Off to Stars Hollow: Gilmore Girls S1E2

The Lorelais' First Day at Chilton
Season 1, Episode 2

Finally, Stars Hollow looks as it should, and Rory's off to Chilton. Things are starting to feel normal - with a few exceptions.

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Okay Rory, I don't think time works the way you think it does. That would make your crazy aging make more sense, though. In the opening scene she shouts the time to Lorelai every few seconds as though whole minutes are passing. 

This guy hitting on Lorelai at Chilton is gross. I know this was filmed in 2000 but it always cracks me up to see what TV shows & movies considered to be attractive thirty-something men in the 80's and 90's. Not shaming anyone (eek, are we even allowed to discuss attractiveness anymore?), I'm just really thankful I grew up in the age I grew up in...haha.

Okay, you know how sometimes a line from something just sticks with you forever and it might be completely insignificant or stupid but it's just jammed in the depths of your brain regardless? A line from this scene where Lorelai and Rory walk up the headmaster's secretary is one of those for me. Every night when I take my makeup off I think of Lorelai saying, "See, that's what happens when you go to bed with your makeup on."

Now that we're in Headmaster Charleston's office I'm thinking about how different it looks in the revival. I can't remember now if they mention renovations at that point, but man does he get an upgrade eventually.

I hate how they make Lorelai take off her coat. Are some people really this insistent on things like taking your coat off?? I know that was a device for this plot line, but still. SO embarrassed for her...been there. (Sort of.)

This scare-speech the Headmaster gives Rory is very effective. I would have been terrified at her age...he makes it sound harder than college.

She's a journalism major? Their high school had majors?

Two uniform skirts aren't fine, Lorelai. I know she's thrifty but let your rich mom get more than two skirts, girl. (I went to a private school with uniforms until eight grade so I speak from experience.)

There's George Washington, centered on the wall behind the desk at the Inn.

When Lorelai calms down the guy with a scratch on his car, she says she'll send it to Musky's to have it looked at. We all know that eventually Gypsy is the town mechanic, but she doesn't make an appearance until season two. When Richard insists on having the car Dean built for Rory checked, they visit Gypsy, but the sign on her business says Hewes Bros Gas. All kinds of names flying around! 

So this is the first time we see Sean Gunn, but in this episode his name is Mick rather than Kirk. The first couple times he shows up, he's a lot more rude and unagreeable. I love what they turned Kirk into so I'm really glad Mick didn't stick around!

How cute was it that Luke stepped out of the diner to watch Lorelai walk by just as she finished asking Rory if she thinks he's cute? Also, is the diner always trimmed in this many twinkle lights??

Some of the books & movies I noticed in this episode: Hunchback of Notre Dame,War and Peace, Anna Karenina, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, Tale of Two Cities, Little Dorrit, Dukes of Hazzard, The Shining.

Off to Stars Hollow: Gilmore Girls S1E1

Pilot
Season 1, Episode 1

Restarting Gilmore Girls is both thrilling and frustrating. I'm always SO excited to get back to Stars Hollow, but also annoyed by all of the "off" details in the first handful of episodes and how ridiculously long it takes for Luke and Lorelai to get a clue about each other. It's as painful as it is exciting to watch sometimes.

I have a lot of continuity issues in this first episode, so let's get to it.

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  I know that the pilot gets filmed before the rest of the series for nearly every TV show, but I think because Stars Hollow is basically its own character, it really bothers me how different it looks (Luke's especially) in episode one. Whenever they're actually at Luke's it's a totally different building, but when Rory and Lane are walking into school a few minutes in, you can see the building where Luke's is located for the rest of the series. There's a lot of random details that get re-written later, too. 

  For example, Rory is 16 in episode one (and can drive), but then turns 16 in episode six. I can get behind the idea that Lorelai was just rounding up her age because she was nearly 16 - but I Googled, and you have to be 16 in CT to get a learner's permit. The pilot aired on 10/5/2000, her birthday episode aired on 11/9/2000, and on the Thanksgiving episode in season three (which aired more than two years later on 11/26/2002) Lorelai says Rory is only 17. Rory's got some bizarre aging issues going on!

  There's a picture of George Washington behind the guest counter at the Independence Inn. I'm making note of this because I know that at times, there's a window there.

  I love Rory's giant sweater, why did Lorelai call it a moo-moo?? I want one! haha

  When Rory and Lane walk up to Lane's house, there's a big sign that says Kim's Antiques, which of course is the name we come to know as their house/store. However, when the camera switches to the two of them walking through the door, there's a different sign outside that says "The Glass Chimney", and the staircase leading up to the front door is off to the side instead of directly in front of it.

Already, the wall behind the desk at the Inn has changed. Instead of a centered picture of George Washington with some lamps and plants on the shelf in front of it, there's now three pictures. George is still there, but now there's another portrait, plus a framed gun.

Some things I noticed back at their house: the ugly kitchen wallpaper, the missing hutch/shelf that's in the kitchen later on, there's a door (left open) that leads to their front entryway and visible closet doors in the entry that I don't think we ever see again (at least not located there). There's definitely more windows in the living room than there usually are, and most noticeable is the missing archway from the front entry into the living room.

  Emily and Richard's house looks different inside and out. I think their house bothers me the most, because the entryway and living room look completely different for the entire first season. Later, when they flashback to young Lorelai and Christopher, the house looks like it does in season two and beyond which obviously doesn't make sense.

  When Rory and Dean have their meet cute, Rory's outfit is super cute. I feel like they dress her so meh later on so I always notice when she's got a super cute outfit.

  They're eating tiny salads for dinner?! Oh, nevermind, there's the burgers.

  Whoa, never saw this before. When Lorelai and Rory walk into their house arguing (after Lorelai finds out about Dean) there's a bar of some kind with stools behind Lorelai, where the staircase usually is. Rory even stops and picks up books from it on her way past it.

  The lamps and plants are back and George is centered again!

  Okay, the fight at dinner. I love Lorelai and all that she is, but when she fights with her Mom, I feel like we get a glimpse of her spoiled rich girl upbringing. Her family may have been suffocating and she may not have wanted the lifestyle they were grooming her for, but the way she resents her parents for wanting to be involved in their lives at this point is a little entitled. They gave her thousands of dollars (tens of thousands?) and only want a weekly dinner (that they also fund) in return. Deal with it, girl! 

We get our first glimpse at Lorelai/Luke chemistry at the end, and I'm not sure what to even say about it other than I think their attempt at "sexy Luke" fell a little flat. They'll get it eventually.

Okay, so...books and movies mentioned (that I noticed): Jack Kerouac, Huckleberry Finn, Moby Dick, Madame Bovary, The Little Match Girl, Rosemary's Baby.

Okay, so, overall - had I watched this episode in real time (I didn't) I would have loved the premise of this show instantly. It's not my favorite as a seasoned fan, though, because it just feels so different. There are so many characters yet to be introduced, too, that really make the town come to life. 

Episode 2 coming soon!

Off to Stars Hollow

My birthday was a few weeks ago, and I marked the occasion by beginning my annual fall Gilmore Girls re-watch. It was actually a restraint to hold out for the last day of August. There's nothing I love more than hanging out in Stars Hollow on cozy Fall days, and I'm always anxious to get the party started.

I'm not sure how many times I've re-watched this show (and it's revival). Maybe Netflix knows. It's probably in the double digits at this point. Which, by no means makes me an expert, but it does mean I notice extraneous details and have a thing or two to say about the Gilmore experience.

And I had an idea.

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Perhaps, exactly zero people would be interested in this, but I thought about commentating my re-watch this year. I'm already halfway into season three, and it would be kind of painful to start over knowing that I'm inching ever-closer to Luke and Lorelai FINALLY admitting their feelings to each other, but.....I kind of want to, anyway.

So that I can actually jot down my thoughts and the things I notice for once instead of just letting them float through my brain all by their lonesome.

Interested?

I thought I'd just...ya know, jot down my reviews and the things I notice (including incontinuity errors and such) - maybe some of the books and movies these girls mention. (In fact, if you scroll down on this post, you can see that I've taken a peek at those things before and would like to experience them for myself, eventually.)

I'm totally okay with this being a solo project, so no harm done if no one lays eyes on it. If, however, you'd like to join me or have anything to add, I'd love to have you. xx

Season 1
Episode 1
Episode 2