About:
Gilmore Girls S6.E18 “The Real Paul Anka”
Drinks Taken: 23
Cups of Coffee: 9
Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of our Gilmore Girls Rewatch Project! Can you believe we’ve been doing this thing for a year now? And everything is moving along steadily. While Luke will continue to bum me out until the end of this season and beyond, I’m so happy with Zack and Mrs. Kim this week that I don’t even mind.
So let’s hop to, but first! A reminder of our drinking game rules:
The Gilmore Girls Drinking Game Rules
Drink once every time:
Lorelai or Rory drinks coffee.
Emily gets flustered by Lorelai’s bizarre sense of humor.
Sookie is controlling about food.
Paris is controlling about anything.
Michel snubs a customer.
Luke is crotchety.
Taylor has an absurd scheme for Stars Hollow.
The girls acquire massive amounts of food and then fail to take even one bite.
Drink twice every time:
Kirk has a new job.
You see a town troubadour.
Emily gets a new maid.
On to the episodes!
6.17 “I’m OK, You’re OK”
We open where we left off last week, with Paris and Rory gobbling down Chinese food and bashing boys. (Specifically Doyle and Logan.) Logan arrives to beg for Rory’s forgiveness, and Paris shuts him down so hard:
Fortunately for Logan, Doyle arrives (still in Rory’s coat!) to win back Paris, giving Logan time to talk Rory down somewhat. “Do you believe me? Do you believe that I honestly thought we weren’t together?” Rory reluctantly agrees. “So then, if you believe that, that I thought we weren’t together, then do you believe that, in my mind, I was not cheating on you?” Rory reluctantly agrees. “So then if you believe that, in my mind, I was not cheating on you, do you think you can forget what those vipers said today, put it behind you, and just come home with me?” Rory reluctantly agrees – but then immediately takes off for Stars Hollow for the weekend without telling Logan, because she needs some space.
Although she pretends everything is fine to Lorelai, Lorelai can tell something’s up – especially when Rory gets all evil and tells Lorelai they should go to Anna’s store in Woodbridge to spy on her. Lorelai, being incredibly mature, tells Rory that she wants to give Luke the space and respect she thinks he deserves (I don’t particularly think he deserves it, but I admire Lorelai’s integrity), and then Rory goes anyway! She tries to report back with gossip about how hot and fashionable Anna is – like, how does that help, Rory? You are doing the support thing wrong – and Lorelai scolds her while Rory pouts. This whole plot would make me so angry at Rory if I didn’t know what’s going on with her: now that she knows she can’t trust Logan, she thinks Lorelai can’t trust Luke, either. While we all know Luke would never cheat on Lorelai, in a way, Rory’s right.
April has invited Luke to chaperone her class trip to Philadelphia, and Luke’s so flattered to be asked. When Lorelai catches him sewing up his ancient duffle bag, she tells him she’s going to buy him some new luggage, which he of course refuses. When Lorelai and Rory are in the diner later, Rory sees a new duffle bag from Anna’s store, and tells Lorelai. Lorelai asks Luke where he got the bag, and he immediately says Anna sent it to him. Lorelai’s fairly cool about it – and Luke obviously wasn’t trying to hide anything – but the whole thing is kind of a bummer, one more way that Lorelai’s being edged out of Luke’s new life.
Meanwhile, Richard and Emily are in town and they come by Lorelai’s house once they hear Rory’s there, too. They all have dinner and Richard and Emily are being a little strange, inspecting Lorelai’s house with extreme attention to detail, but I tear up a bit when Emily says, quite unbidden, “This house does have charm. It feels very homey. I can see you and Luke here.” Lorelai is so touched – but not so touched that she doesn’t totally panic when she later hears from Kirk that her parents are looking for real estate in Stars Hollow!
Finally: the best storyline ever. Lane is still floating around on Cloud 9 after Zack’s proposal of last week (and the scene where she tells Rory and they jump up and down and scream at the top of their lungs is a perfect bestie moment), but Zack still has to announce his intentions to the intimidating Mrs. Kim. Like a totally legit gentleman, Zack gets dressed up in a suit and brings over his financial paperwork and references to Mrs. Kim and tells her that he wants to marry Lane in an adorable speech. Mrs. K thinks Zack hasn’t asked Lane yet, and she tells him to wait until they get this settled, because she doesn’t want Lane to get her hopes up.
So what’s “this” that has to be settled first? Since Zack wants to be a rock star, Mrs. Kim wants him to prove his financial viability not at the copy store where he works, but as a musician. To do that, he has to write a hit song. He works HARD on this, and when he delivers his first draft Mrs. Kim is sort of impressed, but has some notes. Together, they end up creating a perfect hit, and it is THE CUTEST:
It really is a catchy song – it’s in my head right now! So Mrs. Kim brings Lane downstairs and tells Zack to propose (again) right in front of her. He does so, again, with the Shriners ring he bought Lane last week, but Mrs. Kim hands over her mother’s beautiful diamond ring. Pointing to the Shriners ring, she says: “That one you keep in drawer so it doesn’t scare the children. All right, you two are now officially engaged. There is much for you to discuss, so I will leave you two alone. You have 15 minutes.” I LOVE YOU, MRS. KIM!
How many times do I have to drink?
15.
How many cups of coffee do the Gilmore girls drink?
7.
Flirtation quota
The only flirting this week is between Lane and Zack, and it is so great. When Brian asks, in respect to their apartment, “Hey, what happens when you guys get married?”, Zack joyfully answers, “Well, we finally get to have sex!” Lane says, sweetly, that Brian will have to move out once they’re married, and then when she leaves the room, Brian says to Zack, “You got yourself a good woman there.” Zack replies proudly, “Yep, I do.”
Later, when Zack’s telling Mrs. Kim that he wants to marry Lane, he does so in the sweetest and Zackest way: “I know Lane’s your only daughter and I know how important she is to you, but I really love her. I mean, REALLY love her. She’s smart and hot – well, not hot. I don’t mean hot, like, in a slutty way. She’s beautiful and cool and an awesome drummer.” Aww.
Best/most dated pop culture reference
When Paris sees Doyle in Rory’s coat and he mentions that he “almost” hooked up with a hot chick that night (meaning Rory, because Doyle’s an idiot), Paris says, “You could have hooked up with a hot chick? In rhinestone buttons? Who was it, Sheila E?”
Sookie’s best dish of the episode
When Lorelai makes an emergency food call to Sookie after hearing her parents are coming over for dinner, Sookie misunderstands and brings over all of Lorelai’s favorite foods. Mac and cheese, taquitos, mini-hot dogs…I want a Sookie.
Lorelai’s craziest outfit
Lorelai’s been dressing quite sanely lately, which means that Anna takes home the prize today in this ill-fitting satin shirt. Ugh, Anna. Quit being Lorelai 2.0. Lorelai corners the market on ill-fitting satin shirts.
Outfit MVP
I’m into Rory’s sweater, skirt, boots combo.
Kirk insanity
OF COURSE Kirk is Richard and Emily’s real estate agent. Of course he is.
Michel madness
When Rory throws Michel some shade after borrowing seven Post-it notes, he calls her “Little Lorelai” and complains that she’s messing up his system. She totally is Little Lorelai.
Best Gilmore Gal witticism
Emily calls Lorelai from her car phone and speaks very loudly because she doesn’t understand how phones work.
Emily: “Lorelai, it’s your mother! I’m calling you from the car!”
Lorelai: “Well, you’re not calling to me from a car, so stop yelling.”
That’s the best line, but my favorite moment is when Luke knocks on the door during the Gilmores’ dinner at Lorelai’s house, and Lorelai is giving this long monologue about the house, then she opens the door and whispers to him, “My parents are here” and he beelines outta there while she closes the door, walks back into the kitchen and never misses a beat in her monologue. Hard to describe, but it’s comedy gold.
Random observation
Lane’s storyline honestly turns into such a disappointment on Gilmore Girls, but I’ll never regret that she and Zack get married. Of course we all want Dave Rygalski back, but I think Zack is second best for Lane, and he loves her like whoa.
6.18 “The Real Paul Anka”
The episode begins with a pretty silly dream of Lorelai’s in which the real Paul Anka and dog Paul Anka are interchangeable. It’s dumb, but I never complain when dog Paul Anka gets some screentime, because he’s the best.
Luke’s about to leave for his Philly trip with April’s class, and Lorelia’s still feeling weird about the duffle bag, so she buys him a hanging bag and packs it for him. Luke is so jerkily clueless here, saying over and over that he doesn’t need the hanging bag and obviously NOT understanding that she just wants to feel involved somehow, but he eventually takes it and goes on the trip. But not before one more twist of the knife – he tells Lorelai that he’s bringing April to Jess’ bookstore so they can meet. Great idea, Luke: why don’t you make it ABUNDANTLY clear to Lorelai that you’re okay with literally everyone else on earth meeting April. ARGH. Anyway, Luke goes on the trip and it’s sorta cute, sorta boring. He does dad things and April tells him about her crush and it’s fine. It’s nice when they go see Jess – Luke tells him how proud he is, and Jess repays Luke for the loan, and it’s just a sweet moment between these two guys who have had such a complicated relationship.
Meanwhile, Lorelai’s still super, super anxious that her parents might move to Stars Hollow, and she keeps trying to keep them from what she knows are real estate appointments (even though they still haven’t said anything to her) and making up lots of untrue facts about what a gross, unsafe and inconvenient place Stars Hollow is. While I feel bad for Richard and Emily because they’re being so pleasant this week (and considering what we all know is coming), it’s a pretty funny storyline.
Finally, Rory’s still punishing Logan with the silent treatment, and he’s getting fed up – particularly when she takes over one of his assignments at the paper without telling him and embarrasses him in front of everyone. He loses his temper and tells her he knows she hasn’t forgiven him no matter what she says, and then he plans an absurd Life and Death brigade stunt with his idiot friends to get away from everything. They’re going to Costa Rica to jump out of a helicopter into a volcano or some shit. He leaves and he and Rory barely say goodbye to each other, and it’s sad.
Rory then heads to Philadelphia to see Jess and go to the same book signing where Luke and April are. She meets April, and it’s okay, and then she and Jess do some high-quality flirting. He tells her he’s glad she’s in such a better place than she was the last time he saw her, and then he kisses her.
It’s hot. I will fully admit it’s hot.
She lets him, briefly, but then pulls away and apologizes, saying she knows this isn’t fair to him. He realizes she’s still with Logan, and she tells him that Logan cheated on her but she can’t help but be in love with him. Jess says, “I don’t deserve this, Rory,” and I DO NOT AGREE. I mean, sure, he’s great now, but Rory would have to hurt Jess about five dozen more times before they’re close to even, so in a way, Jess, you do deserve this. Regardless, Rory apologizes again and exits.
How many times do I have to drink?
8.
How many cups of coffee do the Gilmore girls drink?
2.
Flirtation quota
I mean:
Best/most dated pop culture reference
April, on her teacher: “The one in the cords is our math teacher, Mr. Munster. Good guy, he’s a little nerdy, likes to wow us with his Chris Rock impersonation. It’s borderline racist.”
Sookie’s best dish of the episode/Michel madness
Nope.
Lorelai’s craziest outfit
We’re giving this to Mrs. Kim’s wedding dress, which she’s given to Lorelai to alter for Lane’s wedding. Lane begs Lorelai to destroy it and Lorelai eventually does, spilling coffee all over this monstrosity:
Outfit MVP
I’m into this whole look, Lorelai:
Kirk insanity
Kirk tries to take over for Luke when he leaves for his trip. “Sure you don’t want to reconsider my offer? I’ve got a hairnet on me, so I can start immediately.”
Best Gilmore Gal witticism
Lorelai’s attempts to make Stars Hollow sound scary are really great. My favorite is when Richard tells her she should bring her complaints to the mayor, and Lorelai says: “You mean Gropey McGee? I cannot, will not ever put myself in that position again!”
Random observation
Many, many of you have said that you wish that Season 6 Jess were Rory’s endgame, and have even posited that he was meant to be before Alexis Bledel and Milo Ventimiglia broke up in real life. I’ve always waffled on that score, and I can definitely see where you guys are coming from, but watching that scene this time around, something about Jess’ reaction doesn’t sit right with me. He’s so eager to be the victim and blame Rory, when she just made a friendly gesture that Jess misinterpreted. It still smacks a bit of Old Jess, and I guess I’m glad he didn’t end up her One and Only.
So that’s it for this week! Meet us back here next Wednesday morning for “I Get a Sidekick Out of You” and “Super Cool Party People.”
And I leave you with a question, dear FYA readers: how do you guys feel about this Jess scene? Do you wish Rory had just gone for it with him? Do you choose to believe that the two end up together in the fictional future, after the end of the series, or do you agree that he’s still acting a little self-absorbed and prone to playing the victim?
