I must admit I was preparing myself for a letdown after last week’s stellar We’ve Got Magic to Do. But I’m pleased to report that Welcome to the Doll House was a pleasant surprise.
Our story begins with the almost always entertaining town meeting. Kirk and Andrew show up dressed in Revolutionary War gear, circa 1777
Stars Hollow.
Lorelai: Oh, I hope this isn’t an audience participation thing
Kirk: I will cobble you a cobble thing for a haypenny
And Gypsy, who won’t play along…
“Who are you kidding. You’re wearing tube socks…”
Taylor wants to revert to old street names, thereby increasing the towns’ historical “charm”. Surprisingly, Lorelai likes the idea. I hate to give another history lesson here, but does no one remember the repairing of the bells? Sounded like a good idea at the time, too…
Apparently, everyone’s warming up to Taylor. Even Luke is letting the street names roll off his back, prompting Lorelai to reply: “I’m gonna miss Nuclear Luke”.
So Lorelai, Sookie and Michel wait anxiously for the Dragonfly’s new street name. Has Michel ever been in Luke’s before? While waiting, Lorelai sees Rory’s picture from the smash hit D.A.R. benefit dinner in the newspaper. And keeps it to herself.
Emily expresses concern to Richard that she hasn’t seen Logan around lately. Richard explains that just because they haven’t seen him doesn’t mean anything is wrong. Richard also mentions his brief Dragonfly meeting with Lorelai, which certainly gets Emily’s attention.
Speaking of the Dragonfly, it’s now located on Sores & Boils Alley. Sookie and Michel are horrified: “What about something that doesn’t ooze or run?” Lorelai promises she’ll take care of it. As she does, a mysterious antique clock arrives at the Inn, which will be followed by many other random deliveries. But we’ll return to that at another time.
Logan arrives at the pool house later in the evening with a gift for Rory, a very stylish Birkin Bag – apparently all the rage in Hollywood. Why wouldn’t a 20-year old girl know about a bag like this? Rory’s been away from Lorelai for too long – she’s losing her pop culture edge. Richard catches Logan on the way out and invites him for a single-malt scotch, trying to get some inside information on how Rory’s really doing. Logan assumes Richard is asking his intentions towards Rory for their future together.
Kirk meets with Lorelai about the street names dilemma after a not-so-successful discussion with Taylor. Needless to say, this goes nowhere fast as well, and they’re sticking with Third St.
Lorelai solves the random delivery mystery: it’s her mother. “She’s trying to smoke me out of my fox hole…Surrender? NEVER!”
Richard gets fired up when Emily suggests that Rory’s ready for marriage. “She’s too young to get married…She has things to do”. In other words, Emily, he doesn’t want Rory to turn out like you. This is yet another key scene for the early season. You can slowly see Richard waking up from his slumber, realizing that Lorelai did quite a good job after all. D.A.R. functions and Huntzbergers were not meant for Rory, no matter how badly Emily may want it to be.
The Gilmores’ Senior sink even low enough to snoop around the pool house, looking for clues into Rory’s secret life. Folks, she isn’t Laura Palmer, what are you looking for? Emily divulges that she once discovered hundreds and hundreds of Tootsie Rolls while searching through Lorelai’s things back in the day. Thankfully, this search couldn’t have been a bigger waste of time, and they abruptly close the investigation.
Back in Stars Hollow, The Dragonfly is left off the newly-printed historic map of the town. Lorelai is beyond frustrated.
Kirk: I’m just the messenger. Assistant to the messenger, actually. Taylor’s been very clear on that
Lorelai attends the next town meeting, aiming to finally rectify the situation once and for all.
But after getting a pat on the head from Taylor, the Dragonfly is officially back on Sores and Boils Alley.
Lorelai: We are the Inn on Sores & Boils Alley. Historical. Proud.
Sookie & Michel: Oozing. Festering. Draining…
Lorelai: Too many words for the brochure
Emily continues with her ridiculous ploy to see Lorelai, threatening to get rid of her childhood dollhouse if she can’t find the time to come over and pick it up. Lorelai doesn’t take the bait.
Rory reassures Logan that her grandparents will back off, and then blurts out “I Love You”, but doesn’t expect it in return. “Yeah, right” mumbles my girlfriend.
The episode concludes with Luke and Lorelai taking inventory of the Salvation Army-bound stuff that Emily has sent, when there’s a knock at the door. It’s Richard, with Lorelai’s dollhouse. And it’s time to talk about Rory…
