[7.0/10] This is an episode where each storyline is half-good and half-bad, with some really creditable things going on, and a lot of stuff that makes me scratch my head or feels like a little too much.
Let’s start with the easiest division. I continue to not be on board with the Rory/Dean story. For one thing, they make Lindsay an unreasonable harpie woman, which feels like the show trying to make us not feel bad about Dean cheating on her or avoiding her. Dean being in a loveless marriage where there’s differing ideas about how to live and what to strive for could be interesting, but like a lot of tertiary love interests on this show, Lindsey is underdeveloped and one-dimensional, which makes her more of a prop than a character. By the same token, I wasn’t on board with Lorelai gossiping about it Rory. It’s untoward and broadcasting someone’s dirty laundry like that, especially knowing the effect it might have Rory, feels like it should be out of bounds.
But Rory’s part of the episode picks up when she joins Paris at the hospital after Asher has an incident. This has been a weird storyline throughout the season, but it find a bit of purpose here, where Paris is no longer starstruck and starts to see Asher more for who he is. Then, at almost the same time, he confronts the rumors about himself and expresses what feel like sincere feelings for Paris. The intention seems to be that the show wanted us to believe he was a cad and pulling his usual stunt on Paris, but instead his feelings are real. Their conversation in the hospital room made me feel for both of them, and maybe it’s just residual goodwill from Cabaret, but I may even be rooting for them.
Then there’s Lorelai’s storyline. I enjoy the episodes where Lorelai gets to be a side character a little bit and doesn’t have to drive the story. Lauren Graham is a stellar dramatic actress, but she’s also a stellar comedic actress, and so having a light and warm storyline for an episode, where she can just bask in, well, some stress, but also the friendship and camaraderie of opening The Dragonfly, is a good thing. Team Dragonfly sleeping with Jackson’s cucumbers is a little hokey, but a sweet scene.
But then there’s all the business about (pretty adorable) cats congregating at her door, and her worrying that after the (thinly-premised) break up with Digger, she’s going to be an old maid, and it all feels too telegraphed toward the Luke-Lorelai stuff the episode is setting up. I’m still unsatisfied with how and why she and Digger split up, so maybe that’s biasing me here, but it comes off too hint-y and unearned for what they’re going for.
I’m similarly of two minds about the Luke stuff. I can appreciate that after Luke’s divorce and Lorelai’s break-up, they’re at similar places romantically for the first time in a while, and both feel like they’re trying to pull their way back into something good. For Lorelai, that’s work, even if it stresses her out (and her commiserating to Luke about it confirms what great chemistry they have) but for Luke, who already seems pretty satisfied in his work, it takes something else.
There’s something interesting in Luke having the embarrassment but ultimately the humility to listen to a romantic self-help tape. It’s very against type, and speaks to how, well...desperate isn’t the right world, but malleable Luke is right now. The fact that he (impliedly) sees Lorelai’s face when asked those soulmate questions by his tape is a well-done moment, and I like that the revelation doesn’t happen with some big dramatic gesture or lightning bolt turning point. It happens while he’s washing dishes and just thinking. It’s a nice, understated touch.
But then he basically has a conversion -- spouting every empty truism from the tape, and it cheapens that epiphany. I tend to think of this self-help fascination as a phase, and bundling the Mad Men-anticipating “Wait a minute...I do love you!” moment with that sort of easily disposable stuff weakens it. Still, the little rush he gets after the realization is good.
Luke in relation to his family is also usually an interesting look for him. I like his instant willingness to jump on board with his sister’s impromptu wedding, and sense of optimism that’s a side effect of his realization. But then there’s the Jess stuff, and I may never fully get on board with this mopey, James Dean-esque no goodnik. I do like that he comes to the wedding for Luke, even if the scuffle at the bachelor party is a cliché.
Overall, the show still feels like it’s a little miscalibrated, the same way it’s been for the last few episodes, but there’s also some good and/or intriguing stuff here that should carry through to the end of the season.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2017-11-17T22:38:52Z
[7.0/10] This is an episode where each storyline is half-good and half-bad, with some really creditable things going on, and a lot of stuff that makes me scratch my head or feels like a little too much.
Let’s start with the easiest division. I continue to not be on board with the Rory/Dean story. For one thing, they make Lindsay an unreasonable harpie woman, which feels like the show trying to make us not feel bad about Dean cheating on her or avoiding her. Dean being in a loveless marriage where there’s differing ideas about how to live and what to strive for could be interesting, but like a lot of tertiary love interests on this show, Lindsey is underdeveloped and one-dimensional, which makes her more of a prop than a character. By the same token, I wasn’t on board with Lorelai gossiping about it Rory. It’s untoward and broadcasting someone’s dirty laundry like that, especially knowing the effect it might have Rory, feels like it should be out of bounds.
But Rory’s part of the episode picks up when she joins Paris at the hospital after Asher has an incident. This has been a weird storyline throughout the season, but it find a bit of purpose here, where Paris is no longer starstruck and starts to see Asher more for who he is. Then, at almost the same time, he confronts the rumors about himself and expresses what feel like sincere feelings for Paris. The intention seems to be that the show wanted us to believe he was a cad and pulling his usual stunt on Paris, but instead his feelings are real. Their conversation in the hospital room made me feel for both of them, and maybe it’s just residual goodwill from Cabaret, but I may even be rooting for them.
Then there’s Lorelai’s storyline. I enjoy the episodes where Lorelai gets to be a side character a little bit and doesn’t have to drive the story. Lauren Graham is a stellar dramatic actress, but she’s also a stellar comedic actress, and so having a light and warm storyline for an episode, where she can just bask in, well, some stress, but also the friendship and camaraderie of opening The Dragonfly, is a good thing. Team Dragonfly sleeping with Jackson’s cucumbers is a little hokey, but a sweet scene.
But then there’s all the business about (pretty adorable) cats congregating at her door, and her worrying that after the (thinly-premised) break up with Digger, she’s going to be an old maid, and it all feels too telegraphed toward the Luke-Lorelai stuff the episode is setting up. I’m still unsatisfied with how and why she and Digger split up, so maybe that’s biasing me here, but it comes off too hint-y and unearned for what they’re going for.
I’m similarly of two minds about the Luke stuff. I can appreciate that after Luke’s divorce and Lorelai’s break-up, they’re at similar places romantically for the first time in a while, and both feel like they’re trying to pull their way back into something good. For Lorelai, that’s work, even if it stresses her out (and her commiserating to Luke about it confirms what great chemistry they have) but for Luke, who already seems pretty satisfied in his work, it takes something else.
There’s something interesting in Luke having the embarrassment but ultimately the humility to listen to a romantic self-help tape. It’s very against type, and speaks to how, well...desperate isn’t the right world, but malleable Luke is right now. The fact that he (impliedly) sees Lorelai’s face when asked those soulmate questions by his tape is a well-done moment, and I like that the revelation doesn’t happen with some big dramatic gesture or lightning bolt turning point. It happens while he’s washing dishes and just thinking. It’s a nice, understated touch.
But then he basically has a conversion -- spouting every empty truism from the tape, and it cheapens that epiphany. I tend to think of this self-help fascination as a phase, and bundling the Mad Men-anticipating “Wait a minute...I do love you!” moment with that sort of easily disposable stuff weakens it. Still, the little rush he gets after the realization is good.
Luke in relation to his family is also usually an interesting look for him. I like his instant willingness to jump on board with his sister’s impromptu wedding, and sense of optimism that’s a side effect of his realization. But then there’s the Jess stuff, and I may never fully get on board with this mopey, James Dean-esque no goodnik. I do like that he comes to the wedding for Luke, even if the scuffle at the bachelor party is a cliché.
Overall, the show still feels like it’s a little miscalibrated, the same way it’s been for the last few episodes, but there’s also some good and/or intriguing stuff here that should carry through to the end of the season.