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« Roush Dispatch
Sweeps Watch: Gilmore Review, Bones Preview
A warm thought for the deep chill of winter: Even in the doldrums of a miserable season, Gilmore Girls proves that it’s still capable of greatness. This week’s episode returned to its core, the electrifying dynamic among three generations of Gilmore women, balancing humor with searing flashes of drama in an episode incomparably illuminated by the welcome return of Kelly Bishop’s imperious, hilarious, monstrous yet ultimately oh-so-human Emily Gilmore.
It seems like ages since we’ve seen Bishop at her best. And no mistake about it, she was at her best this week, rising to the occasion when Emily’s husband, Richard (the estimable Edward Herrmann), is felled with a heart attack. Bossing around the hospital staff, railing against the incompetence of any poor health-club or service worker who has the bad luck to come up against her, she is a riot. And as Lorelai and Rory sit in amused horror, we know deep down all will be well because they’re all together again.
The episode builds to a wrenching confrontation in the most banal of settings (a hospital gift shop) when Lorelai confronts her mother over Emily's seeming detachment: getting a will (and a living will) faxed to the hospital, canceling dinner reservations, ordering what sounds like a small inlet’s worth of fish to be delivered to the house. Emily rightly puts Lorelai in her place, in an anguished monologue about the duties of a wife and partner, an area in which she assumes (rather correctly) that Lorelai is woefully ill-informed. “He’s my whole life,” Emily cries. If anyone watching wasn’t crying, they’re heartless.
The episode also was a happy (if poignant) reminder of what we still love about the show, even at its weakest: the community of Stars Hollow, rallying around its favorite girls in a time of crisis. Even Michel was sympathetic (albeit characteristically fussy). And Luke? Stepped up, just as you’d expect. Whatta guy.
And yet, this episode had the bad fortune of being trapped in a hopelessly ill-conceived season, so we also had to deal with the whole Lorelai-Christopher fallout. After turning him into an unlikely suitor who swept her off her feet with deep-pocketed romantic whims (the Paris adventure), the show now transforms Chris into a callous, jealous ogre who leaves Lorelai on her own for the entire episode. I’m sure we’ll get an explanation next week for his extended absence, but too little too late. What kind of person doesn’t at least return her calls with an “OMG, I’m so sorry, I’ll be there, this is awful, what can I do?” Answer: There is no such person, just a victim of bad soap-opera writing. Instead, Chris shows up unannounced, not even letting Lorelai know he was on his way, and for the most impurely contrived pseudodramatic motivations (as in: pouting once again over Luke being there).
The fact that Gilmore Girls is still capable of greatness, even now, is reason enough to pull the curtain on this show before we forget it was ever any good.
Speaking of good: Bones tonight. Fox, 8 pm/ET: watch it. (Or, if you’re watching Friday Night Lights, record it. Those are the only two defensible viewing options in that hour.)
Two new faces brighten things up on what is generally one of the more amusing procedurals (if you can get past the icky forensics). British comic actor Stephen Fry, whose career has long been linked with Fox’s House superstar Hugh Laurie (in Jeeves & Wooster, A Bit of Fry and Laurie and the incomparable Black Adder), is wonderful as a disarmingly droll police shrink brought in to analyze Booth right down to his colorful socks. Booth, still reeling from the death last week of serial killer Howard Epps (did Booth let him drop?), shoots up a noisy ice-cream truck in a fit of pique, which puts him on temporary leave and under the doctor’s scrutiny.
Their scenes together are terrific, and this twist frees up Bones to get a temporary new partner for a case that takes them to Florida’s gator country (yes, we go inside the belly of the beast). The new guy, nicknamed Sully, is played by Eddie McClintock, who often plays boorish louts in second-rate sitcoms. Here, he’s quite charming as an agent far less intense than Booth, a guy who sees there’s more to life than murders and corpses. Bones finds this intriguing, and so do I.
The case itself is OK, fairly obvious in its resolution (with one mid-story twist you can see coming a mile away). But the pleasure of Bones, as it is most weeks, is in the interaction and development of these very appealing characters, including the lab techs back at the Jeffersonian. When Hodgins, eager to get his hands dirty in the gator, says, “We have the coolest jobs ever,” you may tend to agree.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Bones is the coolest show ever. But it probably is the coolest, and certainly the most consistently enjoyable, crime drama currently on the air.
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Feb 7, 2007 11:02 AM
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Matt - I totally agree with you on Bones - and Friday Night Lights also!! The episode of Bones were they went to Vegas was classic crime-tv at its best!!
As for Friday Night Lights - please speak to the powers that be and make sure that FNL gets listed on the TV Hot List every week (it has not been lately).
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Feb 7, 2007 1:35 PM
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Interesting that you managed to completely fail to mention Logan, who was a huge part of the episode. Of course, you barely mentioned Rory, and I suppose we should just be glad you manged to mention her at all. The episode made it extremely clear that this was nearly as much about Rory as it was about Emily. When the doctor came out to tell them the surgery went well, the camera stayed almost solely focused on Rory. But, of course, she barely ranks a mention.
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Feb 7, 2007 1:35 PM
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I think as far as the "3rd generation" goes, this GG ep was more about Logan than Rory. Granted she is the Gilmore Girl, but this was about how despite how much of a cad Logan has been in the past, the boy loves her and would do pretty much anything for her. We even had Emily and Lorelai pointing out to us just how good a guy he turned out to be (quite the statement from Lorelai, considering).
Overall though, it was a return back to old GG form. And man, was I crying during that gift shop scene! My 3 year old asked if something was wrong! Hahaha. And while I think the back and forth personality disorder Christopher seems to have is slightly ridiculous, if it means we can please end that sham of a marriage, I'm ok with it. :P
OH.....CAN'T WAIT FOR FNL TONIGHT!!!!! (And Lost of course!!!!!!)
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Feb 7, 2007 2:40 PM
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Nice to have the 3 Gilmore women together again.
The Emily and Lorelai relationship has been greatly underdeveloped this season - until last night. It's nice to see that it's back to the Gilmore Girls, and not the Gilmore Girls and their men.
I would have to disagree with you about Christopher. I think he's insensitivitiy is greatly consistent with his character. That is who he is - selfish. He builds you up and lets you think that he's a great guy, only to disappoint you in the end.
Overall, I'm just glad to have Lorelai back (sort of). She IS trying to make her marriage work at least, and trying to be a "wife".. even if she doesn't quite know what that is.
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Feb 7, 2007 5:43 PM
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To the mad Rory fan who posted earlier: I left her and Logan out of the recap to be kind. I thought every scene she was in with her mom and grandma was terrific, and I found her scenes with Logan to be charming. But again, out of TV fantasy-land. A chopper? Really? For me, the way for this episode to have really worked and played true was for Christopher to have shown up, late but not horribly late, trying to be there for Lorelai, who would eventually (without the melodrama) realize that as hard as he was trying (as opposed to him not trying at all) he just wasn't the guy for her. And Logan should have been the one on the phone, wishing he could be with Rory and showing himself to be a decent guy despite the barriers of a long-distance relationship. This episode above all demanded a touch of realism, since it was so very much on display from the three Gilmore women. I found the whole Prince Charming thing to be hogwash, though nicely played.
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Feb 7, 2007 5:52 PM
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Have to disagree with you about Christopher, Matt, and agree with Mellerzz. Having been once married to a Christopher-type, I knew from the first phone call Lorelai made that Christopher wasn't going to show. Being rude to Luke when he did show up was SO true to form.
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Feb 7, 2007 6:15 PM
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You tell 'em, Matt!
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Feb 7, 2007 6:17 PM
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Last night's episode was fantastic - I may forgive the writers for the first half of the season if they continue on this path. I finally saw the Emmy-worthy show that I have grown to love. Fingers crossed that this wasn't a one-time thing.
The Bad:
Yes, we had to deal with Chris/Lorelai. But I guess the writers have no choice - they must fix what they have done to these characters.
The GoodS:
Lorelai has grown up alot. Even though she doesn't know much about being a wife, at least she's trying. The scene where Lorelai was outside practically begging her husband to call her was heartbreaking.
The Great:
Kelly Bishop and Lauren Graham have awesome chemistry. The gift shop scene was the highlight of the season. It was sweet and sentimental, without being sappy. It was true to Gilmore form (which is something I haven't said since early last season).
I'm not a big fan of Logan/Rory. She's happy with him and he's supposedly a good guy, but there's something off about that relationship. I can't quite pinpoint it.
I hope this wasn't just a fluke. I hope the writers will go deeper into the Gilmore family relationship (especially Lorelai and Emily's) - there's alot that is left unsaid.
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Feb 7, 2007 6:22 PM
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By the way, I agree with Mellerzz and Katcom about Christopher.
There's no excuse for his actions. I know he's hurt, and rightfully so. But what kind of a man just bails on his wife and disappears for days after an argument? Why would his wife need to beg him to come to her in her time of need? Like Mellerzz pointed out, this is very consistent with the past 7 years. Christopher disappoints Lorelai (who is supposedly the love of his life), what a shocker!!!!
Lorelai settled for her second choice, and he settled to be second best. They've both made a mistake, but at least one of them is trying.
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Feb 7, 2007 6:31 PM
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I like "Gilmore Girls" and I love "Bones", but how about a review for the wonderful pairing of "Smallville" and "Supernatural" on Thursday nights? Both shows have completely drawn me into their storylines this season and "Supernatural" could use a little attention. Give some other deserving and underrated shows a little love as well.
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Feb 7, 2007 8:03 PM
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I agree that last night's Gilmore Girls was finally a step in the right direction, but I'm afraid also a case of little too late. By the time the writers wrap up and bury this stinker of a storyline, we'll be left with only a handful of episodes to redeem the rest of the season, which could sadly end up being the show's legacy.
In that case I wouldn't mind an eighth season....if they could write last night, then these writers have it in them to give us a final season worthy of the first six (or five, depending on how badly you hate Christopher lol).
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Feb 7, 2007 9:12 PM
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I agree, Matt. It saddens me when the Gilmore Girls episodes are this good, because it's so inconsistent, and I know they need to end it while they're still capable of greatness. I will miss these people.
I would be happy with an end to this season with maybe a one time CW special movie wrap up. If Alexis is unwilling to sign for next season, and clearly she's hesitant, I'll bet she'd be a lot more open to a movie for closure.
I'm not sure where everything's going, but if they do continue the series after this season, it's too bad "Everybody Hates Chris" is already taken for a title. While I love Luke, I like the potential of Lorelai and Christopher together. I hope they wrap things up and stay true to everyone's character and don't just bow to the squeaky wheel fans.
Daune Robinson
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Feb 7, 2007 9:22 PM
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Matt, I usually think you're one of the more "defensible" media critics, because you are less inclined to fall in love with the sound of your own voice and more likely to admit there are shades of gray in evaluating TV Quality. Then you go and say asinine things like calling Bones and Friday Night Lights "the only two defensible viewing options in that hour." Every viewing option is "defensible," because people don't have to defend what they view. And even if I agreed that Bones and Friday Night Lights were good or worth viewing (which I don't, since I've never seen either), it wouldn't necessarily follow that I would have any interest in watching them. Critics should learn and remember that (1) just because a show is good doesn't mean a viewer necessarily wants to watch it, and (2) just because a show is bad doesn't necessarily mean a viewer DOESN'T want to watch it.
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Feb 8, 2007 6:01 AM
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I agree 100% with your review of "Bones". Stephen Fry was indeed wonderful as a British psychiatrist. Maybe Fox will give him his own show and together he and Hugh Laurie will rule American tv! There are just so few actors that have their intelligence, complexity, and believability.
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Feb 8, 2007 8:08 AM
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