Gilmore Girls 1.19 "Emily in Wonderland"
Original Air Date: April 26, 2001 (Recap date: December 4, 2007)
Photos, Recap & Discussion
Discussion Questions:
- In this episode, Lorelai says she does not wear contacts. But she did in an earlier episode. Why the inconsistency?
- Why did Rachel show Lorelai the photo?
- Why is Luke freaked about Rachel and Lorelai liking each other?
- Why does Emily get upset at seeing the potting shed?
- Is Lorelai referring to herself as the ‘other reason’ Luke may not want to try with Rachel? How does Luke’s answer fit into that?
- Why does Lorelai later question butting in?
- Why does Emily create a bedroom for Rory?
- Is there any symbolism to the coffee tasting different?
- What is it about the Dragonfly Inn that Lorelai falls in love with?
- What is the significance of the title reference to Wonderland?
Gilmore Girls Episode Recap & Photos:
Apparently, Lorelai had a big head as a baby and Emily told her so often. First sentence: "Big head want Dolly." Emily needs new antique market sources and Rory suggests Kim’s Antiques – the two make a date to see it, and Stars Hollow, together on Saturday.
Lorelai can’t eat her breakfast because the eggs on her pancakes look like eyes. Rachel shows Lorelai a beautiful photo of her and Luke from the Firelight Festival. Rachel comments on how gorgeous Lorelai’s eyes are – Luke gets uncomfortable. There is also a picture of the old Dragonfly Inn. Luke gets even more uncomfortable at the thought of Lorelai and Rachel becoming friends. You know, because they’re ‘great, in really different ways’ and that those ‘different types of greatness’ could ‘meld.’
Rune is in the lobby of the Inn. His weekend is lasting a little longer than a weekend – Jackson pities him. And now Sookie wants Lorelai to hire him to get him out of Jackson’s house. And to keep him in the potting shed – Lorelai and Rory’s old place.
Rory convinces Emily to go on a tour of Stars Hollow by foot, but must first get her into runners.
Lorelai falls in love with the Dragonfly Inn. Rachel confides in Lorelai that she wanted desperately to leave home as a kid – and choice photography as a means to keep moving. But now says she is ready to settle down – get serious with Luke.
Lane has not yet heard from Henry. But Rory assures her that Henry was into her. Meanwhile, Emily haggles with Mrs. Kim to her delight – she’s in her element. She leaves on a haggle-high. They go to the Inn, where Emily & Michel hit it off. Rory gives her a tour of the grounds, and of the potting shed where they lived. Rory is proud of it, but Emily freaks out and leaves suddenly.
Lorelai goes to Luke’s place (which is his dad’s converted office) to see some of Rachel’s pictures. She makes fun of Luke’s frilly curtains but then Rachel drops a bomb that she may be planning on leaving Stars Hollow. She says that Luke won’t believe that she wants to stick around. Rachel asks for Lorelai to put in a good word for her with Luke.
Lane got a message from Henry. She thinks that if she calls him, they’ll go on several dates and then she’ll have to introduce him to her parents. She’s worried that when her parents like him, she won’t. Emily calls to ask Rory her favorite color, flower and boy band. Some surprise for Friday.
Lorelai tries to talk with Luke about Rachel – give her opinion. He’s not keen on Rachel and Lorelai talking about him. Luke says he’s heard the "putting down roots" story many times before. And is surprised Lorelai is taking Rachel’s side. Lorelai says she wants Luke to be happy, and since he’s been carrying a torch for Rachel… she tells him to take the plunge. Unless there is another reason that Luke does not want to. He says there is no other reason.
Rachel and Luke come to movie night. Lorelai is questioning if she did the right thing by butting in. Luke smiles at Lorelai.
Emily’s surprise is a new room at the Gilmore house - decorated especially for Rory. Lorelai is a little surprised, which gives Emily the opportunity to question why. Because it’s with her, or because it’s large and beautiful. Which brings her to criticizing the potting shed where Rory grew up – she takes great offense at that. Of what Lorelai was willing to ‘stoop’ to in order to get away from her. Lorelai said she was young and unhappy and just needed to be away. Emily will not hear her. Rory questions how things will change if Lorelai won’t talk about the past and Emily will not listen.
They go to Luke’s, where Rachel thanks Lorelai for what she said. She now has a drawer and a set of keys. Luke believes in her. But, now the coffee tastes different.
Lorelai, Rory & Sookie go to the old Dragonfly Inn - the Inn that they have decided will be theirs. At some point in the future.
Images: TheWB.com
Tags: gilmore girls, gilmore girls season 1, emily in wonderland, gilmore girls episodes, gilmore girls recaps, gilmore girls photos, screencaps, 1.19
Lorelai said she wore contacts in the Pilot. ALOT of things changed from the Pilot into the regular show… as it does with most shows.
Her jeep changed, Luke’s Diner changed, the town square didnt exist. Between the Pilot and the 2nd episode which was supposed to be a gap of only 1 weekend, Emily’s Hair grew a lot – like a months worth. and there’s a bunch of other stuff too.
I really liked this episode too… I loved the whole build up and background Story to the Rachel character and that look on Lorelai’s face when she sees luke happy with her is worth a million.
Tucker, i agree. a lot of things have changed. Lorelai also wears glasses. Maybe Lorelai just wanted to tell rachel that she didn’t wear contacts because she didn’t want to really talk to her? idk.
i loved seeing Emily in SNEAKERS!!! it cracks me up!
i think the reference to “wonderland” is that like alice emily is in a totally different world where every thing is different than what she is used to. Also the “characters” in Stars Hollow are similarly wacky to those in “alice in wonderland”.
&& has anyone else seen the car insurence commercial that is in stars hollow??its great it shows all of the town & everything!!!!!i just want to know if im the only one who has seen it :)
In real life Lauren Graham wear contacts.But Lorelai wear glasses on GG some episode like in 2,4 and 5 season,but mostly she wears contacts on GG all the times.Maybe she dont want tell Rachel about contacts.I love Rory want and invite Emily to Stars Hollow.I feel sad for Emily saw it that where Lorelai and Rory live in potting shed,when Rory was a baby.Lorelai’s dream of she want the owner of the Dragonfly INN.
I think Luke really wanted Lorelei to express some feelings to him before he got involved with Rachel again….but Lorelei didn’t.
Of course the significance with the coffee tasting different is that things are changing at Luke’s Diner because of the presence of Rachel.
I really did feel sorry for Emily when she reacted to the little house Rory grew up in. She took that as a direct slap in the face. Unfortunately, Emily choice of words when she lashes out to Lorelei is still what makes their relationship rocky.
Maybe the old Dragonfly Inn, in Lorelei’s mind, will be a work in progress just as her life was when she left home at 16.
Emily was genuinely hurt and sad to see the place that Lorelai ran away to. And, she really conveyed it to Lorelai in the New Bedroom she made for Rory. Since she did not take interest in Lorelai’s taste and intersts when she was growing up. She is making up for it, with Rory. Giving her a room she thinks will be a haven for Rory to come to. She could not do it for Lorelai, so she is doing it Rory.
When Rory and Lorelai are walking down the sidewalk and Rory asks Loreali, if she won’t ever talk and Emily won’t ever listen.
How will anything ever change?
Wow!!!
I think, Rachel and Lorelai, basically like each other. Lorelai would of liked to have travelled, but did not. And, Rachel would like to settle down, but can not. They are both successful women and they admire each others qualities.
On the other hand, both of them have feelings for Luke. And, just want him to be happy.
I just wish Luke and Lorelai would have reached out to each other sooner. Like, in the storage room, where he asks Lorelai if there is any reason why he should not take a chance with Rachel. If Lorelai would of said, I don’t want you to. I may have feelings for you. What would have happened?
My theory on the glasses/contacts issue is that when the pilot was being written, they probably didn’t know that lauren was going to play Lorelai and just decided that the character would wear contacts. After they hired her, maybe the writers wanted to change that because Lauren has such amazing blue eyes and it seems better to say that she doesn’t wear contacts. Then Lauren probably actually wears contacts/glasses and then decided/had to wear them for a scene for some reason. Maybe?