Gilmore Girls – S1E2 – The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton
I love this episode. The story is interesting, and there are some really fun character moments.
Seeing as how the episode is titled “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton,” that seems like a good place to start this discussion. The scene immediately following the credits is great. When Lorelai wakes up late, Rory has that kind of typical teenage, this one thing could affect my reputation forever, moment. Just as we saw in the last episode, even though Rory is a really mature kid, she is not immune to the ego which comes with being a teenager. That fuzzy alarm clock line though. No matter how many times I hear it, I crack up laughing every single time. There is just something so very Lorelai about owning a fuzzy clock that doesn’t purr on time. My one question about this whole scenario though: How is it possible that Daisy Dukes and a bright pink shirt are the only clothes Lorelai can find to wear? Someone obviously really wanted to keep all the rodeo jokes in the script. It does provide some good comedy, and I buy it enough to enjoy the episode, so I guess it works.
Chilton. Headmaster Charleston's speech to Rory is pretty intense. That being said, I have a certain level of respect for his notion that regardless of his feelings about her grandparents, her connection to them will be of no benefit to Rory’s success at Chilton. It really is going to be her own academic achievement that will determine her standing at the school. Even though it really shouldn’t be, this is kind of a refreshing concept. Aside from the scary and intense speech, I believe that their conversation marks the first mention of Rory’s journalism aspirations. Some of Charleston’s questions and remarks regarding Rory's dreams seemed a tad condescending, but I felt like Rory answered them pretty well. She is a confident kid when it comes to intellectual topics. Plus, I would guess that this is something she has probably given a good deal of thought to.
Getting an introduction to Chilton also included meeting some of Rory’s new classmates. First up is Paris. Oh, the lovely girl that is Paris Gellar. She, Madeline and Louise make up a very Mean Girls-esque group, thus proving that the concept did exist before 2004 (even though I seriously love that movie so much). I think what makes them unique is the way in which they basically hate Rory because her intelligence might negatively affect them. It’s not about popularity, or stealing a best friend, or some other typical angsty teenage scenario. I guess in some sense, Rory should take that as a compliment. However, Paris is still not someone I would want on my bad side. That girl is crazy. As if Paris wasn’t bad enough, there is also the ever creepy, and ever annoying, Tristan. His advances come off as very predatory and are kind of uncomfortable to watch. Plus there’s the whole Mary gag, which, I’m sorry, but Tristan doesn’t seem intelligent enough to be using biblical insults. If he were, he wouldn’t honestly believe he had a shot with Rory.
Before we move to the Stars Hollow parts of the episode, I have one more Chilton related topic to discuss. Emily’s meddling gets really frustrating, really fast. Regardless of her connection with the headmaster, it seems out of line (but not out of character) for her to show up on Rory's first day. Her continued attempts to buy things for Rory, things Rory does not need, is proof that if you give her an inch, she’ll try to take a mile. I believe she means well to an extent, but there’s also this underlying current of “look what we can give you that your mother can’t.” Perhaps I’m misreading what I see, but I do think there is a way in which she is trying to prove to Rory that the world Lorelai left behind is not as bad as she has been led to believe. The problem is that she’s pushing too hard. She needs to step back, and not overstep Lorelai’s boundaries as a parent. Emily raised Lorelai the way she thought was best, and she needs to respect that Lorelai has the right to raise Rory the way she feels is best. As it seems that Lorelai’s methods have worked pretty well for the last 16 years, there is no reason for Emily to stand in the way of them. I felt that Lorelai telling her off was a necessary course of action. Doing it in public may not have been the best choice, but considering that Emily has a tendency to not listen when things are discussed rationally, maybe a dose of public humiliation was a good way to get the point across in this case. This whole section probably makes it sound like I don’t like Emily. I do, I just don’t like the fact that she is so aggressive about getting her own way, without compromise. It’s not an attractive quality.
Returning to Stars Hollow, this episode gives us an introduction to a few more of the town’s fun and quirky residents. Lorelai’s neighbors, Babette and Morey (though I’m not sure he is referred to by name in this episode) call her when the gnome kicking DSL installers stop by. These characters don’t get a lot of play in the episode, but they do become beloved members of the Stars Hollow crew, so it's fun to see their first appearance. We also meet the inn’s produce man, Jackson. Jackson and Sookie’s scenes are just fantastic. They play off one another so well, and even though the peach gag is completely ridiculous, they make it charming and cute.
Luke is back in this episode. His reaction to Lorelai’s decision to not date a Chilton dad was great. By trying not to act overly excited, he ended up digging himself into a slightly awkward but funny explanation as to why the situation would be bad for her. The writers really caught onto that chemistry thing quick, and are not letting it go to waste. His attempts to keep Lorelai from drinking coffee were also a fun continuation of the trope established in the Pilot. I somehow think that Rory’s concern about what might happen were Lorelai and Luke were to date and break up is indeed a valid one. Since he’s the one that keeps them in food and coffee, it wouldn’t end well for them. Luke and Rory aren’t the only ones offering their opinions on the things going on in Lorelai’s life though. The fact that everyone in stars hollow comments on Lorelai’s outfit is a humorous way to continue establishing the closeness of Stars Hollow’s residents. Everyone knows everyone else’s business, and they aren’t afraid to offer one another their two cents.
There is just one last thing I wanted to mention that came up in this episode. I really love that Lane and Lorelai can have a good relationship. I know I’ve always loved it when my friends’ parents seem to enjoy my presence. I’m not saying that I would tell them everything, or spend every moment with them the way I would with my friends, but it makes going to those friends’ houses feel more at home, and it’s just a nice thing to have a positive relationship with them. To a certain degree, I think Lorelai really relates to Lane when it comes to dealing with strict and controlling parents. She understands how difficult that can be when you are a teenager trying to be your own person and figure out your own life. So that may have some impact on their ability to get along so well. It isn’t just Lorelai and Lane that get along though. This type of situation is also reflected in Rory’s relationship with Sookie. We don’t actually see them interact in this episode, but from what we saw in the Pilot, we know that they too have a good relationship. Sookie was almost as excited as Lorelai about Rory’s acceptance to Chilton. All of this, I guess, is a really long way of saying that it’s nice that Lorelai and Rory enjoy the company of the other’s friends. I somehow don’t see the same dynamic being the case for, say, Lorelai and Emily.
Bottom line, this was an excellent follow up to the Pilot. Gilmore Girls really came out of the gate strong with its first two episodes. They have done a great job establishing the two different worlds which the show will exist in, and really making them both believable. This episode is full of sweet and funny moments, and I always enjoy rewatching it.
Best Moments:
-Fuzzy clock
-Lorelai introducing Rory to the headmaster’s secretary
-The peach scene
-Michel
-Meeting Babette and Morey
-Lorelai and Luke’s scenes
Best Quotes:
Lorelai: This is the last time I buy anything just because its furry.
Rory: But you only finished half my toes!
Lorelai: Who cares? You're gonna be wearing shoes anyway!
Jack: Daughters are great.
Lorelai: We’re big fans.
Lorelai: I got her two skirts and a bunch of tops.
Emily: But there are five days in a school week.
Lorelai: Really? Are you sure? Because my days of the week underwear only go to Thursday.
Emily: Oh, yes. We're all old friends.
Lorelai: Well, there's nothing like friends. Especially if they're old. . .ones.
Paris: Formerly of Stars Hollow High School.
Louise: Where's that?
Paris: Drive west, make a left at the haystacks and follow the cows.
Jackson: Oh, I would love to know what you're doing.
Sookie: They're rolling differently, too.
Jackson: Oh, because of the extra water.
Sookie: Exactly.
Jackson: Makes perfect sense.
Babette: They kicked the gnome.
Lorelai: What?
Babette: Right in the head.
Morey: That's just not cool.
Lorelai: I'm very sorry. Is the gnome okay?
Babette: Oh, he's fine, sugar, thanks for asking. But I wouldn't trust these boys. Gnome kicking says a lot about a man's character.
Rory: Date Al from Pancake World, his food stinks.
Lorelai: I cannot believe what I'm hearing. Al's food does not stink, Al stinks.
References:
XTC
Dukes of Hazzard
Hunchback of Notre Dame
Schindler’s List
Cokie Roberts
Oprah
Rosie O’Donnell
The View
Christiane Amanpour
Balance Bar
Dickens
Doestoevski
George Sand
Balzac
Tolstoy
David Copperfield
Honda
Panasonic
Shakespeare
Martin Luther
Virgin Mary/Mary Magdalene
Episode Total: 20
I love this episode. The story is interesting, and there are some really fun character moments.
Seeing as how the episode is titled “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton,” that seems like a good place to start this discussion. The scene immediately following the credits is great. When Lorelai wakes up late, Rory has that kind of typical teenage, this one thing could affect my reputation forever, moment. Just as we saw in the last episode, even though Rory is a really mature kid, she is not immune to the ego which comes with being a teenager. That fuzzy alarm clock line though. No matter how many times I hear it, I crack up laughing every single time. There is just something so very Lorelai about owning a fuzzy clock that doesn’t purr on time. My one question about this whole scenario though: How is it possible that Daisy Dukes and a bright pink shirt are the only clothes Lorelai can find to wear? Someone obviously really wanted to keep all the rodeo jokes in the script. It does provide some good comedy, and I buy it enough to enjoy the episode, so I guess it works.
Chilton. Headmaster Charleston's speech to Rory is pretty intense. That being said, I have a certain level of respect for his notion that regardless of his feelings about her grandparents, her connection to them will be of no benefit to Rory’s success at Chilton. It really is going to be her own academic achievement that will determine her standing at the school. Even though it really shouldn’t be, this is kind of a refreshing concept. Aside from the scary and intense speech, I believe that their conversation marks the first mention of Rory’s journalism aspirations. Some of Charleston’s questions and remarks regarding Rory's dreams seemed a tad condescending, but I felt like Rory answered them pretty well. She is a confident kid when it comes to intellectual topics. Plus, I would guess that this is something she has probably given a good deal of thought to.
Getting an introduction to Chilton also included meeting some of Rory’s new classmates. First up is Paris. Oh, the lovely girl that is Paris Gellar. She, Madeline and Louise make up a very Mean Girls-esque group, thus proving that the concept did exist before 2004 (even though I seriously love that movie so much). I think what makes them unique is the way in which they basically hate Rory because her intelligence might negatively affect them. It’s not about popularity, or stealing a best friend, or some other typical angsty teenage scenario. I guess in some sense, Rory should take that as a compliment. However, Paris is still not someone I would want on my bad side. That girl is crazy. As if Paris wasn’t bad enough, there is also the ever creepy, and ever annoying, Tristan. His advances come off as very predatory and are kind of uncomfortable to watch. Plus there’s the whole Mary gag, which, I’m sorry, but Tristan doesn’t seem intelligent enough to be using biblical insults. If he were, he wouldn’t honestly believe he had a shot with Rory.
Before we move to the Stars Hollow parts of the episode, I have one more Chilton related topic to discuss. Emily’s meddling gets really frustrating, really fast. Regardless of her connection with the headmaster, it seems out of line (but not out of character) for her to show up on Rory's first day. Her continued attempts to buy things for Rory, things Rory does not need, is proof that if you give her an inch, she’ll try to take a mile. I believe she means well to an extent, but there’s also this underlying current of “look what we can give you that your mother can’t.” Perhaps I’m misreading what I see, but I do think there is a way in which she is trying to prove to Rory that the world Lorelai left behind is not as bad as she has been led to believe. The problem is that she’s pushing too hard. She needs to step back, and not overstep Lorelai’s boundaries as a parent. Emily raised Lorelai the way she thought was best, and she needs to respect that Lorelai has the right to raise Rory the way she feels is best. As it seems that Lorelai’s methods have worked pretty well for the last 16 years, there is no reason for Emily to stand in the way of them. I felt that Lorelai telling her off was a necessary course of action. Doing it in public may not have been the best choice, but considering that Emily has a tendency to not listen when things are discussed rationally, maybe a dose of public humiliation was a good way to get the point across in this case. This whole section probably makes it sound like I don’t like Emily. I do, I just don’t like the fact that she is so aggressive about getting her own way, without compromise. It’s not an attractive quality.
Returning to Stars Hollow, this episode gives us an introduction to a few more of the town’s fun and quirky residents. Lorelai’s neighbors, Babette and Morey (though I’m not sure he is referred to by name in this episode) call her when the gnome kicking DSL installers stop by. These characters don’t get a lot of play in the episode, but they do become beloved members of the Stars Hollow crew, so it's fun to see their first appearance. We also meet the inn’s produce man, Jackson. Jackson and Sookie’s scenes are just fantastic. They play off one another so well, and even though the peach gag is completely ridiculous, they make it charming and cute.
Luke is back in this episode. His reaction to Lorelai’s decision to not date a Chilton dad was great. By trying not to act overly excited, he ended up digging himself into a slightly awkward but funny explanation as to why the situation would be bad for her. The writers really caught onto that chemistry thing quick, and are not letting it go to waste. His attempts to keep Lorelai from drinking coffee were also a fun continuation of the trope established in the Pilot. I somehow think that Rory’s concern about what might happen were Lorelai and Luke were to date and break up is indeed a valid one. Since he’s the one that keeps them in food and coffee, it wouldn’t end well for them. Luke and Rory aren’t the only ones offering their opinions on the things going on in Lorelai’s life though. The fact that everyone in stars hollow comments on Lorelai’s outfit is a humorous way to continue establishing the closeness of Stars Hollow’s residents. Everyone knows everyone else’s business, and they aren’t afraid to offer one another their two cents.
There is just one last thing I wanted to mention that came up in this episode. I really love that Lane and Lorelai can have a good relationship. I know I’ve always loved it when my friends’ parents seem to enjoy my presence. I’m not saying that I would tell them everything, or spend every moment with them the way I would with my friends, but it makes going to those friends’ houses feel more at home, and it’s just a nice thing to have a positive relationship with them. To a certain degree, I think Lorelai really relates to Lane when it comes to dealing with strict and controlling parents. She understands how difficult that can be when you are a teenager trying to be your own person and figure out your own life. So that may have some impact on their ability to get along so well. It isn’t just Lorelai and Lane that get along though. This type of situation is also reflected in Rory’s relationship with Sookie. We don’t actually see them interact in this episode, but from what we saw in the Pilot, we know that they too have a good relationship. Sookie was almost as excited as Lorelai about Rory’s acceptance to Chilton. All of this, I guess, is a really long way of saying that it’s nice that Lorelai and Rory enjoy the company of the other’s friends. I somehow don’t see the same dynamic being the case for, say, Lorelai and Emily.
Bottom line, this was an excellent follow up to the Pilot. Gilmore Girls really came out of the gate strong with its first two episodes. They have done a great job establishing the two different worlds which the show will exist in, and really making them both believable. This episode is full of sweet and funny moments, and I always enjoy rewatching it.
Best Moments:
-Fuzzy clock
-Lorelai introducing Rory to the headmaster’s secretary
-The peach scene
-Michel
-Meeting Babette and Morey
-Lorelai and Luke’s scenes
Best Quotes:
Lorelai: This is the last time I buy anything just because its furry.
Rory: But you only finished half my toes!
Lorelai: Who cares? You're gonna be wearing shoes anyway!
Jack: Daughters are great.
Lorelai: We’re big fans.
Lorelai: I got her two skirts and a bunch of tops.
Emily: But there are five days in a school week.
Lorelai: Really? Are you sure? Because my days of the week underwear only go to Thursday.
Emily: Oh, yes. We're all old friends.
Lorelai: Well, there's nothing like friends. Especially if they're old. . .ones.
Paris: Formerly of Stars Hollow High School.
Louise: Where's that?
Paris: Drive west, make a left at the haystacks and follow the cows.
Jackson: Oh, I would love to know what you're doing.
Sookie: They're rolling differently, too.
Jackson: Oh, because of the extra water.
Sookie: Exactly.
Jackson: Makes perfect sense.
Babette: They kicked the gnome.
Lorelai: What?
Babette: Right in the head.
Morey: That's just not cool.
Lorelai: I'm very sorry. Is the gnome okay?
Babette: Oh, he's fine, sugar, thanks for asking. But I wouldn't trust these boys. Gnome kicking says a lot about a man's character.
Rory: Date Al from Pancake World, his food stinks.
Lorelai: I cannot believe what I'm hearing. Al's food does not stink, Al stinks.
References:
XTC
Dukes of Hazzard
Hunchback of Notre Dame
Schindler’s List
Cokie Roberts
Oprah
Rosie O’Donnell
The View
Christiane Amanpour
Balance Bar
Dickens
Doestoevski
George Sand
Balzac
Tolstoy
David Copperfield
Honda
Panasonic
Shakespeare
Martin Luther
Virgin Mary/Mary Magdalene
Episode Total: 20