It’s kind of fitting the way Always a Godmother, Never a God opens. Lorelai, going through boxes and boxes of her stuff, just can’t part with her junk. This episode has a similar feel–randomly going from one scene to another, finding a few gems, but mostly junk…
I have to say I saw this mailed-in effort coming from a mile away. Seasons 4 and 5 were both guilty of highs and lows. This is officially the first low of Season 6. While some small steps were made in regards to key storylines, it was mostly filler material.
Let’s get the “filler” out of the way first, and then I’ll get to the key points. Richard & Emily are off in Europe somewhere. We only hear Emily briefly on speaker-phone while the maid tries to dismantle Rory’s closet. So with Grandma out of town, 20 year-old Rory must step in to run a D.A.R. function at the house. A truly disturbing affair, made worse by Rory being good at it. Logan shows up, but apparently can’t deal with his type of people. So he invites his annoying friends over to the pool house, and they again succeed at being unfunny.
As much as I love Sookie and Lane, even most of their screentime falls flat. While the subject of in-laws from hell is easily identifiable, it’s also overused. And Jackson’s family just didn’t hold my attention. The baptism for Davey and Martha turns into a scheme for Sookie to get Lorelai and Rory talking again, by making them godparents. It was funny when Lorelai had to remind Sookie that she was part owner of the Inn, though.
Lane and the boys (minus Sebastian Bach) are killing time as well. Zach’s trying to keep a song in his head by endlessly humming it aloud. He and Brian also inexplicably manage to spend all their tour savings in one afternoon, to Lane’s dismay.
Then, near the end of the hour, things start to matter. Rory suddenly remembers that she once had a really great friend named Lane, and pays a visit on her way to the baptism. Their conversation begins awkwardly (no surprise there), sounding almost like an interview. But as they continue to talk, you remember what great friends they really were. And pray they don’t stay strangers. You know that Rory’s going to need Lane sooner than later.
No one knows Lorelai and Rory better than Lane.
Rory: You look nice today, Kirk.
Kirk: Thanks. This is the suit they buried my Dad in…
Nothing better than a little chat with Kirk to welcome Rory back to Stars Hollow. Then it’s time to “face the music,” or Lorelai in this case. Nice touch with Lorelai and Rory both holding two dreses up for Luke and Logan and asking, “Which goes better with the baby?” As much as they’d hate to admit ir right now, they’re still the same. And they still need each other, now more than ever. Sure, they briefly fight over Rory changing her cell phone number (of course, disrupting the baptism), but the ice may finally be melting…
Always a Godmother… concludes with Logan telling Rory they’re taking a helicopter to New York, I think (more random junk). And Lorelai, alone with her “so bad it’s good” Lifetime movie. But “It’s not the same” (without Rory)…
