Well yes I realize that the characters are not real but good assimilations of real people and I actually do know some people who are that relentlessly perky and clever and, depending on my mood, I either get caught up in the infectious energy or I want to slap the dickens out of them. Lol! Yes GG is here to entertain us with its wacky storybook town and eccentric characters but the main characters are real enough for us to get caught up in their dilemas hence the "dramedy" classification. I think the show works because it never took itself too seriously and now there is more "drama" and we wonder how that will affect the integrity of this great show.

Oh and I couldn't figure the correct spelling of those words right now since my brain is shuttng down but I'm more inclined to think sacreligious is correct. Am I wrong? Have a great day!

  Wow those are great pics! My 2 favorites are the one of Lorelai and Rory snuggling from the first season and the one of Lorelai and Sookie hugging in front of the future Dragonfly Inn. These pics give me warm fuzzies and make me smile. It's so true that picures can speak volumes. Lauren Graham is so gorgeous even when she pouts! Lol! Beautiful AND incredibly talented.... Lauren is definitely a winner in my book. If she doesn't get nominated for an emmy this year we are going to have to seriously protest.
Till next time.... Be happy!

Oops! It IS aneurysm. My bad! I must have had one while typing. Lol. And I'm a Holistic Health Practitioner... you would think I would know how to spell medical terminology. I guess I'm intitaled to a brain spasm now and then.

on reality and real.... Reality , to me is an imitation of life played out for our entertainment (i.e.reality t.v. shows) It's over the top. REAL is in the heart of the writer. Characters that are well rounded and developed have a life of their own. We view them as REAL because we can see aspects of our own lives in theirs. Good writers create real people. This is why we get so caught up in a good book... great character development and a great story that flows. Gilmore Girls has always had exceptional writing and character development thanks to ASP and team so we have come to know and love these people as REAL. We became so entwined in their lives and every small nuance that now that the creative team has changed and shifted we are still in shock. It's like beginning a whole new story. David Rosenthal and company are not unfamiliar with GG so, although this season started out slow, as we give them a chance to get into the flow that is GG the stories will unfold. Again, characters are only as good as their writers... the people who bring them to life. I like this season so far even though there are changes. I'm open to change. Remember we have an incredibly talented cast who breathe life into these characters and make them real to us.
Till next time.... Be happy!

Wow! So much to reply to! I love coming on this thread and having inteligent conversations. I agree with Dani257 on the whole Lorelai/Christopher relationship conundrum although so much was said that I think I would have an aneurism if I tried to comment on it all. Lol! Like MikeinLA I also feel that the characters are so well written that we can view them as real people and analyze their lives and choices they make. As older, more mature and worldly adults, we tend to see things from a different perspective than the younger fans. I am looking forward to seeing how this season unfolds and where each character's journey takes them. I definitely think this will be Lauren Graham's turn to really shine and hopefully get that emmy nod she so deserves! Till next time.... Be happy!

Wow lauren is on a magazine cover? I looked for Calabasas magazine and I don't get it here in San Diego! Rats! Can someone please post the article and pics on the show and cast news thread so those of us who can't get the mag can read it? Thanks. This is my first time posting here on this thread. I'm a huge Lauren fan. I'm a single mom . My only child (a daughter) is going to be 16 in a few weeks so I really relate to the show. Lauren is an inspiration to me as a single parent. Her portrayal of Lorelai has really helped me connect with my daughter who has a lot of emotional problems and mental illness. I can watch GG and laugh and find hope in dealing with my daughter. I am learning to love my daughter as she is and to support her no matter what. I would love to meet Lauren someday and tell her what a tremendous inspiration she is to me. Have a great day everyone!

Wow! I don't log on for a few days and I miss so much! MikeinLA and Dani257- you guys are a trip with your debate over 22 year olds and sex, the size of Christopher's apartment, and whether Sookie would beat Michel at arm wrestling. I enjoyed the fun.
My sister is a baker and has ridiculously strong arms and she can beat anyone in an arm wrestling match so it would not be improbable for Sookie to thrash Michel in arm wrestling. And have you ever tried to flip things in a cast iron skillet? I have. It's not easy. If you do it all the time like Sookie you will build up Popeye forearms too! Lol!
     As far as Christopher's apartment goes, it definitely looked small in comparison to some of the interior shots we've seen in previous eps.
     I like the season so far. I feel that Luke and Lorelai will finally get a chance to reevaluate their lives and maybe Lorelai needs to date Christopher to find out where her heart REALLY is. He is a part of her history and I think she has had conflicting feelings about him for years and now is her chance to finally deal with those feelings. These are characters that are growing and changing. I don't think it would be implausible for Lorelai to act the way she did last season. Yeah, she's normally very opinionated and "strong" but what if all that strength was an act? Everyone is entitled to their dark night of the soul wher they fall apart and have to rebuild and reinvent themselves as new strengths emerge. Lorelai has been slowly falling since the first season. As I've staed in previous posts, I believe that the root of her problems fall back to her relationship with her parents (see previous pages on this thread) and that's where she needs to begin her healing. I can't wait to see how this season unfolds. Let the journey begin!
     Lessa you are funny! I like your opinion of the Lane issue and about Christopher's apartment. oh and since Lorelai doesn't have a basement I would think that Paul Anka and company are trapped in the Twilight Zone. Maybe Paul Anka is locked in Lorelai's new bathroom. After all she has TWO sinks so he could drink out of one. If he can lock car doors I'm sure he can manage to turn on a faucet! Lol! As for Rory's job... funny!

 In places the dialog was slower. After all Lorelai was pretty depressed so she's not going to be her usual ultra perky self. Give her some time and she'll be back to her witty reparte. I'm still waiting for Lorelai to finally have her breakdown. A person can only hold onto that kind of pain for so long before they lose it. It's funny but reading in the episode thread for tonites episode there are so many people flipping out. I guess being 42 years old I've lived quite a bit so my views of the show and characters is more level headed. I'm interested to see where Dave Rosenthal takes them this season and how he develops them. I guess I just like the psychology of GG and interpreting the actions of the characters in a realistic way. Looking forward to next week.

     Boy I got everyone going on the Emily topic Huh! I agree with MikeinLa's views about Emily being culturally different in her parenting styles due to her upper class upbringing. I also agree about Lorelai growing up in the 70s and 80s and how different that generation was from the last. Having grown up in that era I know. Lorelai and Emily need to sit down and learn to communicate with each other like aduts and not mother and CHILD which is the dynamic they seem to be stuck in. I think this season will bring changes to the Lorelai/Emily relationships. After all we DID see another softer, more compassionate side of Emily in Driving Miss Gilmore in her reaction to Lorelai's tearful declaration of her and Luke not getting married. Emily DOES love her daughter and I really hope she finds a way to express that love to Lorelai so that she will believe it. oh, and Richard needs work too. He is not as callous as Emily in her criticism but her still avoids real conversation with Lorelai. Both Emily AND richard need to really talk with Lorelai so they can heal the whole Gilmore family disfunction.
     I'm looking forward to the season premiere tonight ans to seeing how the new season unfolds. So many people are really peeved about it but I say have faith and watch. I am a diehard fan and I watch GG for the complexity of the characters not just the great humor and witty pop cultural references. Until next time.... Be happy!

wow. I just found this thread. I'm new to the forum and a complete computer moron. I'm lucky I can even post comments! I love all the avatars and signatures people are creating. I wish I could do that. I would love it if someone could make one for me (not that I would even know how to add it to my profile). I want to be a part of the crowd and show off someones awesome art. I draw and paint quite well but I can't figure out a computer for nothing. If anyone can make me a signature with a collage of Lorelai and Rory pics of them hugging, laughing, crying, arguing and just being silly and the words "Best friends first. Mother and daughter second." then the words:" Some bonds can be bent but never broken." I would love it. Then I would have to figure how to add it to my profile. Keep up the great work. You guys have some really creative stuff here.

Wow! I'm old (42) and I STILL sleep with stuffed animals! I have a bear named Randy. I used to have a bear in nightshirt and bunny slippers named Boda but my ex husband threw him out. Grrrrrrr. I have a squishy, soft pengiun named Mr. Jingles. When I was little I had a blue, quilted blanket with a white satin trim and little white lambs on it. It eventually became a rag and my mother threw it out when I was 7. I carried that blanky everywhere when I was little.
I bought my own daughter a Puffalump Baby when she was 9 months old. She named it Baby cause that was one of the first words she said. Baby went everywhere with Ariel: on planes, trains, boats, across the country several times,on every vacation... She couldn't sleep without Baby, would freak out if Baby was accidentally left anywhere (and yes, I would have to get in my car and go retrieve her) and I can't tell you how many times Baby ended up covered in spit up or vomit or mud. I would have to pry that dirty rag out of my daughter's hands just to wash it and Ariel would say goodbye to Baby whenever Baby needed a "bath" in the washer and she'd wait in anxious, anticipation for the dryer to stop so her beloved Baby could return to her arms! Baby has been washed so many times that she has had to be rebuilt several times in addition to being restuffed. Luckily I knew people who could sew and basically recover Baby in new fabric with bows and all the trimmings. If Rory had a "Baby" you know Lorelai would have rebuilt  and restuffed it for her as long as Rory wanted. My daughter has cried many tears on her beloved friend and STILL sleeps with Baby at the age of 16! I think I need to write a series of childrens books about Baby's adventures because there are so many stories to tell. I guess everyone needs a Colonel Clucker or a "Baby" in their lives at least once. I think it's a rite of passage during childhood and as adults we try to hang on to the warm, secure feeling our blankies or treasured stuffed animals brought us.

So heres to those of us with our own Colonel Cluckers! We are loving, sentimental people who cherish the joy our fluffy, fuzzy,squishy old friends have brought into our lives. Long live our precious stuffed friends!!

Hey Kristin! You made some good points there about Emily. I wonder what her relationship with HER mother was like also. They don't mention it. Maybe it's a big reason as to why Emily is the was she is. It's funny how her relationship with Richard's mother was as disfunctional as her and Lorelai's and yet she couldn't see things from Lorelai's perspective?! Trix made Emily feel degraded and inferior and even when Lorelai points out that SHE feels the same way in their relationship Emily STILL doesn't get it! You would think this would set off major bells in Emily's head regarding why Lorelai is so distant with her. No, instead Emily doesn't hear Lorelai and continues to focus on her own issues with Trix. I think Lorelai needs to sit Emily down and make sure she is really listening and tell her: "Do you remember how you felt around Gran and how she treated you? Well, that's how I feel around you. I feel like I can never do anything right in your eyes and your constant barrage of criticism makes me feel bad. I feel angry and hurt and you wonder WHY I don't come around much. I need you to acknowledge that you HEAR me and understand me. When I am around you I feel like an incompetant child."
   The conversation could continue and it would be so powerful. If Lorelai and Emily can heal their old wounds they would BOTH be so much happier and maybe Emily would be a much more pleasant person to be around and then she could keep a maid for more than a day! LOL! Lorelai could then move on in her own life and have confidence that she is WORTH loving. THEN she and Luke could get their relationship straightened out and she could have "the whole package". So that's why I think EMILY is the key.
    I loved season 6 because it was so complicated and real. I don't think it's become a soap opera because the plots are still plausable and the conflicts are real. These are characters with flaws who are challenged to grow or crash and burn. I am looking forward to this season and to seeing where they take the story lines. Maybe this season they will finally deal with the major undertone of the show from the beginning which is Lorelai's relationship with her parents. I hope she finally deals with the whole christopher thing too. She has unresolved issues with him that need to be finally put on the table. Then Lorelai can see clearly to realize her true love is Luke and she will go after him. Of course Luke has his own journey to go on this year before he is ready to give himself fully to Lorelai. I wait in joyous anticipation of all things Gilmore this season! Until next time....be happy!

So what does all this mother talk have to do with GG? Well, our first real relationships, the ones that set the tone for how we will deal with people for the rest of our lives, is with our parents. This is where we learn our social cues on how to interact with people, where we learn our identity. If these first relationships are disfunctional or abusive then we often become "stuck" in the child roll, having to justify all our actions in life while trying to seek approval and acceptance from our parents. I think that this is why Lorelai acts like an adolescent around her parents. Emotionally she still is. Her poor relationship with Emily imo is why her romantic relationships suffer. If she didn't have Rory to give all her love to she'd be a lonely cat lady! Rory is her saving grace. She has someone to love who will love her back and fill that need to be loved. Why do you think Lorelai goes nuts when something happens to Rory (i.e. the car accident with Jess)? She'd be lost with out her. Now if she can just get over her insecurities with men then she and Luke could live happily ever after. So I think Emily is the key here in straightening Lorelai out. Emily loves her daughter but she needs to show her and tell her. At least in season 6 we see a great start. I'm not going to say for those who haven't seen season 6 yet but when you see the episode you will know. OOOOOOOh the anticipation! When you finally see it Caryn and figure out what I'm talking about with Emily let me know. And nobody spoil it for her O.K. AH the psychology of Gilmore Girls!! LOL!!
    Hi Michelle! I can't wait to read your latest rant! I'm getting better at the art of a good rant myself but you still take the cake!

You know that my mother was very emotionally abusive to me and my siblings but as an adult I got to really talk with her and learned of her abusive upbringing with her mentally ill mother and it gave me a new understanding for WHY she is they way she is. We have a great relationship now as long as we are 3000 miles apart (me in CA and she in NY) because our anxiety disorders basically make us twitch in each others presence! LOL! But I love my mom now and I hope that Lorelai can heal that most pivital relationship in her life because it really does affect all other relationships when your identity is tyied to disfunction and abuse.

Hey Caryn! I am SO a java junkie and believe me I want to see the two of them be happy but BOTH Lorelai and Luke need to grow in order for their relationship to work. Luke has his own issues. He's not a "hermit" for nothing! Lol!
    I agree with you about Emily. I think she really DOES love her daughter very much but doesn't know how to show it due to her rules on eticate and her own upbringing. I don't think Emily is fully aware of how damaging her cutting remarks are to Lorelai and they have problems communicating with each other so when Lorelai tries to tell her mother how much her comments hurt her it falls on deaf ears. They need to really sit and talk to each other and LISTEN to each other. Maybe then Emily can let Lorelai know how much she loves her and that their separation and falling out for so many years really hurt her as well. They need to repair their relationship. I like Emily because I can see how much she loves her daughter but she really doesn't know how to tell her. She reminds me so much of my own mother so I understand how Lorelai could feel angry with her and yet deep inside still attempt to have a relationship with her no matter how many times her heart gets crushed. She STILL wants her mother's love. That's why I believe that Lorelai needs to heal her relationship with her mother first then everything will fall into place.

Hi everyone! Boy it's been a while since I posted so I had to play catch up and read everyones posts. Welcome to the new "oldies". I'm Lori, aged 42, and a single mom of a teenaged daughter. You will read how Gilmore Girls has been a great source of therapy in our lives since we've lived longer and had more life experiences( including parenting) than the young ones. We have some interesting conversations here.
Michelle: I am so sorry to read about the death of your grandmother. You have my deepest sympathies and an online hug. All of my grandparents are gone so I don't have any warm, fuzzy, wise elderly influences in my life any more. At least not familial. I am a live in caregiver to a 91 year old lady named Joy who is like a grandma to me. She's so sweet and still sharp as a tack so I've adopted her as my new grandma. So let us cherish our ELders with love and respect because when they are gone they will have left an indelible imprint on our hearts that will comfort us during our grief and bring much joy to our memories. So HUGS to you Michelle.
I can't wait til next week for season 7 of GG. So many people have posted about how they thought season 6 was bad but I liked it. I liked that they shook up our favorite characters. You can't have growth without deep personal issues. It would be boring. That's why I think this season is going to be so good. We'll get to see growth and change and hopefully the healing of some relationships.


    Here's a topic for discussion: Does anyone else agree with me that Lorelai's problems all stem from the way she was treated by her parents, especially Emily? i think that the reason she has trouble with relationships of a romantic nature is because deep down inside her self esteem was damaged by years of Emilies criticism. Maybe deep down she doesn't feel worthy of love and ends up sabotaging her relationships. I think the relationship that needs to be repaired first is the one with her mother. That is her oldest relationship and it has affected every relationship she has had since. You can see by her reactions to Emily putting her down how much it hurts her. If Lorelai doesn't feel worthy of love she may nevr have a healthy romantic relationship with Luke or anyone else. She will keep sabotaging it even if it's subconsiously. Anyone else have any thoughts on this? Let's talk.