TV Show Review: Gilmore Girls The Deer Hunters – Episode 4, Season One

People simply do not come more beautiful than Max & Lorelei. Or more perfect for each other.

Gilmore Girls Episode 4: The Deer Hunters (Season One) is a really charming and fun episode that introduces us to a new major character, and potential Lorelai love interest, known as Rory’s teacher “Max Medina”.

Max is an absolutely outstanding actor whom you quickly fall in love with (played by Scott Cohen). I mean seriously, I’m not one to say another guy is handsome or whatnot, which is just weird to me. But if I were a girl, I’d hit that…. Ahem. The charm of the guy just drips off the screen, and the chemistry he has with Lorelei is absolutely sensational. From the opening scene of him teaching the class, you’ll be hard pressed not to like him. He just seems like the perfect guy. Dang now I’m gushing aren’t I? I am not gay I promise. ;) Ahem part 2.

The plot of “The Deer Hunters” centers around a major upcoming test that amounts to 20% of Rory’s grade for the semester… the main thrust of the plot kicks off when Rory gets a D on a paper before the exam in Max’s class. As you’d expect, she is positively crushed by the low grade (having never gotten anything less than an A her whole life) and torpedoes herself into hyper-cram overdrive, preparing for the upcoming major test, hoping to remedy the situation.

A look of sorrow and horror, as Rory finds out she got a D on her paper. The world ends.

However a series of events takes place that causes Rory to be late for the test. Including staying up all night studying, falling asleep on the kitchen table with Lorelai, and …. getting hit by a deer in her jeep while driving to school in a rush, thus the title. And no she didn’t hit the deer… the deer hit her!

This is a really great episode and it shows us some new sides of Rory, including an angry Rory who lashes out at Paris and Triston after arriving at the school too late to take the test… causing her to be escorted out of the classroom by Max Medina after she gets in both Paris and Triston’s faces (but both of them deserved it, snickering and such at her as she arrives to the class late). This type of emotion is out-of-character for Rory so it is really interesting to see it take place. And the way she does it is still so innocent, you can’t help but smile. It’s really cute. (Rory turns to face Triston, “And YOU! For the last time! The name iS RORYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!! *screams in his face*” The way she yells the last part as loud as she can is hilarious lol).

Rawr!!!!!!! “And YOU! For the last time, the name is RORY!!!!!!!!!!” I love this scene. So hilarious.

Just as interesting is to see the chemistry between Lorelai and Max Medina, as she meets Rory’s teacher for the first time. During their introduction, Lorelai is a complete klutz and draws attention to herself from the other parents in the room for her comedic outbursts and informal nature (making a beeline for the coffee at first sight, for example). As always, this is played perfectly during the scene and is hilarious and fun to watch because it’s so well acted by Lauren Graham.

Neither Max nor Lorelei are flirting per se, but there is electricity there that’s palpable. You can sense the way they are drawn to each other’s personalities and find each other extremely attractive. And the sense of chemistry between them fits so well as I already stated, that you can’t help but to immediately love them both and desire to see them together. From the jump you can tell that Max thinks Lorelai is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen (with good reason) and her quick wit, amazing natural beauty and electrifying sense of humor easily wins him over (as it does to anyone who has watched the show).

Headmaster Charleston also gets some screentime in this episode between him, Max and Lorelai as Lorelei confronts the duo in the Headmaster’s office to try and persuade them to allow Rory to retake the test even though she was late. What ensues is a great monologue from Lorelai regarding the impossible standards of Chilton and how it takes good girls like Rory and breaks them. Once again Lorelai acts with a palpable sense of emotion, frustration and anger that is fantastic to watch, especially as she boils over. And it is even funner to witness her getting upset because it happens in front of Max Medina… naturally, making Lorelei upset is the LAST thing he wants to do… As such, Max tries his best to cool the situation down as he doesn’t want to look like the bad guy and turn off Lorelai.

…. Anger, Frustration, Discontent, Lorelei confronts Max & Headmaster Charleston & gives an epic monologue.

Lane gets a few scenes in this episode too, as Rory calls her while she is driving to the school to take the test (right before the deer… “accident”), and we get to see how Lane transforms her closet into a really funky, 1970s style fun room and makes it her hangout place, while hiding it from her mother.

Another really funny scene in this episode involves Luke. Following a little fight between Rory and Lorelai (due to Lorelai wanting ice cream and bugging Rory over and over when she is trying to study), Rory ends up studying at Luke’s diner instead of at the house. As Rory is writing on a piece of paper, her pencil breaks and she tosses it onto the table in frustration. Luke brings her a piece of pie and sets it on the table.

Luke: “Here.” *places pie on table* Rory: “What’s that?” Luke: “You look like you need pie.” Rory: “I do?” Luke: “Violent pencil tossing usually signals a NEED for pie.” Rory: “What if I’d thrown a pen?” Luke: “I’d have brought you a trout.” Rory: “What?!” Luke: “I don’t make the rules, I just carry them out.” Classic.

……. Rory: What the HELL IS THAT?! Luke: Pie. Violent pencil throwing signals a need. A NEED FOR PIE. :D Awesome.

Overall this is a really good episode. Arguably the best one yet. :)

More Gilmore Girls Reviews
4. Gilmore Girls Season One Episode 4 – The Deer Hunters
3. Gilmore Girls Season One Episode 3 – Kill Me Now
2. Gilmore Girls Season One Episode 2 – The Lorelais’ First Day At Chilton Review
1. Gilmore Girls Season One Episode 1 – Pilot Review

Movie Reviews
3. The Amazing Spider-Man [Posted: December 1 2012]
2. Prometheus (Ridley Scott’s Alien Prequel) [Posted On: November 25 2012]
1. Warhorse (By Steven Spielberg) [Posted On: November 11 2012]

Videogame Reviews:
5. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (N64) [Posted: January 31 2013]
4. Resident Evil: Code Veronica Review (Dreamcast) [Posted: October 5 2012]
3. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (PS1, GameCube) [Posted: September 18th 2012]
2. Resident Evil 2 (GameCube) [Posted: September 3rd 2012]
1. Resident Evil Remake (GameCube) [Posted: August 14 2012]

Music Album Reviews
9. Between Here & Lost By Love And Death (helmed by Brian “Head” Welch Former Korn Lead Guitarist) [Posted: January 25 2013]
8. I AM By Becoming the Archetype (Posted: September 14th 2012)
7. Find Your Worth Come Home By To Speak of Wolves (Posted: May 25, 2012)
6. Celestial Progression (Remix Album) By Becoming the Archetype (Posted: May 21, 2012)
5 Return to Life By War of Ages (Posted: April 28, 2012)
4. Thousand Foot Krutch – The End Is Where We Begin (Posted: April 20, 2012)
3. KJ-52 – Dangerous (Posted: April 16, 2012)
2. Manafest – Fighter (Posted: April 15, 2012)
1. Demon Hunter – True Defiance (Posted: April 10, 2012)

LISTENTOMEPLAY podcasts:
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil 0 Part 6
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil 0 Part 5
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil 0 Part 4
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil Zero Podcast Part 3
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil Zero Podcast Part 2
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil Zero Podcast. RE0 Intro (Part 1)
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil: Code Veronica Finale (Part 7)
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil: Code Veronica Parts 5 and 6
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil: Code Veronica Part 4
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil: Code Veronica Part 3
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil: Code Veronica Part 2
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil: Code Veronica Podcast Part 1
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil 3 Podcast Finale (Part 5)
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil 3 Podcast Part 4
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil 3 Podcast Parts 2 And 3
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil 3 Podcast Part 1
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil 2 Podcast Final Master Run (Claire Redfield)
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil 2 Podcast (Leon Scenario A On Normal)
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil Remake Real Survival Mode Chris
* ListenToMePlay Super Metroid Podcast
* ListenToMePlay Super Metroid Podcast Part 2
* ListenToMePlay Oblivion “Through A Virgin’s Eyes” Podcast Part 1 – Guest Mr. Z
* ListenToMePlay Oblivion Podcast Part 2
* ListenToMePlay The Witcher 2 Podcast Part 1 – Guest: RedWinged Angel
* ListenToMePlay The Witcher 2 Podcast Part 2
* ListenToMePlay Resident Evil Remake Podcast – Guest: MyDad

WatchMePlay Zelda: Majora’s Mask Let’s Play Videos
* WatchMePlay Zelda: Majora’s Mask Part 7 – Empty Bottle GET! Deku Palace And Magic Beans
* WatchMePlay Zelda: Majora’s Mask Part 6 – Granny Robbin For Blast Mask And Kamaro Dance
* WatchMePlay Zelda: Majora’s Mask Part 5 – The Thief And the Curiosity Shop Dealer
* WatchMePlay Zelda: Majora’s Mask Part 4 – Bomb Bag, Bremen Mask, Scarecrow’s Song
* WatchMePlay Zelda: Majora’s Mask Part 3 – Bomber’s Notebook
* WatchMePlay Zelda: Majora’s Mask Part 2 – Repeating Yesterday
* WatchMePlay Zelda: Majora’s Mask Part 1 – Intro and Opening

Other WatchMePlay Series
* WatchMePlay Perfect Dark Xbox 360
* WatchMePlay Super Smash Bros.
* WatchMePlay Super Meat Boy

 

TV Show Review: Gilmore Girls Kill Me Now – Episode 3, Season One

Gilmore Girls Episode 3 - Kill Me Now (Season One)

“Kill Me Now” is the name of the 3rd Gilmore Girls episode of Season One, and gives us our first real “fluff” piece, as nothing mature plotwise happens in this episode. Although it is a really big character builder in a lot of ways.

In this episode the grandmother (Emily) manipulates the weekly dinner to set up a “Golf Date” between Rory and her grandfather Richard. Lorelai (the mother) tries to stop it from happening, but gives in when Emily challenges the situation and says that Lorelai is “scared” of the prospect of Rory having fun with her grandparents. She ends up giving in to the Golf Date that Emily has set up. While Rory doesn’t mind the situation, Lorelai “knows that she knows” that Rory doesn’t really want to go, and Richard is absolutely beside himself that he should be forced to take his 16-year-old granddaughter to his elite club to go golfing, when she’d rather “be at the mall”.

----This episode focuses on the relationship between Rory and her grandpa Richard (Played by Alexis Bledel and Edward Hermann respectively)

Lorelai, of course, is expecting to come out on top and for Rory to have a bad time, but instead the opposite proves true. Rory ends up having a great time hanging out with her grandfather, and they find out that they have some things in common, in particular a love for the desire to travel (To “Fez”!) and a love of old books. Since Richard is rich, he has access to interesting old manuscripts, something that Rory swoons over.

This boils up jelousy in Lorelai, who does not like the fact that her parents are intruding in the life of Rory which she fought so hard to keep her away from… and now here she is enjoying the “country club” lifestyle and finding aspects of her grandparents lives interesting. After all, Rory is supposed to despise everything her grandparents represent… right?

Rory enjoying the Golf Country Club atmosphere with her grandpa.

This of course is preyed on by Emily, who seems to make the gulf between Lorelei and her all the greater throughout the episode at every chance she gets. The scenes with Rory interacting with her grandfather and talking on the golf course (as well as Rory’s failed attempts to actually hit the ball, as you can see in this picture) are fun to watch. It’s interesting to see the two of them forced to get to know each other, and to see how their fondness for one another grows with each passing conversation and event.

----Rory's hilarious attempt to hit the ball goes awry... much to Richard's amusement and annoyance.

This episode also has one of the funniest moments ever, when Sookie is caught buying “someone else’s strawberries” behind the back of her vegetable boy Jason. Sookie spots the strawberries from across the street and makes a beeline straight for them, entranced and causing bike wrecks and car’s slamming on their breaks in her wake… And the ensuing argument between her and Jackson when he spots her oogling the strawberries as he is walking down the street is absolutely hilarious. Jackson: “You went behind my back buying someone else’s strawberries?!” Sookie: “I was desperate!” Jackson “YOU DISGUST ME.” Sookie: “I needed the strawberries!” Jaskons: *crying* “Well I hope you’re happy together!” It’s an absolutely awesome scene.

The absolutely hilarious Sookie Strawberry Scene between her and Jackson. A classic moment.

 

TV Show Review: Gilmore Girls Episode 2, Season One – The Lorelais’ First Day At Chilton

"It's fuzzy... it purs".... The alarm clock didn't pur on time... now Rory is late for school!

This second episode of Gilmore Girls (Season 1) is an absolutely fantastic episode. As funny and great as the Gilmore Girls Pilot Episode was, I think this episode is even better. It is absolutely packed to the gills with hilarious and funny moments throughout the entire episode.

Here we get introduced to Rory’s new school… the advanced, private, prestigious preparatory High School Chilton… which will be the stepping stone to getting into Harvard College. However the amazement of starting off Rory’s new life the “right way” takes a turn for the worst when Lorelai (her mom) oversleeps. Making matters worse, “laundry day” was never fulfilled and thus Lorelai is forced to wear her only good clothes… an outfit that makes her look like “that chick from The Dukes of Hazzard” :P Hilarity, naturally, ensues.

"*sighs* Laundry Day"... Poor Lorelai, the day just keeps getting better and better! "I look like that chick from the Dukes of Hazzard!"

This episode introduces us to a lot of new characters. We have Hanlon Charleston (i.e. “Headmaster Charleston”, the principle guy who runs the school), we meet Jackson, Sookie’s vegetable delivery boy, and we meet three principle new female characters; those who play the “mean girls” clique at Rory’s school, they are: Madeline, Louise and Paris… We also meet another potential future love interest for Rory, a boy bully named “Triston”. Further love boils in the air as well for Lorelai from a new guy who gets a bit of screen time, a fellow named Ian Jack (blink and you’ll miss his name) who is a “Chilton Dad”…. he’s gonna have to work hard if he wants at Lorelai, who doesn’t want to disrupt Rory’s new school life by dating someone who has a student there. Ian helps her and Rory find their way to the Principle’s office when they get lost.

Dem piercing eyes... The mean girls trio of (from left) Paris, Madeline, and Louise.

This episode gives a lot more screen time to Emily (Rory’s grandma) as well, and we get some interesting conversations between her and Lorelai; as Emily tries to buy her way into her granddaughters heart… in a manner that pushes Lorelai’s buttons.

We’re also introduced to a few of the neighbors, including Babette and Mory, a strange cat-lady and her even stranger shades-wearing husband. Babbette: “They kicked the gnome.” Loreleigh: “They… what?” Babette: “They kicked the gnome! Right in the head!” Mory: “That’s just not cool.” Babbette: “I’d be careful with these ones Lorelaigh. Gnome kicking says a lot about a man’s character.” Classic stuff.

...Cool cats Babbette (left) and Mory (right) explaining how Gnome kicking says a lot about a man's character to Lorelai. Mory: "That's just not cool."

Another character introduced is Kirk, who plays the village “worker guy” in various odd roles…. in this introductory episode he is known as “Mick” and plays the cable company guy who magically appears at Lorelai’s house to instal the “DSL” that Lorelai never ordered (orchestrated by Emily of course). He will end up becoming a recurring character and eventually turn into a loveable oddball villager and one of the shows stars named “Kirk”. Who will provide much of the shows weird comedy relief.

The principle story scenes in this episode though are mostly between Rory and Paris. Paris rolls with two other girls who are the elitist, popular, powerful girls at the school. Louise is the sexy, innuendo-loving Marilyn Monroe-type, Louise is the glamorous yet ditzy one, and Paris is the smart, mean, not-as-pretty, do-anything-to-succeed leader of the bunch. The cliche of the “mean girls” seems totally dumb on its face and you’ll quickly roll your eyes, but these characters are acted extremely well; and the annoyance of the cliche dissipates as we start seeing them in action and watching them interact with Rory.

 

TV Show Review: Gilmore Girls Episode 1, Season One – Pilot

Just as the quote says, it is the enjoyable banter that makes this show awesome.

The first episode of Gilmore Girls (Pilot), does a fantastic job of introducing the viewer to all of the characters you’ll grow to love through this 7 Season-long series. Exactly like a pilot should.

A “pilot” is the first episode of a TV series, the one that determines whether it will get the green light to be picked up as a whole season/series by the distributor. If a “pilot” gets good ratings during the first episode, then that producer/publisher/distributor (which was originally “the WB” in this case, Warner Bros., which turned into “The CW”) will order more episodes, typically the rest of the season which will make up “Season One” of the show. Order = pay for/fund. So episode one of Gilmore Girls is essentially a nameless episode, simply called the Gilmore Pilot.

What seperates this Pilot from a lot of other shows is the absolutely astounding pacing. The pacing just feels perfect, you’re never overwhelmed with new characters, and everyone gets just the right amount of screentime to allow the viewer to grow an attachment to that character. You really feel sucked into this little world of Stars Hollow and the Gilmore town from the get-go. The mood of two smalltown girls, a focus on the mother-daughter relationship, smart lingo and endless back-and-forth between characters is also well established in the introductory episode.

The cast of Gilmore Girls Season One (spoiler characters shabbily removed). From top: Lorelli, Luke, Sookie, Dean, Paris and Mrs. Patty

Additionally, this episode, in it’s running time of 44 minutes and 10 seconds, does a fabulous amount of character development already. You not only get attached to Lorili (the mother) and Rori (the daughter), the two main, principle characters, but also to the grandparents (Emily and Richard), Lorili’s friends and assistants at her hotel job (Frenchman “Michel” and Cook “Sookie”), Rory’s first potential love-interest (Dean), Rory’s best friend “Lane” and the gruff, Coffee Shop owner “Luke” (my favorite character), among other towns folk. All of whom are excellently introduced.

This episode also establishes the quick pace and bevy of crazy references that Gilmore Girls is known for, along with its laugh-out-loud trademark humor and sharp wit that fills every rapid-fire line; all this is done extremely well in this first episode.

This introductory episode is also really memorable because it’s filled with funny, touching, heartwarming and interesting moments.