About:
Gilmore Girls S2.E08 “The Ins and Outs of Inns”
Gilmore Girls S2.E09 “Run Away, Little Boy”
Drinks Taken: 33
Cups of Coffee: 10
An awesome aside: look at this gorgeous miniature Stars Hollow made of paper by Brazilian artist Bruna Salvador Conforto!
It’s Week 10 of our Gilmore Girls Rewatch Project, and that’s a nice round number. We should celebrate! But how? Oh I know…
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!
2.7 “Like Mother, Like Daughter”
Rory’s getting a little heat at school for being so anti-social, what with the constant reading with headphones on any time anyone tries to approach her. At first Lorelai fights for Rory’s right to be independent, but then Headmaster Charleston guilts her into joining her own Chilton moms social club, so she becomes a Booster while Rory unwittingly sits with THE secret sorority at Chilton: The Puffs. Mother and daughter both treat these hallowed institutions with the respect they deserve, which is to say none at all.
Lorelai wins over the Boosters by planning a fashion show fundraiser at the Independence Inn, and she and Emily are roped into a mother-daughter modeling gig that is truly one of my favorite moments on all of Gilmore Girls. Emily is SO INTO IT, it makes me the happiest.
This gif is pure joy, but I wish it went on just a moment longer, because I love when Lorelai stops being too cool for school and starts dancing with her mom with a goofy grin on her face.
BEST. Meanwhile, Paris is so jealous that Rory’s been recruited by the Puffs, and Rory sweetly talks up Paris so she’ll get recruited too. The initiation ceremony involves “kidnapping” the girls in the middle of the night – and Lorelai is once again the greatest mother ever by warning Rory of the impending surprise, telling her to wear her “good pajamas, you know, the cute ones with the cakes on them,” and to comb her hair and wear lip gloss to bed, while poor Paris is sporting massive bedhead, the nightgown of a Victorian schoolmarm and a face full of zit cream.
The ceremony entails breaking into the headmaster’s office and ringing the ancient bell of Chilton or some shit, when Headmaster Charleston storms in and threatens to suspend everyone. Rory stands up for herself so coolly here, telling the headmaster that it’s crap she should get in trouble when the only reason she joined the Puffs is because he told her she was anti-social. “And I have friends. I have a steady boyfriend, and my mother and I are freakishly linked, and Lane and I have been best friends since kindergarten. But you don’t see that because I don’t live in this town, and if you don’t see it then it must not be true.” Charleston folds like cheap laundry! I dig it when Rory shows her backbone.
How many times do I have to drink?
9.
How many cups of coffee do the Gilmore girls drink?
4.
Flirtation quota
Rather a flirty episode for Luke and Lorelai. The opening scene, Lorelai watches Luke at the diner and marvels to Rory that he never flirts with any of the women. Rory replies, “He’s flirted with you numerous times,” and I mean really, Lorelai, who are you kidding? One of the Boosters tells Lorelai she thinks Luke is hot, and Lorelai gets super jealous and asks Luke not to date a Chilton mom because it would be “awkward for Rory” (this from the woman who dated RORY’S ENGLISH TEACHER). Luke pretends to be offended but then quite swoonily smiles to himself when Lorelai isn’t looking. Also he whistles at her while she’s modeling. SERIOUSLY adorable episode for these two.
Best/most dated pop culture reference
Rory and Lorelai share the best exchange when they mock each other for past musical taste misdeeds. It starts with Lorelai’s Barry Manilow CD and Rory’s Bryan Adams poster, and quickly escalates –
Lorelai: “Spice Girls.”
Rory: “Duran Duran.”
Lorelai: “Dido.”
Rory: “Olivia Newton-John.”
Lorelai: “The Macarena. You and Lane for hours and hours, for weeks on end.”
Rory: “Hey, we were mocking! You can’t mock the mocking.”
Lorelai: “All right. It’s getting ugly. Let’s stop.”
Rory: “Let’s be friends again.”
Gah, these two are killing me.
Sookie’s best dish of the episode
She takes overdried lettuce and somehow transforms it into a fabulous soup for the fundraiser.
Lorelai’s craziest outfit
This one’s an all-timer, folks. I mean, it would have to be to beat her Nancy Reagan fashion show suit. Fortunately, a racist jersey bedazzled with the words “Fortune Boy” is up to the task:
(She wore this to the Booster club meeting, jeezy chreezy.)
Kirk insanity
Kirk’s a mechanic this week (drink!). He fixes Lorelai’s car, after breaking it some more.
Best Gilmore Gal witticism
Rory, after finding out that Headmaster Charleston wants Lorelai to chaperone school dances: “Does he know that you got pregnant at sixteen?” (Somehow, it’s much funnier when Rory says it than Luke.)
Random observation
I love this episode. It’s just wacky and fun and free-spirited and full of huge belly laughs (and admittedly, I enjoy all fictional fashion shows). It’s written by Joan Binder Weiss, who only wrote a few other episodes, but they’re all fantastic: “Love and War and Snow,” “Paris is Burning,” “Star-Crossed Lovers and Other Strangers” and “P.S. I Lo…“
2.8 “The Ins and Outs of Inns”
Lorelai and Sookie are getting serious about opening the Dragonfly, and Lorelai’s been consulting Luke for small business advice and trying to keep a typically frenzied Sookie on a leash. They find out the Dragonfly is owned by Fran, the sweet old lady who owns the bakery, and they talk to her about selling. Fran, still sweet as can be, maintains that she will never, ever, ever, ever sell the Dragonfly. Lorelai and Sookie are crushed (but hanging onto the hope that Fran’s angina may eventually work in their favor.)
The next day Mia, the owner of the Independence Inn, comes to town. She’s been like a mother to Lorelai and Rory, and they’re thrilled to see her, although Lorelai is nervous to tell her that she and Sookie are planning to open their own inn. Mia’s happy for them though, and says she’ll probably end up selling the Independence Inn. Lorelai wigs, and is a major jerk to Sookie, implying that she’s too irresponsible to be Lorelai’s partner. They have a huge fight, but the fact is, Lorelai’s just panicky about the risk of opening her own business and sad to lose the home where she and Rory once lived. After a nice moment of confiding in Emily for one of the only times ever, she and Sookie make up and Lorelai is recommitted to their dream, despite Fran’s stubborn good health.
Also, Emily hears that Mia is in town and goes to meet the woman who took in her daughter after Lorelai ran away. It’s a chilly meeting, but one full of grudging respect. Mia promises to send Emily some pictures from that time, and it breaks my heart that Emily has to ask.
Meanwhile, Jess is still being a little hooligan (except when he’s around Rory, at which point he’s all sweetness and light), and the town is fed up. Luke stands up for Jess at the town meeting, and Lorelai stands up for Luke, and then Rory tells off Jess for putting Luke in such a tough position. Jess seems to be listening, because later he fixes Luke’s toaster and makes some cute eyes at Rory, and all in all, I approve.
Oh and Rory sits for an oil portrait for Richard’s office, because she is way too sweet.
How many times do I have to drink?
13!
How many cups of coffee do the Gilmore girls drink?
3.
Flirtation quota
Luke and Lorelai are a little flirty as he continues to support her business endeavors in the best way possible, but this week is all Rory and Jess. They’re pretty hot, I gotta admit. Even when Rory introduces Jess to Dean (“Boyfriend?” “Of course.” “Sorry, you didn’t say.”), it’s hot. There’s just lots of this happening:
Best/most dated pop culture reference
This has got to be all of the ways Lorelai torments Luke after learning from Mia that he used to wear a Star Trek t-shirt to school every day. There are too many to name, but my fave is when Lorelai startles Luke and jokes, “Boy, I was lucky you had your phasers on stun, huh?”
Sookie’s best dish of the episode
She makes comfort food after her fight with Lorelai: meat loaf, mashed potatoes, stuffing. I want to fight with Sookie.
Lorelai’s craziest outfit
This sateen pirate shirt isn’t doing her any favors.
Kirk insanity
Kirkless.
Best Gilmore Gal witticism
Emily, about her new chef: “She’s introduced us to some wonderful dishes so charmingly specific to her native country.” Lorelai: “What country is she from?” Emily: “One of those little ones next to Mexico.” Lorelai: “How charmingly specific.”
Random observation
This is one of the episodes where we really get a sense of how incredible Lorelai is at running the inn and how talented Sookie is as a chef. Mia dotes on them, and later tells Lorelai, “Do you think I was naïve enough to think that you’d work for me forever? You and Sookie have more talent for this business than I do. And I’m very good. You’re going to open an incredible place, and if you don’t let me help you in any way I can, then I’ll be very mad.” Aww.
2.9 “Run Away, Little Boy”
Rory, Paris, Madeline, Louise and ChaMM are all assigned to put on a production of the last act of Romeo and Juliet. Naturally, Paris assigns herself as director, and she casts ChaMM as Romeo and Rory as Juliet because,”You’re the best public speaker here, you’ve definitely got that waif thing down and you’ll look great dead.” ChaMM’s being exceptionally odious this week, and when Rory learns they’ll be rehearsing in Stars Hollow, she freaks because she’s afraid ChaMM will mention their kiss to Dean. ChaMM definitely gives Dean a hard time but never mentions the kiss, and you guys, I have to tell you that Dean is THE WORST in this episode. He is so clingy and insecure and jealous and possessive and gross. On the night of the play, ChaMM ends up being sent to military school in North Carolina (a clever in-joke because he was actually leaving to star in One Tree Hill, which was both filmed and set in NC), so Paris puts on a pageboy wig and takes on the role of Romeo, because she is a baller.
Meanwhile, Lorelai’s been in a funk since Max, so Sookie and Rory both suggest she move on. When Paul, a slightly younger, handsome, suited guy from her business school asks her out, she agrees. They have fun but Lorelai says the date feels like a one-timer, and Luke overhears her bragging that she dated casually and gets really upset. The next day, when Paul walks into Luke’s LOOKING LIKE THIS, people react.
Everyone gives Lorelai a hard time about dating a younger man (no one more hilariously than Rory), but Luke’s teasing is sort of mean-spirited. Lorelai complains about this to Sookie, and Sookie’s all, “HOMEGIRL PLEASE. You know he’s in love with you.” Sookie points out that after waiting for Lorelai through Max and Christopher and then seeing her with this kid, Luke must feel like Lorelai will go out with anyone but him. Lorelai talks to Luke in the diner, telling him how much she appreciates that he’ll always be there, and he’s warm and tender about it and GAH won’t these two just get together already?!
SIGH. Also, Henry and Lane are still secretly dating, and it’s both cute and sad.
How many times do I have to drink?
11.
How many cups of coffee do the Gilmore girls drink?
3.
Flirtation quota
Well, that last scene with Luke and Lorelai, obviously. And ChaMM does more of his patented assault-flirting all up on poor Rory. Smell ya later, ChaMM.
Best/most dated pop culture reference
Lorelai, dying to see the screen test Paris made Rory take to audition for Juliet: “We’ll sell it on the Internet, make a fortune. First we brought you Pamela and Tommy Lee, now prepare yourselves for the crazy antics of Rory and the Bard!”
Sookie’s best dish of the episode
She makes the consistently calorie-obsessed Michel low-fat, whole wheat blueberry pancakes, then refuses to let him eat them when she realizes he’s going to count the blueberries. “I can only have twelve blueberries for breakfast.” “Or what?!”
Lorelai’s craziest outfit
Here’s what she wears to a play at her daughter’s school: brown, pocketless, polyester slacks, a denim shirt and yet another bedazzled tee.
(But props – she made Rory’s beautiful dress and all of the other costumes.)
Kirk insanity
Kirk apparently snapped pictures of Paul to show the entire town how young he is.
Best Gilmore Gal witticism
God, Rory’s jokes about Paul are so good. “I’ve always wanted a little brother…He should’ve been holding a yo-yo and a lollipop and wearing a beanie with a propeller on it. He must have been a very good boy to deserve such a happy day. I bet [his parents] let him ride a pony.” I’m laughing just typing all of that.
Random observation
Oh hey, we finally get to meet Brad, Paris’ nervous, stammering, well-meaning nemesis from Chilton!
Next week we’ve got “The Bracebridge Dinner,” “Secrets and Loans” and “Richard in Stars Hollow,” so meet us back here Wednesday morning for all of the goodness!
And I leave you with a question, dear FYA readers, and it’s one that I truly do not have an answer for myself: does Lorelai HONESTLY not know that Luke’s in love with her? She acts so clueless about it sometimes. Is it denial? True ignorance? Is she just pretending she doesn’t see it?
