Gilmore Girls 4.01 “Ballrooms and Biscotti”

by Arieanna on February 13th, 2008

Gilmore Girls 4.01 "Ballrooms and Biscotti"
Original Air Date: September 23, 2003 (Recap date: February 13, 2008)
Photos, Recap & Discussion

Gilmore Girls 4.01 Ballrooms and Biscotti

Discussion Questions:

How did they fit all the gifts in with their clothes?
How could they forget to buy Luke a gift, if his was to be one of the most important?
Why is Lorelai fishing for news about Luke?
Why did Taylor delay his store opening the entire summer?
Should Rory have explained more about why Lorelai could not come to dinner? And about having to leave for Yale early?
Do you think Emily was looking forward to seeing Lorelai?
Did Emily prolong dinner on purpose to spite Lorelai?
Did proposing to Nicole have anything to do with Luke’s dream about Lorelai?
Why is Lorelai upset Luke got married?

Gilmore Girls Episode Recap & Photos:

The van ride back from the airport was excruciatingly long. Babette comes screaming out at them worried for being back a few days later than Rory’s itinerary said they would be - an itinerary Lorelai didn’t know about. She had called consulates all over Europe. They chat about the trip - from touching the Pope’s car, to the Roman baths. Lorelai nudges Rory to yawn so Babette will go home. Rory hugs her clothes (ah, the limited wardrobe of a backpacker), and Lorelai reminisces on the gross hostels with pillows that smell like feet.

Lorelai is calling the consulates to apologize for Babette getting the dates mixed up and to say they are not missing. Rory is tagging all the gifts and who they belong to. Lorelai has a list of activities for the "final week of Rory Gilmore’s life"… before Yale. They have so many gifts that they have to pull out the backpacks again to cart them around town.

The girls pass by the Soda Shoppe where Luke is yelling at Taylor. Taylor has put a window between the store and the diner. Luke puts his hands all over the candy to tick off Taylor.

Lorelai and Rory are watching, munching on biscotti, when Lorelai realized they forgot to buy Luke a gift! They had been putting it off because they couldn’t find anything good enough, then forgot. Lorlelai says they should have got him the bull fighting uniform. Instead, they need to find something in Stars Hollow and lie to say it’s from Europe. Luke is now throwing candy.

Lorelai introduces herself to Sookie’s baby - Rory and Jackson are not keen on talking to the unborn baby. Jackson doesn’t want to know the sex of the baby - Sookie knows. Jackson recruits Rory, but Lorelai begs to know.

Sookie opens the shed where blue baby things are stored - it’s a boy! Lorelai asks how Luke is. Sookie says Luke seemed freaked out about something. Something happened on the cruise. No idea what. Lorelai gushes about the baby and asks if Sookie will name him Lorelai - Sookie says ‘absolutely.’

Lorelai comes up with a story about Jackson’s jam to make it seem like it was from France, for Luke. Lorelai goes to see Luke, spouts French gibberish. Says they came back late, taking a side trip to Ireland to look for Bono. Lorelai gives Luke her jam story. Lorelai knows he’s not buying it, so fesses they couldn’t find him anything good enough. Luke says they are even, since he did not get her anything either. He avoids sharing any details about his trip before slinking off.

Kirk is hanging a poster with Rory’s photo as the Ice Cream Queen. Rory goes to confront Taylor. He doesn’t see the issue in not asking her and tells her he has a cape and crown already ordered. Rory says she can’t do it - her time is full before school. Taylor is disappointed - says Rory has always led things like this. Taylor pulls a guilt trip on Rory, saying she’s no longer the Stars Hollow Rory - she is the Ivy League Rory.

The Taylor thing bugs Rory all day. Rory is worried she’s different - arrogant. Rory opens her mail and goes ‘oh no’ over and over. She wrote down her Yale Orientation wrong - it’s not next Saturday, it’s this Saturday. Rory needs to be at Yale the day after tomorrow. Their free week is gone, and Rory has to pack and buy things still. Rory packs that night.

The next day, they go shopping. But it’s going slowly, the list is still long. Lorelai insists Rory get a new mattress too, rather than sleep on the school one. Rory has to walk past the Soda Shoppe opening - Taylor has the poster of Rory in the throne in lieu of her. Taylor makes a snide remark about that, because he sees Rory there, and makes a little girl cry.

Lorelai gets beauty supplies for Rory, and Kirk pouts about not getting a gift. Lorelai apologizes and promises to make it up to him. Lorelai convinces Kirk not to skydive for Taylor’s store opening. Just not worth the $20 Taylor promised to pay. Rory is upset - and kids are insulting her about the Ice Cream Queen thing.

Lorelai wants Rory to back out of Friday night dinner so they can finish errands and do things together. Rory reminds Lorelai that she has to go, it’s her deal, but that Lorelai does not have to. Lorelai decides to stay and finish errands while Rory goes.

Taylor is still insulting Rory about not being there - trying to show people what it would have looked like if Rory sat in the throne. Rory gets fed up and goes to the microphone - says she was not asked, and humiliates herself many times a year for the town, and will continue to do so. Tells them to get off her back.

Rory gives Emily her Eiffel Tower gift. Emily asks about Lorelai - Rory says she has errands. Emily is sarcastic about it to Richard. Rory gives Richard his gift - a Queen of Hearts pipe. They both seem a bit insulted that Lorelai and Rory did not look up any of the friends they gave them names of. Emily has decided to cook the souffle after dinner, and have a cheese plate, to be European - dinner will last a long time. Emily wants to have a marathon night of watching ballroom dancing with Rory.

Luke is helping Lorelai pack up Rory’s things in his truck. Lorelai begs to know about his trip. Something did happen. Jokingly, Lorelai asks if he proposed. Luke says yes. And there’s more. They got married. When he says there’s more, Lorelai thinks Nicole is pregnant. But Luke says they are getting divorced.

Luke says it was different on the boat. With the food and drink and everyone on the boat being married or engaged, and ‘there you go.’ They were separated before they got back. Lorelai tells Luke to look on the bright side - being married will silence questions of being a single man living alone…

Rory calls to say Emily has taken her hostage. Lorelai says it’s about her, so maybe if she comes then Emily will let Rory go. Kirk walks by with an opened parachute and branches… says ’strong wind.’

Rory is bored stiff. Lorelai shows up and Emily’s smile disappears. Lorelai wants to stay and watch with them. Emily tells Rory to leave and get the maid to make her tea. Emily denies keeping Rory hostage or caring if Lorelai comes to dinner. But tells Lorelai she cannot take Rory home. Lorelai says Rory won’t hurt Emily’s feelings and ask to leave. Lorelai says it’s their last night and she couldn’t come - Emily says she wouldn’t. Lorelai is frustrated. Breaks down laughing when she hears Richard went to be hours ago. Rory breaks into a fit of laughter too.

Rory and Lorelai are still watching the ballroom dancing at the Gilmore’s, but Emily is asleep. Tomorrow is a big day - Rory hopes it’s everything she imagined it to be. Lorelai and Rory may not have had their Godfather night, but they at least got to eat their biscotti.