Célèste's Review of S3E1 "Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days"

“Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days"

Season 3, Episode 1

Original airing: September 24, 2002

My Rating: 66

The Good:

• This episode does a good job of tying up some of the strings left by the finale. Lorelai telling her parents was definitely a highlight, and Jess finding someone else over the summer throws an interesting wrench into things for Rory, who's used to being the center of his attention. 
• The Paris subplot was great. It didn't even bother me that we'd already seen Rory helping Paris get ready for a date. It's so entertaining, I could was various iterations of the same theme for a while without getting bored. 
• I love a good Stars Hollow festival, so I enjoyed having that as a backdrop to Lorelai and Rory's argument, even if we didn't stay there for long. This episode really had a lot going on. Gilmore Girls must have had a bigger budget for their third season. 
• Despite the fact that I think the Lorelai/Luke reconciliation didn't take the exact form I would have preferred, I did enjoy seeing Lorelai show him such a vulnerability and admit to him and to herself that she wants the "whole package" out of life. 

The Bad:

• The Sookie subplot was a little too over-the-top for me. Over-the-top works for her when the comedy is really hitting, but there just weren't enough laughs to justify how silly the whole thing was. 
• I like that Luke held out for so long on Lorelai instead of forgiving her instantly, but I don't like that their reconciliation took the form of a "remembering what really matters" scene rather than having a basis in Lorelai actually understanding Luke better and making a real amends. It seemed like she really did recognize she was wrong and eat crow at the end of last season, but that wasn't enough for him. So, why is this enough for him? I mean, she didn't even rinse out her mug like she said she would. 
• It's very strange the way characters hold conflicting moral opinions that aren't addressed. Shouldn't Emily be a bit more outraged to hear that Christopher still had a girlfriend when he and Lorelai were getting back together? Lorelai is particularly hypocritical when she criticizes Rory for cheating on Dean without acknowledging that she helped Christopher cheat on Sherry. 
• I noticed a few small things that bothered me. For example, Luke has cleaned all the counters after closing but hasn't locked the door, and, even weirder: has left a full pot of coffee right on the counter where Lorelai can easily get it.

Favorite Moment:

Kirk's "Hey There" scene, and particular Michel's and Lorelai's reactions to him

The Bottom Line:

This episode does a good job of reorienting us for the third season, but doesn't hold enough appeal for me on its own, and, aside from the introduction of Jess's new flame, it does more to tie up loose ends than to whet our appetites for the season to come.

Célèste's Review of S2E22 "I Can't Get Started"

“I Can't Get Started"

Season 2, Episode 22

Original airing: May 21, 2002

My Rating: 77

The Good:

• Paris's speech was great, especially at the end when the small group of students seems unmoved and she deflates a little. 
• There were lots of great comedy moments including:
• Lorelai sneaking Jordan almonds
• Kirk's scene in Luke's
• Sookie's freakout 
• Jackson's, "Apparently there's a long-standing tradition where the men in my family get very airy on the big day!"
• The scene between Jess and Luke was very nice. The moment where Luke walks into the apartment and the audience sees Jess before Luke does was very well done.
• Jess and Rory's kiss scene was perfectly executed from her (literal and metaphorical) big step to his enthusiastic response and easy promise to keep it a secret. Her running off and shouting, "Welcome home!" over he shoulder was classic Rory.
• The final moment of the episode is excellently executed as well. Rory is out of breath and covering for herself by mentioning Washington, which is the furthest thing from the audience's mind. She's also so wrapped up in what just happened that she doesn't notice the pain on Lorelai's face. In this moment, they are both performing, but neither of them knows they aren't alone in it. 

The Bad:

• There are problems with the Christopher stuff throughout. Everything is executed fairly well, but the audience just isn't invested in this relationship and it never seems believable that they would actually get together. 
• Christopher driving down for Rory's cast removal makes zero sense.
• The pregnancy feels more like a soapy TV cliché than an organic character conflict, especially given that Christopher has gotten someone pregnant before and Sherry is a very precise planner. 

Favorite Moment:

Rory hollers, "Welcome home!" over her shoulder as she runs away from Jess. 

The Bottom Line:

Despite the fact that a lot of this episode is concerned with Lorelai and Christopher getting together, it is still a great finale with a lot of laughs and a lot of drama. 

Célèste's Review of S2E21 "Lorelai's Graduation Day"

“Lorelai's Graduation Day"

Season 2, Episode 21

Original airing: May 14, 2002

My Rating: 75

The Good:

• It's great to see Rory and Jess's relationship still moving forward despite him leaving town. I enjoyed all their banter, and it was really cool to see them struggle through the awkwardness of his call and her impassive decision to come see him. Their connection is so strong that, even though they can't seem to say what they mean to say to each other, they just keep trying, and it's great to watch.
• Lorelai's parents seeing her graduate (and her seeing their reaction) was priceless. 
• It's nice to see plots with Sookie, Luke, Christopher, and Lane continuing through the episode, even though they aren't the focus. 
• Lorelai has finally taken off her Dean-good-Jess-bad blinders and can intuit what's going on with Rory and give her good advice. Thank God!

The Bad:

• The plot line involving the other graduates was such a bummer of a waste of time. It wasn't funny and it wasn't believable that Lorelai would care at all what they thought of her. Maybe the story could have worked if it had gone somewhere by the end, but as it was it seemed stuck in just for laughs and the laughs just weren't there.
• Rory playing "business deal" with her grandparents was cute at first but jumped the shark toward the end when she called them "Emily" and "Richard."
• The final scene could have been stronger. Something about the wiring and maybe Alexis Bledel's performance just went over the top in places. 

Favorite Moment:

Lorelai finds Jess in the park 

The Bottom Line:

This episode is an absolute must see. Both Rory and Lorelai have gripping plot lines.

Célèste's Review of S2E20 “Help Wanted"

“Help Wanted"

Season 2, Episode 20

Original airing: May 07, 2002

My Rating: 63

The Good:

• I really love that the show takes the time here to show Rory's feelings about the accident. It was nice to see her stand up to Lorelai and announce that she's a person with agency, not just a pretty object. 
• Lorelai helping Richard set up his business is an interesting dynamic. We've seen her help Emily think outside the box before, and this is similar, but I think they could have pushed it more to get to that level.
• Postponing Lorelai and Luke's reunion just makes me ache for it even more, and I loved seeing Rory and Luke bond in the last scene.
• Lane finally has something going on that she's excited about. I absolutely can't wait to see more from this plot line. 
• Although Sophie wasn't funny at all, Babette had me absolutely rolling with laughter. I love the way she interrupts with the crazy non-sequiters: "I was in a cult once!" 
• Minimal Dean scenes!

The Bad:

• As usual, there's some distracting timeline and logic stuff. 
• The first scene feels like it takes place just after the car accident, since Luke has taken off and there's a strong implication that Rory and Lorelai haven't Luke's at all since Lorelai and Luke fought (Rory asks if they'll get service). But, it's then revealed to be a Friday and we know that the accident took place over a weekend, so it's been a whole week.
• Lorelai manages to run into the lunch delivery man in the span of literally half a second as she's walking the job candidate out. 
• Lorelai calls the office and asks to speak to Richard, but then after inviting Lorelai to the party, the phone call ends as if Emily had been calling to speak with Lorelai in the first place.
• Dean reads a two-page, double-sided letter in what amounts to about 5 seconds.
• Rory's accepting responsibility doesn't work as well as it could have because she's so inconsistent: blaming herself for things that aren't her fault (Lorelai fighting with Luke) as well as things that are her fault. 
• I loved seeing Lane have her own plot, but I didn't like that there was no connection between her plot and Rory's. 
• Sophie, the music shop owner, isn't very funny, which makes her inconsistency (over-the-top about the non-touching rule and then over-the-top about encouraging Lane to sit down at the drums) more obvious. Also Lane just staring at the drums later and asking for "5 more minutes" is cartoonish. Why not have Lane pretend practicing again when she asks for "5 more minutes"?
• Lorelai's opinion of Dean continues to me almost comical. "Maybe Dean is even more terrific than we though he was." Umm... last time I checked not breaking up with someone because they were in a car wreck doesn't found as "terrific." 
• Overall, this episode is less funny and reference heavy than average.

Favorite Moment:

Lane smiles to herself while singing hymns next to Mrs. Kim. The beauty of this dream is that just thinking about it makes her happy even when she goes back to her double life. 

The Bottom Line:

This episode isn't fantastic, but several great moments make it worth watching: seeing Lane excited about being a drummer, seeing Rory stand up for herself as a person with real agency, seeing Rory and Luke bond over their concern about Jess, and seeing Babette go on and on about "bad men."

Célèste's Review of S2E19 “Teach Me Tonight"

“Teach Me Tonight"

Season 2, Episode 19

Original airing: April 30, 2002

My Rating: 66

The Good:

• Prime flirting scenes between Jess and Rory. I especially enjoy watching him slowly charm her even as she's annoyed with him. 
• The destruction of the car Dean made for Rory is the perfect choice.
• Kirk's film and all the movie in the square stuff is very funny.
• Rory getting injured is a good way for Christopher and Lorelai to makeup. 
• It's all a perfect catalyst for the schism between Lorelai and Luke. Whenever one thing's up, another thing's down.

The Bad:

• The TV-logic of the hospital scene just really bugs me. We'll take some extra X-rays? Really? And how can Stars Hollow support a whole hospital?
• The structure of this episode feels a bit off to me, almost meandering. The movie-night plot takes up most of the front end of the episode although it's largely unimportant. Rather than feeling like a  B plot that happens concurrently, it feels like a whole different episode. Then, when I'm interested to hear from Rory how she's feeling, instead the focus is on Christopher (a subplot that feels slightly tacked on) and I can't fully enjoy Kirk's movie because the tone of the show has gone from wacky to extremely dramatic.

Favorite Moment:

Jess and Rory in the car 

The Bottom Line:

If you like to see Jess be charming and doomed, this is definitely one of the best episodes for that. 

Célèste's Review of S2E18 “Back in the Saddle Again"

“Back in the Saddle Again "

Season 2, Episode 18

Original airing: April 23, 2002

My Rating: 55

The Good:

• Seeing Michel with his mother was great. The casting and costumes for Giselle were on point.
• I enjoyed all the comedy between the students, particularly Brad, Madeline, and Louise. It was also nice to see Richard interact with Paris.
• Although it wasn't the most engaging subplot ever, I like the idea of Richard discovering he wants to work again. 

The Bad:

• Dean being used as a plot device instead of a fully developed character has hit its breaking point. How can we be expected to care about him?
• The idea of Dean begging clingy hadn't been set up before this episode, so Rory being cold to him at the diner came off as very strange. 
• Dean's behavior was too over the top. Calling 14 times in three hours works for characters like Kirk but not for people we're supposed to take seriously. 

Favorite Moment:

Brad: I've never made a robot.
Louise: But you've tried, haven't you? 

The Bottom Line:

This episode moves a few plots forward but is still fundamentally skippable. It mostly serves as filler and it's not very engaging. 

Célèste's Review of S2E17 “Dead Uncles and Vegetables"

“Dead Uncles and Vegetables"

Season 2, Episode 17

Original airing: April 16, 2002

My Rating: 78

The Good:

• I love when the show takes to time to really focus on Luke. He's such a great character and his arc in this episode was great.
• It's nice that the show makes a place for all kinds of different characters and shows the distinction between grumps when are selfish and grumps who still care about others. 
• Lorelai's old fashioned diner slang was a definite highlight for me.
• The Taylor/hippy subplot was one of the most entertaining things I've seen on the show. I really loved both performances, especially how the hippy's laid-back attitude was just the thing to really push uptight Taylor over the edge. 

The Bad:

• The idea of Rory making sure Jess helped out was good, but the execution wasn't perfect. 

Favorite Moment:

Lorelai lists Luke's many good deeds at Louie's funeral

The Bottom Line:

This episode is technically a kind of filler in that it doesn't move any of the major arcs of the season forward, but it's so enjoyable to watch that I'd never recommend skipping it.

Célèste's Review of S2E16 "There's the Rub"

“There's the Rub"

Season 2, Episode 16

Original airing: February 26, 2002

My Rating: 64

The Good:

• This episode moved a lot of plots forward from Luke's remodeling to Paris and Rory becoming "friendish" to the Jess/Rory/Dean triangle finally having a more explosive moment.
• Jess and Paris debating books was a great moment, and they were each used perfectly throughout the episode.
•  Emily and Lorelai finally having a frank discussion about their relationship was really interesting the watch.

The Bad:

• The spa scenes were a little boring and didn't feel connected to the rest of the Lorelai/Emily plot.
• Dean, Dean, Dean. I don't know what else to say. 

Favorite Moment:

Paris, Madeline and Louise’s Abbott and Costello routine: "She wants to study." "On a friday night? But we have dates."

The Bottom Line:

This episode is a little lacking in humor but it does some good work to move several plot lines forward. 

Célèste's Review of S2E15 "Lost and Found"

“Lost and Found"

Season 2, Episode 15

Original airing: February 26, 2002

My Rating: 70

The Good:

• It's great to see Lorelai and Jess struggle to give each other a chance. I especially like the detail that Luke thinks it would be great if Jess and Rory got together.
• Taylor's slowly buying up the town.
• Luke doesn't use the word vibe.
• Miss Patty.
• Luke breaking down the wall is a classic Triumphant Luke moment. Let's make another doll. 
• Jess is very charming here. I like him noticing Rory's hair and making an effort with Lorelai. 

The Bad:

• Time has once again gone crazy in Stars Hollow.
• Everyone is wearing coats and gloves even though two episodes ago it was spring.
• Jess says he needs to be at Lorelai's in 20 minutes. Well, it takes 2 minutes to walk there, so you're fine.
• Rory spends 2 hours at the book sale, sees a 2 hour movie with Dean, and then rents another 2 hour movie with Dean (at least 6 hours) but still has time to search everywhere in town before the sun goes down.
• Lorelai goes to work at some point in there. She leaves during her shift and then goes home instead of going back to the inn. Couldn't she have just gone to the inn to look for the bracelet instead of trying to fit a work day into this day that's already too long?
• Things are also overly complicated again when Rory takes off to look again after talking to Jess, and then comes into the house saying she's been through town again. A lot of time could have been saved if she'd just gone straight to her bedroom.
• The scene at the book sale does a good job (mostly) of showing that there might be some trouble in paradise, but it's overshadowed by Dean's overreaction to the missing bracelet, which is weird. So is his transition to proposing a compromise for the afternoon. Why does he always pull her two feet away from where they're standing? So awkward. 

Favorite Moment:

Jess is amused as Rory backtracks, "I don't mean like like."

The Bottom Line:

Apart from some awkwardness, this is a great episode all about the complicated relationships between four of the best characters. Everything fits together pretty seamlessly, and there's lots of humor. 

Célèste's Review of S2E14 "It Should've Been Lorelai"

“It Should've Been Lorelai"

Season 2, Episode 14

Original airing: February 12, 2002

My Rating: 64

The Good:

• The introduction of Sherry is strong. The character appears fully formed and unlike some characters (*cough*Dean*cough*), she is entirely consistent with with how others describe her. 
• The Lane plot is fun. I especially enjoyed Michel's part, of course. 
• Lorelai coming to a major realization about herself is interesting and I like Christopher standing up for himself when she thoughtlessly tells him she's sabotaged her other relationships because she was waiting for him. 
• The return of Brad was great.

The Bad:

• Rory summarizing her date with Sherry felt like lazy writing. If they had shown us Sherry's motivations instead of telling us, she would have felt like a more three diminutional character. 
• It's a little unclear why Christopher is so oblivious to Sherry's awkwardness. It seams like news to him that the kitchen conversation was strange, but he noticed Lorelai making the "Leonard call" so why doesn't he notice what a bad first impression Sherry's making?

Favorite Moment:

Richard goes on and on about gruesome motorcycle accidents while Emily stares daggers at Lorelai

The Bottom Line:

There's nothing particularly bad about this episode, but I didn't love it either. It felt very middle of the road to me.

Célèste's Review of S2E13 "A-Tisket, A-Tasket"

“A-Tisket, A-Tasket"

Season 2, Episode 13

Original airing: February 05, 2002

My Rating: 81

The Good:

• I'm always a fan of episodes that center around a unique town event, and this is one of the best examples, deftly interweaving stories centering on four of our five favorite ladies. 
• Sookie and Jackson making up and deciding to get married couldn't have be played any better. The was Jackson kisses Sookie in the makeup scene is so great, and her emotion and playful joking in the engagement scene makes it a really memorable moment. 
• Kirk is particularly funny here, and I love Jackson's, "You better be as pathetic as you sound."
• Keiko Agena's performance when Henry says he's taking another girl to prom is heartbreaking, and I love Mrs. Kim's "That is not calming down!" and "Are you sure he was Korean?"
• We finally get to spend some more time exploring Rory and Jess's connection. It's enjoyable to see their chemistry and also to watch the conflicts that it creates. 
• I'm glad the show focusses on the conflict Jess creates between Rory and Lorelai instead of devoting too much time to Dean stomping around in a huff. It's much more interesting this way and it provides an opportunity for the conflict to be more in line with the show's overarching themes, especially when Emily gets involved. 

The Bad:

• Overall, this episode was on point throughout, but there were a couple small things that took me out of it.
• Why are there still so many baskets behind Taylor when he announces that the auction is over?
• Why was Luke picking carrots out of his salad?
• Who was that woman Lorelai was talking to and then gave her cup to at the auction? Couldn't they have had her talk to someone we've seen before?
• I'm kind of confused about the timeline. This episode was released in early February and there's been no explicit mention of a lot of time passing since the last episode, and yet it is quite clearly spring in Stars Hollow now. There are floral garlands all over the center of town and Henry says prom is coming up. What?
• Although I loved the Lane plot overall, it would have had a better payoff if we'd built up to it more in the past. 

Favorite Moment:

Sookie and Jackson decide to get married 

The Bottom Line:

This is, without questions, one of my favorite episodes of the series so far.

Célèste's Review of S2E12 "Richard in Stars Hollow"

“Richard in Stars Hollow"

Season 2, Episode 12

Original airing: January 29, 2002

My Rating: 62

The Good:

• Dean's good twin seems to be back to stay. He was charming in this episode and even delivered some great silent reactions. 
• Kelly Bishop and Edward Herrmann are both at the top of their games here. Emily's desperate call is definitely a highlight, as is Richard's oblivious way of stating things like, "That's a lot of coffee early in the morning," and then humming to himself. 
• Michel was also in full force this episode and very entertaining. 
• It's interesting to see Paris come face to face with characters like Luke, Jess, Taylor, and Kirk.
• I like that the show has really committed to showing Richard's movement toward and through retirement. Sometimes the subplots with supporting characters can be really episodic (as is often the case with Lane's subplots), but here they've really taken the time to build Richard's journey piece by piece over the course of the whole season. 

The Bad:

• There were some small logical gaps and some bigger ones, and not every moment was executed with the precision that it could have been. For example, how can Gypsy thoroughly check the car several times in one evening? It seems like inspecting it even once would take a few hours. 
• Overal the censorship subplot was not very interesting. I had some trouble believing Rory would suggest Kirk move Showgirls to a higher shelf considering it doesn't actually have nudity on the cover (anymore than a lot of movies do), but I had even more trouble understanding how Jess's prank would undermine the censorship campaign. Plus, I don't see how, if Rory had a problem with kids seeing the Showgirls cover, she would approve of them seeing whatever Jess had slipped into the Bambi and Dumbo cases. 
• It's interesting to see Richard criticize Lorelai's life and to see Lorelai stand up to him, but his response doesn't really make sense in the context of their argument. The connection between Richard feeling obsolete and Richard being a controlling person just isn't there. Both things are true, but the show fails to connect them in any way.

Favorite Moment:

Emily desperately asks Lorelai to take Richard off her hands for a day

The Bottom Line:

This episodes has some great moments and Edward Herrmann's performance is on point throughout, but the connections and conflicts between characters weren't always as precisely structured as they could have been. 

Célèste's Review of S2E11 "Secrets and Loans"

“Secrets and Loans"

Season 2, Episode 11

Original airing: January 22, 2002

My Rating: 42

The Good:

• Dean was actually good in this episode. He comes off as very supportive and loving. When he hesitantly admits that Rory can be stubborn it seems like he knows her well and loves her from who she is.
• Seeing Lane cheer (to a Madness song no less) was kind of fun. Her routine was cute.
• Mrs. Kim's paranoia about the termites was funny.

The Bad:

• There wasn't anything maddeningly bad here, like the sauna scenes in "Kill Me Now," but there wasn't anything good either. The main plot about Lorelai not wanting to accept her mother's help was tired and silly and didn't feel appropriate for how far they've come since early season one. Who wants to watch a low-rent version of a conflict we've already seen? Not me.
• Lorelai was super annoying. Her refusal to even accept her mother's help even in the form of a recommendation and an appointment at her bank came off as immature rather than independent. I was also annoyed when she continued to insist that she was blameless in the fight with Rory, considering Emily ended up being the only way she could get a loan, which means Rory was right in the end. 
• I really don't understand why Emily wasn't more bothered by Lorelai's behavior. If I were friends with that banker, I would have felt humiliated by her. 
• Considering how weak the A plot was, the B and C plots could have had a chance to shine, but they were both blah. I like of enjoyed seeing Lane as a cheerleader, but the conflict with Rory felt forced and then resolved itself immediately. I love seeing more from Lane, but all her plots still feel half assed. As for the PSAT stuff, it never went anywhere and it was super distracting that the characters acted like the score is the same scale as the SAT (math/verbal 200-800), when it's actually totally different. Not only is the scale different, but there are actually three sections instead of just two. Seriously, people? Couldn't they just have made the plot about the actual SAT? Rory's a junior, so she could be taking the SAT by now anyway. 
• All the tension and conflict in this episode centers around a few fights: Rory/Lorelai, Lorelai/Emiliy, Rory/Lane, all of which seem to be based on nothing and resolve based on nothing. The whole episode doesn't really go anywhere. 

Favorite Moment:

Lane cheers to Madness

The Bottom Line:

This is a very forgettable impact that makes virtually no impact and is not worth rewatching. 

Célèste's Review of S2E10 "The Bracebridge Dinner"

“The Bracebridge Dinner"

Season 2, Episode 10

Original airing: December 11, 2001

My Rating: 73

The Good:

• This is one of those lovely Stars-Hollow Event episodes. I'm a lover of beautiful things, so I tend to find these to be the most memorable. The gorgeousness of the sleigh ride scenes alone makes this an episode worth watching and re-watching.
• It's really fun to see so many characters interact in interesting ways. Gilmore Girls has finally built up enough of a complete world in Stars Hollow to have an episode like this that's just bursting with great moments. 
• Paris plays a small role, but I appreciate her inclusion. It's another hind that Paris and Rory are back to being cautious allies, which, in my opinion, is much more interesting than when they are all-out rivals. 
• Edward Herrmann is on point this episode! He really stole the show for me. I enjoyed his charm at the party as well as his sincerity when he and Emily reconcile. 
• Luke's casual declaration that he discovered "the secret of parenting," and Lorealai's, "That's so much worse than I thought it was gonna be." Classic!
• I'm enjoying seeing more of the chemistry between Rory and Jess, and I like that Dean, though obviously jealous, was enough on the periphery this episode that he didn't get too tiresome. 
• The Christopher plot, though simple and easily resolved, is a nice reminder that things in his life are changing, and it makes me eager to learn more about Sherry. 

The Bad:

• The musicians' auditions are just awkward. Sometimes when they think they need to add sometime for Lorelai to do at the inn, they're wrong, and they really should just have her do a simple walk and talk or even a drink coffee in the kitchen and talk. 
• Rune and Clara are still annoying. Luckily they are both drowned out by the general glut of other characters. 
• The Bracebridge dinner is supposed to take place in the 19th century, but some of the servants are wearing Elizabethan costumes. Not a huge deal, but it just throws me off to the point where I'm rewinding to figure out what century we're supposed to be in again. 
• Paris speaking Portuguese is a great idea with bad execution. It doesn't sound like a fluent person who knows the meaning of the words they're saying; it sounds like an actress reading lines. 

Favorite Moment:

Richard flirts with Emily in the sleigh. I especially enjoyed his, "Not as much as the other thing," before he tousled her hair. So adorable. 

The Bottom Line:

This episode is just a lot of fun to watch. It's not one of the big-revalation episodes, but it's still super memorable because of the tone, the setting, and the characters.