“Bunheads” 1.17 ‘It’s Not A Mint’ – Recap and Gilmore perspectives

February 23, 2013 By Rich 5 Comments

“Bunheads” 1.17 ‘It’s Not A Mint’ – Recap and Review
Airdate 18 Feb 2013

love a man in uniform

Sasha returns to her grown up apartment, carrying grown up shopping including kitchen roll. Old lady neighbourmeyer is uncommonly not answering her door, even with Sasha’s offer of transportation to her MRI. Sasha’s leaves messages with Ginny and Boo and her phone’s voice-dialling can’t handle calling the police (911 being too much to dial in all the panic) and tries suggests connecting her to Polito’s Trattoria [wink - Jon Polito played the pizza guy in Gilmore Girls].

Talia and Truly join Michelle for an indulgent chocolate fondue as an impromptu hen night for Talia’s wedding to Old Guy Rick the next day. Truly calls maid of honour and Michelle spikes the fondue.

Roman, Sasha’s love interest, turns up as her knight in shining armour and wearing Sasha as a shell, sidesteps her scattered tangelos in the corridor. So not only does she have money to afford her own apartment, she’s got disposeable cash to match.  And either he really loves his padlock neckchain or he’s lost the key. Roman – find the key, dude. Weaponry around the apartment includes two baseball bats, a tennis racket, a pointy umbrella and a crowbar. Roman instantly loses the umbrella to the giant spider in the bathroom but makes it into the bedroom and declare the house safe.  Just as they get to the bed, Boo’s parents Rusty and Jordan (dad and mum respectively, in case the androgynous names had you wondering like me) turn up in answer to Sasha’s emergency call armed with the screaming Winkleburn kids and a sledgehammer, which Rusty also loses to the bathroom spider.

Next morning, Truly asks Michelle for dress advice during ballet rehearsals when Bash (Gilmore Girls’ one and only Kirk, Sean Gunn) turns up in town evacuation mode. There’s a fire in the woods north of town and with Fanny out of the country, he designates Michelle as co-captain for their area. With the position comes a ‘CAP’ cap (a cap with CAP emblazoned on it). Around the army cots being put up in the studio, Bash instructs Michelle on protocol, hands her a walkie-talkie and the promise of champagne if she’s successful. Melanie is capturing the event on her SLR.

Michelle: Fire torpedoes, fire torpedoes!

Bash is giving Michelle minimal captaining duties, including only registering  surnames X through Z. The town’s boys are present, including Roman, Carl (Boo’s beau), Jeff (Boo’s manager at the Oyster Bar) and Des (Melanie’s brother’s friend and her ever-present bugbear). Carl and Jeff bond over Tommy Lee Jones’ turn in Hope Floats and demonstrate why young men shouldn’t do TLJ impressions.

Talia is determined that the wedding goes ahead today, despite the emergency situation. Truly is even more determined to be maid of honour. Millie (GG’s Paris, Liza Weil), Truly’s sister,  jumps the queue since the whole town is scared of her.

Bash: To be clear, I like men and women equally. Both sexes work for me.
Michelle: Yeah that’s not gonna lead to any misunderstandings at all.

Ginny ogles the new boy, Frankie, as he changes into his Emergency Volunteer t-shirt (with good reason). Des knows Ansel Adams and advises Melanie against using flash to create naturalistic pictures, much to her disdain. Seeing Ginny doe-eyed over Frankie, Sasha hands her a drool cup but does nothing to douse her infatuation.

In the dancer’s changing room, Talia’s fiance Rick is caught at a checkpoint and can’t get into town but Truly says that they will find a way. Millie wants her crepe cook to cook crepes. Michelle finds a condom packet under a wardrobe and if that wasn’t drama enough, Bash tells her he has a mole in one of the other evacuation centres and their entertainments include juggling, singing and doing the conga. He tells her they need to step up the entertainment (hmm, wonder what that might include).

The girls and guys are playing poker, Michelle breaks it up in case an orgy breaks out. Talia’s Rick is being flown in by a good samaritan, in a helicopter.

Bash’s attempt at entertainment is Jeff and Carl playing duelling Tommy Lee Jones’. When this turns into fisticuffs over Jeff coming onto Boo, Michelle has the dancers perform their Billy Elliot’s dad’s dance routine – and mining hats off to Marguerite Derricks for another stunning performance.

safety dance

Truly is steaming the maid of honour dress she’s just made and Millie asks to use the room for a massage. Truly thanks her for the use of the helicopter and Millie says it’s worth it for a wedding. Although the two of them are unmarried, Millie doesn’t see it ever happening for her – her adopted Chinese child is enough for her. Truly however does expect marriage.  Bash pokes his head around the corner, marking a Kirk / Paris reunion.

Ginny sniffs Frankie’s jacket, Cozette spoils Skyfall (finally someone did it) and she likens Ginny to a sad, dying antelope that needs to be put out of its misery.

Talia is looking fabulous in her wedding outfit.

Talia: I was shooting for Marilyn singing Happy Birthday to Kennedy but with underwear.

Talia receives a text that Rick has fallen and broken his ankle. Michelle confesses that she doesn’t think Rick is suitable for her, that he’s making her give up on her dreams and she’s becoming someone else. Talia says dancing in New York is Michelle’s dream, not hers, not any more and besides, she’s pregnant. Gasp!

Over a kids’ group photo and some cute dogs, Des finally gets through to Melanie. He gets her to consider that she can’t think of a reason why they should be together – but then, she can’t think of a reason why not.  So why not?  Yay Des!!

Michelle throws the condom down between the four girls, Sasha, Melanie, Ginny and Boo, leaving everyone involved confused.

it's not a mint

 

She realises her mistake and takes it back but spawns a brilliant and educational conversation between the girls where we learn that Boo is on the pill but not having sex. As she’s eating what looks like a lettuce sandwich.

Sasha: …you’re on the pill but not having sex. That’s like having a superpower and not using it

Bash announces to the room that the fire is out. Cozette has told Frankie that Ginny wanted drawing lessons and he’s more than pleased to oblige. Ginny bounces as he puts his number in her phone. Bash contacts Michelle on the walkie talkie, channelling Lorelai as he pretends to be breaking up – denying her any success champagne. Instead, the returning firemen include Godot, the bartender surfer hunk and Michelle’s one-time fling – who also appears to be on the pill.

Discussion

Always pleasantly surprised to see familar Gilmore faces.  This week we have Kirk and Paris in person, Fran (Sasha’s unseen neighbour) and Emily in absentia.  Bash’s ‘breaking up’ on the walkie-talkie was a loving reminder of Lorelai’s effortless and guiltless ‘going in a tunnel’ excuses to Emily.   And speaking of Emily, Millie’s treatment of her crepe cook and masseuse were strikingly reminiscent of Emily and her maids.  As noted above, Kirk and Paris breathed the same air in one scene, the last time they did this was when they had a sleepover at Lorelai’s, remember?

Lorelai: So, did you get any rest?
Paris: Kirk talks in his sleep.
Lorelai: Anything juicy?
Paris: He deals blackjack.
Lorelai: Hm. Kirk?
Kirk [off screen]: Yeah?
Lorelai: Turn off the TV, come have your breakfast.
Kirk [off screen]: In a minute.
Lorelai: Now.

Things like this remind me how – as much as I enjoy Bunheads – I still love Gilmore Girls more.  With the possible exception of Michelle’s Old Guy jokes, which totally rock.

Whose condom?  If it’s not one of our quartet’s, does it even matter?  The sensible conversation it spawned on buying condoms and taking precautions if you’re not actively having sex was cool and I’m glad they came back to this after the sex discussion pact they breezed by a few episodes ago.

Michelle and Godot, Sasha and Roman, Ginny and Frankie, Melanie and Des, Boo and Carl. Talia and Old Guy Rick. Now almost everyone’s hooked up, who’s going to get broken up first?  If Gilmore Girls is a template, are you expecting some new male faces?

I love that Truly can whip up a dress out of a cotbed, seamstressing skills are a superpower shared with Lorelai. Who’s the guy for her? Has Millie really given up on finding a guy? And where’s Fanny?

Pics courtesy of ABC Family

Filed Under Bunheads, Guest Stars, Kirk Gleason, Liza Weil, Lorelai Gilmore, Paris Geller, Sean Gunn, Where Are They Now
Tagged With bunheads, bunheads recaps, Gilmore Girls, Kirk Gleason, Liza Weil, Paris Geller, Sean Gunn

“Bunheads” 1.15 ‘Take The Vicuna’ – Recap and Review (and Rave and Rant)

February 5, 2013 By Rich 6 Comments

“Bunheads” 1.15 ‘Take The Vicuna’ – Recap and Review
Airdate 4 Feb 2013

60 percent gilmore

Where Gilmore borrowed Sorkin’s ‘Walk and Talk’, Bunheads creates Dance and Discourse in a terrific opener (see below for me raving about how great this scene is).  Ginny takes Melanie to task  for what she sees as Melanie’s betrayal of friendship to the newcomer, Cozette. Sasha trolls the aisles of a supermarket for that new-apartment first-time shop.

Fanny and Michelle’s money-making scheme is coming together. Their outdoor auditorium is being built by the town’s handymen, Bob and Don – or Fat Bob and Skinny Don as they’ll forever be known – and with Millie’s funding, The Millicent Stone Performance Center promises to be a sumptuous venue, when it’s eventually finished. Millie seems determined that money is no object – much to Fanny’s devious delight.

Scottie and Michelle are arranging a trip to the Burning Man festival. They’ve made up since last week’s ruckus, as siblings do. And that’s not all that’s made up – Michelle bursts Scottie’s bubble, telling him that their mum fabricated some of his best childhood vacations and memories.

Michelle: Raincoat?
Scottie: Bring it.
Michelle: Bikini?
Scottie: Bring it.
Michelle: Pyjama jeans?
Scottie: Bring ‘em.
Michelle: Handcuffs?
Scottie: Toss ‘em in.
Michelle: Hard hat, waffle iron, Bananarama box set.
Scottie: What the hell are we gonna do with a waffle iron?

In the dance studio’s changing room, Sasha attempts to sort out her new apartment’s utilities while Ginny continues her tirade against Cozette, threatening to boycott Sasha’s housewarming party. To demonstrate her allegiance, Melanie says she won’t go either, forcing Sasha to be the grown-up and coming to an alternative coffee-date arrangement with Cozette. Sorted.

Roman, Sasha’s beau, turns up stalker-like at the studio, exasperated by the lack of response from Sasha recently. She promises him she’ll be in touch. Millie requests a backer’s rehearsal from Fanny, whereby Millie – as the financier of the auditiorium – receives a backstage peek into the dancers’ progress. Fanny is outraged at the very idea, even before Millie takes, then gives, notes on the dancers’ Sleeping Beauty rehearsal performances (ensemble pieces sandwich a sterling, jaunty solo from RaJahnae ‘RaeRae’ Patterson). Fanny snaps and Millie escalates to her lawyers, who she has on vocal speed dial.

raerae-sleepingbeauty

At Sasha’s housewarming, Scottie is amusingly outraged that Sasha has it together better at sixteen than he ever has. As a team, with Sasha cooking, Boo instructing, Ginny housekeeping and Martha Stewart there in spirit, it’s a very sophisticated soiree indeed. Sasha’s even installed a barre and long mirror in the bedroom – in part because she’s serious about ballet and in part because she’s inspired by Michelle. Scottie deems Sasha Michelle’s Mini-Me and warns Michelle that it could be dangerous.

Fanny has invited Millie over to her house, to apologise and make peace. Millie admits that what she really wants is artistic recognition, but doesn’t want to go through the pain of actually learning it. In the absence of acquiring actual expertise, she happily settles for Fanny pretending she does.

worlds collide - but no implosion

Fanny: Creating art is not democratic.

With the last guest gone, Sasha leans with her back to the door, confronted with her empty apartment. Not for long though; Roman’s at the door. To his indignation at being neglected, she explains how much she’s had to deal with – her parents splitting and leaving her, sorting the apartment and the party – and as they’re screaming at each other about giving up on the relationship, they agree to meet Friday at 8. I love this stuff.

Roman: Wow, you’re weirder than I thought. And I thought you were pretty weird.

After the party, Scottie’s driving the sleeping Michelle to the Burning Man festival in his car. He stops for a ‘detour’ at a diner. He tries to stop her going in but she fancies fries and is confronted by her mum, who she hasn’t seen or contacted for twelve and a half years. Scottie’s there to sign some papers for her and Michelle sits at the stall behind. We’re not given the full story but Michelle is clearly unimpressed by her mum’s continued conniving ways – (deep breath) Scottie is mum’s legal guardian since they declared her legally incompetent to get out of being stuck with a house that she’d bought with a now ex-boyfriend. The mum’s new boyfriend is Rufus, a 35 year old and she says she wants to record a country and western album.  Scottie signs the financial documents and leaves with Michelle.

Scottie drives Michelle back to her place and before he leaves, she forgives him, they hug.

Michelle: Give me some warning before you get married again.
Scottie: There’s usually not that much time.

Michelle notices Sasha sleeping on her couch. “I’ll sleep at my place tomorrow”, Sasha mumbles as Sam Phillips’ “la-la-las” kick in and Michelle reclines in her own bed, mirroring her Mini-Me… two Sleeping Beauties?

 

Discussion

Eat your heart out, Aaron Sorkin. The walk-and-talk adopted by Gilmore Girls becomes something else entirely in the hands of choreographer Marguerite Derricks, director Chris Eigeman and main writer (Gilmore Girls’ producer) Sheila Lawrence. While Bunheads isn’t Gilmore Girls, this episode’s opening scene is something else entirely. Filmed in a couple of long takes, the prominent quartet of Bailey Buntain, Emma Dumont, Kaitlyn Jenkins and Julia Goldani Telles dance, discourse and delightfully deliver the goods with some wicked interventions from Jeanine Mason. It’s catty, clever and laugh-out-loud funny and Bailey Buntain has more acting ability in her chin than the cast of oh let’s say Revenge.  Are you watching Bunheads for Bunheads, or are you still watching it for Gilmore Girls?

After last week’s Gilmore-lite episode, I’m more than pleased to report Gilmore-overcompensation this week. Returning to Bunheads but this time behind the camera, the always-sharp Chris Eigeman (Gilmore’s Jason ‘Digger’ Stiles) directs, joining GG producer Sheila Lawrence, who takes writing duties.  The auditorium construction scene boasts Fanny, Bob and Millie (Gilmore Girls’ Emily Gilmore, handyman Tom and Paris Geller) appearing in a single frame without the universe imploding. That’s 60% Gilmore in the top picture.  It’s quite something that, personally, I didn’t once consider Fanny and Millie as Paris and Emily. And to think, Paris and Tom were last on set together over 11 years ago, when Rory wielded a prettified pink hammer back in Gilmore Girls’ series 2.  A new GG alumni entry too, with Sasha’s new neighbour, better known to us as dear departed Fran Westin of  Westin’s cake shop and the previous owner of the Dragonfly Inn: Linda Porter, reincarnated here as Mrs Weidemeyer, who Michelle lends some colour to as the elderly neighbour turned con artist.  Did you get your Gilmore fix?

The Vicuna reference is from Sunset Boulevard, which I’m both proud and embarrassed to say I didn’t have to look up, since I know every line from the musical. Everyone’s a geek about something, OK? And I’m calling the second outing for Clemenza’s gun reference in Bunheads to date, to join the numerous mentions from Lorelai.  Seriously, if you don’t know where his gun is by now, you’re just not paying attention.

Main plot points here are Sasha’s moving out and Michelle’s estrangement from her mum.  Lorelai and Michelle could be role models for Sasha, examples of how hard it can be gaining your independence and identity – figuring out who you are, outside of parents and expectations.  It’s not as easy as Sasha physically moving out and growing up and literally playing house – the internal struggles continue and sometimes never go away. I still feel like I’m moving among adults. We saw this in Lorelai as much as anyone, with her insistence on finding the fun and the child in being an adult and that you don’t have to choose to hide it away.  Of all the characters in Gilmore Girls, who do you most identify with?  Who would you most like to be like?

I knew Scottie would redeem himself. This week he had the lines, the wide-eyed amazement over Sasha’s bagless vacuum cleaner, the warm cookie “Oh my God” and invited some sympathy over his predicament between Michelle and their mum. Would you care to see him return? Will he ever find his path? Would Scottie have gotten on with Hubbell?

Creativity vs The Bottom Line. For anyone who’s had a television series stripped away from them too soon (say, Freaks and Geeks, Firefly, Studio 60 for example), the balance of numbers versus art is a sad fact in mainstream US television. Watching certain series get whittled away by committee into either a premature end or becoming soggy and ill-defined is disheartening and drags us all into the middle-lane, creators and audience alike. From interviews, it sounds like ASP is getting a fair amount of free rein in Bunheads and all power to her. As it was with Michelangelo and as it is with Millie, it’s only with trust from the backers that the creatives have the creative freedom to make something of their visions.  Not that I’m bitter or anything.

Pics courtesy of ABC Family

Filed Under Bunheads, Emily Gilmore, Guest Stars, Kelly Bishop, Liza Weil, Other Gilmore Execs, Paris Geller, Where Are They Now
Tagged With Biff Yeager, bunheads, bunheads recaps, chris eigeman, Clemenza's gun, jason stiles, linda porter, Liza Weil, sam phillips

“Bunheads” 1.13 ‘I’ll Be Your Meyer Lansky’ – Recap and chit-chat!

January 22, 2013 By Rich 4 Comments

“Bunheads” 1.13 ‘I’ll Be Your Meyer Lansky’ – Recap and chit-chat!

Airdate: 21 Jan 2013

It’s a montage! Cue some decidedly Rocky-esque theme music and Michelle and Fanny stretching and limbering up… for a meeting with Eric, their accountant. Last we saw him, he was supremely unimpressed by their financial organisation and they could barely stay awake.  This time, full of power bars and disgusting smoothies – actually, nothing’s changed.

Eric: We’re talking about important financial matters but as usual neither of you is taking this seriously.
Michelle: What are you talking about! We got rid of the hat boxes, we bought a binder.
Eric: A South Park binder.
Michelle: What, numbers can’t be fun?

Eric suggests they make use of their land, like their neighbours who farm or do whatever you do with ostriches and alpacas. Something needs to be done, at least something more than Michelle’s daydreaming of gold sluicing.

Melanie and Ginny are wandering the busy school corridors, chancing upon the effortlessly popular sibling newcomers Frankie and Cozzette. Damn, that guy just smoulders. Sparks between him and Ginny as she pulls Melanie away, only to bear witness to Charlie (Melanie’s long-suffering brother) being unceremoniously and very publicly dumped by his girlfriend, Stacia. Melanie unsympathetically films the whole thing on her phone.

Returning from the accountants in Hubbell’s beloved Mustang, Michelle and Fanny stop at a roadside candle stall, to Fanny’s delight and Michelle’s chagrin. Michelle comes up with the idea of building an amphitheatre when she realises that they – and the candle stall – are within their property boundary. Worse still, the ‘artisan’ owner has been paying rent to the neighbouring alpaca farmer for the past ten years. As ‘rent’, Fanny yoinks a woven basket and stuffs it with a bunch of big candles.

Melanie badgers Charlie to drive her to class but he’s even less responsive than normal, lying on his bed and staring at the walls. He tosses her his keys and she drives herself, turning up as Ginny and Sasha review astonishing photos of Frankie and Cozzette’s overturning of the social balance.

Ginny: There are cliques and groups for a reason. First of all, if everyone got along with everyone there would never be a decent book written, a decent movie made.
Melanie: John Hughes?
Ginny: … would have worked at Bed Bath and Beyond. No ‘On the Road’, no ‘Catcher in the Rye’. Separation breeds discontent, which fuels society. They are defueling society.

In front of their very eyes, Cozzette kindly befriends Matisse, further extending the siblings’ social network – even apparently to their bus driver. Truly, the local crazy and clothes store owner, has moved her stock into the dance studio after her landlord (and sister) Millie had a disagreement over rent.  Around all the clothes stands and crates, Cozzette performs a skillful and semi-improvisational performance to a Glinka waltz, winning over the studio and Fanny herself.

Michelle: OK so this morning a squirrel stole my toothbrush.

Michelle has found the perfect location for the amphitheatre and Fanny’s loving the idea too. Sasha, Ginny and Melanie eagerly inform Michelle that Godot is back at the Oyster Bar. With Michelle and Godot’s brief fling before her inter-series freakout trip back to Vegas, they’re expecting some kind of re-union – or for something that passes for entertainment in Paradise.

With enthusiasm overcoming practicality, Michelle and Fanny explode their amphitheatre plan over Eric, interrupting him mid-meeting.

Fanny: We won’t take long.
Michelle: We talk fast.

They think they can build the amphitheatre in three weeks, in time for their performance of Sleeping Beauty. Eric brings them back down to earth with talk of restrooms and council permissions, which spurs Michelle into deciding to take a  business course to learn the rules first hand.

Melanie grills Charlie’s best friend Dez about Charlie’s dour behaviour, wrongly assuming that Charlie deserved the dumping he got. Instead, she learns with surprise that Charlie was both smitten and committed to the heartless Stacia.

Michelle has kicked off enrolment at the business school and has the sweatshirt to prove it, which is all good until she receives a phone call that she has no high school diploma. She recalls now that instead of completing the extra required credit, she spent two weeks in Dollywood.

On another stroll through the school corridors, Ginny gives Melanie an update on her dad’s planned marriage to Faye Mendelsson, who sounds like a psycho redhead. Melanie sees Charlie’s ex, Stacia, and in passing, yanks her to the floor by her hair, miraculously without losing step. I don’t know which is more out of character – the stunning impulsive violence or the protectiveness Melanie feels for Charlie. Melanie’s as surprised as we are and walks on.

It’s Trivia Night at the Oyster Bar and Sam (Gilmore Girls’ mechanic Gypsy, Rose Abdoo) is hosting the computerised affair. The fancy computer doodads however, are owned by militant Millie (GG’s Paris Geller, Liza Weil) who declares greasy fingers a no-no and summarily bans buffalo wings from the bar.

Millie approaches her sister Truly, who has set up a complex idol system around her trivia doodad and Millie offers to help her win by cheating the computer system. Millie seems to have more of an issue with Truly than the other way around – which is curious since we learned last week from Millie that Truly apparently stole Hubbell from her – and Truly bluntly refuses her offer.

Sam invites Michelle to join her trivia team and Michelle performs disastrously. With the earlier news that she failed high school, she feels stupid and falls back on Godot the recently returned bartender as a sure thing. Except she assumes he’s dumb and inadvertently insults him. Who’d have thunk he had a Masters degree in Oceanography? I guess that explains why he’s suddenly wearing a shirt with arms and had a mild haircut. Visibly bummed, Michelle retreats and Melanie’s rage monster reveals itself again. Wrongly assuming that Godot had been unkind to Michelle, she literally pulls the barstool out from under him, dumping him on the floor. Win! (Kinda).

Melanie: I just saw red. Then he was on the floor. I’m the Hulk.
Sasha: But with longer legs.

Michelle finds Eric the accountant and then Millie in the bar. Millie – evidently a frighteningly good businesswoman – hands a massive wad of dollar bills to a waiter for keeping fries off the menu. Michelle asks if she’s interested in buying any land, to free up some capital for the amphitheatre. Turns out Millie is more interested in the amphitheatre itself and somehow ends up as a business partner in the venture and goes off to fetch celebratory blue drinks.

Cozzette catches Melanie unawares and hands her a flyer for Roller Derby Tryouts, which seems as good a venue as any for her newly discovered brawling talent.

Truly accuses Michelle of conniving with Millie but Michelle reassures her Millie doesn’t always get what she wants; she didn’t get Hubbell, after all. Somehow, these two who were driven apart by Hubbell are bonding over him.

Michelle: Millie’s not my friend. You’re my friend.
Truly: You never invited me to Vegas.
Michelle: Well Truly the next time I have some sort of emotional breakdown and run from everything that is good and stable in my life I promise I’ll invite you to come and watch.

Big losers at Trivia Night, Ginny and Melanie go back to Sasha’s house. To Ginny and Melanie’s surprise, the furniture’s all Twin Peaks-y and everything’s packed for moving, except Sasha’s room, which is untouched. Sasha says that her dad properly came out of the closet and is moving to San Jose, while her mum is going back to Encino and Sasha doesn’t want to go with either of them. Sasha’s mum comes in and asks the two guests to leave, then tells Sasha to pack her stuff, since she will be leaving tomorrow. Sasha stubbornly refuses to choose and exasperated, her mum leaves her the house keys and tells Sasha she has the house for two weeks, until escrow.

Later that night, Michelle dejectedly arrives home in the rain to find Sasha waiting on the doorstep, confronted with big decisions and the world of adult responsibility.

Michelle: Yeah this would be a lot easier if I could offer you a drink.

A poinient moment between the two of them, as Sasha earnestly asks ‘What am I going to do?’ as an ominous thunderstorm builds. Michelle – who herself is drifting through life – responds ‘Hey, don’t worry. I got your back.’ Together, they seem to have direction.

Sasha is the centerpiece of a final dance sequence with Melanie, Ginny and three other bods in a sequence reminiscent of the Istanbul Not Constantinople piece in episode 6.

It may be her dreaming and there’s no explanation for it, but it’s spectacularly evocative of Sasha’s internal struggles, of her forced loss of innocence and her desperate yearning for someone to hold and understand her – well, that’s my take anyhow.  The achingly bittersweet tune is You, Sailor by Erin McKeown.

 

Discussion

As usual, some notes on the episode, to which I warmly invite your thoughts:

Not quite so much filler as last week and some standout moments:

- Melanie yanking that girl’s hair genuinely made me gasp out loud. It was Luke pushing Jess in the lake all over again.

- Another touching moment between Sasha and Michelle (Sashelle?). With her parents both separating and abandoning her, the enormity of Sasha’s next decisions couldn’t be much more overwhelming.

- I loved the final song and dance.  Seeing Sasha so raw and vulnerable has so much more clout because it’s so unlike the persona she generally puts out there.  But damn I wish they’d put those pop-up adverts somewhere less obtrusive, it’s like graffiti on artwork.

- And cultural references out the wazoo – I think I caught about 40%, my favourites being Stringer Bell and Laura Palmer.

Ginny’s speech on ‘separation breeding discontent, which fuels society’ is something ASP has talked about before, regarding the Nutcracker/mace season finale.

Amy Sherman-Palladino: I wanted to set Michelle and Fanny back a notch. It’s no fun to watch people getting along. I have no interest in happy people. They can all bite my ass. I like the rest of the people who are grumbling and having problems and having breakdowns. Those are my peeps. At the very least I wanted to give people who have invested emotionally in this show a good wham-bam SLAM.

We’ve all been on the brink of Gilmore happiness just before it gets snatched away. It’s the pay-off to our emotional investment and with Michelle and Sasha, I realise I’ve invested in this show and these people.  I even liked Eric, I didn’t realise he’d be a recurring character but he’s welcome to come back.  How’s your investment and is it paying off?

Alongside Liza Weil ‘s welcome return, Jackson Douglas directs and Rose Abdoo gets a juicy chunk of dialogue during the quiz. To my fanboy delight, Gypsy and Paris get a great riff going over the buffalo wings. Did these two ever share a scene in GG? I’m thinking no, but I may be mistook… And with Millie entering into the amphitheatre project, Emily Gilmore and Paris Geller are *this close* to being reunited. If this ever happens, I’m expecting the universe to implode.

No Boo? Does this mean we can expect some serious Boo action next week?

Pictures ℅ ABC Family

Filed Under Bunheads, Guest Stars, Kelly Bishop, Liza Weil, Paris Geller, Where Are They Now
Tagged With bunheads, bunheads recaps, gypsy, jackson douglas, Liza Weil, Paris Geller, rose abdoo

Amy Sherman-Palladino and Sutton Foster talk Gilmore Girls and Bunheads!

January 4, 2013 By Rich 9 Comments

With Bunheads’ imminent return on Monday, DisneyInfoNet bagged a fabulous interview with Amy Sherman-Palladino and Sutton Foster. Fabulous why? Because they both talk at length about Gilmore Girls, the comparisons with Bunheads, the Gilmore Girls’ alumni showing up as cameos, casting Kelly Bishop (Emily Gilmore) and overflowing with as much love for GG as they clearly have for each other. Seriously, get a room guys.

Sutton and Amy Sherman Hat Palladino Welles

Sutton Foster: …one of my favorite shows was Gilmore, I mean of all time, and Amy’s one of my favorite writers, and we took a meeting and I basically fan-girled all over her, and then a couple of weeks later they called and were talking to me about this pilot.

Amy Palladino: …when I find a particular person who can knock it out of the ballpark, it’s like Orson Welles and his group of mad actors that he would use in everything – not that I’m Orson Welles, although I wouldn’t mind being Orson Welles someday – but the idea that you’re lucky enough in your career to collect people who are particularly good at the stuff that you like to write, and when you find them you want to write for them.  I find myself longing to write for Liza Weil, or longing to write for Sean Gunn, or longing to write for Todd Lowe, or Rose Abdoo … because there’s not billions of people out there who are special. And if you find a merry band of madmen who will come and make things wonderful, I will write for those people forever.

For EVER, guys.

DisneyNetInfo guy: … where do you get your inspiration to make shows with such great plots and interesting characters?
Amy: Well, I don’t know, just a lack of therapy, perhaps, no time to work it out on a couch with a man and an iPad. I love family interaction, and in a weird way Gilmore, obviously was family, but this show is a new kind of family, I’ll keep saying that, because it’s my favorite tagline ever, but it is about people who, you know, somebody once told me, “You just created your own family.” I don’t care what, if your family isn’t exactly what you need it to be, then go out and create it, find it. And that’s what this show is about. It’s about creating your own family, finding your own support system.

Listen to DisneyInfoNet‘s youtube recording or indulge in the full interview transcript at WeLoveSoaps.net, it’s good stuff.

From next week, I’ll be recapping Bunhead episodes as they air, with high hopes for some Gilmore-style nuttiness from the only woman who can bring it, Mrs Sherman Palladino Welles. If you haven’t crossed paths with Bunheads yet, it plays like a Gilmore Girls’ relation (happily, more akin to Jackson’s brother Beau than Jackson’s cousin Rune). Wacky adorable townsfolk – check. Kelly Bishop (Emily Gilmore) – check.  Attractive, likeable brunette with severe case of verbal diarrhoea – check.  Plus dancing interludes, teen angst and girl power. We’ve got a full set of first series’ Bunheads episode recaps (which if I may say, are just delightful) right here.

I’m particularly looking forward to Liza Weil’s (Paris Geller) cameo as dotty Truly’s sister and seeing what becomes of the girls’ relationships.  I’m hoping that Michelle actually comes back to Paradise after macing the Christmas performers, because otherwise it’ll be a really short series and how about more possums?

Bunheads airs this coming Monday, January 7 at 9 pm Eastern.

Pic courtesy of ABC Family

Filed Under Amy Sherman-Palladino, Bunheads, Gilmore Girls, Gilmore Girls News, Gossip, Interviews, Kelly Bishop, Liza Weil, Paris Geller, Sean Gunn, Todd Lowe
Tagged With Amy Sherman-Palladino, bunheads, Gilmore Girls, new series, Sutton Foster

What would you want from a Gilmore Girls movie?

December 4, 2012 By Rich 41 Comments

A couple of us have been spitballing on-going story ideas in the comments for ‘Would Rory have a Kindle’ thread and I’m drawn to wonder, what would be on your wishlist for a Gilmore Girls movie? More more MORE Lorelai and Rory goes without saying, but then what else?

pleeeeease bring them back

Was there ever a character combo you longed for, but never got, say… Michel and Gigi – who’d win that catfight? Nudge my memory, did Chris and Jess ever share a scene? They were both at Sookie and Jackson’s wedding, but I only remember Jess seeking out Rory… Or a pairing you wanted to see more of? I for one could do with seeing Sookie at full tilt in her kitchen again.

Joss Whedon would kill off Jackson. Or Mrs Kim.

We’ve all chewed on our fists as the Palladinos edged toward some happy state of affairs only to snatch it away with Luke needing space or Logan being an ass or Emily being Emily – would that feature in a movie or edge it into melodrama? Perhaps a Thanksgiving / Christmas two-parter special rather than a feature-length?

I like the idea of the town pulling together to help Taylor. And now I want to see Kirk drive into Luke’s again – flash flash flash… gotta have some slapstick. BIG HOLE!

Surely we can’t break Luke and Lorelai up for the sake of a happy reconciliation in the final reel… or can we? Maybe Luke has another Rachel in the closet, ooh – his first love comes back to Stars Hollow, sending Lorelai into a flat spin – while Max’s fiancee has booked them a couple of nights at the Dragonfly… drama!

Would someone find themselves on a journey and becoming better for it (hard to type that without sounding like Stewie Griffin)? Maybe Emily comes to terms with the idea of life without Richard – perhaps he’s already gone – oh no, that’s too sad, I’m washing my mouth out with soap. What would it take for Emily to, even resentfully, accept an extended modern family, with Gigi and whoever Rory’s dating now and April?

Kirk makes a couple of million dollars on some crazy investment deal and somehow loses it by the end.

No ground rules here, no stupid ideas. Just… what would you want? What do you need?

Filed Under Christopher Hayden, Discussions, Emily Gilmore, Gilmore Girls Movie, Jess Mariano, Kirk Gleason, Logan Huntzberger, Luke Danes, Michel Gerard, Paris Geller, Richard Gilmore, Rory Gilmore, Sookie St. James, Taylor Doose, Uncategorized
Tagged With Gilmore Girls, Gilmore Girls Movie, Stars Hollow

Which major Gilmore Girls actress is coming to Bunheads?

November 7, 2012 By Rich 5 Comments

As reported by TV Line earlier this week, Liza Weil (Gilmore Girls’ own Paris Geller) will be guest spotting on Bunheads as Truly’s sister, Milly! All we know so far is that the two sisters are not on the best of terms… can you even imagine that family’s Friday night dinners?!

 

To date, I don’t think any of the Gilmore alumni have appeared on screen together in Bunheads, probably because the universe would implode. By which I mean, for example, Bash (Kirk) with Sam (Gypsy), not Fanny and Emily together – although in writing that I’ve made myself giddy.

Roll on January!

Filed Under Bunheads, Liza Weil, Paris Geller
Tagged With bunheads, Liza Weil, Paris Geller

“Wizard Of Oz” Fears?

May 31, 2010 By arieanna 2 Comments

In ‘The Perfect Dress‘, Paris reveals one of her oddities. That she can’t sleep through the night… because of a movie. And one you wouldn’t expect.

“I, as you know, haven’t slept through the night since the first time I saw the Wizard of Oz, thank you Mom.”

518xnLVb9IL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Now, I wonder…. what is it about this movie that keeps Paris awake??

Watch this episode of Gilmore Girls on TheWB.com here.

Filed Under Discussions, Paris Geller
Tagged With gilmore girls season 6, Paris Geller
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