Through a Glass, Darkly

Spoilers for “Lorelai’s First Cotillion.”

All right, so, I admit that this week was not as good as last week. And I don’t mean that on just a Luke/Lorelai level, though we can talk about that in a minute. Rory and Lane weren’t as cute as last week (especially the creepy sext messaging), the Zach stuff was just okay (though I liked the smooching at the end), please make Logan put his shirt back on, and I don’t love things like cotillions, so I found the little girl storyline a bit creepy. Although it was also endearing to see even the girl who was supposed to be a young Lorelai enjoying herself.

I admit that on the Luke/Lorelai front, things were not so positive, what with the NEW HAT THAT MADE ME CRY (EVEN WHEN HE WAS MARRIED TO NICOLE HE WORE THE BLUE HAT) and Christopher’s profession of love and Lorelai calling him at the end. However, even though I felt that this episode was just okay, I don’t feel like all is lost. They hammered it home pretty hard that Lorelai doesn’t feel like she know which choices were her choices and which were reactionary choices, which is something interesting for her character to explore. It’s something they’ve touched on in the past, with things like Rory’s coming out, but it would be nice to see Lorelai growing even more into a woman who makes decisions not just to piss her parents off but because of what she really wants.

They’ve set it up so that she can find out whether Christopher is really (as Luke said last week) the kind of guy (or THE guy) she’s supposed to be with. But . . . he’s not. However, I can accept that as a storyline for now. And, as I said last week, if she’s got to get him out of her system once and for all, I can be fine with that. His “love” for her doesn’t negate the ways he’s acted in the past, and I don’t think it’s going to change the direction this story is ultimately headed. Honestly, I’d be a lot more concerned if this was coming up closer to the middle or end of the season. But it feels a lot like a “Get it out of her system early and get to the real story” kind of thing. The real story? Luke and Lorelai finally being in synch, finally being the people who can let each other into their lives. We were headed that way at the start of last season, and the April thing was just a detour. Ditto Chris. (Honestly, I feel like Chris can be a great tool – heh, he’s already a tool – to help Lorelai see what she really wants.) We’ll get there eventually. (You, too, can be as Zen as I am.)

What was good was:

-The grandparents not reacting to Lorelai’s announcement. That was classic Gilmore – they didn’t do what she expected and she got upset and made a scene. hehe.

-Paris. But I always love her. (Except for the creepy sext messaging.)

-Lorelai and Michel dancing. You pretty much have to love that, because Michel is always talking about what a great dancer he is. And also because of her giant corsage.

I don’t feel like I have a lot to say . . . for me, this episode was pretty much setting up the inevitable. But the inevitable isn’t going to be the end of the story. Just a bump in the road. I don’t even mind watching it play out if it’s going to be executed well, and, again, even though I thought this episode was just okay, everyone felt and sounded like themselves again. Even though I wanted this season to be a “reset,” with it all having been a dream, I’m content with what’s happened so far. It wasn’t a storyline reset, but the characters do feel like they’ve started over, and the horrible depressing angst is gone. Which makes me feel better, at least.

(If you get sad, just remember Christopher getting punched in the face. It’s set to “save until I delete” status on my TiVo. hee hee.)