Episode Report Card Pamie: B- | 1 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Oh, Boy!
By Pamie | Season 3 | Episode 10 | Aired on 01.13.2003
Richard loves his Chuck Berry album. The humidor sits proudly on the table, along with The Complete History of the Peloponnesean War. Lorelai says that a partial history would skip all the dirty stuff. Richard points out how much he appreciates that the collection is wrapped in a bowtie. Lorelai says she thought it would be appropriate, and shares a look with Rory. Emily makes Richard boast about his humidor. Richard says it's been a wonderful birthday. Cue the doorbell as Richard and Emily share a rare kiss. Emily stands to get more champagne. I can't believe none of them is on edge about the doorbell ringing. But they're immediately on edge when they hear the voice coming from the other room. It's Richard's mother, Lorelai the first, played by Marion Ross. Richard calls her "Trix." Lorelai asks if Emily knew Gran was coming. "Oh, my God" is the deer-in-headlights answer Emily returns.
In the foyer, Richard asks Emily if she knew his mother was making a surprise visit. Emily says she didn't. Richard says he's floored. Gran says hello to Lorelai, and asks if she's well, working, and single by choice. She tells Rory she wants to hear all about her college plans. Gran turns to Emily and says, "Oh, Emily, I don't know if you realize it or not, but it's not proper to receive guests in the foyer. It puts people in the awkward position of having to invite oneself in." Emily quickly invites her in, apologizing and inviting over and over. Richard and Gran walk into the other room. Emily whispers to Lorelai, "What is she doing here?" Lorelai whispers back that she's visiting. Emily says she hasn't prepared yet. She hasn't shopped or set up the guest room. She remembers with a shock that all of Gran's horrible gifts are still hiding in the basement. Lorelai says it's too late to do anything about that now.
Living room. Gran greets Emily with an "Oh, Emily. You're still here." Emily asks if she can get Gran some champagne. "Well, if you wish me to be violently ill tomorrow, absolutely." Lorelai warns Emily not to answer that. Richard hands Gran a drink. He asks what she's doing there. He says she couldn't have traveled all the way from England just for his birthday. She says it's worth the trip, but that she did also have some business in town. The musicians who have rented out Gran's home have recently moved out, so she came to check on the house and find new tenants. Lorelai asks about the musicians. "A rock and roll group of some sort," Gran says. "I believe they call themselves Korn." Yes, it's funny to make Marion Ross say "Korn," but come on. Rory thinks that's cool. Gran says they were fine tenants and planted some lovely tulips in the front yard. And there's probably a pot garden in the back yard, Gran. Emily asks what kind of outings Gran is planning. She suggests the arboretum. Gran says she has no desire to spend an entire day with plants. "I'm not a bee," she says. It's quite funny. It's the same line reading that John Lithgow gave on a Third Rock From the Sun episode that still cracks me up to this day. He was smoking cigarettes because he thought it made him look really cool. So someone tells him to read the warning label on a pack of cigarettes. He picks up the pack, reads the side, and haughtily says, "Well, I'm not a fetus," and smokes away. Hysterical. Gran says she'd like to see Lorelai's Inn, and to have dinner there tomorrow night. Rory and Lorelai make faces. Lorelai explains that they had plans to go to the winter carnival tomorrow night. Rory says they can skip it. Gran says that Rory's a young person who works hard and that it's equally important to have fun. She tells Rory to go to the carnival. "Lorelai, you've had enough fun in your life." "And then some," Lorelai agrees. "Dinner will be for the grownups," Gran concludes. She asks how the birthday's going. Richard says he's getting spoiled rotten. He brags about the humidor that Emily bought for him. Gran immediately counters, "You know, your father had a humidor that was owned by Victor Hugo. I still have it if you'd like it." The look on Emily's face here is priceless. Her humidor ["Dirty!" -- Wing Chun] has now been completely forgotten. Gran excuses herself to freshen up. Emily offers to fix up the guest room, but Richard says he'll do it. Gran tells Emily that this will give her time to go down to the basement, retrieve all of the gifts Gran's sent over through the years, and place them around the room as if they actually stand there all year. She leaves. Lorelai asks Emily if she wants some help with the gifts. "Yes, please," Emily says meekly. They quietly walk out of the room as we go to commercial. What's with the weird scene endings?