Gilmore Girls 6.02 "Fight Face"

Gilmore Girls 6.02 "Fight Face"
Original Air Date: September 20, 2005 (Recap date: April 17, 2008)
Recap & Discussion

Discussion Questions:

• Do you think Lorelai would bolt from Luke?
• Is Rory bored already, like Logan expected?
• Why does Emily get upset to see Rory inside with the maid, and in a bathing suit?
• Why does Lorelai buy the dog? Is it a replacement for Rory?
• Does Lorelai want to keep her house out of fear that things won’t work out with Luke?
• Did Rory want to just coast on the money and stability of her grandparents?
• Why does Emily set up a job with the DAR for Rory? Of all places, why there?
• How did Luke realize that living in Lorelai’s house would be the best solution?
• Why is Rory so awkward doing her community service?
• Rory mentions her community service to Luke, and he acts like he knows about it. How does he, if Lorelai hasn’t talked to her parents?
• When Rory went to visit Luke, do you think she wanted to mend things with her mom?
• Did not telling Rory about her engagement separate Lorelai and Rory even more?
• Why didn’t Lorelai want to tell Rory about her engagement?
• Why does Rory pick a fight?
• Are both Rory and Lorelai being immature, like Luke suggests?
• Are Lorelai’s actions more hurtful because they are intentional, while Rory is simply confused?

Gilmore Girls Episode Recap:

Sookie and Lorelai are staring up at the Twickham house in awe of how big it is. Sookie says it’s nice of Luke to have this dream for them. Sookie asks if everything is going well with Luke. Lorelai confirms that the engagement is sticking, she won’t bolt.

Rory is at her first community service meeting, learning about how it all works. Rory is there with quite the assortment of ruffians. She looks nervous.

Luke is talking Jedi to Lorelai, fuming after the inconsistencies in the latest Star Wars movie. Luke baits Lorelai about the Bewitched movie to prove a point about them each holding grudges about movies for many months.

TJ is installing a few shelves in the diner for Luke. They look good. TJ says he is throwing one in as an engagement present, but his per shelf rate went up, so it’s the same cost as before. TJ wants to put a sign on his shelves to advertise, but as "Shelves by AJ", because A is higher in the phone book. Luke says no to the advertising, but TJ is welcome to hand out his cards (which are cards from other people just crossed out to have his info).

Lorelai is walking through the park during the pet fair, and comes across a big scruffy dog that takes an interest in her. Miss Patty comes by to stop Lorelai from bonding – don’t they have her on a blacklist, or something, Miss Patty asks? Miss Patty brings up the hamster and the rabbit… and the turtle that was supposed to outlive her.

Liz comes by to congratulate Lorelai on her engagement – and yes, Lorelai is wearing the ring! Liz admires Lorelai’s ring, and tells a story of her own about the ring TJ gave her. It turned her finger so many colors they almost amputated it! They knock rings in a "sister-in-laws" bonding session. Liz asks after Rory, ignorant of anything being wrong. Lorelai just mentions that Rory will be staying with her grandparents for a "change of pace." Liz comments on how nice it is that Lorelai is so close with Rory and with her parents. Lorelai turns around to the dog and says "I’ll take him!"

Richard and Emily are planning their week over breakfast. Rory comes in and waits to be invited to sit. Apparently they are having Rory’s car fixed, as it was impounded and damaged after the yacht incident. Rory apologizes again. They tell her the whole yacht incident is forgotten and they’ll get her through the community service in no time.

Rory is sitting inside in front of the tv in the pool house. She’s in her swimsuit with a skirt and is watching something on scuba diving. Bored, Rory lets herself into the main house to putz around. She helps herself to coffee and tries to speak Spanish to the maid, who is from Guatemala. Later that day, Emily comes home and finds Rory still in the kitchen speaking Spanish with the maid, and helping to polish the silver. It makes Emily angry. And seeing Rory in her bathing suit makes her just as angry.

Luke comes over to Lorelai’s, and she tells him she has something, or rather someone, exciting to show him. Lorelai finds the dog in the corner and picks him up to show Luke. Lorelai says he loves her, but she doesn’t love his name. Coco. Too cutesy. Lorelai plans to name the dog Paul Anka, but it’s going to take a few weeks for her to evolve "Coco" to "Paul Anka" in baby steps.

Lorelai has found out some interesting things about her new dog. That he doesn’t like dog toys or bones, and is scared of everything from popcorn to CDs to lint. Luke brings up whether it’s ok for Lorelai to have a pet, and Lorelai snaps back that the hamster was defective!

Apparently Luke doesn’t like dogs! And he lists off all the reasons why he thinks so. Lorelai thinks Luke is just taking the "hate" side because she is on the "love" side. Lorelai takes Luke outside while the dog eats, since he’s self conscious while eating.

Luke tells Lorelai he talked to various contractors about the Twickham house, for after they buy it. And Luke suggests they get some touch ups on her house before selling it. Lorelai seemed ok with the plans for the Twickham house, but she doesn’t want to let go of her house. She tries to convince Luke that they should keep it in some capacity, but not one that would require other people living in it.

Emily & Richard have asked Rory to come in to speak with them. They mention Rory’s interest in a job, in not wanting to just be given money. Rory said that was before her 300 hours of community service, as that’s a full-time job in and of itself. Emily says they can help Rory find a job with the flexibility she needs. Rory says "really?" in a disappointed kind of way. Emily offers to set up some appointments for Rory, the introduces the new maid from Romania. The maid scowls at her.

Lorelai is skipping past the mid-names and going straight for Paul Anka. She tells him so as she carries him down the stairs (he’s afraid to go down on his own). Paul Anka barks at the mail box.

Emily is having a little lunch with her DAR friends, and Rory happens to come by. Emily has her sit, and tells her that a job has opened up at the DAR office. Rory says it sounds perfect, but then the clause comes in. Rory would have to join the DAR to work for them. Emily tells her the paperwork is already filled out for her. Rory whispers to Emily to remind her that she needs a ride to her community service. One of the DAR ladies mentions that Rory will match the drapes in their office perfectly before leaving.

Lorelai comes home to find a man standing on her roof. It’s a fight or flight moment for Lorelai, until Luke joins the man on the roof. Paul Anka has retreated to the Jeep and closed the door, somehow. Luke has contractors to assess if they can extend the bedroom, to live there. Luke says he has no problem living there, they just need a bigger closet, bathroom and bedroom. Lorelai asks about the Twickham house, and Luke says it’s too big. They can get along find there for a while, maybe forever.

"It’s a great house. You love this house."

Lorelai says she does love the house. Luke says he figured that out by Lorelai’s sudden desire to become a painter.

Emily has printed off tips on how to avoid getting hurt in a prison as helpful tips for Rory’s community service. Things such as leaving her "fight face" at home. Rory suggests sitting in the Jaguar is probably not helping her. Emily gives Rory a lunch in a fancy flowered cardboard box, and some cigarettes to barter with. Everyone stares at Rory aggressively when she gets out. She offers a smoke.

Luke is in a meeting with the architect. Liz is eavesdropping, trying to politely insert herself into the discussion. She wants to know how long the man, George, has been an architect. Liz has a reason for all of this – she wants to suggest TJ as a contractor for the remodel. Liz says TJ almost passed his contractors exam. Luke says there is no way that TJ will get the job. It’s a bigger job than just shelves. Liz says that TJ’s life depends on it – because if he doesn’t get out and work more, she’ll kill him. TJ apparently blows his interviews with his foul mouth, something he inherited from his mother. Luke agrees to not say no yet.

Rory’s community service is to pick up trash from the side of the highway. She is very afraid of annoying the other people, so keep apologizing to them.

Lorelai brings her laundry upstairs and finds that her bedroom wall is now missing. Lorelai walks all the way to Luke’s, drags him from a customer and silently walks him to her home to point at the giant hole in her house.

"Hole… hole… Dirt – bed – dirt – hole!"

Luke asks when Lorelai noticed it, and tries to figure out how it happened.

"God, who would – oh my God… Him… Him… Kill!"

Luke realizes that TJ did it. And that Liz worked him over.

"She made me promise to think about it, and then she sat in the diner, staring at me, and then she started to cry, so I kicked her out! And then she went outside and cried, so I could see her through the window, and I couldn’t take it anymore! So I said "Okay!" knowing we had weeks to figure out how to get out of it and no work could be done ’cause George hadn’t made up the plans! And in the meantime, TJ could have changed occupations, or injured himself bouncing up and down on his trampoline, and backed out of the job!"

Luke says he’s going to pull a Michael Corleone and get TJ to admit he did this, then he’ll strangle him. Lorelai points out that they have to deal with the hole first. And no garroting TJ. Luke apologizes.

Rory returns from her community service tired and dirty. There is a DAR contract ready for Rory to sign on the counter. Rory looks sad and confused.

Rory goes to see Luke late that night. Rory mentions that she’s started her community service. He says that it’s good that she’s chipping away at it. Rory asks how "people" are. Luke says people are good. And tells Rory that Lorelai and he are engaged. Rory says congratulations, but her tears are barely kept in check. Rory says she’d better go.

It’s 7am and work is being done at Lorelai’s house. TJ is there. He tries to explain that he thought "Okay" meant "go." Luke yells at TJ to get up the ladder to help. Lorelai asks Luke why he’s started work so early. Luke says he had to start early to get it done, so she could sleep in her room soon. Luke is very angry about a frisbee on the roof, which seems out of character.

Luke tells Lorelai that he told Rory they were engaged. She came to the diner and she had "the face," the "Rory face". Lorelai yells that he shouldn’t have told her. Luke retorts that Lorelai should have told her. Lorelai says no, that Rory isn’t being told anything.

"Luke! Rory started this. And right now we’re not talking. Remember, tough love? I’m on a path here!"

Lorelai says that Luke can’t just play into Rory’s hands, that Rory has to undo what she’s done and move out of her parent’s house and return to school. Luke yells back that Rory is her daughter, but he’s in the middle. Lorelai says she knows.

"Good. Because you’ve been acting like you don’t know! Like you’re alone in this or something!"

Lorelai says she knows. Luke then says that Lorelai and Rory are both being dumb and should be talking. Luke yells this, though he knows that Lorelai doesn’t want his opinion. Lorelai looks hurt. She calls up to Luke, but he says they are ok. Luke smiles back.

Rory is tying a garbage bag when one of the other girls purposely bumps into her. Rory gets annoyed and bumps her back. Then the two get into a fight. Rory gets a talking to about this by her supervisor later. About the dangers of fighting on the side of a highway.

"Now, I cannot have you out there with your fight face on! Do you understand me?"

Rory says she understands, but looks like she doesn’t care.

Lorelai is driving home when she drives past Rory picking up trash. Lorelai decides to pull over and talk to Rory. Both talk to each other angrily and sarcastically. Lorelai makes snide remarks about Rory repaying her debt to society and her new digs, and Rory asks if Lorelai has set a date yet. Lorelai asks if the pool house is redecorated yet, and Rory snaps to Lorelai:

"Be sure to send me a picture!"

"Be sure to send me a change of address card! Grandma can print them out for you with a little fleur-de-lis."

Rory says she’s not supposed to talk to "outsiders", so Lorelai walks away.

"You and Luke getting engaged and not telling me about it? You hurt me!"

Without turning around, Lorelai yells:

"Back at you!

Images: TheWB.com

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