7-1 The Long Morrow
Written by: David Rosenthal
Directed by: Lee Shallat-Chemel
What Happens: Rory returns home for the summer, and learns that Lorelai has broken things off
with Luke but not before informing him that she slept with Christopher.
What Else Happens: Rory receives a strange gift from Logan; Taylor’s car finds its way into Luke’s Diner.
The Verdict: A pretty awkward debut. It’s very apparent that Rosenthal knows everyone’s watching
(and listening) very closely
Grade: B-
7-2 That’s What You Get, Folks, For Makin’ Whoopee
Written by: Rebecca Rand Kirshner
Directed by: Bethany Rooney
What Happens: Lorelai begins to deal with her after-Luke existence, and manages to distract herself by giving her house an Asian makeover.
What Else Happens: Lane and Zach return from their honeymoon, and Lane’s pregnant.
The Verdict: Nice follow-up to the season-opener: the Lorelai & Luke frozen-aisle scene at the end of the episode was heartbreaking
Grade: B+
7-3 Lorelai’s First Cotillion
Written by: Rina Mimoun
Directed by: Lee Shallat-Chemel
What Happens: Lorelai starts questioning even her most defining personality traits.
What Else Happens: Christopher lets his feelings be known.
The Verdict: A somewhat underwhelming effort: a low point is reached when Rory and Logan engage in text sex. Yes, you read correctly
Grade: B-
7-4 ‘S Wonderful, ‘S Marvelous
Written by: Gayle Abrams
Directed by: Victor Nelli
What Happens: Lorelai and Christopher begin dating.
What Else Happens: Rory makes new friends at Yale, and Richard becomes a guest lecturer.
Luke spends some quality time with April.
The Verdict: Have to admit the drive-in movie scene was cool. So was watching Emily
get arrested
Grade: B
7-5 The Great Stink
Written by: Gina Fattore
Directed by: Michael Schultz
What Happens: Lorelai and Christopher come to Friday night dinner as a couple,
to the delight of Richard & Emily (of course)
What Else Happens: Logan pays Rory a surprise visit, and Stars Hollow acquires an odor
The Verdict: A very fitting title for a poor episode.
Grade: C-
7-6 Go Bulldogs!
Written by: David Rosenthal & Rebecca Rand Kirshner
Directed by: Wil Shriner
What Happens: Lorelai & Christopher surprise Rory by attending Parents’ Weekend.
What Else Happens: Luke has a date-from-hell with April’s Swim coach.
The Verdict: Not sure what was harder to watch: Luke’s painful date or Christopher
playing Daddy Warbucks at Yale. A disappointing effort: especially considering the writing team.
Grade: C
7-7 French Twist
Written by: David Babcock
Directed by: Lee Shallat-Chemel
What Happens: Lorelai & Christopher escort GiGi to Paris, and get disgustingly romantic in the process.
What Else Happens: Rory over-worries her tenure as editor-in-chief comeing to a close. And a familiar face from Rory’s past re-emerges.
The Verdict: Hands down the worst episode of the season. I couldn’t believe how bad some of the dialogue was: you know you’re in trouble when they’re resorting to how rude the French are
Grade: D
7-8 Introducing Lorelai Planetarium
Written by: Jennie Snyder
Directed by: Lee Shallat-Chemel
What Happens: Lorelai breaks the news of the Paris engagement to Rory.
What Else Happens: Logan announces he’s relocating to New York; a medical emergency for April prompts Luke to turn to Lorelai.
The Verdict: Let the healing begin: after three bad episodes in a row, this one shows some promising signs of life
Grade: B-
7-9 Knit, People, Knit!
Written by: David Grae
Directed by: Kenny Ortega
What Happens: Lorelai tries to get the Stars Hollow stamp of approval for Christopher.
What Else Happens: At a 2002-theme party thrown by her arty new friends, Rory asks Marty what’s up with the act; Anna announces she’s moving, but Luke demands his parental rights.
The Verdict: Okay, now we’re getting somewhere
Grade: B
7-10 Merry Fisticuffs
Written by: David Rosenthal
Directed by: Jackson Douglas
What Happens: Christopher witnesses Lorelai and Luke sharing a nice, yet harmless, moment together.
Let the jealousy begin!
What Else Happens: Lorelai wants no part of Emily’s lavish wedding party, and Christopher wants to know why. Logan tells Lucy the truth about Rory and Marty’s past.
The Verdict: Gilmore Girls keeps the momentum going into its winter hibernation. And that last scene,
where Emily warns Lorelai her marriage is on shaky ground wow
Grade: B
7-11 Santa’s Secret Stuff
Written by: Rebecca Rand Kirshner
Directed by: Lee Shallat-Chemel
What Happens: Lorelai & Christopher decide to celebrate Christmas in January upon Rory’s return
from London. Christopher, yet again, goes a little overboard
What Else Happens: Luke asks Lorelai to write a letter on his behalf for April’s custody hearing;
Zach reminds Lane that the good times don’t necessarily end with motherhood.
The Verdict: A solid return from hiatus: Lorelai’s starting to remember what she loved about Luke
in the first place. And you just know Christopher’s going to find that letter
Grade: B+
7-12 To Whom it May Concern
Written by: David Babcock
Directed by: Jamie Babbit
What Happens: Christopher does find the letter, and his days with Lorelai may be numbered…
What Else Happens: Luke wins shared custody of April, Sookie’s showing her signature pregnancy signs and Richard collapses while teaching Rory’s Economics class.
The Verdict: Another winning effort: the only wasted time is the Marty side-plot. Man, did the writers blow it with his return
Grade: B+
7-13 I’d Rather Be in Phildelphia
Written by: Rebecca Rand Kirshner
Directed by: Lee Shallat-Chemel
What Happens: Lorelai, Rory and Emily gather at the hospital with Richard’s life hanging in the balance.
What Else Happens: Logan arrives via helicopter to be there for Rory, yet Christopher is practically M.I.A. until he makes a last second appearance (and gets snippy at Luke’s attendance).
The Verdict: Shows what a strong, supporting group of female Gilmores Richard has behind him.
Grade: B
7-14 Farewell, My Pet
Written by: Jennie Snyder
Directed by: Jamie Babbit
What Happens: It’s lights out, and the party’s over, for Lorelai and Christopher’s brief marriage.
What Else Happens: Sookie and Lorelai try to comfort Michel over the loss of one of his beloved dogs.
The Verdict: Lorelai & Christopher’s breakup was extremely well written and acted. Too bad the side-plots (especially Rory crushing on Richard’s T.A.) couldn’t keep up
Grade: B-
7-15 I’m a Kayak, Hear Me Roar
Written by: Rebecca Rand Kirshner
Directed by: Lee Shallat-Chemel
What Happens: Lorelai breaks the breakup news to Rory, and then Emily plus alcohol.
What Else Happens: Mitchum Huntzberger attempts to join forces with Rory, and Luke has three too many houseguests.
The Verdict: Kirshner and Chemel have certainly become the go-to writing/directing team. This
just wasn’t one of their finest hours
Grade: C+
7-16 Will You Be My Lorelai Gilmore?
Written by: Gina Fattore & Gayle Abrams
Directed by: David Paymer
What Happens: Lane’s shower takes a strange, yet very Stars Hollow-like turn. And Lorelai plays middle-man in order to bring Lane and Mrs. Kim together.
What Else Happens: Logan’s website goes bust, and he isn’t handling the news very well. Meanwhile,
Luke makes a very un-Luke like impulsive move regarding the selling of his boat.
The Verdict: A really good episode maybe the best of the season.
Grade: B+
7-17 Gilmore Girls Only
Written by: David Babcock
Directed by: Lee Shallat-Chemel
What Happens: Lorelai, Rory and Emily attend the wedding of Mia one-time surrogate mother/grandmother to the girls.
What Else Happens: Zach’s freaked out about impending fatherhood, and turns to Luke for help.
The Verdict: A really good episode maybe the best of the season.
Grade: A-
