That Damn Donna Reed episode #1.14 | written by Elise

Elise's Comment: This charming episode is introduced with a conversation between Lorelai, Rory and Dean about the idealistic 50s wife portrayed in the Donna Reed Show. I am suddenly reminded of the movie Pleasentville. This conversation introduces the first plot of the episode: Rory serving Dean a home cooked meal at Babette's house while cat-sitting. Her outfit, which is later ridiculed by Lorelai, and her lime jello desert are amongst the funniest scenes. The second plot revolves around Lorelai and Luke, who seem to be getting closer. They share a special moment in the diner, interrupted by the town people who are astonished to learn Luke will be repainting the place. [see photo below] It is then followed by their desperate search for Stella, Rory's science project, around the Gilmore's house.

Luke: You know, this place hasn't been painted since my dad was alive. [...] He painted it before he opened it and once more when the roof caved in one winter. I think that's probably it.
Lorelai: The paint lasted a long time. He got his money's worth.
Luke: Yep. He really loved this place, you know. This store was his life. Mine too, I guess. I spent every minute I wasn't in school here. I spent a lot of minutes I was supposed to be in school in here too.
Lorelai: How come you opened a diner? Why didn't you keep it a hardware store?
Luke: I don't know. I didn't love the hardware business the way my dad did, and, you know, I knew how to cook, so I just thought a diner would be more...fun.
Lorelai: That's a hard word for you to say.

Rory: Can brains hurt?
Lorelai: Yes, it's hypochondria hour.
Rory: No, I'm serious. Last night when I was reading my biology chapters I distinctly heard a ping in the vicinity of my brain.
Lorelai: Your brain pinged?
Rory: Yeah. It just went like "dink."
Lorelai: Well then, honey, your brain dinked. It didn't ping.

Lorelai: I love to paint.
Luke: You love it?
Lorelai: I want to marry it.
Luke: You have strange passions.
Rory: She likes washing dishes too. She's mult-faceted abnormal.
Lorelai: Ah, come on. We'll drink a couple beers, we'll sing painting songs.
Luke: Painting songs.
Lorelai: Yeah, painting songs. Like, uh, you know, the song that goes, um...(singing) "Grab your brush and grab your rollers/All you kids and all you...bowlers/We're going paintin' today!" Say yes or there's another verse.

Luke: This place is a disaster. What's going on?
Lorelai: OK, the last sighting was here, by the InStyle magazine. But then she burrowed through the Glamour and jumped over the Cosmo and knocked over a brand new bottle of nail polish so all I can tell you is if there was any doubt that this chick was a girl, well, there isn't anymore.
[searching for Stella]

[written January 18, 2003]