Gilmore Girls Recap: Super Cool Party People (4/25/06)

After kicking ass and taking names last week, Give Me My Remote guest-blogger, Julie, is back this week with a recap of this week’s Gilmore Girls: Super Cool Party People 

It’s the morning after for a hung-over Lorelia at the Dragonfly kitchen, reviewing the aftermath of her night-of-10-tequila-shots with Sookie. Lorelai’s a little fuzzy on the details, but Sookie fills her in on how she not only tried to start the limbo and a club for super cool party people, but also forced the wedding videographer to film her audition for America’s Next Top Model (complete with gyrating and posing). Sookie nicely neglects to rehash Lorelai’s drunken declaration that she’d be forever single. Looks like while love means never having to say you’re sorry, friendship means never having to say you’re a sorry drunk.

Rory arrives at the hospital only to be met by some seriously uninformative nurses. Apparently Logan has been moved out of the ICU and is in ‘serious but stable’ condition. Since Rory isn’t family, they won’t give her more details. She bumps into Colin and Finn who are proud of Logan’s daredevilishness (in the non-Ben Affleck sense, though with similarly disastrous results).  They let her know that the rest of the Huntzberger family is MIA –  traveling or unreachable. When they’re a little too flippant about the fact that Logan might’ve died (yes, calling each other ‘Buttercup’ is too flippant), Rory chastises them for being stupid and not appropriately concerned about Logan’s condition. Rory stalks off to Logan’s room, where her bruised and battered boyfriend is asleep. She meets his doctor, who (shock!) won’t give her any info on whether he’ll be okay.

Grant Lee Phillips! Oh, my beloved troubadour, it is good to see you. How I’ve missed your crooning and strumming.

Luke back from Philly, argues with Cesar about cold bananas. Bananas in the fridge were just one of the changes Cesar made while Luke was away. The town’s happy with the brrr-nanas, but Luke ain’t. Lorelai arrives to break up the bickering, and Luke presents her with an ‘Amish voodoo doll’ he obtained in his travels. Not the least bit creepy. Nooooope. They discuss how well Luke’s trip went – so well that Luke is throwing April a birthday party the following day at his diner. Lorelai kindly offers to help, referencing the legen – wait for it – dary 1998 party she threw for Rory. Luke isn’t swayed.

Luke offers coffee, then mentions how she’s probably hung-over from her drunken toast the night before. No need to worry – Luke doesn’t know that she publicly announced they’d never marry. Miss Patty has already gotten to her minions (the townspeople) and they’re all floating the story that she sang ‘Endless Love’ while up at the mike. Patty’s sympathetic (“I’ve given more drunken toasts than Colin Farrell.”) and still hopeful Lorelai will get Luke to the altar someday.

From the hospital waiting room, Rory calls Paris, who is appropriately concerned, asking questions about Logan’s condition. Paris is pre-med, but she can’t help decipher the notes Rory took of Logan’s chart. She can, however, call Logan’s doctor and berate him over the phone until he gives up the details – which she then does with aplomb. Brava, Paris. Though often irritating, your talents are without peer. Paris finds out Logan had some internal bleeding, a partially collapsed lung, assorted broken ribs, and a concussion – but essentially, being young and healthy, he’s out of immediately danger, and a very lucky guy. Aw, Paris. Look at you being all supportive! You’ve come a long way, baby.

Cut to Luke and Lorelai shopping. I know what you’re thinking – I’m pretty sure I just saw an airborne animal of the porcine variety floating through the sky. Can’t get an exact temperature for hell, but I think it’s safe to say it’s below 32F. As they stroll, Lorelai cutely banters about how Luke has inadvertently picked out all of her favorite outfits. It’s kind of adorable and very coupley. For April’s birthday, Luke wants to buy her a cat-covered toiletry set he spots in a window. Lorelai tries to talk him out of it, but he insists. She wants to be part of it, but Luke, looking nervous says no. When asked why, he admits that the minute he lets Lorelai into April’s life, it’ll be over for him – April won’t want to hang out with him after she meets Lorelai, because she’s so colorful and fun. He insists April will like her better, so they can’t meet yet. It’s a compliment, but a definite downer.

Party time at Luke’s diner. Anna informs Luke that his chaperoning in Philadelphia got rave reviews from parents and kids alike. The girls nicknamed him “Hagrid” – unfamiliar to Luke, but most definitely a compliment from the 13 year old set. When Anna departs, Luke gathers the girls and gives some ground rules for the party that are less ‘rules’ than ‘scary and obsessive compulsive rantings’, instructing that they remain in the ‘party area’ of the diner. Exiting the diner, going upstairs, or in the kitchen—all verboten. If an invisible pet fence were an option, I’m pretty sure he’d take it. Even without one, from the looks on the girls’ faces, I’d say his speech was plenty effective, if freaky. I’ll call this scene ‘How to go from Hagrid to Snape in 60 seconds.’

Hard at work at the Dragonfly, Michel admires the inn’s website, which he created. It provides an audio-visual tour of the inn with his face as the site map. Michel strikes me as the kind of guy who says a daily affirmation, so this doesn’t surprise me. Lorelai gets a call from Lorelai, letting her know how Logan’s doing. Lorelai’s concerned and supportive, but Rory gets called away once Logan wakes up. She’s very relieved to see him alert and quipping.

Snooze fest at Luke’s. Some very well-behaved, very bored thirteen-year-olds sit at the tables. They’re scared even to go to the bathroom, since it’s in the ‘restricted area’. Once he lets one girl go, they all make a line. Things are not looking good, fun-wise. He frantically calls Lorelai, who happily agrees to come liven things up. After Rory’s awesome 16th birthday party, I have no doubt she’ll be able to throw another winner.  She does. Did you know the magic words aren’t “please” and “abracadabra”? Turns out they’re “free” and “makeovers” – at least if you’re a 13 year old girl.

That same night, Rory’s on the phone with Honor, Logan’s sister, who reports that she and her mom will be at the hospital the following day to see Logan. Mitchum “Stick Up My Ass” Huntzberger, who doesn’t approve of the Life and Death Brigade, is at home but won’t be coming. Rory takes it upon herself to phone him up and chew him out royally. She is forceful and articulate, and I believe the words “incredibly selfish, narcissistic ass” were used. It is ten kinds of awesome. Rory, you too have come a long way.

The diner. Lorelai has been an enormous hit. The girls are decked out in seriously awesome hair and makeup amidst much high-pitched giggling and chatting. April compliments Lorelai that she’s a lot like her mom – she thinks the two of them would get along. Umm…not in this lifetime, my dear. The evening is going so well, they make it into a sleepover – complete with a screening of “Pretty and Pink.”

Back to the Dragonfly, for another morning after, though 1000% better than the last one. Sookie listens to Lorelai recount her good times being den mother to April and the teenage set. Plus, we get the show’s second reference to Bonne Bell Lip Smackers, worn around the neck for maximum coolness. Lorelai considers the party a major success and is hoping now she won’t have to hide from April. Sookie feels like she missed out, but she didn’t – Lorelai brought her Lip Smackers! (Amy Sherman-Palladino is either in cahoots with Bonne Bell, or did some serious Lip Smackin’ of her own as a teenager.)

At the diner, an unhappy Anna whirls in and brings Luke to the stockroom for a discussion. She informs him that what happened at the party wasn’t part of their agreement. They agreed that Luke would throw the party, not his girlfriend, not some woman who Anna has never met. Anna is seriously not loving what happened, and says they may have to rethink their arrangement about Luke being involved in April’s life.

Mitchum arrives at the hospital. Rory stonily points him to Logan’s room, but they don’t exchange words. After he leaves, Rory and Logan make up. She apologizes for letting him go so coldly. He says it’s his fault too, he was being stupid, but he just needs her to bear with him. 

Luke and Lorelai eat dinner at chez Gilmore. Luke tells her how upset Anna was. Lorelai’s sorry, but Luke says he doesn’t blame her. He should’ve known better. The next day, Lorelai goes to Anna’s store. She nervously introduces herself to Anna, and the two of them talk about their issues and tentatively bond over their shared experiences with single motherhood. Just like Lorelai, Anna’s very protective of her kid, and of the people who form relationships with her kid. She doesn’t want April to become dependent on someone who won’t stick around. To Lorelai’s disappointment, Anna’s fairly insistent that “engaged” doesn’t mean “permanent”. From the look on Lorelai’s face, even she’s not sure how permanent she and Luke are either.

Next week – Logan has to go to London. Lorelai wants to elope. Only one more till the finale!