Spring
Episode 2 of A Year in the Life may have been more bizarre than episode 1. We start the hour and a half off with Emily and Lorelai sitting in silence in their therapist's office. After some high speed dialogue and a title shot, the scene cuts to black. And I wait for the theme song to play. To hear Carole King's words that are already playing in my head "If you're out on the road..." But they never come.
Just another sign that this isn't the Gilmore Girls we once knew and loved. The colors may be brighter, the cast may look like they haven't aged a day, but as I watch the 90 minutes of Spring play out, my entire world begins to unravel. Short of a few relevant pop culture tidbits like Brexit and Gay Pride, I don't recognize these characters anymore. Why is Rory having an affair with an engaged Logan? Has she learned nothing from the Dean experience? Actually, why is Logan engaged to a French heiress, let alone engaged at all? If he really loved Rory, which it seems he does, he would never stand for this. And what's Mitchum's deal? In season 7, he approved of Rory, but now he wants his son to marry someone good for the family? I thought they were done, I thought Logan had found his own way in life. Again, it's like season 7 had never happened. Also, why has Rory not broken up with Paul yet? Her treatment of him is terrible, and something our sweet, loving, caring Rory would never do.
And don't even get me started on Lorelai's reaction to finding out about Rory and Logan's affair. Wasn't she the one who flipped out when she learned about Dean and Rory in season 4? Where is her righteous anger now? How can she possibly go around touting that her partnership with Luke is as good as being married when Rory cheating with an engaged man doesn't elicit the same reaction as her cheating with a married one? It's so un-Lorelai, I'm completely baffled by her behavior.
The Naomi Shropshire and SandeeSays story lines are shit. They're basically there for guest stars and to show how pathetic Rory is. Naomi's sole purpose is to give Rory a reason to be in London so she can continue her stupid affair with Logan. This is not the Rory I know. This is not the Rory I identified with and looked up to. It's like the Palladinos are telling me that as a strong, independent, career-driven woman, my life is destined to end up in failure. Either I flounder miserably like Rory, or I turn into a grade A bitch like Paris who lives in a house with too many stairs, is getting a divorce from the man that should have been her soulmate, and falls a part at the sight of her high school crush (could you have at least gotten Chad Michael Murray for the cameo instead of some tall nondescript blond dude??), or I turn into someone who is still lying to their significant other after 10 years together! Come on Lorelai, why are you still keeping secrets from Luke? Oh wait, in some alternate universe where season 7 did happen, you probably aren't. Instead, you're probably happily married with a kid or two and Sookie is still with you at the Dragonfly because you don't have to worry about accommodating Melissa McCarthy's busy film schedule.
Oh and this franchising nonsense? I'm pretty sure we've been there and done that in season 5. I don't think Richard Gilmore is the type of man to beat a dead horse. Really that was just another plot point to fit in another cameo.
Dear Palladinos,
When you let the cameos drive your storyline, your storyline tends to suck.
Sincerely, Amy.
All in all, life is not going well for our leading ladies. Lorelai isn't sure she and Luke are actually happy. Emily is still dwelling in the past, even though I'm pretty sure by now the Gilmore girls would have found a way to work through a lot of that stuff. Rory can't find a job to save her life. And she had a one night stand with a guy dressed up as a wookie. I mean, I love Star Wars and all, but this is too much. And I'm all for an occasional existential crisis or two, heck I have them all the time. But not like this. Watching this story play out makes me think that either a) the writers are just biding their time, trying to kill 5 hours of TV until they can reveal their fabulous ending or b) the writers don't think very highly of accomplished women and so after 7 years of creating wonderful role models they've decided to knock them down a few pegs. Both options are pretty darn depressing.
"What about the saving graces of Spring?" you ask. I'm going to go with a cameo from Francie, finally seeing Mr. Kim, Rory's music composition talk at Chilton's alumni event, and seeing Mae Whitman stand in line for a "cro-dough-cake" (because despite me complaining about the cameos, I can't help but enjoy seeing Sarah and Amber Holt together again). Here's hoping the next episode brings something even the slightest bit meaningful because right now the only feelings I get while watching this show are disappointment and boredom.
And don't even get me started on Lorelai's reaction to finding out about Rory and Logan's affair. Wasn't she the one who flipped out when she learned about Dean and Rory in season 4? Where is her righteous anger now? How can she possibly go around touting that her partnership with Luke is as good as being married when Rory cheating with an engaged man doesn't elicit the same reaction as her cheating with a married one? It's so un-Lorelai, I'm completely baffled by her behavior.
The Naomi Shropshire and SandeeSays story lines are shit. They're basically there for guest stars and to show how pathetic Rory is. Naomi's sole purpose is to give Rory a reason to be in London so she can continue her stupid affair with Logan. This is not the Rory I know. This is not the Rory I identified with and looked up to. It's like the Palladinos are telling me that as a strong, independent, career-driven woman, my life is destined to end up in failure. Either I flounder miserably like Rory, or I turn into a grade A bitch like Paris who lives in a house with too many stairs, is getting a divorce from the man that should have been her soulmate, and falls a part at the sight of her high school crush (could you have at least gotten Chad Michael Murray for the cameo instead of some tall nondescript blond dude??), or I turn into someone who is still lying to their significant other after 10 years together! Come on Lorelai, why are you still keeping secrets from Luke? Oh wait, in some alternate universe where season 7 did happen, you probably aren't. Instead, you're probably happily married with a kid or two and Sookie is still with you at the Dragonfly because you don't have to worry about accommodating Melissa McCarthy's busy film schedule.
Oh and this franchising nonsense? I'm pretty sure we've been there and done that in season 5. I don't think Richard Gilmore is the type of man to beat a dead horse. Really that was just another plot point to fit in another cameo.
Dear Palladinos,
When you let the cameos drive your storyline, your storyline tends to suck.
Sincerely, Amy.
"What about the saving graces of Spring?" you ask. I'm going to go with a cameo from Francie, finally seeing Mr. Kim, Rory's music composition talk at Chilton's alumni event, and seeing Mae Whitman stand in line for a "cro-dough-cake" (because despite me complaining about the cameos, I can't help but enjoy seeing Sarah and Amber Holt together again). Here's hoping the next episode brings something even the slightest bit meaningful because right now the only feelings I get while watching this show are disappointment and boredom.
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