Gilmore Girls Recap: ‘S Wonderful, ‘S Marvelous

Sometimes I wonder if Lauren Graham gets paid per word, and if so, why is she even working right now when she could be bathing in her money.  How does this woman memorize her dialogue? There’s so much and it’s so fast.  But I love it. And I love this show.  I’m more into Gilmore Girls this season than ever before. I think it’s the one-two punch of GG and Veronica Mars...thanks CW.  Now if you could only dump those insulting Aerie girls commercials…seriously…we HATE them.

Oh and I LOVE me some Lorelai and Chris (and yes, I fully expect to get killed in the comments…bring it)

Title: ‘S Wonderful, ‘S Marvelous
Original Airdate: 10/17/2066

Lorelai is getting out of Christopher’s car ranting about “Snakes on a Plane” because snakes do not belong on a plane. You think Lorelai? Turns out they’ve seen 5 movies at different theatres and different times and they’ve all sucked big time. Chris figures it must be “them”, they just can’t see movies together anymore. They kiss goodnight, for a very long time, so long I get uncomfortable and press fast forward on my Tivo. Finally Lorelai pulls away and they say their goodnights. They’re lots of longing there, on both sides, so I assume they haven’t consummated the relationship yet. Or you know, again.

Inside Rory is packing for Yale. Wait? It’s the end of the summer already. I did not see that coming. Her Mom comes in from her date with her Dad (what a weird sentence to type) and it’s very uncomfortable. They’re not sure what they should talk about and Rory offers to make herself scarce if Chris ever wants to come in after a date sometime. Again, weird. Lorelai shares that it’s all been really nice with Christopher and her daughter mentions Chris said the same thing. Lorelai starts playfully plying her daughter for information but Rory vows not to get into the middle of it. Ahhh Rory, you are the sane one.

At the diner Luke is serving up some yummy looking breakfast to some random lady. Kirk is sitting there making funny noises and lamenting the state of the “women” in his life. Seems his Mom and LuLu have been very possessive as of late. He can’t even make a decision on what he wants for breakfast because it would be favoring a certain woman. Kirk is one messed up dude. Hey look, it’s Anna, Mom to Luke’s daughter April. I was wondering when we were going to see her again. Turns out Anna is going away to look after her mother for a couple weeks so Luke’s going to be doing his fatherly duty. Sleep over! Anna seems a bit nervous but Luke assures her he has nothing to worry about. I’d trust look with my child if I had one, or you know, willingly let him father it.

The Inn has been attached by gourds which look suspiciously like squash. Is it a vegetable or a fruit? I can never remember. Chef extraordinaire Sookie is cooking up a storm thanks to Jackson’s excellent crops this year. Oh and her daughter Martha is close to walking so why doesn’t Lorelai come over tonight and maybe see her child’s first step?. Lorelai declines and Sookie calls her on waiting to see if Christopher will call to ask her out first, and then come by if he doesn’t. She sounds bitter. That’s not good. Lorelai claims that the last 6 weeks (6 weeks!!!) they have been taking it slow, so they can get to know each other again. It’s just dating. Sook says it’s hard to just date the father of your child and hasn’t she known Christopher for over 30 years? She understands the need for a rebound thing after Luke but you don’t have a rebound with your only child’s father, so please be careful. Lorelai annoyed so many people are telling her to watch out. Gee, not like Christopher has ever left you high and dry before right Lor? Her cell rings and its Chris asking her out for the next night, for a fun surprise date. Sookies in the background smashing pots and just generally making noise to interfere with the call, but Lorelai accepts anyway. At least you tried Sookie, at least you tried.

Rory’s back at the penthouse unpacking her things, and seems sad. She tries calling Logan but only gets his voicemail, which surprises Rory. Without time to ponder where her man could be she gets a call from Grandfather Richard with thrilling news to tell. Seems an old school chum of his is a Dean at Yale and asked him to teach an Economics class this semester. Richard’s excited but wants to make sure Rory’s okay with it first, since they may run into each other on campus. Rory promises her grandfather he won’t cramp her style and offers up her congratulations. As always Emily is in the background trying to control the conversation and being wonderfully amusing.

Back at the diner Luke’s reading a list of things not allowed at April’s school, things like nun chucks and eye gouging. This obviously worries Luke but I’m not paying too much attention because Miss Patty is there and she is looking svelte. In rushes April and Anna, who are late due an avocado pit, which is floating in a jar of water, for reasons not shared with us television viewers. Anna’s off and it’s just Luke and his daughter now so he takes her around his apartment. April finds it very dark and, well, brown. Luke admits it needs some brightening up so they can do whatever April feels like doing. She suggest going to Target to get some new things and is shocked when Luke admits he’s never been there. I’ve never been to Target either; I live a very sad life. Luke leaves April to settle in and heads downstairs, but not before lovingly watching her with the avocado pit, a dopey smile on his face. I love Daddy Luke.

Rory’s back at the Yale paper and everyone’s excited because the first issue of the year is done. Rory hands out assignments while Paris proclaims that compared to the paper the Doyle’s working at this place is a joke. Oh Paris, to know you is to loathe/love you. Rory’s covering an art show that night because one of her writers is afraid of seeing an ex, so she asks Paris to come along. Paris is too busy having drinks with Doyle and “real newspaper” people. Sure Rory’s her best friend but that’s priority #3, after her and Doyle’s careers. Looks like Rory is all by herself.

Chris arrives to pick up Lorelai for her surprise date, but she’s not sure what to wear because she doesn’t know where they are going or what they are doing. Parked outside is a shiny red convertible for their driving pleasure and Lor keeps guessing that everything she sees is her surprise. And yet she doesn’t notice the blue cooler in the backseat, so I’m sure that has something to do with it.

Luke can’t believe he was able to get 12 pairs of socks for 6 dollars. The joys of Target, dammit why don’t they have one where I live? Seems the shopping trip went well and they picked out a lot of things to spruce up the Dane residence. April starts suggesting her Dad could put flowers in the new vase they bought and light those new candles, have a nice dinner. He suggests they do it but she’s leaning more towards the idea of him having a “lady” over. I wonder if she means her Mom or some other random woman. Before we can find out Luke dodges the conversation quickly and goes about setting up the new lamps for her desk. Luke’s smiling that dopey smile again, and I love seeing the good his daughter brings out in him.

Christopher is driving down a country road and Lorelai is bugging him about being lost. He finally stops right in front of an old barn and gives the horn a honk. I’m pretty confused until a movie starts projecting on the barn wall. It’s “Funny Face” with Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn, one of Lor’s favorites, complete with soda, popcorn and all the candy one can consume. Lorelai is dumbfounded at how sweet it all is but I admit to being a bit let down. I mean he is a millionaire right? I thought a private jet would be involved.

Richard has finished up teaching his first class and is talking to Emily on the phone. Class went well but dinner with some boring friends wasn’t as great for Emily, whose driving home talking on her cell phone. Richard has to run to have dinner with the Dean and Emily’s gets pulled over by the cops for talking on her cell phone. She rants and raves about the injustice of it all so the police officer automatically assumes she’s been drinking. Honestly can you blame him? He pulls out a breathalyzer for Mrs. Gilmore to breathe in but she refuses. Who really knows where that mouth piece has been? Brilliant!

Rory’s at the art show and seems pretty perplexed because some of the art is pretty bizarre. Seeing a water cooler she goes to get a drink when two girls approach her. Seems the water cooler is actually an art piece and how dare she touch it. Poor Rory’s all apologizes but they’re just psyching her out. Those art kids, always up to no good. One of them is named Olivia and the other is played by the same girl who played “Gia” on Veronica Mars, so we’ll just call her that. These girls have some serious spunk and talk exceptionally fast so you know they’re right up Rory’s alley. They offer to show her around the show for her newspaper article and though it takes some mild convincing it looks like Rory might have some new friends.

Back at the drive-in-barnyard and the movie has just finished. Lorelai thinks the whole thing was fun and nice and wonderful so Chris suggests that the evening doesn’t have to end now. You know they could go back to his place, so they could, well you know. Lorelai wants to but doesn’t want to. To be honest she’s not sure if she entirely trusts Christopher yet or herself for that matter. It’s a huge scary step to take and she just wants to stay in the “place” they’re in a little longer. I hate to point this out but didn’t this start BECAUSE they slept together? Anyway Chris says he can wait and he starts the car up to take her home. However Lorelai’s phone rings and it looks like she’s heading to the police station to pick up her mother. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Lor this excited before.

Luke’s saying goodnight to April and he’s so new at it I can’t help but find it endearing. April starts talking about her pretty and brilliant biology teacher who just happens to be single and like fishing. Maybe one day she could “forget” her text book and Luke could bring it to school for her, and…you know. At least she’s not trying to get her parents back together. Luke, being the guy I so desperately want to marry, promises he’s okay after the Lorelai break-up. She doesn’t need to take care of her Dad; he’s there to take care of her. With that he kisses his daughter on the forehead and heads to bed. Don’t mind me; I’ll be swooning in the corner.

At the Police Station Lorelai is taking pictures of officers with her camera phone, wanting to remember “the day my mother was arrested” for many years to come. Emily finally comes out ranting about lawsuits and being her normal pleasant self. In the car Lorelai is doing what she does best, bugging her mother about what it’s like “on the inside.” Oh yeah, and why did you call me instead of Dad? Emily didn’t want to ruin Richard’s dinner with the Dean to pick up his wife from prison. Emily finally clues in on what going on and wants to know if Lorelai and Christopher are on a date, but the new couple isn’t about to confirm that information.

Rory’s home at the penthouse and she’s brought her new friends with her. The girls make themselves right at home playing with the stereo, fawning over Logan’s things and having a desperate need to eat popcorn. Logan calls surprised that his girlfriend has people over or that she’s not available to talk. It’s nice to see Rory being the busy one for a change.

Christopher is walking Lorelai to her front door and Lor is hyper excited about her mothers arrest. Chris is worried that his barnyard movie was overshadowed by Emily but Lor promises that it wasn’t. She’s so happy he was there with her because he makes everything so fun and he really understands her. They go in for another long kiss and when they pull away Lorelai makes the offer for Chris to come inside. Really? Yeah really, and they go off into the house to do what they seem to do best. I guess Lorelai trusts him again. Does this mean I have to?

WHIRL joined the GMMR team this year and is tackling all things Gilmore Girls.  Make sure you leave some love in the comments because she rocks!!