Season 1, Episode 18
Original airing: March
22, 2001
My Rating: 63
The Good:
This was a very fun episode which did a great job of adding
serious dimension and a whole new perspective to the Emily character. The
introduction of Lorelai the First (aka Trix) and subsequent bullying put Emily
and Lorelai’s relationship in a new light.
Trix was a fun character and the show got some really good mileage
out of her acerbic personality. It was nice to see her fondness for Lorelai and
Rory’s can-do attitudes. The idea of the trust fund was quite interesting and I’m
curious if it will be reintroduced later. The show didn’t make it terribly
clear if Richard was part of the reason Trix rescinded her offer. It also seems
like perhaps Trix pick up on the idea that Emily and Lorelai almost need the
anchor of the loan for their relationship to continue at this point. Without a
reason to see each other, they probably wouldn’t.
I enjoyed Paris in this episode. Her scene with Rory at the
house was excellent. The support from Rory once again shows how she’s a genuinely
good person. And their banter about clothing and discussion topic choices felt
very fluid and entertaining.
The Bad:
Trix’s abuse towards Emily is, unfortunately, too heavy. It’s
blatancy in front of everyone else makes Richard’s lack of reaction feel very
out of character. His happy bouncing around while his mother is being cruel to
his wife doesn’t fit with the protective man we’ve come to know.
I was also disappointed that the show pulled up short of
having the characters realize the parallels in their relationships. It would
have been nice for Emily or Lorelai to have a small revelation about their
relationship and how it mirrors Emily and Trix’s interactions.
Finally, the show pulled the same stunt with Paris as it did
in S1E9 Rory’s Dance. When Paris learns Rory told Tristan to ask her out, Paris
yells at Rory about how embarrassed she is in front of everyone else. She did
the same thing in the Dance about bringing her cousin as her date. Paris is an
incredibly self-aware young woman and I don’t believe for a second that she
would air her grievances at someone in such a public manner. It feels very lazy
and out of sync.
Favorite Moment:
This episode had a lot of great humor, but the moment that stuck
with me was the poignancy of Emily standing in the sitting room with the tray
while everyone followed Trix to dinner. Her puppy dog attempts to please Trix
just before that with the nuts and the platters was shot to hell and no one cared.
There’s a certain delight in seeing Emily put in her place in this episode, but
the show does a great job of making it also an opportunity for the audience to
feel sympathy for Emily. It’s a delicate balance and this scene is an excellent
example.
The Bottom Line:
This was a good episode with some really interesting
things happening concerning all our of Gilmore women. But the writer’s pulled
up short of taking this into the emotional territory it could have covered.
