A Year In the Mess and the Millennial Cross Rory Bears. FALL
I've pinned what part of my issue has been with the past three episodes. Everyone is miserable. No one was this miserable in the original series. Except no one is miserable about the actual justifiable issues to be miserable. They make their own misery.
What enabled this realization? This episode wasn't complete misery. Dear God- I actually enjoyed most of it.
THE LIFE AND DEATH BRIGADE aka the best of Rory and Logan. This is them at their best. This Logan at his best. Clearly the Palladino's always wanted to do more with this group except possibly didn't have the budget for the TV show version. The brigade was somewhat deserving of it's bad rep is about spontaneity, playfulness and theatre. The brigade is made up of wierdo's of a different kind and Rory found such realness amongst them.
Rory and Logan are also frustrating. They are clearly in love and yet both refuse to make commitments to each other. Why? Don't know. Rory finally realizes that she needs to stop falling back on Logan or being the side piece either one. It's sad really Rory was such a purpose for Logan and she made him genuinely happy. She brought out the best in him. Logan provides Rory with excitement, independence and stability. He seems to be just paddling in life as well, just in a better swimming pool.
Something is going on when Jess Mariano is like a warm hug on this show. He is though. His muscley arms and that long silky hair. It was grounding and warm. Like a cookie. He's still Jess. Comes in says what he needs to say, pulls the WIFI and dips. No more. No less.
Rory walking through her empty grandparents' home was poignant and heartbreaking. All the flashbacks and then Rory writing her novel at Richard desk. It would've have meant more if Rory had been shown as being more affected earlier by her grandfather's passing.
Emily employed in a whaling museum is delicious. Turning tales into grimly fascinating stories of woe. It’s perfect. I would go there every week. Her finding a sense of individuality amongst her grief was beautiful.
It was delightful seeing Dean. Rory finally gave Dean his flowers.... hopefully the fanbase can learn to grow up to. No, Dean was not the worst. Jess was. Speaking of....
Grown and Sexy Jess. Maybe he is the one for her. Honestly, I think the Palladino's have always rooted for them anyways. Longing looks and all. We just weren't given much to go on this go round.
Luke and Lorelai finally stopping the nonsense unfreezing time and getting married was beautiful and fairytale like and deserved. It was about damn time.
The car ride between Lorelai, Rory and Luke was so sweet. Like I've always said...... those three really soul mates. I wish Rory and Luke had gotten more scenes with just them two this go round.
Sookie wasn't present at the wedding, but she did show up. Given Melissa McCarthy status at the time she couldn't show up the way she wanted to. I just hated their excuse for Sookie being gone...... She's studying vegetables? Whatever
Let's think about season 7 for moment here. It's nowhere near as bad as this shit has been. Rory didn't receive a personality transplant for one. History has gotten twisted a bit to fit the narrative that the show was perfect until the Palladino's left. It wasn't. The Palladino's continued to do what they do well and do horribly what do horribly.
They were always brilliant at casting, setting and characterization. They were always brilliant at making the simple interesting. They were never good at backstories everyone rich kid on the show got the same one. Every boy Rory dated was Christopher until the next boy Rory dated. The audience focused too much on Rory's love life like that wasn't part of her storylines since episode 1. Lorelai is a narcissist with a man who hates to communicate unless he's losing the woman he loves. Luke got a soap opera surprise child that was a knock off Rory/slash plot device.
But what they did to this character? I have no words except stupidity.
I never wanted Gilmore Girls to come full circle. Like her or not, Lorelai gave herself over to Rory so that Rory could aim for the proverbial stars. You know what? Rory did achieve and achieved great things. So what happened? We don't know.
The biggest problem with this reboot is that it appears to treat at ten-year gap as cavalierly as if it were one year. Rory’s backstory is a bunch of blanks. We have no idea how covering Obama went, or when her career started to sputter, why is she with Paul, how'd she get back with Logan...... just nothing. That intervening decade happened, and it should matter. Yet, it doesn't why? Again, the Palladino's have never been good with backstory, but it didn't matter but it literally didn't matter. This wasn't about Rory..... it was a statement piece about Millennials. Don't even get me started on the THETHIRTYSOMETHINGCLUB. Which mocks these individuals as failures...... I think without depth. Oddly, this show lost whatever shallow depth it had.
I'm not sure about Rory becoming a 16-year-old Lorelai either which is what the original intention of the Palladino's was. Are we supposed to feel good or bad about these things? Is Lori a good mother? Is Rory a success? Which part of repeating her mother's life is beautiful or tragic? The show itself is confused on these things.
I'm not surprised no one had been called them to do another version of A Year in the Life. The best parts of the Gilmore Girl revival were not the Gilmore Girls. Season 7 ending felt hopeful. The revival ending felt like things going from bad to worse. Also, bitterly, like pregnancy is never a happy occasion in this family.
Side Note: Diana and the old Lulu from General Hospital having a scene together was great.
