Episode Report Card Pamie: B- | 1 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Know When to Hold 'Em
By Pamie | Season 5 | Episode 3 | Aired on 10.04.2004
"Lucas!" shouts Mrs. LandingGod. "You just seat yourself now?" Lorelai grows a Southern accent to scold, "I told 'im!" Mrs. LandingGod tells Luke they run a nice business here: "Not like that hash joint of yours." She introduces herself to Lorelai as Maize. "I love your place," Lorelai lies. "Used to be a whorehouse!" Mrs. LandingGod brags. "I like that it's got a tarty history; the best places do." Well, Mrs. LandingGod, wait until you visit Rory's bedroom. Mrs. LandingGod tells Luke to sit and calls for "Buddy." He's introduced to Lorelai. "Hello, Buddy," she says, like she just met a special-needs child who was wearing a bucket on his head. Mrs. LandingGod tells Lorelai that this is a special night for them, since Luke never brings his "girls" around. Wow. A serious girlfriend and a wife, and he's never brought anybody else around? And where is this place that nobody's ever heard of it before? And "who ARE these people?" Mrs. LandingGod orders sparking water and champagne for the table, despite Luke's request for a beer. Lorelai is so insulting when she says, "My goodness! What a big menu!" Shut up and order your curly fries, Lorelai. Buddy and Maize decide to serve them something that involves a hacking hand motion, but no garlic, since Luke's on a date. Someone in the back is wearing a suit. Luke isn't, but maybe this is some kind of steakhouse that goes for a homey kind of feel. Like a fancy Steak & Ale. A Super Sizzler. Mrs. LandingGod tells Lorelai that Luke's a special guy. "That's the word on the street," Lorelai says as Mrs. LandingGod leaves.
"They know you!" Lorelai marvels, thinking she's the only person in the world who met the man in the diner. Luke tells Lorelai he comes to this joint two or three times a week. I wonder what else is going on in Luke's secret life. Lorelai can't believe Luke has a Luke's. Mrs. LandingGod went to school with Luke's mom, so he's known them his entire life. Buddy helped him turn his dad's hardware store into a diner: "I couldn't have done it without him." I can see how important he is to you, since this is the first mention of him in almost a hundred episodes. Lorelai declares her love for this nameless place, even though she hasn't even been served water yet. Lorelai asks how long Maize and Buddy have owned this place. Luke tells Lorelai that the story is on the back of the menu. Everybody grab something to drink; we're going to be here for a mighty long time. Actually, the beauty of the recap is I can just quickly -- how should I put this? -- recap it. Beloved dog dies, restaurant is named. Ta da. And this place is called "Sniffy's Tavern," so maybe it's not as upscale as I keep trying to make it. I love how someone had to make a menu and laminate it, since it was going to be the star of an endless scene. What other menu in the history of television and film has been read from beginning to end in order to fill a scene? None, I say.