Episode Report Card Kim: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Happy Birthday, Baby!
By Kim | Season 3 | Episode 18 | Aired on 04.21.2003
The contractor comes up and says he has to show Lorelai something. She asks if it's bad, and he sarcastically says that it's so good that she'll be turning cartwheels. Lorelai excuses herself. Tobin follows Lorelai and says that he knows her birthday is coming up on Friday, and he got her a gift. She opens the bag to find a cappuccino-scented candle, which she loves. Tobin says that he's proud to be the night manager, but that he'd be happy to help out during the day. Lorelai says she may take him up on that, and walks away. Michel is stunned at Tobin's audacity. Tobin turns and stares at Michel, then slowly bites into a bagel. Ha! I love that Tobin's brown-nosing is all an act. It makes it less annoying. Plus, anything that pisses Michel off is funny.
Lorelai and Rory walk around their house as Lorelai notes all of the items that need fixing. Rory expositions that Luke has given Lorelai five hours of handyman work for her birthday for the past five years, and Lorelai has grossly exploited it. Rory adds that "the spirit of giving is lost on [Lorelai]," and Lorelai answers that "the spirit of getting is alive and well." Kind of sums up her character, doesn't it? Lorelai also wants Luke to do her laundry. Rory wants Luke to build her another bookshelf. Lorelai is proud, so Rory adds that Luke must paint little flowers on it.
The phone rings, and Rory answers it to find Paris on the other end, complaining about the schoolwork she's been doing. Rory asks Paris when she's coming back to school. Paris says that her parents will be back tomorrow, and explains that her mother might have a new face, thanks to some doctor in France who injects gel into your head and molds it. So Mrs. Gellar needs to sleep on her back for a month or her face will flatten like a crepe. Rory comments that it's like Brazil, and Paris says she'll go back to school when her parents get home. She asks if people are still talking about her meltdown speech. Rory lies that they aren't, and Paris knows Rory is lying, so Paris asks for more homework to keep her mind off things. Rory says there is no more, and suggests that Paris go out and do something fun. Paris keeps asking what she should do, and Rory says she should do something fun with no thinking involved. They hang up.
Rory finds Lorelai in the kitchen, wondering if Luke can remove the kitchen wall in five hours. They sit down at the table, and Rory asks if they can talk about birthday week. Did y'all know that Pamie has birthday week? And has talked about it on her website since before this show ever aired? Total shout-out. Anyway, Rory has planned facials on Monday, a double feature on Tuesday, a trip to Sephora on Wednesday, a complimentary makeover on Thursday, and "Big Fat Fabulous Friday." Lorelai thinks that Friday will bring the big party, and Rory pretends that she didn't know Lorelai wanted to make a big deal out of her birthday this year. Rory adds that Miss Patty and Babette wanted to hire two hot guys to carry Lorelai around all day and feed her bonbons (which would have been awesome) and Kirk wanted to hire the Red Hot Chili Peppers to play a concert in the square, but Rory told them to respect Lorelai's wishes. Rory says she has to go, and Lorelai thinks she really is planning something for Friday. What is she, new? Of course Rory is planning something. Lorelai wants Rory to tell people not to buy her a new car, and definitely not a convertible. Rory leaves.
Lorelai answers the phone and a woman says she's calling for Richard Gilmore. Then there's like ten minutes of business where the woman (who is Richard's secretary) tries to set up a meeting between Lorelai and her dad, but then Lorelai figures out that her dad is sitting right there, and she rips on him for not just talking to her himself, but Richard insists that's why he has a secretary in the first place and blah blah blah talky talky. The point is that Richard has something to discuss with Lorelai in person, and they arrange to meet the following day.