Episode Report Card Al Lowe: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Will You Be My Well-Meaning Buttinski?
By Al Lowe | Season 7 | Episode 16 | Aired on 02.26.2007
Back in the antique store, Lorelai is wheeling and dealing with Mrs. Kim. Lorelai has given her a guarantee of Christmas and Easter church attendance, plus no unclean meats for at least one year. This is agreeable to MamaKim, but she never takes the first offer. She lays out her own requirements: bi-weekly church attendance, Adventist summer camp, avoidance of hydrogenated oils, no gifts at Christmas, no pony rides, no sandboxes. Lorelai suggests that Mrs. Kim be reasonable, saying that she understands that the religious element, especially, is a very sensitive issue. Mrs. Kim says no, she couldn't possibly understand, because Rory has not rejected everything Lorelai ever taught her. Lorelai sighs: "But Lane is not rejecting you. You guys are just different. God knows my mother and I are different!" MamaKim gets the award for best comeback of the season when she straightens her shoulders and responds: "Yes. God does know." Awesome. Lorelai tries again. She says that Lane and Mrs. Kim need to put their differences aside: "Like, you know...Joseph, from the Bible, and how his brothers got all mad at him about that dreamcoat?" MamaKim nods, as if her point has been proven: "Yes, and then his brothers sold him into slavery." Lorelai sees where she went wrong: "Yeah, I don't think that was in the musical." The point, she says, is that she knows it's hard for Mrs. Kim, but that not attending Lane's shower might be drawing a line in the sand that can't be crossed later; Lorelai would hate to see that happen: "My mother missed so much. I don't want that to happen to you." Aw. Mrs. Kim's eyes fill with tears, and dammit, so do mine.
Luke is on the phone with April, who updates him about her mom's new store and April's new swim team. Luke tells her about seeing Doula, and promises to send pictures, but the real reason he's calling is to suggest that this summer, when she comes to visit, they should take a trip to Disney World. "I...I can't imagine you at Disney World," says April. "I'm just having trouble picturing it." Frankly, so am I. Luke, scowling in a photo next to a big guy in a Grumpy suit, though...that would be good. Anyway, April says, she's happy to see Luke as she normally does: "I'm fine just hanging out at the diner like we always do." Luke's face falls.
Also looking disappointed? Lane, when Lorelai arrives back at her apartment accompanied by MamaKim. "Your mother realizes that the two of you have your differences and she doesn't agree with some of your decisions," Lorelai starts. She's soon interrupted by Mrs. Kim, who says that it's not "some" of the decisions, but "all." Lane is about to hit the roof again, but Lorelai stops her, telling her of Mrs. Kim's decision to attend the shower. Lane's face lights up, and she is so happy that she lurches herself out of the chair to hug her mom, at which point...she has a contraction. Lorelai is sanguine, not panicking, but MamaKim flips out. They head to the hospital.