking. And the Luke/Zach stuff was, I thought, very funny. I do . . . actually . . . miss Kirk a little bit. And Taylor. Just a little. And town meetings. When the show is so focused on romantic relationships, we miss some of the stuff that made it so appealing to begin with. But Babette is enough, at least for now.

I was going to start and ask if there was any way to excuse Christopher not showing up at the hospital. Look, I can be fair. Perhaps, instead of sulking (which is what I like to imagine he’s doing), he was actually tied up with work (does he really work, or was that just something Lorelai told Babette?). But . . . if he couldn’t make it right away, there’s not really an excuse for him not to call. So, despite my efforts to be fair, I’m not sure there’s any plausible excuse for what he did.

Enter Luke Danes! Who is, except for maybe last year, consistently good in a crisis. Of course I loved that he showed up and did exactly what Emily asked and was considerate of what Lorelai might want re: Christopher. Speaking of which, again, there was just no excuse for Christopher to be so rude to Luke at the end. When Luke said he should go and Christopher said, “Yeah, you should,” I . . . was really disappointed in him. Seriously, Chris, it’s not the playground. You aren’t 12. There’s no need to be so aggressive. As much as I love to hate Christopher (and I really love to hate Christopher), it’s disappointing that his character hasn’t grown in any meaningful way in the seven seasons this show has been on. Sure, he’s a little more responsible, sure, he’s got money and is more settled, sure, it appears that he’s doing a pretty good job with GiGi. I said way back at the beginning of this round of Lorelai and Christopher that if he had been more patient and selfless, I would have admitted defeat (or at least said that he had changed and given him the point). But, instead, he has consistently behaved in the opposite way, being childish and petulant rather than choosing otherwise. It’s really a shame – in my perfect Gilmore Girls world, of course we wouldn’t have had this final round of Lorelai and Christopher, but I hate that it ultimately comes down to the fact that he’s still the same as he was at 16. I don’t blame Rosenthal for this, though I know a lot of critics are blaming him for this season and wishing the Palladinos were still around. I think that Rosenthal has made an effort to get the story where it needed to go (after the ending of last season) in a reasonable amount of time, since this is very likely to be the last season. Anyway. Regarding (my boyfriend) Luke Danes, I really didn’t think he was coming back to the hospital. And when he showed up and they were talking, and then Christopher rounded that corner, it was all Mike could do to keep me from standing and cheering.

I enjoyed Emily in this episode, powering through as only Emily can do, and then tearfully explaining to Lorelai exactly how she was feeling. It seemed completely realistic to me that Emily would act exactly as she did. And I can’t tell you how delighted I was to see her in that track suit. I especially enjoyed her cliché exchange with Lorelai – and I think the end was significant as far as Emily’s relationship with Christopher. Every cloud has a silver lining/Blood is thicker than water perhaps means that the bright spot in Richard’s health crisis is that all the Gilmores are on the same page as far as Christopher’s jerkiness, and maybe (maybe?) the grandparents will stand by Lorelai if (when?) she kicks Christopher to the curb (or if they mutually decide to part, though it has to be at least partially Lorelai’s decision, since nothing else about their relationship has been).

I wish I had more to say about Rory and Logan. I just . . . don’t. Except that conversation about the internet company gave me the, “Danger, Will Robinson!” feeling. And . . . even Logan, who is not one of my favorites, managed to show up at the hospital. Christopher: Do you understand how lame that makes you look?

I’m definitely starting to get the feeling that this is a season I’ll enjoy better on DVD, after I know where it’s heading. But based on the past three episodes, I would be willing to purchase this season, despite the Paris (the city, not the girl) debacle, despite all the lame mushiness. Because if Christopher finally finally gets kicked to the curb (as it appears will happen), it will be worth rewatching.

I never wrote anything about last week’s episode of Gilmore Girls. No particular reason – I just got sidetracked by snow and a rough week and a busy weekend. And here it is Tuesday already, and I haven’t written anything about last week.

Of course, with things progressing as they are, I don’t have much to say. The episode pretty much speaks for itself – Christopher moved out, Luke called and said, “I won!” That’s so true, my friend. So true. I did think it was a nice touch that Luke called Lorelai to tell her about the custody case. Way back in season 4, when he listened to the self-help tapes, they asked him who he wanted to tell when he had big news, whose face he imagined when he wanted to share something like that. So it’s a nice bit of continuity that, despite everything that’s happened, Lorelai is still tops on his list.

On one hand, sure, I felt sorry for Christopher, because he is so clearly in over his head. Lorelai has, in truth, been using him to get her ideal perfect family, in the hopes that that will satisfy her. And now that he realizes that he’s not what she wanted after all, he’s upset about being her “second choice.” Christopher. Are you kidding me? You slept with her about five seconds after she broke up with Luke, broke her engagement with Luke. And now you complain about being the rebound? Come on, dude, I can be sympathetic, but . . . please. She has, unconsciously I believe, been using you. But you used and manipulated her to get what you wanted, too – to get your own version of the “perfect family.” She told you that she wasn’t ready to sleep with you but you pushed ahead. She didn’t want to get married in Paris, and yet you did after all. She said she didn’t want to have more babies just yet, and you pitched a fit. It’s awfully hard to be sympathetic to your position, since you got to your position by, well, whining and cajoling. A lot.

I don’t have much else to say except . . . sometimes Paris drives me nuts, but then she sets up whiteboards in her apartment and plans the last few months of her college career, she fixes Rory’s relationship with Lucy, and I forget why I ever disliked her to begin with. Oh, Paris.

Oh, and I hate Anna. Please tell me that’s the last we’ll see of her.

A little birdie told me that Rebecca Rand Kirshner wrote tonight’s episode. Rebecca Rand Kirshner. And so, I, of course, am hoping that it will be excellent. And also I am hoping that Grandpa doesn’t die. Please don’t kill Grandpa, Rebecca Rand Kirshner! Please!

Rebecca Rand Kirshner, people. Didn’t I tell you? Rebecca Rand Kirshner.

In an interview, CW president Dawn Ostroff recently said, regarding Gilmore Girls, “[T]he first half of the season was a little rocky. [Dave Rosenthal] was painted into a story-line corner [from last season]. I think the second half of the season will be a lot stronger.” Take that, Palladinos!

I kind of felt like the show was suddenly in my head, checking off the things I said I wanted. Good Rory/Lorelai time? Check. Adult conversations between them as well as the usual quirk? Check. Luke getting more screen time? Check. Lorelai and Luke having a scene together (this was one I didn’t really dare to hope for)? Check. TWO scenes? Double check. Christopher still not fitting in the girls’ lives? Check, check, check. Lane? Check, and . . . hilarious.

I even like that Chris wasn’t such a bad guy. The scene at the end was pretty much what I tried to say in the State of Stars Hollow address – it was a picture of the “perfect” life Lorelai thought she wanted, but it turns out that’s not what she wanted at all.

I think you may recall that in November I put forth the theory that April would have to be the one to bring Luke and Lorelai back together. I repeated it last week. And now it looks like it’s going to come true. I like that it’s all coming together, finally.

I could go on and on about the Discovery Store (that’s what it was supposed to be, right?) scene and how much I love these glimpses of Luke’s involvement in Rory’s life that we get from time to time, but let’s just say that, for me, what I have been saying was summed up when Lorelai said that Rory had been out of town at Christmas so they were celebrating Christmas in January, and Luke said, “Of course you are.” That was it, right there. He knows them, both of them, in a way that Christopher can’t because he wasn’t around. The one thing I would have liked in that scene [and Mike pointed this out, so kudos to him] was that, when Rory listed all the presents Luke had given her, she should have ended with the necklace from last season. Though maybe they didn’t do that because the necklace should probably be April’s. But, still.

It’s just a matter of time, now, before Lorelai and Christopher call it quits. We must just be patient. To quote Lorelai from season 4: “Things are happening! Big things, wow things!”

So, here’s something I think is . . . interesting. I have seen a fair amount of fans of The Office complaining about how much they think Ugly Betty sucks, how undeserving it is of the Golden Globes that it won (well, specifically Best Comedy Series, so maybe just one of the Globes that it won), that The Office was robbed, etc. I know some people are kidding, but I’ve seen actual vitriol.

As a fan of both shows, I find this sad. I love The Office, because I love Jim and Pam, and I love all the supporting characters, and it makes me laugh (and I love to laugh). It’s quotable and hilarious, and I am a huge fan. It’s one of my favorite shows. We have the DVDs and I watch it all the time.

But I love Ugly Betty, too. Its over-the-top characters and antics are a completely different kind of humor, but I often find myself laughing out loud at it, as well. I love America Ferrera. I love that she makes Betty sweet instead of cloying, and words cannot express how much fun the supporting characters (specifically Marc and Amanda) are. Plus, I always have a soft spot for underdog/ugly duckling shows, especially when the show takes the extra steps to make the point that beauty is more than just what’s on the outside. It keeps getting better and better, and it’s fun being a fan.

So, here’s what I would say to Office fans:

1. Ugly Betty is actually very funny and sweet and the people there are doing excellent work. It’s not for everybody, but if there’s anybody who should understand that kind of thing, it’s Office fans.

2. I think a lot of the current widespread popularity of The Office dates back to last year’s Golden Globe win for Steve Carell. The show really picked up in the spring, and I think the Globe is part of the reason why. I would argue that the Globe got people paying serious attention, which probably led to the Emmy nomination and win. So - share the love, Office fans! You guys/we are doing great! There’s room for new kids to come and play, too! (I know, I know, Ugly Betty is doing great, too . . . but maybe that’s why it was just a teeny tiny bit deserving of an award? Is that going too far? Am I going to get beat up for saying that?)

3. Other than the possible boost in ratings (which didn’t help Commander in Chief last year, and which Ugly Betty doesn’t really need), I don’t really think that the Globes mean anything. No need to get worked up about a meaningless awards show. (And, really, aren’t all awards shows meaningless? Someone should have reminded me about that last year when I got so worked up about Crash winning the Oscar. hehe.)

4. Let’s face it, Ugly Betty probably won because many members of the Hollywood Foreign Press have a version of Ugly Betty in their own countries. Additionally, the Globes have a history of awarding what is hot and fresh right now (see: Grey’s Anatomy, Steve Carell’s win last year). Which is fine. Nobody ever said that stuff was anything more than a popularity contest. But . . . see number 3. Probably not worth drinking yourself to sleep over.

Anyway, I just wanted to get that out of my system. All the “Ugly Betty sucks” was leaving a bad taste in my mouth and making me want to disassociate myself from Office fans. And that’s just not right. I don’t want to lose my Office peeps. There’s enough love to go around, you guys! Why can’t we all just get along?

(P.S. I think Alec Baldwin deserved his award, too, because he makes 30 Rock. I laugh at every single thing he says on that show. So I’m definitely getting beat up now, right?)

Soon and very soon, Gilmore Girls is coming back. (Veronica Mars, too, and I’m probably more excited about that one, but I don’t write about it, so this is a Gilmore-centric post.) Next week! And . . . I think I’m looking forward to it. Even after the craptastic episode that was “Merry Fisticuffs.” Why is that?

After having some time to think about the first half of the season, I feel more optimistic than I did at the beginning of December. Let’s recap what happened this season, shall we? Lorelai and Luke split up, she became a cloying, insipid version of herself, and she impulsively married Christopher.

All the happy smoochy stuff was what was bugging me. Was Lorelai actually happy? Was she just wanting to be happy? Was she going to convince herself that she was happy? What were we, the viewers, supposed to be seeing in those scenes? With a little distance between me and “Merry Fisticuffs” (I, like Luke, need processing time), I have come to believe even more firmly that the first half of this season was just setting us up for Lorelai and Christopher’s relationship to fail. I must confess that I was espousing a certain view (Luke and Lorelai are going to get back together) when, at times, I didn’t believe it myself. But I believe it now. I think that the cracks that I have been seeing in Lorelai and Christopher’s relationship (or claiming to see when my faith in Luke and Lorelai was wavering) are going to become more and more evident, to the point that Lorelai is finally going to have to do some serious soul-searching about this situation. I think that, finally, we are going to see her realizing what I have been saying for a while - she married quickly because she thought that any man would do, that what she really wanted was just to get married. That getting married would finally mean she had “the whole package.” But, instead, she is going to see that what she wanted was to be married to Luke, and that Christopher is a poor (poor poor) substitute for what she really wants.

Did you notice that I called Lorelai and Christopher’s “marriage” a relationship rather than using the word “marriage”? Well, let me give you my theories about the second half of the season.

-First, we know that, in real life, one must be a resident of Paris for something like 40 days before getting married there. In real life, Lorelai and Christopher’s marriage wouldn’t be legal. When Emily started talking about having Lorelai and Christopher exchange vows at her fancy party, my theory developed like this: Lorelai and Christopher find out that their marriage isn’t legal. Emily encourages them to exchange actual vows at her party. Lorelai declines. Christopher whines. She kicks him out. Birds sing, flowers bloom, and Kari cries tears of great joy.

-Second, April is going to be part of what brings Luke and Lorelai back together. Perhaps his custody battle will have something to do with this? But, seriously. Good storytelling requires it. April pulled them apart, she brings them back together. At this point, it would be a total cop-out to have April just move to Arizona and be forgotten. Instead, she’s got to play a part in fixing this.

As far as Rory goes, I’m not really sure. If this is the last season, I’d like to see her break up with Logan. I have long thought that Rory should end the show single, and I can’t really articulate why except that, for so long, Rory was so dependent on her mom. I would like to see her being more independent, and, for Rory, I think that would mean being single for a while. We haven’t really seen her single except in season 4, when she basically felt so lost without her mom and without a relationship that she turned to her married ex-boyfriend. So, in light of that, I am hoping that the future (grad school?) takes her and Logan down different paths. Also, I’d like to see him get hit by a bus. (I had such high hopes for that LDB accident last season.)

We need to spend some more time with Lane and Zach (and Mrs. Kim). I miss Michel. And Sookie and Jackson. And Paris. Too much of this season has been wasted on Christopher. Let’s get focused and go out on a positive note.

That’s all I have for now. I really think this is going to be it for the series, so things are going to have to move quickly so that we can finish on track. But I think things are looking up. Here’s to next week.