Lorelai is nursing a major hangover following her award-winning performance at Lane and Zach’s wedding the night before. Sookie tries to reassure her it wasn’t that bad: “You weren’t a lunatic…you were a character”. Lorelai asks for all the details, and Sookie gives her the play-by-play, some of which we weren’t lucky enough to witness. “You proclaimed us Super Cool Party People,” adds Sookie. “Super,” replies Lorelai.
Rory arrives at the hospital in New York where Logan has been taken. She goes off on Logan’s terrible friends, who are trying to make light of the situation. And the doctors and nurses aren’t being any more helpful: they can’t inform non-family members about Logan’s condition.
Luke has returned from the never-ending field trip to find that Caesar has made some subtle changes to the menu (frozen bananas). I like Caesar. Lorelai arrives to welcome him home, and continues to pretend that everything’s okay. She also tries to invite herself to April’s birthday party that Luke’s throwing for his new daughter at the diner. Luke quickly shoots her down. Then Lorelai becomes quite flustered when he mentions her wedding speech, but apparently Miss Patty left out some of the finer points. So Luke just shrugs it off: “Everybody does embarrassing stuff at weddings.”
Rory calls Paris to talk to someone about Logan’s condition. Paris somehow finds out his current status (skipping the medical jargon): partially collapsed lung, six broken ribs, severe concussion, and torn cartilage in both knees. But he’s young, strong and out of immediate danger – they expect a full recovery. Rory also notices some drama going on
near Logan’s room, and an attending doctor on the phone in a cold sweat. That would probably be Mr. Huntzberger.
What begins as a completely innocent day of shopping ends with Luke finally explaining why he has been keeping Lorelai away from April.
Luke: The minute you get involved in her life, it’ll be over for me. You’re colorful and funny…kids love you
In other words, he’s not ready to compete with Lorelai for April’s attention. Not an entirely crazy explanation, but why wasn’t this discussed weeks ago?
So April’s birthday at the diner starts off okay. Luke thanks Anna for letting him throw the party for her. She informs him that he was a big hit on the field trip – the least embarrassing parent, and that’s a compliment. He even receives a nice applause as he introduces himself and welcomes April’s friends to the party. Then things screech to a halt as he delivers a frightening speech about do’s and don’ts in the diner, involving knives and burning faces. April is just a bit unnerved.
At the Dragonfly, Michel is having a ball with the Inn’s website – which he developed and prominently features…well…him. Click Michel’s eyes to see the Dragonfly, click on Michel’s ears to hear about the Dragonfly. Well, you get Michel’s picture…
Rory calls Lorelai to update her on Logan’s road to recovery. Lorelai is very supportive. And Rory finally gets to see Logan, who seems in good spirits considering. She will apparently be living at the hospital for the time being.
Back at the diner, April’s birthday party is looking like about as much fun as the bathroom set April will soon be receiving from Luke. He calls Lorelai in a panic: “It’s a disaster”. Lorelai is more than happy to save the day. She quickly rescues them from the diner and that evil kitchen, treating April’s friends to makeovers at a cool place in Stars Hollow. Disaster avoided.
Rory talks to Logan’s sister, politely wondering where the hell the Huntzberger family is. She informs Rory that she’ll get there tomorrow (she was on her honeymoon), but father is boycotting a trip to the hospital.
Rory: He’s boycotting his injured son?
Rory calmly says goodbye to Logan’s sis, and then call Mitchell Huntzberger and goes off…again. Wow.
Once the girls return to the diner, things are rockin’. Everyone wants Lorelai’s approval on their makeovers, and April mentions to Lorelai that she would like her mom. Then the party turns into a sleepover, and they are treated to a John Hughes classic…make that movie. I thought it was going to be Sixteen Candles, but it’s just Pretty in Pink…
“Going off” seems to be an ongoing thread throughout this episode. Anna shows up at the diner and goes off on Luke for leaving April and her friends with a strange woman (Lorelai).
At the hospital, Logan’s father shows his smug face. And Rory’s going into guilt-overdrive: she can’t forgive herself for stubbornly staying mad at Logan, and letting him go on the stupid trip in the first place.
At the conclusion of Super Cool Party People, it’s Lorelai’s turn as the second Gilmore girl to visit Anna’s store. She apologizes to Anna if she overstepped her bounds. Anna is pleasant enough, yet very honest about her feelings: April is her world, and she’s not entirely convinced that Lorelai belongs in it yet.
This was a smart, mature and well-written episode. Only two more to go…
