Twenty-One is the Loneliest Number picks up right where last week’s episode left off, with Richard arriving at Luke & Lorelai’s front door with a dollhouse and a lot to say. We now join Lorelai and Richard’s chat, already in progress…
Richard: I don’t like what I see in that girl (Rory)…We need a plan
Lorelai: I had a plan. You changed the plan
Richard might have the right idea, yet seems clueless on how to make things right – throwing out random bribes which elicit no response from Lorelai.
Richard: Aren’t you listening to me?
Lorelai: Ah, no…If you’d ever met Rory, you’d know it wouldn’t work
Richard: (referring to Lorelai)Impossible girl
Lorelai: My Native American name, I believe…
So much for the usual light, fluffy openings…
After Richard departs, Lorelai thinks aloud while Luke tries to figure out how to get the enormous dollhouse from the front porch inside. She shares her and Rory’s lifelong plan for Rory’s 21st birthday – involving Atlantic City, Blackjack, and 21 men (although no longer appropriate).
Lorelai: She probably doesn’t even remember the plan
Luke: She remembers the plan
I found myself literally nodding in approval to Luke’s response. As Lorelai heads back inside to order pizza, she gives Luke the secret to the moving of the dollhouse: “The top comes off”…
In an effective little interlude, reminiscent of Northern Exposure, Madeline Albright plays the role of Lorelai in Rory’s dream:
Lorelai/Madeline Albright: So what do you think of your life so far? Any complaints?
Rory: I’d like that humidity thing to go away
Love the mention of Denny’s as well.
So Emily wants to throw Rory a 21st birthday party, and of course it will be nothing like Rory would really want it. Rory shares with Logan that she’s bummed her mom won’t be around – they had a plan. Told you she’d remember, Lorelai.
Going over the guest list for the party, Emily irritates like no other. She refers to Lane as Rory’s “Asian friend” not once but twice, completely oblivious to her granddaughter’s distaste for the reference. She continues by adding the D.A.R. women, who have been so influential to Rory’s 21 years, and then asking Rory if she’d like to include her mother. Not “I really think you should” or “Your mother would be really disappointed”. It’s really hard to find anything good to say about Emily these days.
Lorelai gets her invitation to Rory’s party while at the Dragonfly with Sookie, and mistakenly thinks it’s from Richard & Emily, not Rory. Lorelai’s bummed, too…
Reverend Boatright is a surprise guest at dinner. Apparently Logan’s more frequent visits have the Gilmores Senior in a tizzy. Rory and the Rev’s brief conversation went something like this:
Reverend Boatright: The world is out there, just waiting to be conquered
Rory: I guess…
Reverend Boatright: Your virtue is the ultimate gift…to only one man
Rory: I’m afraid the ultimate gift ship has sailed…awhile ago…probably in Fiji by now“
Richard & Emily are really beginning to show their age. Rory’s turning 21, not 16. They’re like a computer that’s breaking down or overloading. Too much information.
Rory calls Lorelai at the diner and speaks to her, by way of Luke. “She was mad and she yelled and she said hell,” marvels Luke after hanging up the phone. Lorelai’s reply: “But she called”…
For some comedic relief, Sally Struthers and Maury have a scarier Halloween display than Lorelai every year. So she decides hanging caramel apples is out, and a mad scientist skit (including Luke) is in…
Lorelai & Rory both have restless nights before the big party.
“There they are, the two most lovely ladies in the room”. What a fitting, cheezy line from Logan to Rory and Emily. I guess Emily isn’t so fond of him now that the secret’s out (they’re having sex!). Nice to see Lane & Zach in attendance. I’m sure Zach will get along great with Logan. “Nice low key affair,” comments Luke. And it doesn’t take long for Emily to be as condescending as humanly possible towards Luke, whether it be face-to-face or just to Lorelai. Paris and Doyle have big news. Well, not that big. Paris is taking over as Editor of the Yale student newspaper. Rory seems briefly shaken by this, until she sees Lorelai. “What’s the D.A.R?” turns out to be Luke’s killer line of the night. There’s a nice moment between Luke and Rory, until she introduces him as “my stepfather to be”. Yet another extremely tense conversation between Lorelai and Emily ensues, ending with Emily noticing Lorelai’s engagement ring. These two are about as far apart as they’ve been since the show’s debut.
“Rory’s wrong, it’s all wrong!” rants a drunk Richard at episode’s end. He’s been hiding out in the study the entire party. A completely oblivious Emily can only muster “What about Rory?” “Fund raisers and tea parties, it’s frivolous and meaningless,” fires back Richard. Which is exactly what Emily’s life is. Lorelai and Rory have their first civilized talk. Rory finds out that Luke’s moved in, as well as Paul Anka. Things are changing, but they’re still the same. Most other TV shows would probably succumb to the happily-ever-after ending, with Lorelai & Rory sneaking off to Atlantic City. But they’re not there yet. And Gilmore Girls isn’t most other TV shows. Happy 21, Rory.
