Waffle's very happy.
I finally put together that Top 20 Gilmore Girls episodes picspam that I mentioned, oh, a few months ago, lol. This is a semi-official list. The order of the episodes isn't by any means set in stone, except for the top 5. I had fun doing this, I wrote a bit about why I love each episode and included best quotes for each.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Written In The Stars
Red Light On The Wedding Night
Haunted Leg
Dear Emily And Richard
Rory's Dance
20. The Bracebridge Dinner
WHY I LOVE IT
Because it has: a classic, nutty town happening, OTPs riding in horse drawn sleighs together, Luke and Jess being hilariously suspicious and grumpy together, Lorelai and Rory mocking ugly babies (especially Lorelai’s little gag with the picture of the ugly baby stalking Rory, ROFL), a kickass snowwoman and Literati longing up the wazoo. Also, Luke claims he's discovered the secret to parenting: "You visualize the reality you want...and then if necessary, you lie to bring it about." ROFL. I loved Emily and Richard’s part of the story, too.
BEST QUOTE
RORY: I don't understand why people put pictures on cards.
LORELAI: Do they not understand we are unapologetic mockers?
RORY: There's an unexplained innocence in the world.
19. Wedding Bell Blues
WHY I LOVE IT
It’s full of well written drama, courtesy of the puppet master Emily Gilmore. She goes from being absolutely adorable (at her bachelorette party, drinking out of plastic cups, calling Lorelai A CHIMP and molesting Gypsy, ROFL) to being the biggest bitch in the world by the time the episode ends. And Lorelai’s last words to Emily still give me the chills.
BEST QUOTE
EMILY: It's going to be fabulous, isn't it, Lorelai?
LORELAI: Ab fab, sweetie darling.
EMILY: Isn't she hilarious? I never have any idea what she's talking about, but she's so entertaining, like a chimp. Isn't she like a chimp, Gypsy?
GYPSY: Please make your mother stop talking to me.
18. They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?
WHY I LOVE IT
Crazy town happening - check. Lorelai/Luke flirting - check. Literati tension - check. Dean finally growing a pair and dumping Rory - check (woohoo!) and classic Luke/Taylor frustration - check. Plus, there’s that HILARIOUS Lorelai/Kirk dance rivalry.
BEST QUOTE
LUKE: Taylor, you are asking me to donate free coffee to hundreds of people so you can raise money to buy a tarp.
TAYLOR: How ‘bout fifty cents a cup?
LUKE: How ‘bout I charge for cream?
TAYLOR: You would kick Tiny Tim’s crutch out from under him, wouldn’t you?
LUKE: If he asks for a free cup of coffee, gimpy’s going down.
17. The Incredible Shrinking Lorelais
WHY I LOVE IT
It’s not often we see the girls break down completely so it’s all the more heartbreaking when they do.
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: You know, there are very few times in my life when I find myself sitting around, thinking "I wish I was married," but today, I mean...I'm happy. You know? I like my life. I like my friends, I like my stuff. My time, my space, my TV.
LUKE: Yeah, sure.
LORELAI: But every now and then, just for a moment, I wish I had a partner, someone to pick up the slack. Someone to wait for the cable guy, make me coffee in the morning, (voice breaking) meet the stupid sink before it gets sent back to Canada.
LUKE: What happened?
LORELAI: I just thought I had everything under control, but I didn't, and the inn is just falling apart. This has been my dream forever and I have it, and it's here, and I'm failing and I can't handle it. I just spend every minute running around and working and thinking. And I thought I would have help, but Sookie has Davey and Michel has Celine and I'm...I can't do it all by myself. And I don't even have time to see my kid, and hell, forget see her, just even talk to her. And I miss her. And I sat there in my parents' house just listening to my grandmother basically call me a charity case, and I couldn't even argue with her. I couldn't even say anything, because I am. I'm running out of money, and I don't know what to do about it, and I was gonna…I was gonna ask you for $30000 at dinner tonight. That's how pathetic I am.
16. Nag Hammadi Is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels
WHY I LOVE IT
For the obvious: it’s the first time Jess says “I love you”. There’s also some quality Luke/Jess drama - after Jess accuses him of butting in, fixing things that are not his problem, expecting things from people and then being disappointed, Luke gets drunk.
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: I'm going to make out in the coatroom. Don't eat my chicken.
RORY: That's going on your tombstone.
15. One's Got Class and the Other One Dyes
WHY I LOVE IT
Because of Lane’s short-lived purple hair rebellion and the absolute hilarity that ensues once Lorelai’s discovered Butch Danes. The showdown with the uptight Stars Hollow moms was A+, too. And I liked the little confrontation between Luke and Jess regarding the women in their lives (“Hey, the girls that I like don’t give a damn about me! And unlike some other people I know, I’m not gonna sit around hoping that they change their minds and suddenly notice me.”).
BEST QUOTE
This is a L/L classic.
LUKE: I’m backing out.
LORELAI: Too late, sorry.
LUKE: I’m not speaking to that stupid class.
LORELAI: But you agreed.
LUKE: I’m out, case closed, no debating.
LORELAI: Great, fine, do what you want. I guess I’m just out the thousand-dollar deposit.
LUKE: What deposit?
LORELAI: For the room.
LUKE: What room?
LORELAI: For the thing, for the afterwards thing. . .
LUKE: Oh, wait, now, you’re talking crazy talk trying to confuse me, aren’t you?
LORELAI: Aren’t you?
LUKE: What?
LORELAI: Who?
LUKE: Stop.
LORELAI: Bye.
14. Let Me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out
WHY I LOVE IT
It was a major wake up call episode, one that finally put things in motion and on the right track. I loved the fact that Jess turned out to be the only one who was able to get through to Rory (his “What the hell is going on?” just nailed it for me; god knows how many times I wanted to scream that at Rory in the first part of season 6). Finding out Jess got his shit together, matured and wrote a book was more than I ever could’ve asked for. Rory’s conflict with Emily was so liberating as it showed us that even though Rory seemed to have fit in perfectly in their world, she didn’t really fit in: her inner Lorelai was bound to kick in sooner or later. (The whole storyline with Luke sponsoring the blood-thirsty little soccer girls was hi-freakin’-larious. “You're not being competitive if your jersey doesn't have a little O negative on it.” ROFL.)
BEST QUOTE
Fandoms collide!
RORY: It's one thing to be forced to move into the big house, but now the big house is feeling Tom Thumb tiny. My grandmother's everywhere.
LOGAN: The older generation. They have their methods of ubiquity.
RORY: I'm positive that there are at least five of her, wandering the property like she's a cylon.
13. The Breakup, Part 2
WHY I LOVE IT
After her breakup with Dean, Rory refuses to wallow and instead rearranges the furniture (“LORELAI: Well I like this, yeah, this is good. Now, of course, when the sofa actually faced the TV, it made it a little easier to watch but you know, this is good too. It’ll be like, um, you know, like radio.”), then in order to avoid Dean she makes Lorelai take weird routes to the diner, they go dumpster diving, get freaked out by the early morning crowd they’ve never seen before at Luke’s etc. Best scene is probably the one where Luke goes out to stop Dean from entering the diner and ends up fighting him, ahahaha…
BEST QUOTE
RORY: Some people like getting up early.
LORELAI: You lie!
RORY: No, they do it voluntarily.
LORELAI: Really?
RORY: Everyday.
LORELAI: Ha! Jumpback!
RORY: Excuse me?
LORELAI: Kevin Bacon, “Footloose”, reaction to the no dancing in town rule as revealed to him by Chris Penn, brother to Sean, sage to all.
12. There’s The Rub
WHY I LOVE IT
The legendary Rory/Jess/Paris round table! Seeing those three smarties discussing Jane Austen and Bukowski made my life; Jess schooling Paris on how to eat a fry - priceless. This was the episode were Dean realized Rory likes Jess. I can’t believe it took him another 12 episodes to finally break up with her. It’s no secret I despised Dean post-season 1; this episode just highlighted the reasons (hissy fit - check, insecurity - check, turning a blind eye - check.) I loved seeing Lorelai and Emily getting along, if only for a little bit.
BEST QUOTE
PARIS: A tragic waste of paper.
JESS: I can’t believe you just said that.
PARIS: Well, it’s true, the Beat’s writing was completely self-indulgent. I have one word for Jack Kerouac - edit.
JESS: It was not self-indulgent. The Beats believed in shocking people, stirring things up.
PARIS: They believed in drugs, booze, and petty crime.
RORY: Well, then you can say that they exposed you to a world you wouldn’t have otherwise known. Isn’t that what great writing’s all about?
PARIS: That was not great writing. That was the National Enquirer of the fifties.
JESS: You’re cracked.
PARIS: Typical guy response. Worship Kerouac and Bukowski, God forbid you’d pick up anything by Jane Austen.
JESS: Hey, I’ve read Jane Austen.
PARIS: You have?
JESS: Yeah, and I think she would’ve liked Bukowski.
Heh. I’m on Mariano’s side here. Bukowski cracks my shit up, I read a ton of his stuff.
11. Pilot
WHY I LOVE IT
I still love watching the pilot. It’s a good episode (especially for a pilot) but I think I love it because it’s the beginning - it just promises so many good things.
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: Please, Luke. Please, please, please.
LUKE: How many cups have you had this morning?
LORELAI: None.
LUKE: Plus...
LORELAI: Five, but yours is better.
LUKE: You have a problem.
LORELAI: Yes, I do.
LUKE: Junkie.
LORELAI: Angel. You've got wings, baby.
10. Lorelai's Graduation Day
WHY I LOVE IT
Clem and Clem, clearly. ROFL. Rory skipping school and spending the day with Jess in NYC was like something straight out of fanfiction but brilliant (the scene at the bus station right before Rory leaves (last cap) is one of my favorite Literati scenes ever - the way they were kind of lingering, neither of them quite managing to say what they really wanted). Then Rory missed Lorelai’s graduation and that kinda sucked. But Richard and Emily made up for it: seeing them tear up when Lorelai got on the stage broke my heart a little.
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: I am feeling so good, sista, because it's over! No more finals, no more studying, no more school, the pressure's off. Do you know how much pressure I felt, do you? All last week I felt like a giant man and his brother were sitting on my chest.
RORY: A giant man?
LORELAI: And his giant brother.
RORY: Did they have names?
LORELAI: Clem and Clem. Huh, same names, which did not reflect well on the imagination of their mothers.
RORY: Mother.
LORELAI: Mothers. There were two Clems.
RORY: Yeah, ‘cause they were brothers.
LORELAI: Yes, so they had mothers.
RORY: Okay, you're drawing me into your drunken world.
LORELAI: It's not a bad place to be, my friend.
09. Teach Me Tonight
WHY I LOVE IT
This is one of the episodes that managed to make me super happy, almost giddy, and then sad and angry; kind of an emotional roller coaster. First there are the Rory/Jess teaching shenanigans with apples, cards and The Clash lyrics. And then they go get ice cream and Jess, cause he’s just that unlucky, crashes Rory’s car and gets blamed for everything. On top of all that, we get the horrible fight between Lorelai and Luke and Jess leaves town. Ugh.
BEST QUOTE
RORY: Do not give me that whole ‘I’m so misunderstood, Kurt Cobainy’ thing. You are way stronger than that and I don’t even wanna hear it. You have to go to college.
JESS: No, you have to go to college.
RORY: But don’t you have any plans?
JESS: Yes, I plan to get out of Stars Hollow.
RORY: And go where?
JESS: Wherever.
RORY: And do what?
JESS: Whatever.
RORY: Wherever, whatever.
JESS: I’ll live where I live, I’ll work when I need money and I’ll see where I end up.
RORY: You could do more.
JESS: Oh, here come the pompoms.
RORY: No, no pompoms, just me saying you could do more.
JESS: So, Courtney, what about you?
RORY: What about me?
JESS: What are your big ambitions?
RORY: Harvard.
JESS: And after Harvard?
RORY: I’m gonna be a journalist.
JESS: Paula Zahn?
RORY: Christiane Amanpour .
JESS: You’re gonna be an overseas correspondent?
RORY: Yes, I am.
JESS: You’re gonna crawl around in trenches and stand on top of buildings and have bombs going off in the background and some wars raging all around you?
RORY: What, you don’t think I can do it?
JESS: No, I do. Just sounds a little too…
RORY: A little what?
JESS: Just sounds a little too rough for you.
RORY: Well, it’s not a little too rough for me. I hope it’s not a little too rough for me, I’ve been talking about this forever. I mean, I don’t even know what I would do if…
JESS: Hey, I didn’t mean to freak you out. I’m sorry. I’m sure you’ll do it. You will, I promise. I’ll help you practice, okay? Tomorrow, you’ll stand in the middle of the street and I will drive straight at you screaming in a foreign language.
RORY: Well, you’re gonna have to learn a foreign language first.
JESS: Well, it’s lucky I’ve got me a tutor, isn’t it?
08. Last Week Fights, This Week Tights
WHY I LOVE IT
Luke asks Lorelai to be his date for Liz’s wedding and basically sets things in motion for the two of them. Their dance to “Reflecting Light” is one of their most beautiful scenes. I particularly loved the scene at the wedding where Lorelai, Luke and Jess all tried their hardest not to crack up (in the 3rd cap) - it made me realize that one of the greater “tragedies” of this show was Jess and Lorelai never getting along; I just think they have a similar brand of humor and Jess would’ve appreciated the hell out of Lorelai’s wit. I ADORED the scene between Jess and Luke (the last cap) - seeing them finally get along and Jess making things right was wonderful. I’m not gonna comment on the last scene with Rory and Jess because that, too, was like something out of a piece of fanfiction but this time out of really bad one. The B storyline with Mrs Kim and Lane and BOYS was hilarious.
The dance:
BEST QUOTE
MRS. KIM: There were boys.
LORELAI: What? Where?
MRS. KIM: At Lane's - two boys - one with hair.
LORELAI: O-o-okay, you went to Lane's?
MRS. KIM: And the place -- broken furniture and dirt and boys and a broken window and boys…
LORELAI: Slow down.
MRS. KIM: …and a tiny fridge and guitars and BOYS!
07. Friday Night's Alright For Fighting
WHY I LOVE IT
Because it’s this much needed catharsis, for the Gilmores and us. They just aired it out, brought up all of their issues, some going back to the pilot. It was the first time that crazy clan had an honest Friday night dinner and not that polite, “let’s just get through this” crap. I loved the camera work, it fit the atmosphere perfectly. And I loved how the fights were randomly interrupted with these almost surreal scenes of them laughing about things and looking more relaxed in each other’s company than ever (Lorelai sat on the couch with her bare feet up!).
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: Friday night dinners. Cocktails. Mozart. Mind games. Good times.
06. Raincoats and Recipes
WHY I LOVE IT
Because the thing we had all been waiting for for a long time finally happens: Luke and Lorelai kiss. It’s a good episode overall, what with Lorelai crashing into tables and doors and Kirk having hilarious yet disturbing (isn’t everything with Kirk? LOL) night terrors and running around naked.
BEST QUOTE
LUKE: You know the last time I bought flowers for someone? Never! That's when! Very easy stat to remember!
LORELAI: I loved the flowers!
LUKE: And then when I walked you home after the wedding, there was a moment. I thought there was a moment.
LORELAI: There was! There was a moment. [Luke gazes at Lorelai, then moves closer.]
LORELAI: What are you doing?
LUKE: Will you just stand still?
(he kisses her)
05. That Damn Donna Reed
WHY I LOVE IT
Oh, this is just a quintessential Gilmore Girls episode. It’s quirky, smart and adorable and so old school GG with movie references (“Stellaaaaa!”), junk food and Luke/Lorelai UST. Plus, it was hilarious the way Emily conned Lorelai into admitting she might have feelings for Luke and then promptly dissed the idea. Classic.
BEST QUOTE
RORY: Where are you going?
LORELAI: To Luke's. We're picking out paint colors tonight so it's going to be hours of "yes," "no," "yes," "no," "yes," "no," until my world-famous perseverance wears him down and he winds up in a ball on the floor crying like a girl.
04. A-Tisket, A-Tasket
WHY I LOVE IT
Another episode that is the most perfect embodiment of the show. I’m just gonna check off the list again: nutty town happening - check, Luke/Lorelai badgering&banter - check, Jess and Rory’s meeting of the minds with a dash of UST - check, Dean’s hissy fit - check. The scenes on the bridge are amongst my all time favorite Gilmore Girls scenes - at first, Rory is pouting and reluctant to enjoy Jess’s company but then the tension is broken with the horrendous food and talk of Ayn Rand and Ernest. I also loved Sookie and Jackson’s part of the story.
The bridge scenes:
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: As long as everything is exactly the way I want it, I’m totally flexible.
03. Nick&Nora/Sid&Nancy
WHY I LOVE IT
Cause a certain troubled kid gets off the bus and I find out that it is possible for this show to get even better. AND BECAUSE LUKE PUSHES JESS IN THE LAKE.
BEST QUOTE
RORY: I thought you said you didn't read much.
JESS: Well, what is much?
02. I Can't Get Started
WHY I LOVE IT
For the Rory/Jess stuff, obviously. He came back to Stars Hollow for her! She kissed him and then ran away! The promise of the drama for next season was delicious.
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: Huh. You know what I just realized? “Oy” is the funniest word in the entire world.
RORY: Huh.
LORELAI: I mean, think about it. You never hear the word “oy” and not smile. Impossible. Funny, funny word.
EMILY: Oh, dear God.
LORELAI: “Poodle” is another funny word.
EMILY: Please drink your drink, Lorelai.
LORELAI: In fact, if you put “oy” and “poodle” together in the same sentence, you’d have a great new catch phrase, you know? Like, “Oy with the poodles already!”. So from now on, when the perfect circumstances arise, we will use our favorite new catch phrase.
RORY: Oy with the poodles already!
LORELAI: I’m telling you, it’s knocking ‘Whatcha talking ‘bout, Willis?’ right out of first place.
01. Love, Daisies and Troubadours
WHY I LOVE IT
This episode is like a cup of warm cocoa to me. There’s the hilarity of Luke breaking into Lorelai’s house and Lorelai attacking him with a red umbrella. There's "These are not fries. They are farfignugen sugen dugen." There's the Rory/Dean reunion that even I will admit was adorable. But what I love most about it is that there's no cliffhanger - things work out, both girls are happy in the end and that lovely song “My Little Corner of the World” plays, which is just a perfect touch.
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: Oh. The Dean box. Okay, I know I was supposed to throw it away, but I couldn't. I mean, you're young and your head's all weird, and you don't have any perspective because of that whole young weird headed thing, so just please listen to me before you get mad. You're gonna want that stuff one day, when you're old and married, and looking back and thinking, I certainly had an interesting life. And then you can pull out all your old boyfriend boxes. Which is good, because I threw away stuff I'd kill to have today. Look, I put it in with the Max box so they could chat and keep each other company and commiserate about how they had a Gilmore girl and lost a Gilmore girl and . . .sorry.
Enjoy the picspam! :)
Don't use these caps for anything; you can find the original caps here and here. Thank you!
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Written In The Stars
Red Light On The Wedding Night
Haunted Leg
Dear Emily And Richard
Rory's Dance
20. The Bracebridge Dinner
WHY I LOVE IT
Because it has: a classic, nutty town happening, OTPs riding in horse drawn sleighs together, Luke and Jess being hilariously suspicious and grumpy together, Lorelai and Rory mocking ugly babies (especially Lorelai’s little gag with the picture of the ugly baby stalking Rory, ROFL), a kickass snowwoman and Literati longing up the wazoo. Also, Luke claims he's discovered the secret to parenting: "You visualize the reality you want...and then if necessary, you lie to bring it about." ROFL. I loved Emily and Richard’s part of the story, too.
BEST QUOTE
RORY: I don't understand why people put pictures on cards.
LORELAI: Do they not understand we are unapologetic mockers?
RORY: There's an unexplained innocence in the world.
19. Wedding Bell Blues
WHY I LOVE IT
It’s full of well written drama, courtesy of the puppet master Emily Gilmore. She goes from being absolutely adorable (at her bachelorette party, drinking out of plastic cups, calling Lorelai A CHIMP and molesting Gypsy, ROFL) to being the biggest bitch in the world by the time the episode ends. And Lorelai’s last words to Emily still give me the chills.
BEST QUOTE
EMILY: It's going to be fabulous, isn't it, Lorelai?
LORELAI: Ab fab, sweetie darling.
EMILY: Isn't she hilarious? I never have any idea what she's talking about, but she's so entertaining, like a chimp. Isn't she like a chimp, Gypsy?
GYPSY: Please make your mother stop talking to me.
18. They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?
WHY I LOVE IT
Crazy town happening - check. Lorelai/Luke flirting - check. Literati tension - check. Dean finally growing a pair and dumping Rory - check (woohoo!) and classic Luke/Taylor frustration - check. Plus, there’s that HILARIOUS Lorelai/Kirk dance rivalry.
BEST QUOTE
LUKE: Taylor, you are asking me to donate free coffee to hundreds of people so you can raise money to buy a tarp.
TAYLOR: How ‘bout fifty cents a cup?
LUKE: How ‘bout I charge for cream?
TAYLOR: You would kick Tiny Tim’s crutch out from under him, wouldn’t you?
LUKE: If he asks for a free cup of coffee, gimpy’s going down.
17. The Incredible Shrinking Lorelais
WHY I LOVE IT
It’s not often we see the girls break down completely so it’s all the more heartbreaking when they do.
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: You know, there are very few times in my life when I find myself sitting around, thinking "I wish I was married," but today, I mean...I'm happy. You know? I like my life. I like my friends, I like my stuff. My time, my space, my TV.
LUKE: Yeah, sure.
LORELAI: But every now and then, just for a moment, I wish I had a partner, someone to pick up the slack. Someone to wait for the cable guy, make me coffee in the morning, (voice breaking) meet the stupid sink before it gets sent back to Canada.
LUKE: What happened?
LORELAI: I just thought I had everything under control, but I didn't, and the inn is just falling apart. This has been my dream forever and I have it, and it's here, and I'm failing and I can't handle it. I just spend every minute running around and working and thinking. And I thought I would have help, but Sookie has Davey and Michel has Celine and I'm...I can't do it all by myself. And I don't even have time to see my kid, and hell, forget see her, just even talk to her. And I miss her. And I sat there in my parents' house just listening to my grandmother basically call me a charity case, and I couldn't even argue with her. I couldn't even say anything, because I am. I'm running out of money, and I don't know what to do about it, and I was gonna…I was gonna ask you for $30000 at dinner tonight. That's how pathetic I am.
16. Nag Hammadi Is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels
WHY I LOVE IT
For the obvious: it’s the first time Jess says “I love you”. There’s also some quality Luke/Jess drama - after Jess accuses him of butting in, fixing things that are not his problem, expecting things from people and then being disappointed, Luke gets drunk.
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: I'm going to make out in the coatroom. Don't eat my chicken.
RORY: That's going on your tombstone.
15. One's Got Class and the Other One Dyes
WHY I LOVE IT
Because of Lane’s short-lived purple hair rebellion and the absolute hilarity that ensues once Lorelai’s discovered Butch Danes. The showdown with the uptight Stars Hollow moms was A+, too. And I liked the little confrontation between Luke and Jess regarding the women in their lives (“Hey, the girls that I like don’t give a damn about me! And unlike some other people I know, I’m not gonna sit around hoping that they change their minds and suddenly notice me.”).
BEST QUOTE
This is a L/L classic.
LUKE: I’m backing out.
LORELAI: Too late, sorry.
LUKE: I’m not speaking to that stupid class.
LORELAI: But you agreed.
LUKE: I’m out, case closed, no debating.
LORELAI: Great, fine, do what you want. I guess I’m just out the thousand-dollar deposit.
LUKE: What deposit?
LORELAI: For the room.
LUKE: What room?
LORELAI: For the thing, for the afterwards thing. . .
LUKE: Oh, wait, now, you’re talking crazy talk trying to confuse me, aren’t you?
LORELAI: Aren’t you?
LUKE: What?
LORELAI: Who?
LUKE: Stop.
LORELAI: Bye.
14. Let Me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out
WHY I LOVE IT
It was a major wake up call episode, one that finally put things in motion and on the right track. I loved the fact that Jess turned out to be the only one who was able to get through to Rory (his “What the hell is going on?” just nailed it for me; god knows how many times I wanted to scream that at Rory in the first part of season 6). Finding out Jess got his shit together, matured and wrote a book was more than I ever could’ve asked for. Rory’s conflict with Emily was so liberating as it showed us that even though Rory seemed to have fit in perfectly in their world, she didn’t really fit in: her inner Lorelai was bound to kick in sooner or later. (The whole storyline with Luke sponsoring the blood-thirsty little soccer girls was hi-freakin’-larious. “You're not being competitive if your jersey doesn't have a little O negative on it.” ROFL.)
BEST QUOTE
Fandoms collide!
RORY: It's one thing to be forced to move into the big house, but now the big house is feeling Tom Thumb tiny. My grandmother's everywhere.
LOGAN: The older generation. They have their methods of ubiquity.
RORY: I'm positive that there are at least five of her, wandering the property like she's a cylon.
13. The Breakup, Part 2
WHY I LOVE IT
After her breakup with Dean, Rory refuses to wallow and instead rearranges the furniture (“LORELAI: Well I like this, yeah, this is good. Now, of course, when the sofa actually faced the TV, it made it a little easier to watch but you know, this is good too. It’ll be like, um, you know, like radio.”), then in order to avoid Dean she makes Lorelai take weird routes to the diner, they go dumpster diving, get freaked out by the early morning crowd they’ve never seen before at Luke’s etc. Best scene is probably the one where Luke goes out to stop Dean from entering the diner and ends up fighting him, ahahaha…
BEST QUOTE
RORY: Some people like getting up early.
LORELAI: You lie!
RORY: No, they do it voluntarily.
LORELAI: Really?
RORY: Everyday.
LORELAI: Ha! Jumpback!
RORY: Excuse me?
LORELAI: Kevin Bacon, “Footloose”, reaction to the no dancing in town rule as revealed to him by Chris Penn, brother to Sean, sage to all.
12. There’s The Rub
WHY I LOVE IT
The legendary Rory/Jess/Paris round table! Seeing those three smarties discussing Jane Austen and Bukowski made my life; Jess schooling Paris on how to eat a fry - priceless. This was the episode were Dean realized Rory likes Jess. I can’t believe it took him another 12 episodes to finally break up with her. It’s no secret I despised Dean post-season 1; this episode just highlighted the reasons (hissy fit - check, insecurity - check, turning a blind eye - check.) I loved seeing Lorelai and Emily getting along, if only for a little bit.
BEST QUOTE
PARIS: A tragic waste of paper.
JESS: I can’t believe you just said that.
PARIS: Well, it’s true, the Beat’s writing was completely self-indulgent. I have one word for Jack Kerouac - edit.
JESS: It was not self-indulgent. The Beats believed in shocking people, stirring things up.
PARIS: They believed in drugs, booze, and petty crime.
RORY: Well, then you can say that they exposed you to a world you wouldn’t have otherwise known. Isn’t that what great writing’s all about?
PARIS: That was not great writing. That was the National Enquirer of the fifties.
JESS: You’re cracked.
PARIS: Typical guy response. Worship Kerouac and Bukowski, God forbid you’d pick up anything by Jane Austen.
JESS: Hey, I’ve read Jane Austen.
PARIS: You have?
JESS: Yeah, and I think she would’ve liked Bukowski.
Heh. I’m on Mariano’s side here. Bukowski cracks my shit up, I read a ton of his stuff.
11. Pilot
WHY I LOVE IT
I still love watching the pilot. It’s a good episode (especially for a pilot) but I think I love it because it’s the beginning - it just promises so many good things.
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: Please, Luke. Please, please, please.
LUKE: How many cups have you had this morning?
LORELAI: None.
LUKE: Plus...
LORELAI: Five, but yours is better.
LUKE: You have a problem.
LORELAI: Yes, I do.
LUKE: Junkie.
LORELAI: Angel. You've got wings, baby.
10. Lorelai's Graduation Day
WHY I LOVE IT
Clem and Clem, clearly. ROFL. Rory skipping school and spending the day with Jess in NYC was like something straight out of fanfiction but brilliant (the scene at the bus station right before Rory leaves (last cap) is one of my favorite Literati scenes ever - the way they were kind of lingering, neither of them quite managing to say what they really wanted). Then Rory missed Lorelai’s graduation and that kinda sucked. But Richard and Emily made up for it: seeing them tear up when Lorelai got on the stage broke my heart a little.
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: I am feeling so good, sista, because it's over! No more finals, no more studying, no more school, the pressure's off. Do you know how much pressure I felt, do you? All last week I felt like a giant man and his brother were sitting on my chest.
RORY: A giant man?
LORELAI: And his giant brother.
RORY: Did they have names?
LORELAI: Clem and Clem. Huh, same names, which did not reflect well on the imagination of their mothers.
RORY: Mother.
LORELAI: Mothers. There were two Clems.
RORY: Yeah, ‘cause they were brothers.
LORELAI: Yes, so they had mothers.
RORY: Okay, you're drawing me into your drunken world.
LORELAI: It's not a bad place to be, my friend.
09. Teach Me Tonight
WHY I LOVE IT
This is one of the episodes that managed to make me super happy, almost giddy, and then sad and angry; kind of an emotional roller coaster. First there are the Rory/Jess teaching shenanigans with apples, cards and The Clash lyrics. And then they go get ice cream and Jess, cause he’s just that unlucky, crashes Rory’s car and gets blamed for everything. On top of all that, we get the horrible fight between Lorelai and Luke and Jess leaves town. Ugh.
BEST QUOTE
RORY: Do not give me that whole ‘I’m so misunderstood, Kurt Cobainy’ thing. You are way stronger than that and I don’t even wanna hear it. You have to go to college.
JESS: No, you have to go to college.
RORY: But don’t you have any plans?
JESS: Yes, I plan to get out of Stars Hollow.
RORY: And go where?
JESS: Wherever.
RORY: And do what?
JESS: Whatever.
RORY: Wherever, whatever.
JESS: I’ll live where I live, I’ll work when I need money and I’ll see where I end up.
RORY: You could do more.
JESS: Oh, here come the pompoms.
RORY: No, no pompoms, just me saying you could do more.
JESS: So, Courtney, what about you?
RORY: What about me?
JESS: What are your big ambitions?
RORY: Harvard.
JESS: And after Harvard?
RORY: I’m gonna be a journalist.
JESS: Paula Zahn?
RORY: Christiane Amanpour .
JESS: You’re gonna be an overseas correspondent?
RORY: Yes, I am.
JESS: You’re gonna crawl around in trenches and stand on top of buildings and have bombs going off in the background and some wars raging all around you?
RORY: What, you don’t think I can do it?
JESS: No, I do. Just sounds a little too…
RORY: A little what?
JESS: Just sounds a little too rough for you.
RORY: Well, it’s not a little too rough for me. I hope it’s not a little too rough for me, I’ve been talking about this forever. I mean, I don’t even know what I would do if…
JESS: Hey, I didn’t mean to freak you out. I’m sorry. I’m sure you’ll do it. You will, I promise. I’ll help you practice, okay? Tomorrow, you’ll stand in the middle of the street and I will drive straight at you screaming in a foreign language.
RORY: Well, you’re gonna have to learn a foreign language first.
JESS: Well, it’s lucky I’ve got me a tutor, isn’t it?
08. Last Week Fights, This Week Tights
WHY I LOVE IT
Luke asks Lorelai to be his date for Liz’s wedding and basically sets things in motion for the two of them. Their dance to “Reflecting Light” is one of their most beautiful scenes. I particularly loved the scene at the wedding where Lorelai, Luke and Jess all tried their hardest not to crack up (in the 3rd cap) - it made me realize that one of the greater “tragedies” of this show was Jess and Lorelai never getting along; I just think they have a similar brand of humor and Jess would’ve appreciated the hell out of Lorelai’s wit. I ADORED the scene between Jess and Luke (the last cap) - seeing them finally get along and Jess making things right was wonderful. I’m not gonna comment on the last scene with Rory and Jess because that, too, was like something out of a piece of fanfiction but this time out of really bad one. The B storyline with Mrs Kim and Lane and BOYS was hilarious.
The dance:
Click to viewBEST QUOTE
MRS. KIM: There were boys.
LORELAI: What? Where?
MRS. KIM: At Lane's - two boys - one with hair.
LORELAI: O-o-okay, you went to Lane's?
MRS. KIM: And the place -- broken furniture and dirt and boys and a broken window and boys…
LORELAI: Slow down.
MRS. KIM: …and a tiny fridge and guitars and BOYS!
07. Friday Night's Alright For Fighting
WHY I LOVE IT
Because it’s this much needed catharsis, for the Gilmores and us. They just aired it out, brought up all of their issues, some going back to the pilot. It was the first time that crazy clan had an honest Friday night dinner and not that polite, “let’s just get through this” crap. I loved the camera work, it fit the atmosphere perfectly. And I loved how the fights were randomly interrupted with these almost surreal scenes of them laughing about things and looking more relaxed in each other’s company than ever (Lorelai sat on the couch with her bare feet up!).
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: Friday night dinners. Cocktails. Mozart. Mind games. Good times.
06. Raincoats and Recipes
WHY I LOVE IT
Because the thing we had all been waiting for for a long time finally happens: Luke and Lorelai kiss. It’s a good episode overall, what with Lorelai crashing into tables and doors and Kirk having hilarious yet disturbing (isn’t everything with Kirk? LOL) night terrors and running around naked.
BEST QUOTE
LUKE: You know the last time I bought flowers for someone? Never! That's when! Very easy stat to remember!
LORELAI: I loved the flowers!
LUKE: And then when I walked you home after the wedding, there was a moment. I thought there was a moment.
LORELAI: There was! There was a moment. [Luke gazes at Lorelai, then moves closer.]
LORELAI: What are you doing?
LUKE: Will you just stand still?
(he kisses her)
05. That Damn Donna Reed
WHY I LOVE IT
Oh, this is just a quintessential Gilmore Girls episode. It’s quirky, smart and adorable and so old school GG with movie references (“Stellaaaaa!”), junk food and Luke/Lorelai UST. Plus, it was hilarious the way Emily conned Lorelai into admitting she might have feelings for Luke and then promptly dissed the idea. Classic.
BEST QUOTE
RORY: Where are you going?
LORELAI: To Luke's. We're picking out paint colors tonight so it's going to be hours of "yes," "no," "yes," "no," "yes," "no," until my world-famous perseverance wears him down and he winds up in a ball on the floor crying like a girl.
04. A-Tisket, A-Tasket
WHY I LOVE IT
Another episode that is the most perfect embodiment of the show. I’m just gonna check off the list again: nutty town happening - check, Luke/Lorelai badgering&banter - check, Jess and Rory’s meeting of the minds with a dash of UST - check, Dean’s hissy fit - check. The scenes on the bridge are amongst my all time favorite Gilmore Girls scenes - at first, Rory is pouting and reluctant to enjoy Jess’s company but then the tension is broken with the horrendous food and talk of Ayn Rand and Ernest. I also loved Sookie and Jackson’s part of the story.
The bridge scenes:
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: As long as everything is exactly the way I want it, I’m totally flexible.
03. Nick&Nora/Sid&Nancy
WHY I LOVE IT
Cause a certain troubled kid gets off the bus and I find out that it is possible for this show to get even better. AND BECAUSE LUKE PUSHES JESS IN THE LAKE.
BEST QUOTE
RORY: I thought you said you didn't read much.
JESS: Well, what is much?
02. I Can't Get Started
WHY I LOVE IT
For the Rory/Jess stuff, obviously. He came back to Stars Hollow for her! She kissed him and then ran away! The promise of the drama for next season was delicious.
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: Huh. You know what I just realized? “Oy” is the funniest word in the entire world.
RORY: Huh.
LORELAI: I mean, think about it. You never hear the word “oy” and not smile. Impossible. Funny, funny word.
EMILY: Oh, dear God.
LORELAI: “Poodle” is another funny word.
EMILY: Please drink your drink, Lorelai.
LORELAI: In fact, if you put “oy” and “poodle” together in the same sentence, you’d have a great new catch phrase, you know? Like, “Oy with the poodles already!”. So from now on, when the perfect circumstances arise, we will use our favorite new catch phrase.
RORY: Oy with the poodles already!
LORELAI: I’m telling you, it’s knocking ‘Whatcha talking ‘bout, Willis?’ right out of first place.
01. Love, Daisies and Troubadours
WHY I LOVE IT
This episode is like a cup of warm cocoa to me. There’s the hilarity of Luke breaking into Lorelai’s house and Lorelai attacking him with a red umbrella. There's "These are not fries. They are farfignugen sugen dugen." There's the Rory/Dean reunion that even I will admit was adorable. But what I love most about it is that there's no cliffhanger - things work out, both girls are happy in the end and that lovely song “My Little Corner of the World” plays, which is just a perfect touch.
BEST QUOTE
LORELAI: Oh. The Dean box. Okay, I know I was supposed to throw it away, but I couldn't. I mean, you're young and your head's all weird, and you don't have any perspective because of that whole young weird headed thing, so just please listen to me before you get mad. You're gonna want that stuff one day, when you're old and married, and looking back and thinking, I certainly had an interesting life. And then you can pull out all your old boyfriend boxes. Which is good, because I threw away stuff I'd kill to have today. Look, I put it in with the Max box so they could chat and keep each other company and commiserate about how they had a Gilmore girl and lost a Gilmore girl and . . .sorry.
Enjoy the picspam! :)
Don't use these caps for anything; you can find the original caps here and here. Thank you!