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May 15, 2007: The Goodbye Girls
It’s really over. As hard as it is to write those words, I actually feel like I am able to let go. I had a lot of help, actually. It took a village. Every single person in the wonderfully quirky Stars Hollow made it easier to say goodbye to Rory as she left her tiny town for wide-open America. And it was bittersweet.
Who else but Luke would gather everyone to plan a huge last-minute surprise party for Rory in the town square? And when the forecast (aka Babette’s swollen ankles) called for rain, he collected tarps and raincoats to sew together a tent. Sure enough, it was pouring on celebration day when Lorelai and Rory pulled up in their Jeep as all of Stars Hollow huddled beneath that tent. I loved that panning shot of the happy faces that we’ve gotten to know over the past seven years: Zack, Liz, Kirk, Lane, Michel, Lulu, Brian, Gypsy, Miss Patty, Babette, Morey, Taylor, Jackson, Sookie and a wide-grinning Luke all clapping and cheering for Rory. “I can’t believe you pulled it off,” Lorelai told Sookie as she looked around in amazement at all the decorations. Sookie was more than happy to correct her. “It was all Luke. He made me promise not to tell you, but I don’t care…. He must have stayed up all night doing this.” That’s when she realized this farewell gathering wasn’t all about Rory. And she was right. “I just want to see you happy,” Luke told Lorelai when she thanked him for all his hard work. Then came the moment: The Kiss. Yes, what we’ve been waiting for all season. We’ll never get to see those two underneath a wedding canopy, or the huppah that Luke once built for Lorelai. But they’ll be there. Because we saw The Kiss. And that’s proof enough for me.
I was glad to see Richard and Emily at the festivities, even though they stood alone in a corner. (Considering they never tried to be a part of Lorelai’s special enclave, it was actually the perfect spot for them.) Dick praised Rory at his cocktail soiree but finally turned his affections to Lorelai. “It takes a remarkable person to inspire all of this,” he told his shocked daughter. Only took him 22 years to praise her for the way she raised Rory. Typically grumpy and dour Em eventually cheered up when Lorelai agreed to continue Friday night dinners — no spas, no tennis courts, no strings attached. Looks like the Gilmores agreed to a peace treaty, and without Rory as barter!
Of course, Rory wouldn’t be Rory if she didn’t land a fantastic gig. Who needs the New York Times when you’ve got Obama, the bus and the campaign? Wonder if she placed that call to Christiane Amanpour after meeting her at the Dragonfly. Nice cameo! The news goddess actually seemed comfortable in an acting role. “Get in there, do what you can, show them what you’ve got and the rest will take care of itself,” she encouraged Rory. Great advice, from her idol, no less.
It’s nearly impossible to pick a favorite moment, but mine was the final scene at the diner. “What a delightful menu! In such a lovely font! We need a minute, we can’t decide,” they told Luke, who’d opened up at 5 am just for them. (Oh, and in case you didn’t catch it, Rory complimented Lorelai on her pretty necklace. Yep, Luke gave it to her!) We left our girls just as we found them in the pilot: bantering over coffee as the camera slowly pulled back from the diner window. Bon voyage, Lorelai and Rory. We’ll really miss you.
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May 16, 2007 12:00 AM
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I started tearing up when Rory said she was leaving in three days, and started bawling when Luke said he just loves making Lorelai happy. I am satisfied with the ending. It is really a new beginning for Lorelai/Luke, Rory and her career, and the elder Gilmores and their oldest daughter.
Robin - thanks for all the wonderful reviews and for always posting them so quickly.
GG lovers – thanks for all your insights and memories on such a wonderful show.
And speaking of memories, here is some show trivia and the title of a new Smart Pop Series book devoted to Gilmore Girls that just came out.
The trivia was taken from IMDB.COM and TV.COM, cleaned up, added to, and now I made the corrections your sharp eyes provided. If anyone knows which episode Sookie did not appear in, please let me know.
GILMORE GIRLS CHARACTER TRIVIA
1. Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Kelly Bishop, and Melissa McCarthy and Scott Patterson appeared in all 153 episodes.
2. The character of diner owner Luke was originally developed as a woman. Scott Patterson, who plays Luke, was only signed on for the pilot episode. But the incredible chemistry between him and Lauren Graham led to his character becoming a series regular.
3. In the Season 5 opener "Say Goodbye to Daisy Miller", when Luke is leaving Lorelai messages on her answering machine, he states his phone number is (860) 294-1986. This number was used as a bid for donations toward the new Children's and Maternal Hospital at Hopkins to which the number belongs. Luke is played by Children's Center Director George Dover's brother-in-law, Scott Patterson.
4. Alex Borstein was originally cast to play Sookie, instead of Melissa McCarthy. Alex Borstein has many other appearances in Gilmore Girls including Drella, the Harp player at the Independence Inn; and Miss Celine, who is in the Season 5 Episode "Come Home."
5. Liza Weil originally tested for the role of Rory and did not get the part. The producers liked her so much they created the role of Paris Gellar for her.
6. Nathan Wetherington was originally cast to play Dean, instead of Jared Padalecki who went on to star in his own series Supernatural.
7. The character of Jess (played by Milo Ventimiglia) was suppose to have a spin-off called "Windward Circle" which was picked up by the WB for midseason 2004, in which the character moves in with his estrange father (played by Rob Estes) from Connecticut to California. But due to the high cost of filming on location in Venice, California, the WB changed their minds and canceled plans for the show. Ventimiglia now stars on the cult hit Heroes.
8. Alexis Bledel hates coffee, but Rory loves it. Alexis coffee cup is always filled with Coca Cola.
9. At the end of season after Rory steals a yacht, Lorelai says that Rory's court date is June 3rd. That is the same day Lorelai sets as her wedding date to Luke later in season 6.
10. In Season 2, Episode 42, Lorelai's Graduation Day, we discover that Lorelai's middle name is Victoria. Rory's given first name is also Lorelai, but her middle name is Leigh. "Lorelai Lee" is the name of a main character in "Gentleman Prefer Blondes" (played by Carol Channing in the original Broadway production and by Marilyn Monroe in the movie version).
11. In Season 1, Episode 6 Rory's Birthday Party, we see her middle name on the birthday invitation. Her middle name is Leigh.
12. Due to the fast pace speech in the show, the average script for an episode of the show runs 75-80 pages, as opposed to 45-50 for a standard hour-long television show. During the 101st episode, a black and white movie from the 1930s is being shown. Lorelai looks at the movie and says they "talked fast" in those movies
13. The character of Lane Kim is based on Helen Pai, a co-producer of the show and the best friend of creator 'Amy Sherman',
14. Lane's band's name is "Hep Alien". The writers named it this after producer Helen Pai; "Hep Alien" is an anagram of her name.
15. Lane's father lives with Lane and her mother, but never appears in the show.
16. In season 1, episode 5 ("Cinnamon's Wake"), Lane is found in Rory's room "skanking to Rancid." In season 4, episode 19 ("After Boom"), "Hep Alien" performs that same song at their gig.
17. Lane's boyfriend, Dave ('Adam Brody’), left the show after his first season. To explain his absence, Lane claims that he went to university in California. Brody left the show in order to play the part of Seth in "The O.C." (2003), which takes place in California.
18. When Chad Michael Murray (playing Rory's Chilton classmate Tristin Dugray) left the show, his absence was explained by the character being sent to military school in North Carolina, which is where Murray filmed his recurring role on "One Tree Hill".
19. When the character Brad Langford (Adam Wylie) returns to Chilton Academy after an absence of several months, he explains that he was away playing Jack in "Into the Woods" on Broadway. Wylie really was away from the series to play Jack in the 2002 Broadway revival of "Into the Woods".
20. Sean Gunn who plays Kirk, made his first appearance in episode 1.2 ("The Lorelai’s' First Day at Chilton"), but not as Kirk. His character was named "Mick" and he was installing a DSL server at the Lorelai’s' home that was ordered by Emily. His second appearance (not as Kirk was in Season 1, Episode 3.
21. Logan's very wealthy family runs a venerable publishing empire. Their last name, Huntzberger, is a reference to the Sulzberger family, who have owned The New York Times since Arthur Hays Sulzberger succeeded his father-in-law Adolph S. Ochs as publisher in 1935.
22. A new actress plays Emily and Richard Gilmore's maid every episode.
23. In the show they mention Dirty Dancing (1987) several times. Kelly Bishop (Emily Gilmore) stars in the movie as Marjorie Houseman.
STARS HOLLOW TOWN TRIVIA
1. The entire town of Stars Hollow is the Warner Bros Studios backlot set called "Midwest Street" built in 1946 for the film _Saratoga Trunk (1946)_ (a small section usually unseen on the show - behind the church - was added in the early 1990's for no particular television or film project). The residential street attached is called Kings Row and was built in 1941 (predating the town set) for the Ronald Reagan film of the same name. No new structures have been added to the backlot for the "Gilmore Girls," although the backlot set remains dressed for the show throughout the television shooting season (July through March or April).
2. The mountain often seen on the show is actually Mount Hollywood.
3. The exterior "Midwest" sets, which incorporate Stars Hollows' town square, the Gazebo, Luke's Diner and Doosey's Market are also featured prominently in "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979). and can be seen in a scene in the original theatrical version of _Music Man, The (1962)
4. The exterior shot of "The Dragonfly Inn" is actually the home of TV's "The Waltons" (1972). The town of Stars Hollow is based on Washington Depot, Connecticut. Creator Amy Sherman stayed there while on a trip with her husband to look at Mark Twain's wallpaper.
5. The exterior shots of the girls' home and the foyer and hallway are all filmed on the outdoor set, while nearly all of the interior house scenes are filmed across the studio front lot in a sound stage, where the entire first floor of the home is built to scale.
OFFICIAL SITE: http://www.cwtv.com/shows/gilmore-girls
NEW BOOK: Coffee at Luke's: An Unauthorized Gilmore Girls Gabfest (Smart Pop series) (Paperback) Jennifer Cruise (Editor) – another great book of essays in the Smart Pop Series this time devoted to the Gilmore Girls Universe.
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May 16, 2007 12:10 AM
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What a perfect series finale.
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May 16, 2007 12:11 AM
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I cried like a baby for most of this episode and tried to savor every moment. I can't believe this is really it, but if it had to be 'it', it was the perfect way to go. I felt like I got to say good-bye properly to every member of this kooky town and show that have become a part of my life. Thank you Gilmore Girls for the laughs, the tears, and even the healing (I swear this one time I had a cold and the only thing that made me feel better was watching Season 2 in one marathon sitting). You've given us everything we need to move on in this episode, Mr. Rosenthal-thank you.
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May 16, 2007 12:11 AM
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It was reported that when this episode was filmed there was still a possibility that it was coming back, but after watching this episode I don't see how this show could've returned next season.
I'm thrilled it didn't turn into sappy hour but still hit us with just the right emotional scenes to make a huge impact, the best scenes were provided by the sad faces and subtle dialogue of Alexis and Lauren, they were wonderful. Luke and Lorelai had their moment and it was really sweet.
It was an enjoyable journey that ended at just the right time. Goodbye GG
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May 16, 2007 12:15 AM
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Can't believe the end is here... LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Luke telling Lorelei he just "wanted to see her happy." Sniff. Was happy to see all the townspeople. Was happier Rory got a great gig and Lorelei and E&R came to a satisfactory agreement about continuing Friday dinners.
Still can't help thinking there was just a little bit more life left in Stars Hollow. May Luke and Lorelei live happily ever after. Don't want to let this show go. It's come to mean a lot.
Tuesday nights won't be the same...
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May 16, 2007 12:35 AM
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It's hard to believe it's over. It was definitely uneven but ultimately I think it was a good thing that it ended. There was no way Season 8 would have appeased people after the damage that Season 7 did.
I blogged my own review of the finale at:
http://www.mediaobsessed.com
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May 16, 2007 1:03 AM
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I cried several times tonight during this episode. I hate to say goodbye to a show that I have loved (with the exception of the recent Chris-marriage), but I agree that they wrapped everything up pretty well.
I was kind of disappointed, though, that there was no mention of Luke and Lorelai spending the summer together on Luke's boat trip. I thought for sure that was where they were leading us, with April's decision to cancel in order to take the science camp spot. I was also a little disappointed that they didn't show us more of the kiss. We got two seconds of L/L together and then the camera moved on to an unfocused shot of the tent. Could LG and SP not get it together long enough to give us a satisfying kiss?
Overall, though, I really enjoyed the episode. I loved the moment with Rory and Lane on the porch spring. It was nice to see Rory remember that Lane has been there for her all this time. As her best friend, Lane hasn't had nearly enough screen time lately, so this was a nice moment.
Also, I loved the scene with L/E when Lor realized why her mom was trying to get her to expand at the inn. What a look on her face! Then telling Emily that they'd talk about it at dinner! Wonderful way to wrap up their story line, too.
I'll miss my Gilmore Girls!
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May 16, 2007 1:10 AM
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A pretty good way for "Gilmore Girls" to go out in my opinion. Obviously it wasn't perfect because it didn't have a full season to lead up to it, but this was very much a series finale. It's very clear David Rosenthal wrote it as a series finale and therefore I'm sure all the actors knew there was a much greater chance of it being over than coming back. Did they tie up every loose end, no, but it was a lot more like a series finale than I thought it might be.
The comments from Richard to Lorelai were good, the interaction between Lane and Rory on the porch was good and the understanding between Emily and Lorelai was good.
I did think the ending of the episode was a little anti-climatic after the good moment between Lorelai and Luke, but I don't dislike framing it similarly to the ending of the pilot (and second episode too, by the way). I just wish they would've gone more all out in copying the pilot and maybe have a few of the same lines - Rory asking for chili fries or maybe Luke telling Rory about the dangers of coffee.
And I actually thought the fact that not everything was tied up in a little bow was better. The series finale wedding has become too cliche. The characters are left in good places and we can be happy for them for that. I didn't need two marriages and a baby pushed down my throat. The only thing I regret we won't see is the small things that could've harkened back to past seasons - like Lane's father, or Jess or Dean, or more closure for Paris.
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May 16, 2007 1:37 AM
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This was an absolutely phenomenal series finale for a show that wasn't planning on it... with the way the episode was shot and written, it would've been weird to come back next year.
I cried like a baby for most of this episode...
Luke and Lorelai got their moment, and an obvious promise for a future that i find satisfying. I like that this episode was the end of so many things, but the start of a new phase of the Gilmores life, and i like that Lorelai and Luke get a fresh start too.
The Lorelai/Rory scenes were amazing, as were the scenes with the elder Gilmores. I am as a fan, about 90% satisfied, which is more than i thought i would be when i found out this show was ending...
i think what changed it for me was that i watched all the episodes in the past week, and rewatched the pilot before the finale, and it really did feel like the show was complete.
i'm going to miss this show an absolutely obscene amount, but i truly feel like i have all the Gilmore i need on my dvds. Thanks for a fantastic 7 years, i'm sad its over, but all great things come to an end.
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May 16, 2007 1:37 AM
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I just watched it..
I am sad.
It felt revitalized, like it def could have gone for another year, so much more left..really..
It seems like it came down to such a heavy work schedule for the 2 leads (really, did they just sleep and work..how gruelling was it?)
Esp when I look at the pilots for the fall..nothing compares..what a loss.
(The only line that was "off" to me was when Rory said to Lane..I don't know what its like to have a sister..um..yeah..her name is Gigi..not impressed at the writing there..no acknowledgement of her, could have phrased it differently)
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May 16, 2007 2:33 AM
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The only thing that could have been better with this episode is if they could have managed to get Paris to the party as well.
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May 16, 2007 3:33 AM
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I just finished watching it. Can't believe it's really over. I was really hoping for that shortened season 8 to tie up the loose ends. That being said, I have to admit that the finale was better than I thought it would be. Although it felt rushed, all the right elements were there. I laughed at the antics of the Stars Hollow gang. I cried when Lorelai told Rory how she couldn't think about her leaving because she'd lose it and I cried again during Lorelai's Richard and Emily scenes. Great to see them finally come around. I cheered when Luke and Lorelai finally got together. Great scene! Talk about melting someone's heart.... Wish it could have lasted longer, but if it had to end this was a pretty good way to end it. So long GG! We'll miss you!
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May 16, 2007 4:01 AM
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I thought GG ended on a high note. Absolutely perfect ending (given the circumstance)
It went full circle and I just loved that about the ending they chose. Perfect.
Yes, it had some schmaltzy moments between Rory and Lorelai - but they deserved that. Lorelai deserved to hear "you have given me everything" from the daughter she gave her whole life too.
Through its 7 year run, GG has had its rough moments, but the finale was as good as any finale. It stayed true to the show.
I will say this over and over again: GG offered the Best Dialogue on tv EVER.
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May 16, 2007 4:36 AM
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You said it very well. I was not ready for the show to end, I wanted more of LL's life post-kiss come fall, but if it had to end now, this was the perfect way for it to end. No complaints.
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May 16, 2007 5:08 AM
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