Gilmore Girls 5.18 “To Live and Let Diorama”
Original Air Date: April 19, 2005 (Recap date: April 9, 2008)

Recap & Discussion

Discussion Questions:

• We’ve seen Luke at many town meetings, so why do they always make it seem novel that Luke is going to one?
• Do you think Rory and Logan are having troubles, as per Paris’ comment?
• Why doesn’t Luke tell Lorelai about trying to throw a frying pan at Taylor? Wouldn’t she have loved to hear the story?
• Why does Luke volunteer to help with the museum?
• Why does Luke tell Taylor Lorelai asked him to volunteer?
• Is Lorelai rude on purpose about her mother in the interview?
• Why is Luke being so submissive to Taylor?
• Does Dean hold a grudge against Luke? Why?
• Why does Paris want to break down and call Doyle?
• Why does Lane assume Zack is cheating with Sophie?
• Should Lorelai warn Emily about the article?
• Is Luke ready to start a family?
• What about Logan’s voicemail upsets Rory so much?
• Is Dean right about Lorelai and Rory wanting more? Or are the girls different?
• Why would Dean assume Lorelai would want to move past Stars Hollow, if she’s lived there so long?
• Are Dean and Luke the same? Why does that make Dean angry?
• Is Rory realizing she is not the dating girl? That she can’t handle those emotions?

Gilmore Girls Episode Recap:

The whole town is lined up to say goodbye to Mr. Twickham, who is on his death bed. Lorelai is spending her time picking at a bag of trail mix. Old Man Twickham has been dying for 20 years, and it’s Miss Patty’s 17th time saying adios. Kirk is selling Twickham souvenirs. Lorelai tries to hurry the line on.

Lorelai calls Rory to say that Old Man Twickham really did die. He died right after Sookie and Lorelai had said their goodbyes. Lorelai, and many others in town, bought Kirk’s souvenirs as a result.

Rory calls Paris pathetic for blaring out music and slouching in her chair, all because Doyle has not been around. Paris thinks Rory is in the same situation. Both yell, and Rory storms out.

Lane and Zack go to the music store to check out the instruments. But, really, they are there to talk to Sophie Bloom – Lane had found an old vinyl record with Sophie’s name on it. She wrote the songs. Lane is impressed – she wants to do more than drum, she wants to write and compose. She asks Sophie if they can talk some time. Lane gets a maybe.

Luke is gushing for Lorelai because the Dragonfly will be on the cover of a magazine! They loved her story and photos. Luke researched the magazine to find which writer Lorelai should ask to interview her. Lorelai doubts she’ll get to choose.

Lorelai notices some newspaper taped to the window between the diner and Doose’s. Taylor had broken the window. To celebrate Lorelai’s big night, Luke offers to come to the town meeting before they go out for dinner.

Kirk hasn’t found a place to live yet, so the town has had him on a rotating schedule staying with all of them. Taylor announces that Old Man Twickham left his home to the town, to the Stars Hollow Historical Society. Taylor wasn’t happy to see Luke there, or perhaps just surprised. The house is to be turned into a Stars Hollow Museum temporarily, as per his will. For two months, the personal artifacts of Twickham are to be displayed in the house. Then Taylor can dispose of the house as he sees fit.

Taylor mentions that Luke tried to “kill him” that morning, but neither he nor Luke go into it. Luke volunteers to help with the museum, but Taylor thinks he’s mocking it. Then it comes out that Luke threw a frying pan at Taylor’s head for playing his muzak too loud. Lorelai asks Luke why he’s volunteering to help Taylor. Luke says he knew Twickham all his life, he was like another dad. He feels guilty for not showing up to say goodbye.

Taylor is surprised that Luke actually showed up to help. He thinks it’s all a joke. As does Gypsy. Taylor has made up t-shirts, perhaps so he can show off that he’s “foreman” not a “crew member”. Taylor hs them hold hands and visualize a freckle-faced boy, but then the whole thing is sidetracked. Taylor retains Luke’s hand to ask why Luke is there, because Taylor knows Luke hated Twickham. Luke says Lorelai asked him to be a part of the community, since they went through a rough patch. Taylor is excited by that and asks Luke if he’ll be his right-hand man.

Lorelai is being interviewed for the magazine. The writer loves the design, and Lorelai admits a lot of that is her. They went through a lot of designers, and she put her soul into the place and had great support in Sookie and in the community. The writer says the place is so homey that it must reflect her upbringing, which makes Lorelai laugh. Although Lorelai admits her mother was not an inspiration, she did learn about running a staff from her – she simply thinks of what her mother would do, and dials it back (past what Stalin would do) to what a sane person would do. Not done insulting her mother yet, Lorelai tells a family story.

Taylor is in heaven when he gets Luke to agree to say “check” as they go through the to-do list. Kirk is giddy for touching a naked mannequin. Luke is impressing Taylor with his organization of the artifacts. He’s now “my man Luke.” But then Taylor asks Luke into his office to reprimand him for publicly disagreeing with him about something. Really, though, Taylor just wants Luke to agree with him on everything, publicly or not. Luke looks annoyed. Dean has arrived as the hired carpenter for the museum. Luke waves at him, but Dean just turns away.

Paris is watching a movie from the 60s, but it’s just making her depressed to think everyone in it is dead or old and feeble. Rory is heading home for the weekend, and Paris points out that it’s without Logan. That things were hot and heavy for a couple of weeks, but not so much anymore. Rory admits things hit a dry spell. Logan pulled back and Rory is going crazy, but she has no intention to wallow like Paris is.

Lane reminds Zack they’re supposed to go shopping for cleaning supplies, something he loves to do, but Zack says he has plans to hang with some friends. He thinks Lane is drilling him about it.

Rory arrives home to surprise Lorelai. But that’s no surprise – Paris being there is a surprise. Her parents no longer own property in the US. Kirk is also there, so it’s a full house. Lorelai is curious why Rory is there, but doesn’t dig into the ‘no date’ part.

Rory asks about the interview, but it started to hear there was “Emily stuff”. Rory is upset that Lorelai didn’t know to tone down her stories and references. Rory tells Lorelai things can’t be taken off the record once they’re on. Rory told Emily about the interview too, so she will be reading it.

Luke and Taylor went to get a cannonball and it has been banging around in the back of the truck, since they had no way to secure it. When they get there, Taylor insists on Dean carrying the ball with Luke, since it’s heavy. Dean didn’t seem pleased to help.

Lane is struggling to bring the cleaning supplies home and she sees Zack leaving Sophie Bloom’s music store, and she’s doing up his jacket for him. Lane looks concerned.

Paris has been a witness to Kirk’s sleep poker, which kept her up. Kirk acts like a little kid. Paris teases Rory about her phone ringing, just to annoy her. The plan for the morning is to go to the launch of the new museum. Lorelai fights with Kirk as if he’s two years old, trying to get him to eat his breakfast and put on a coat, and to turn off the cartoons.

Miss Patty is serving Founders’ Punch at the museum. Paris is worried she’ll break down and call Doyle, so Rory takes her phone. Lane joins them, and the tree boy-sad girls are ready to tour the museum. Paris gets their punch, saying it can “remove the tar from our souls”, it being so strong.

Luke takes Sookie and Lorelai around the museum, which includes a possibly rare flag (just bought from Sears) and a cannonball that has fallen through the floor.

The girls, now drunk, are listening to Lane “lying from his face to her face” about where he was going. Lane thinks Zack is cheating. Paris is next to complain, and Rory chimes in on them [the men] “spreading it around”. Lane has had enough, and goes to find Zack.

“He can’t do this. We are friends too, as well as lovers (if we ever get married).”

Paris has to go to the bathroom, but Rory thinks she wants to go off and call Doyle on a pay phone. Paris leaves her shoes to prove she won’t go far. But, she does go to the pay phone and starts begging for change.

Luke takes a crowd into a dark room for “The Stars Hollow Dioramic History Presentation.” The history begins with the caveman, who could have built the first tools in Stars Hollow.

Lane goes to confront Sophie. Sophie says Lane’s breath would stop an elephant, so perhaps she’s not taking Lanes rant on Sophie’s worldly experience seriously. Seeing that Lane has the wrong idea, Sophie takes her to Zack, who is playing bluegrass in the shop. He was embarrassed to tell Lane he likes the banjo. Lane says it’s hot, but is not so sure when she walks away. But, it’s better than cheating!

Paris is still walking around town without her shoes begging and demanding change. Rory is done her second cup of punch and calls Logan. She gets his voicemail, but on it there is a message for Finn about where they will be that night (since Finn’s voicemail is full). Rory hangs up and starts on her third punch.

Lorelai has her call returned from Sandra of American Travel. Lorelai is worried she crossed a line with the stuff about her mother, but Sandra thinks that was the best part. It’s in the article. The article can’t be rewritten, and the alternative is to lose the feature and the cover. So, to print it will go.

Taylor comes out enamored with the success, and tells Luke he wants to keep it open for a year. Luke points out that the whole thing is a joke. Taylor doesn’t understand why Luke is turning on it. Luke says he wants the house. He has always dreamed of that house to raise a family. Luke points out to Taylor that the house is old and a money pit. Luke agrees to buy it for him… and whoever (avoiding the Lorelai reference). Taylor agrees to think about it.

Before going through the museum again, Lorelai makes a call to Sandra again and asks that the article be pulled entirely. Lorelai notices for the first time how nice the house is. Rory comes to Lorelai not feeling well at all. Lorelai can tell why, and they walk home.

Dean is still giving attitude to Luke. Luke has had enough. Whether it’s still about the Pippi night or not, Luke says it’s fine that Dean hates him and he will even let Dean punch him. Dean mumbles about Luke having a girlfriend. Says that Luke’s situation is no different from his own. Dean says “they” want more than “this” and all they are is “this.” Luke tells Dean to just accept that Rory grew up and moved on. Dean says the town is all Luke is, and Lorelai will get bored and want to move on. Luke says it’s different.

“It’s not different. You and me: same thing.”

At home, Rory is lying on the bathroom floor crying with Lorelai patting her with a towel.

“Why doesn’t he like me? Why doesn’t he call me? What did I do?”

Rory just cries violently and says “Logan.”

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