Episode Report Card Pamie: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Panic and Freak-Outs
By Pamie | Season 2 | Episode 2 | Aired on 10.08.2001
Paris follows Rory, saying that Rory will really hate Rebuilding Together, and that it doesn't fit Rory's personality. Rory says that Paris doesn't know anything about her, and that maybe she loves hammering and drilling and dirt. Rory says that she collects dirt, in fact. "You're hilarious," Paris says. "You're pathetic," Rory counters. Nice to see Rory sticking up for herself in front of Paris for a change. Paris walks off, but Rory follows, asking why Paris is spending so much effort to get Rory not to come. Paris says she totally doesn't care. Rory says that Paris can't be mad for the rest of her life that she thought Philllipppe and Rory were going out when they weren't. Paris says that they don't have some kind of "deep Thelma and Louise" thing going. Rory says she's still going to go tomorrow. Paris tells Rory to see if she cares. Rory says she will see. Paris leaves, getting the last word. Louisa and Fraulein follow, but Fraulein gives a final wave to Rory. Henry walks up to Rory at this point and asks about her summer schedule. He tells her that he's taking Trig for the third time this session. She offers to help and he says he might take her up on it. I'm glad they've brought Henry back. He stammers and stares at Rory until she tells him that Lane's okay. Lane. Remember Lane, Rory? Your friend who's getting shipped to Korea in minutes? Henry says that he called Lane, but that he kept getting MamaLane, and that he'd hang up and after the thirteenth time, she threatened to call the FBI and have him put in prison. He says he's pretty sure that the punishment didn't fit the crime, but that MamaLane sounded capable of getting things done. Rory says she'll tell Lane he hasn't forgotten her. Henry gives Rory his phone number to give to Lane. Rory calls him back when she sees he's given her his trig notes. "I think we may have nailed down the problem," she says, as Henry grins.
Speaking of nailing things, Lorelai is teasing Rory about going to build a house the next day. Rory doesn't find it so funny. The girls pull up to Emily's house (I guess it's Friday night again) as Lorelai jokes that Rory still has a dead lightbulb in her closet. Rory says that Rebuilding Together is for charity. Lorelai pulls out the old joke that these poor people have it rough already and shouldn't have to suffer Rory's non-existent carpentry skills as well. Rory says she'll just be assisting others who need help and that it'll look good on her transcript and that she doesn't want to talk about it anymore. At the door, Lorelai starts to pull off her engagement ring; Rory asks Lorelai when she plans on telling Emily about the engagement. Lorelai doesn't want to tell her just yet. Rory says that the wedding is in three months, and that Lorelai should tell her now. She says she can tell them before dinner. Lorelai says she'll tell them when she's ready, and that since she's the mother and Rory's the daughter, Rory should probably listen to her, since that's the cultural norm. Rory threatens to tell Emily in two weeks if Lorelai doesn't. Lorelai comments that this must not be one of those cultures where daughters have to listen as Rory rings the doorbell. Emily answers the door and says they'll have to eat quickly since Richard has an early flight the next day. Emily leaves them at the door and walks to the dining room, as Lorelai makes small talk with herself at the entrance. I don't know why, but they've got Rory in a big floral dress and cardigan again, making her look like she's pregnant or a crazy girl.