Hello! Welcome to Return to Stars Hollow - a spoiler-free, retrospective podcast about Gilmore Girls! This is the podcast for Season 2, Episode 12 - Richard in Stars Hollow.
You can direct download the episode here: S2E12 - Richard in Stars Hollow
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The next podcast will post on Monday, May 4, 2015 for Season 2, Episode 13 - A-Tisket, A-Tasket.
The theme of this episode seems to be "mothers can be overprotective, and men can be really, really dumb."
ReplyDeleteDumb man #1: Jackson. Expecting Sookie to read his mind? Dumb. Getting in a huff because she fails to magically divine his intentions? Dumb. Passing up a basket made of goat-cheese-filled pretzel? SUPER dumb. If the writers wanted to generate conflict between Sookie and Jackson, they could have had the couple disagree whether it was time to get married, or where they'd live. Instead, they make Jackson look like an idiot. Again, goat-cheese-filled pretzel! Come on, man!
Dumb man #2: Dean, obviously. He really thinks that Jess is just trying to mess with him? He really hasn't figured out that Jess has a thing for Rory? Particularly weird because last season, Dean instantly realized that the reason Tristan was being a jerk at the CHilton dance was because Tristan was jealous. Dean makes the conflict into an argument between himself and Jess, which of course backfires, and then complains to Lorelai, which again makes everything worse.
Jackson's stupidity is annoying, but as a Stars Hollow townie character, it's ok for him to be a bit cartoonish, and we know the conflict between him and Sookie will be quickly resolved.
But we're supposed to take Dean seriously as a character, and invest in the Dean/Rory/Jess triangle. Dean's behavior is just bizarre for a 17 year old boy -- the macho posturing seems real enough, but tattling to Lorelai about Jess getting in fights at school? No way.
The upside of the episode? The various overprotective mothers and their rebellious daughters. Watching Lorelai go from "heck yeah, even Emily is backing me up on this!" to "oh God, EMILY is backing me up on this" was priceless. It's always great to watch Lorelai realize when she's made a mistake and try to correct it.
I've tried to post this comment twice, but don't see it so I apologize, if this is a duplicate comment. I want to say first off that I was an avid Buffy Rewatch listener and have listened to this podcast from the beginning and love it, so thanks for doing this!
ReplyDeleteI did want to comment on this podcast, because Cordia talked about who Anita Bryant is, who was referenced here. Cordia said that her career downfall occurred partly because it was discovered that she was gay, but that's not true. Anita Bryant was actually an outspoken anti-gay bigot. She was rabidly homophobic and led a coalition called "Save the Children" that's initial goal was to overturn an ordinance that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. She later campaigned against gay people having the right to adopt children. Her homophobia led the gay community and its supporters to boycott orange juice. I just wanted to correct that because I would be horrified if anyone thought Anita Bryant was part of the queer community. We really don't want her.
I love this episode, it's got everything I like. A Stars Hollow town tradition. Miss Patty's crazy scheme. Kirk and his sad life. Luke and Lorelai. Lorelai and Emily. Lane and Mrs. Kim. Sookie and Jackson being cute, I like that their engagement just kind of happens, without a big romantic gesture, even though I love those.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course lots of Rory and Jess. I think this is the first time(?) we, and Rory, get to see more of this other side of him after the pranks in the last few episodes, and it's nice. Pizza and the bookstore does sound like a great date. And then that last scene, very cute, I just can't resist their adorable smiles.
And then there's Dean, who has reverted back to the terrible version of himself. The extent to which he's annoying probably varies from person to person though; if I didn't dislike Dean so much already and didn't find Jess so much more charming, Jess directly inserting himself into their relationship would seem like much more of a dick move because that's kind of what it is actually, but I don't care. Dean complaining to Lorelai about Rory and Jess is so terrible, as is the scene where he's ordering Rory to not go on the date with Jess. There's an interesting contrast between the boys in that scene. Dean in his leather jacket, being so tall and mad and looking like he's about to explode, while Jess in his weirdly buttoned yellow jacket remains completely chill, making quips.
Rory is mad about Dean talking to Lorelai and makes that obvious to Lorelai which is understandable but there's not really the impression that she talks to Dean about this or is obviously annoyed at him because we don't see them interact anymore. So the question for me is, does she tell him what she thinks about this? I can't imagine them not communicating at all for a whole week. It's possible that she wouldn't tell Dean as to not jeopardize their relationship but then her anger at Lorelai alone seems weird.
Have Rory and Lane talked about the thing with Henry? It's not clear when Rory calls her at the end. That again would be very strange.
Taylor calling Jess "the nice young hoodlum in the back", as if he doesn't know him, cracks me up. I also like Dean's "funny walk" response to Rory, gotta give him that much.
I'm really looking forward to this week's podcast. This episode gave me a lot to think about and I hope it inspires some good debates.
ReplyDeleteI understand that antiquated gender-based rituals are how Stars Hollow rolls, but the picnic basket auction was skeezy. What about boyfriends who can pack a mean basket and female friends who want to place bids? That being said, I will watch Luke shell out $50 for Lorelai's defiant unfeminine basket all day long.
Throughout the many discussions about Jess being "bad" for Rory, it was never established what kind of threat he was. Jealous Dean's perspective was clear, but everyone else seemed to ignore Jess and Rory's crazy amount of sexual tension. Lorelai only mentioned his previous troublemaking. There's a difference between petty theft and getting someone pregnant, and it wasn't clear if everyone else realized that Jess is capable of the latter, too.
OMG .... this episode is non stop and all about relationships this time. This is Gilmore Girls at its best.. fast moving lots of threads to follow. So good after the last episode !!
ReplyDeleteLets start with Suki and Jackson.
I agree with post above that Jackson was being WAY too obscure for Suki who is dizzy at the best of moments to pick up that he was talking about moving in together . Her basket looked amazing but how did she bake it to take the weight of the items in it ??
BUT WOW ... i love love the proposal :)
Then there is Lane and Henry ... well they have not dated yet but I still see the last phone call as breaking up. So sad for her. He was perfect .. he was exactly what her Mum would have approved off... Is Lane just addicted to having a complex hidden life. She could have had it ALL !
Fav quote around the complex plan discussion she has with Rory and Lorelai "Sure coz 4 would be trashy"
Lorelai and .......
Well we have Miss Patty setting her up. I thought some of the guys looked cute.
The look on Lorelai's face as it dawns on her that the bidders are from Miss Patty's searches is priceless. BUT how slow was Taylor going for the bidding to still be going on once Lorelai had DRAGGED Luke from the Cafe. Perfect that Luke nailed it by knowing exactly what was in the basket ... or is that a tradition and she always packs the same ??
Luke looks so happy to be having lunch with her. I mean we all see what the town folks see he does adore her.
And finally: Jess & Rory & Dean
Totally believable that Jess would do exactly this. Dean has the right to be mad coz Jess is screwing with him but its coz Jess wants Rory. Dean is the wrong age to sound off at Lorelai as much as he does.
Fav quote from the screen "I would do a funny walk but not feeling very John Cleese"
Why is Rory not fighting more for Dean ... that is what Dean seems to be upset about and rightly so.
But the bridge picnic come down the show trying to build for us a picture of how much more in tune Jess and Rory are.
AND Lorelai knows this as soon as Rory gets home to say she went off for pizza and book buying with Jess.... if she was really not into him then as soon as the picnic was over she would have walked off back to Dean.
Jess keeping the bracelet ... I can see him doing some damage with that later.
Lorelai and Emily
LOL ... "Your absolutely right " how much a few words from Emily can wake her daughter up.
But to be fair to Lorelai , Rory is only mad because her mum called her out on liking Jess......
And finally the mad mad world of Stars Hollow
I do wonder if Taylor came up with the Picnic aution as a way to sell baskets from his market ;)
Taylor may want to be a game show host , but where did he find that lady modelling the baskets ??? Was it me or did her teeth follow you round the room ??
This is a good episode in my opinion, but I´ve noticed the writers often use the same device to create drama; they have Lorelei and one of her parents take one step closer to each other, and then something happens with really bad timing that ruins the progress in the relationship, like in this episode with Dean turning up with the car which created new conflict, also in Rory´s dance when Emily and Lorelei are getting closer and Rory doesn´t come home which creates new conflict. This also happens in a bunch of other episodes like a later one where Lorelei helps Richard open a new business and with the usual bad timing something happens which ruins the bond they have been creating. Usually these episodes are very good dramatically and I actually find it quite believable that such complicated relationships take one steps forward two steps beck, but they do use this device alot.
ReplyDeletei look forward to your next podcast!:)
I have to correct your refernece to a movie in the video store. It was not "the show", but actually "Shoah". It is a documentary about the Holocaust that is over 9 hours. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090015/?mode=desktop
ReplyDelete