[7.9/10] This episode is a lot like the last one, where the main story is mostly a Luke story, and there’s less significant but still notable Gilmore Girl stuff happening as well. The difference is that the other stuff was good too here, making for an altogether superb episode. Eventually I will stop signing the praises of Amy Sherman-Palladino (not too long from now, if my wife’s warnings are any indication!) but the quality of the show is so noticeably better when she’s behind the pen. I’ve even stopped looking at who wrote the episode ahead of time to try to make sure I go in cold, but there’s just such a palpable step up with her scripts.
As I mentioned at the top, the Luke material is really good here. Sherman-Palladino does a nice job of dramatizing who Luke is -- someone who tries to fix and help whatever he can and, as Lorelai’s window-related impersonation indicates, is bothered when people aren’t doing things how he thinks they should be done, even if he means well. Jess puts that less delicately than he might, but it leads to Luke questioning himself, feeling like he’s a burden on those around him and an unwelcome presence rather than a loved fixture in the town. There’s some real self-examination and self-doubt, the kind we don’t usually see from him here, and it’s a good change of pace for the character.
At the same time, I like how he’s rehabilitated here too. For one thing, Lorelai is there to support him. As much as I tire of the way the show teases them as a couple (Liz thinking Lorelai’s his wife; Luke giving Lorelai the earrings), I do appreciate their core friendship, and the way that Lorelai not only tries to make Luke feel better, but tells him all the ways that his sister looks up to him.
And I like Liz’s part of this too. She feels like a fully-formed character out of the gate, one who has an instant rapport with Lorelai, who seems like the kind of person you’d love but who could be irresponsible and drive you’ve crazy, who clearly cares about her brother and son but admits when she’s in over her head. Luke’s complicated relationship with her is a nice feature of this one, and the way he shows a little growth by having his doubts about her boyfriend, but giving them his blessing anyway, is a nice touch. (As is the boyfriend calling him a dick for his clumsy comments!) There’s a richness to the family interactions here, and it carries the day.
The same goes for his business with Jess. I’m on record as not being the biggest Jess fan, but I like him being the unwitting object of Luke’s generosity despite Jess being a bit of a dick to his uncle; I like him as the recipient of Gypsy’s amusing barbs, and I even like him and Rory trying to avoid one another only to keep ending up running into one another. [spoiler]I’m less enamored with their big “I’m mad at you for all the stuff you did. What do you have to say for yourself?” “I love you...and now I’m leaving town forever” routine, but it’s a WB show and I have to tolerate some overwrought teen drama. It was mercifully brief. I’ll give it that.
I enjoyed the Lorelai stuff much better. Her having to fill a table for Richard and Emily, while “pretending” to be a couple with Digger at her mom’s behest (and disbelief) is a real treat. It’s lighter, semi-wacky sitcom comedy, but it got laughs out of me (like the title did) so it gets a pass in my book. Lorelai and Digger make for a fun pairing, and Richard and Emily were absolute comic gold in this one while prepping for and participating in the charity dinner.
The comedy was also on point here. The girls trying and failing to take care of the busted window was amusing. Kirk’s misadventures organizing the firelight festival was a nice bit. Even Miss Patty’s Kirk-related jabs got a few chuckles.
Overall, a very nice episode that gets a lot of mileage out of the Danes family and finds good ways to work in the title characters too.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2017-11-09T02:34:38Z
[7.9/10] This episode is a lot like the last one, where the main story is mostly a Luke story, and there’s less significant but still notable Gilmore Girl stuff happening as well. The difference is that the other stuff was good too here, making for an altogether superb episode. Eventually I will stop signing the praises of Amy Sherman-Palladino (not too long from now, if my wife’s warnings are any indication!) but the quality of the show is so noticeably better when she’s behind the pen. I’ve even stopped looking at who wrote the episode ahead of time to try to make sure I go in cold, but there’s just such a palpable step up with her scripts.
As I mentioned at the top, the Luke material is really good here. Sherman-Palladino does a nice job of dramatizing who Luke is -- someone who tries to fix and help whatever he can and, as Lorelai’s window-related impersonation indicates, is bothered when people aren’t doing things how he thinks they should be done, even if he means well. Jess puts that less delicately than he might, but it leads to Luke questioning himself, feeling like he’s a burden on those around him and an unwelcome presence rather than a loved fixture in the town. There’s some real self-examination and self-doubt, the kind we don’t usually see from him here, and it’s a good change of pace for the character.
At the same time, I like how he’s rehabilitated here too. For one thing, Lorelai is there to support him. As much as I tire of the way the show teases them as a couple (Liz thinking Lorelai’s his wife; Luke giving Lorelai the earrings), I do appreciate their core friendship, and the way that Lorelai not only tries to make Luke feel better, but tells him all the ways that his sister looks up to him.
And I like Liz’s part of this too. She feels like a fully-formed character out of the gate, one who has an instant rapport with Lorelai, who seems like the kind of person you’d love but who could be irresponsible and drive you’ve crazy, who clearly cares about her brother and son but admits when she’s in over her head. Luke’s complicated relationship with her is a nice feature of this one, and the way he shows a little growth by having his doubts about her boyfriend, but giving them his blessing anyway, is a nice touch. (As is the boyfriend calling him a dick for his clumsy comments!) There’s a richness to the family interactions here, and it carries the day.
The same goes for his business with Jess. I’m on record as not being the biggest Jess fan, but I like him being the unwitting object of Luke’s generosity despite Jess being a bit of a dick to his uncle; I like him as the recipient of Gypsy’s amusing barbs, and I even like him and Rory trying to avoid one another only to keep ending up running into one another. [spoiler]I’m less enamored with their big “I’m mad at you for all the stuff you did. What do you have to say for yourself?” “I love you...and now I’m leaving town forever” routine, but it’s a WB show and I have to tolerate some overwrought teen drama. It was mercifully brief. I’ll give it that.
I enjoyed the Lorelai stuff much better. Her having to fill a table for Richard and Emily, while “pretending” to be a couple with Digger at her mom’s behest (and disbelief) is a real treat. It’s lighter, semi-wacky sitcom comedy, but it got laughs out of me (like the title did) so it gets a pass in my book. Lorelai and Digger make for a fun pairing, and Richard and Emily were absolute comic gold in this one while prepping for and participating in the charity dinner.
The comedy was also on point here. The girls trying and failing to take care of the busted window was amusing. Kirk’s misadventures organizing the firelight festival was a nice bit. Even Miss Patty’s Kirk-related jabs got a few chuckles.
Overall, a very nice episode that gets a lot of mileage out of the Danes family and finds good ways to work in the title characters too.