P.S. I Lo…
Season 1, Episode 20
Original airing: May
3, 2001
My Rating: 54
The Good:
In preparation for the season finale, this episode draws
together several storylines. Lorelai learns why Rory and Dean broke up, Rory
learns Lorelai is back together with Max, and a new dynamic evolves amongst the
Gilmore clan when Rory chooses her grandparents’ company over Lorelai’s.
These are things that needed to happen for the show to have
a conclusion to its major arcs in this season. But that’s about the best thing
that can be said for how it was handled (See the Bad).
The most successful plot in this episode was the subplot for
Lane. Pairing her with Dean for a science project was a very natural way to
drive a small wedge between Lane and Rory. It was easily healed, but their
encounter at the bus station was beautifully acted and very emotional.
I also really enjoyed the scene with Mrs. Kim, Dean, and
Lane. She was the perfect overbearing mother and her presentation was
hilarious.
The Bad:
The reason this episode wasn’t entirely successful is fully
upon the preceding episodes. The storylines have been there, but they’ve been
practically ignored in large fashion. Lorelai and Rory’s stories depend
entirely upon Max and Dean and when they aren’t in the episode, the show has a
way of pretending they don’t exist.
It’s difficult to buy Lorelai’s joy and being back with Max
when she spends every other episode hovering around Luke. Last episode, in the
back room of the diner, she basically suggested that he might be having trouble
with Rachel because he’s interested in Lorelai. Even in this episode she was
dressing him and being fairly intimate.
It’s difficult to remember Rory is so upset about her
breakup with Dean that she’ll run away from home when ever other episode she
seems completely fine and happy. This episode suggests that she has been
finding the entire town incredibly oppressive because of Dean’s presence. While
this is a fine concept, we haven’t seen anything to support it since the
breakup three episodes ago.
The show set up these storylines then ignored them and that
made the whole of this episode feel highly disjointed.
Favorite Moment:
Seeing Lane and Rory fight was a surprisingly effective
storyline. I teared up when I saw Lane waiting with coffee to meet Rory’s bus.
I imagine that despite them being teenage girls, they don’t fight very often.
The Bottom Line:
This episode was necessary to prepare for the season finale,
but the stories hadn’t been supported in the past episodes. So Rory’s rather
sudden freak out and the surrounding effects seemed unbelievable. The show has
been struggling with supporting their storylines across episodes all season, so
this is something I hope to see improve.
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