Gilmore Girls 1.06 “Rory’s Birthday Parties”
Gilmore Girls 1.06 "Rory’s Birthday Parties"
Original Air Date: November 9, 2000 (Recap date: November 14, 2007)
Photos & Discussion
Gilmore Girls Episode Recap:
Emily and Richard want Rory to go around and pick out what she wants to be left in their will via Post-It Notes. Lorelai tries to get them out of the next dinner, since it falls on Rory’s birthday. Not happening. 2 parties it is!
Jackson has crossed a raspberry and a kumquat - the rasquat. He feeds one to Sookie. Cute.
Emily wants to take Lorelai out so they can find Rory a gift she actually wants. One in Emily’s favor. But she gets a black mark for inviting all of Rory’s Chilton schoolmates to a fancy birthday party on Friday. How embarrassing. Rory hangs her head and tries to go unnoticed.
Lorelai is really trying to encourage Emily to keep trying to find the perfect Rory gift. Being very generous with her feelings. There is even smiling. Lorelai encourages her to buy only a $12 bracelet and leave it at that.
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Lorelai arrives to Luke’s before Rory and asks Luke to entertain her. He says:
"Will you marry me?"
To shut her up. But they have a ‘moment’ when Lorelai asks him to come to Rory’s party. Lorelai shows them their party dresses, from Emily. She plans to alter them. And she’s just glowing about her success with Emily. Rory doesn’t mention Emily’s plans for her party - does not want to ruin Lorelai’s newfound respect for her mother.
At 4:03 in the morning, Lorelai wakes up Rory to wish her a happy birthday and to re-tell the day she was born. She tells Rory that she is a great kid and the best friend a girl could have. Then tells the beautiful story of being in labour - swearing like a sailor, and in pain like doing splits on a crate of dynamite. All in the most loving storytelling voice.
Luke baked Rory a coffee cake and set out balloons for her at a table. Aww! Rory is not looking forward to the party, but is going to be strong about it. Dean comes in to the diner and the two smile back at each other nervously. He mouths ‘happy birthday’ to her as he leaves.
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Emily is not overly impressed with Lorelai’s alterations on the dress. Emily drags Rory around to meet folks. Lorelai’s old ‘pal’ Mitzi comes up - she has an issue with being rude and asking inappropriate questions. Rory is handed envelopes by Richard’s business partners before being ushered by Emily into the library where the Chilton kids are.
One of the kids asks ‘who’s that?’ and Rory turns to leave. She runs into Paris, which upsets them both. Then runs into Tristan at the door. Who tries to say he loves her in a mocking manner - he just wants to get her to cave in. Paris sees, and is jealous.
Emily tells Rory she should make a speech - that it’s her responsibility. Rory retorts that Emily is the hostess and these people are her guests. She’s angry and is not above yelling at Emily in public. Emily then tells Lorelai she should be ashamed of herself - that Rory has no manners.
Rory retreats to Lorelai’s old room. Lorelai apologizes when she hears that the Chilton kids were invited without Rory’s consent or knowledge. Rory realizes what it must have been like for Lorelai. Emily finds them and orders them to return to the party. Once everyone is gone, Rory tries to apologize, but Emily won’t talk to her. Richard gives her money for Fez. Rory invites her grandparents to her next party, but Emily says they have plans.
Lorelai tries to get Emily to come to the party because Rory is crushed. But Emily doesn’t want to relive her humiliation. And is not at all sorry about inviting whom she did. It was good manners.
"God, you’re doing the same thing to her you did to me. You try to control her, and when that doesn’t work, you just shut her out."
Lorelai yells at her - that what Rory needed was not perfect linens, food and music, but for her grandmother to come to her party. Emily does not like the accusation that she does not know Rory or Lorelai. Lorelai gives up - and Emily accuses Lorelai of always giving up.
Rory goes to the college fair and runs into Paris at the Harvard table. They are both upset the other wants to go. Paris asks if Rory is dating or if she likes Tristan. And extends a peace offering - that her party was nice.
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Rory’s second birthday party - complete with festive decorations, a tiara and a cake with Rory’s face on it. Lorelai gives her an iBook. Emily & Richard show up. Rory is very happy to see them. It’s their first time in Stars Hollow. Emily is head-over-heels for Sookie’s cooking.
They run out of ice, but Luke the mind-reader is already at the door with some! Lorelai hugs him, and Emily sees. Emily looks crushed when the town all recall favorite stories of Rory as a child. She goes upstairs where Lorelai goes to check on her. Emily seems to think Luke likes her - from the way he looks at her. Lorelai is pleased. There is a moment of understanding between Emily and Lorelai when Emily sees how much she has missed and Lorelai sees that she wants to be more involved.
Richard gives Rory another Fez gift. Emily looks stunned:
"She’s right. I don’t know my daughter at all."
While cleaning up, Lorelai spots Rory outside. Dean came by to give her a gift. She asked him to be ’sneaky’ since Lorelai does not know. He made her a bracelet out of a medallion and some leather straps. He puts it on her, and they hold hands. Lorelai looks stunned.
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Discussion Questions:
- If Lorelai had heard about the party & the Chilton friends, what do you think she would have done?
- Do you think Tristan likes Rory? Or is she more of a trophy prize - the sweeter because she doesn’t like him?
- Do you think Emily has good manners? What is her definition of good manners?
- Do you think Emily learned her lesson? That throwing parties is not the way Rory or Lorelai want to be loved?
- Why did Paris suddenly become nice to Rory?
- Why did Lorelai coach Emily into a $12 gift when she herself got Rory an iBook?
- How is Emily so astute about Luke’s intentions, and not about other things?
Tags: gilmore girls, gilmore girls season 1, rorys birthday parties, gilmore girls recaps, gilmore girls pictures, screencaps
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POSTED IN: Discussions, Emily Gilmore, Gilmore Girls Recaps, Gilmore Girls Screencaps, Rory Gilmore, Rory's love life
11 opinions for Gilmore Girls 1.06 “Rory’s Birthday Parties”
Tucker
Nov 14, 2007 at 2:49 pm
THE ICE MAN!
Lorelai Coached her into a $12 gift yes, but dont forget Emily also bought those dresses for them… which would have been hundreds of dollars worth of toulle.
erin
Nov 14, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Wow, did anyone else catch Miss Patty’s full name? She introduced herself to Emily as “Patricia LaCosta.” I have never noticed that before!
I love the scene when Lorelai wakes up Rory on her birthday and recounts the story of her birth; such a classic Gilmore Girls moment.
I think that Rory was kind of right when she said Tristan just wanted to know that she would go out with him, and he doesn’t necessarily like her at this point. (I think he does later, though.) I think right now he’s just kind of fascinated b/c I imagine most girls don’t give him much resistance if he pursues them, and Rory’s clearly different.
Emily’s idea of “good manners” is to always maintain the appearance of propriety, even if she’s being underhanded and sneaky while doing so. I don’t know if she ever learned her lesson, frankly, even though her relationship with both of the girls grew over the years.
I can’t believe this episode aired 7 years ago! I feel old.
Alyssa
Nov 14, 2007 at 6:08 pm
i loved it when luke and lorelai hugged :) wish they did that more often as friends….and more than friends….
Jessica King
Nov 14, 2007 at 6:18 pm
I love that part of Lorelai were happy Luke come here for bring ice then him.I love that part of when Emily asked Lorelai about how long you seeing him and Lorelai was smile and not believe that what she ask her about THE ICE MAN.But Lorelai told her that they just friend that all.
Jessica King
Nov 14, 2007 at 6:19 pm
*I love that part of Lorelai were happy Luke come here for bring ice then hug him.
R
Nov 14, 2007 at 7:00 pm
One of my favorite parts of this episode was when Luke baked a birthday cake and blew up balloons for Rory. So sweet!
Lara Joy
Nov 15, 2007 at 3:47 am
In that episode Lauren looks so young and Alexis too. I love the scene where Emily and Richard came to Rorys birthday party and Patty intoduces herself to them. Richards and Emilys face was great.
Lara Joy
Nov 15, 2007 at 3:51 am
Is green jacked Rory not Lorelais? She wore it, too. I love GG and I wish they would film more seasons. Best Show Ever!
Mary
Nov 15, 2007 at 10:50 am
This episode is one of my favorites from the whole show. It really reveals the many layers each character possesses. And, it really shows a desire to bridge the gap between each of the characters. Emily has her cook make pudding. Lorelai and Emily go shopping. Rory still goes to Emily’s party even though she has invited all those Chilton students. Rory invites the Grandma to her real Birthday party. Lorelai really tries to get along with every body. And, the scene with Lorelai and Emily in the bedroom is really touching and heartbreaking at the same time. Both of them realizing how much they have missed out. This scene you can see, that they really do want a mother and daughter relationship, and they don’t try to hurt each other, and they are really sad that things have turned out the way they have.
And, Luke is a really softy in this episode…
I too, wish they showed more simple affection between Lorelai and Luke, like hugging….
Janet
Nov 15, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Mary, I totally agree with you observations of Emily and Lorelai.
Emily even goes so far as admit that she doesn’t know her daughter to Richard, in the car as they are leaving Rory’s Stars Hollow birthday party. Even the two parties demonstrate how different Lorelai’s two worlds are for her. At the Gilmore house party, you have people attending that don’t even know what the guest of honor looks like. At the Stars Hollow party, you have a crowded room, people drinking out of plastic cups, sharing precious, detailed childhood memories of Rory. But the fact that Emily and Richard attend the Stars Hollow party is a pivotal moment for all the main characters. This is paralleled by Lorelai secretly witnessing Rory getting Dean’s gift. Lorelai knows what happens when you try to control someone, and her greatest fear is that Rory will follow in Lorelai’s mistake. How will Lorelai handle this delicate situation given her experiences and her bond with Rory? Time will tell.
Gilmore Girls Trivia: Dragonfly’s Books
Mar 1, 2008 at 2:38 am
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