I never thought or expected, from the spoilers, that Lorelai's "epiphany" would be instigated by Emily's breakdown about "what a wife is, what a marriage is". (I suppose it was also abetted by seeing Logan with Rory.) I appreciated that--that it wasn't necessarily about Luke being a better man than Chris, but rather what Lorelai told Chris on the phone--that she was trying to be a wife, and that she figures married people should be there for each other. And her telling Chris that him not being there was not okay...I liked the way she said it, and how she came to that conclusion. It wasn't about her loving Luke still or not loving Chris...but rather how they could possibly make their marriage work if he couldn't get past hurts and doubts and old jealousies.

In contrast, in the few scenes that Luke was there, it seemed to me as if he and Lorelai had gotten past their messy past. Like they were friends--not quite the Lorelai-and-Luke of old (circa S1-4), but sort of getting there. I've read people complain or wonder why there weren't any sparks or any tinge of romance between them...but I think that was deliberate, and just right. It isn't the time for that now at all. It's good that he was there, and that he helped, and that was that.

I loved Emily. And I loved Logan. Both just so there for Richard and Rory in their own usual way.

I agree & disagree. I think the money will come indirectly from Rory, through Chris. The last shot of them was of Rory, Logan & Chris, and somehow that combined with the Chris, Rory, Gigi shots from a couple of weeks ago makes me believe that things are going to be fine with Chris & Rory, that the relationship they've built together, unfortunately off screen, will continue. If he's back for more eps than just next week & her graduation, he'll be walking her down the aisle to marry Logan, her "one."
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Perhaps during the scotch talk? I don't think she needs to know quite as much as Rory ended up knowing. But some of it might help her really let go of Chris as a romantic partner for Lorelai. That her assessment of him as weak is correct, but his class by birth does not give him a pass. Logan's showing you can be to the manor born and a good, dependable when needed, guy as well. But I think some of what happened then might be appropriate to discuss then. Lorelai knows Emily & Richard had accepted Luke, however grudgingly. I think letting Emily into her life a little might help pave the road to their accepting her choices in the future.

The attempt to give him money was just her usual obnoxiousness to those with less money then her.

just my .02 cents:

re the promo--I just keep watching it over and over...and LG is so good in that scene..and it saddens me to watch--but, this is what I think:

she has tried very hard to commit herself to Christopher. Knowing full well she never really got over Luke. So she pushed him to the back of her mind and tried to forget him. Then Chris brings it up along with the letter and it all comes back...he storms out and Luke shows up at the hospital--Lorelai is happy that he's there but in the back of her mind she doesn't want him there because of the implications of the letter with Chris and she doesn't want to see proof of her failed marriage with Chris being absent at the hospital. Also because she is trying to convinvce herself that what he said isn't true. But seeing him there and listening to Emily go on about what her marriage is like makes Lorelai realize that she doesn't have a real marriage with Christopher...and she vocalized it to Chris when she left the message saying she doesn't even know how to be his wife. She realizes that she doesn't have the kind of relationship she wants. Christopher is a selfish terd. He couldn't even be bothered to check his damn voicemail. I hope she gives him crap next week instead of defending herself for Luke being there even though she had no idea he would show up.

Now the part in the promo where she said "I need you to know that you are the man I want to want" says to me that she is not over Luke yet, but that she doesn't want to be in love with Luke. Firstly because she thinks he doesn't love her, and secondly because she doesn't want to be in love with him. Because of everything that went on between them, and all the pain he caused her, it hurts her to love Luke more than she does Christopher--a guy who wants her. So that's a tough situation to be in. That's pretty much my take on things. It looks like Chris will be somewhat understanding in the promo. Hopefully he'll realize that you can't force someone to fully love them the way you want. It's selfish, and he needs to realize his part in this whole mess as well.

Well, if I ask someone to fuel my car, I always give him money as I don't expect anyone to pay for my gas. I don't even see why this (talking about the gas ) is discussed

For the rest of the episode, my two cents:

This was the best episode since 5x13 and it's the only one since 5x13 I'm going to watch over and over again. Kelly was simply amazing in it, I totally agree with the critic who wrote it was like an acting seminar from the beginning to the end. She was brilliant and I'm glad that the authors finally gave her an opportunity again to pull out all the (acting) stops, plus I hope that they'll give her more such opportunities.

But although it was a great episode, it wasn't as good as the "old" ones if it comes to the writing (I loved the scene in the giftshop, still it didn't touch me as much as the scene between Emily and Richard in F&S which always sends shivers through my body and was just perfect form both: acting and writing. I really missed such a strong scene between Emily and Richard, one with the energy of F&S. The one they had was good, but it lacked something. I was sure Emily is going to say something after Richards "It's fine" - but cut. It was like someone had changed the channel accidently. Plus, I'm kind of dissapointed that they didn't mention "the promise".) - still they're on a good way to bring the old energy back. It was good written, there was an evenly balance of humor, drama, love and family, but it's only that brilliant because the actors were brilliant and in top form. With worse actors, it would've been just okay.

I so had to laugh, when Emily threated Luke like he was a servant. Not because of the happening on screen only, but because of all the discussions in here how Emily will see Luke in a completly different light now and see what a good man he is blablabla ( - maybe she'll see what a good gofer he is now ) I always said this won't happen. And heck, it didn't. Kudos. Great feeling

Moreover, I don't understand how people can say it was sweet of Luke to drive to the hospital. It was inappropriate. He and Lorelai broke up. They aren't friends. He knows she's married (and he had that fight with Chris and knows that Chris doesn't like him and vise versa) to another man, "it" was a family thing (or was Sookie there? Michel? Babette? Friends of Emily and Richard? Nope. Because you don't drive to a hospital just like that, if it's not your family or you're considered as a family member) and therefore it was simply none of his business to drive to the hospital.

Mentioning Babette ^^ Theee, she was so sweet with all her babbling about her negligee, Paul Anka and Richard's sexiness. That was real fun and made me remember the "old" times (I'm stressing the world old too much, I know ) Logan and Rory were sweet, too, (since last episode already) the Lorelai and Rory scenes are getting back to old terms and I liked the scene with Zach (Why am I getting slowly a fan of him? I never liked him *huh*).

The best parts (as already mentioned) were those with Kelly of course. The scenes with Richard and those with Lorelai and Emily - there was actually a process between them, some really good signs. I'm glad that there was no hug as it would've destroyed this beginning bonding that hopefully will grow through the next episodes - and looking at the newest spoilers, the Scotch, the remembering, I think we'll finally get what we've been waiting for so long, a new and stronger basis of Emily's and Lorela's relationship that doesn't come out of the blue (like a hug would've) but slowly developed, just like it would in real life.

I really think we can look forward to the rest of the Season *nods*

ETA: Forgot: Thanks sooo much blaab for the clips and everbody else for the new spoilers

Reading your reaction, Riska, I was reminded of the moment I really felt for Emily. It wasn't during her meltdown. It was when she was talking to Richard about how she had followed the plan and she had ordered so much fish. That was a very "Awww. Love." moment for me.

Yep, NOT, there were two moments when I did choke up in this ep. That was that moment of Emily and the plan and sooo much fish, because after that speech in the hospital-store, that came across to me as the biggest I love You possible from Emily to Richard ... sure she uses different words, but that I felt was clearly her saying that!

I liked that it was a throw back to her description of her parents looking small when she told them she was pregnant, too. (I didn't catch that until someone on a board pointed it out.) Small is the only way she can think of to describe him looking wrong. I did like when she told him that he looked tall, after the surgery.

Oh Riska, I didn't mean that as a comparison Her demanding to go first was definitely another example of this. I was more trying to say that is her way of expressing this huge love for this man ... and I guess we can agree on that!