October 31: 2006: Two Morrow
Normally, I love to write about reruns, especially my favorite show. There's sitting back all comfy on the couch, knowing what's going to happen next, but keeping an eye out for some of the things I might have missed. (This is
GG, after all, and no mater how devoted you are, something great was going to zoom right past you.) It's fun catching those fly-by slys or finally understanding one of Michel's bizarre jokes. (Am I the only one who sometimes has a hard time understanding his over-the-top French accent. Good thing for closed captioning!)
But this was a repeat of "The Long Morrow," the season premiere, and the first ep written by new show runner David Rosenthal. The first time it aired, there was no sitting cushy, there were no snacks and there was certainly no talking out loud. Not even during commercials. I was watching this ep the way Rory reads Camus under a tree on campus -- with complete concentration and absolutely no distractions. Do you remember how nervous I was about this episode? What was going to happen to my girls?
Before the rerun started, I wondered how I would feel about re-watching an ep that was so important, so wrought with
agita when it first aired. I have to admit, it was still pretty tough. There's something very heartbreaking about watching Lorelai and Luke in visible pain, no matter if you've seen it before. I was still reeling from the agonizing look on Lorelai's face, how she couldn't get dressed and out of Christopher's apartment fast enough. And how much did your heart break when Luke pulled up at Lorelai's house with a full truck, ready to elope and take her on any honeymoon she wanted? Only to be curtly told "I slept with Christopher." If that's not a knife to the chest, I don't know what is. Still felt that way.
Thank god for comic relief. Babbette washing her "unmentionables" in Lorelai's house! (Is it wrong that I am picturing a week's worth of granny panties but have a sneaking suspicion she had her lacey black thongs set on the delicate cycle?) I'd spent most of the first time time analyzing the meaning behind Kirk crashing Taylor's 1964 Thunderbird into the diner, but tonight I was able to enjoy the simply hilarity. (I'd forgotten he had on leather driving gloves. A pair of shades might have been more helpful.) And you knew there would be some sort of racquetball "incident" once Lorelai and Rory took to the court. (Though Lorelai getting hit in the eye probably meant more than I initially realized. After all, she's partly to blame for being a smidge blind to her role in the breakdown of her relationship.)
To end on a somewhat happy note: I want more Paris. Out of all the characters, the rudest one has changed the most. And not like you'd think: she's a lot snarkier in the funniest way possible, and even more obnoxious that you could ever imagine. Students, professors, parents -- this girl is no holds-barred with brilliant barbs, intimidating insults and horrendous haughtiness. And I have to say she looks fantastic. Maybe it's the blonder hair and the more confident attitude. (Perhaps being without Doyle suits her better?) She's one of the best written characters on the show.
I'd love to hear what you caught the second time around. Write and let me know.
