Gilmore Girls 5.20 "How Many Kropogs to Cape Cod?"

Gilmore Girls 5.20 "How Many Kropogs to Cape Cod?"
Original Air Date: May 3, 2005 (Recap date: April 11, 2008)
Recap & Discussion

Discussion Questions:

• Do the past few episodes make it seem like Rory and Paris cannot be happy on their own, that being with boyfriends is a necessary element to their happiness?
• Why is Rory so nervous about her internship?
• Does Rory need to know so much about Mitchum to prepare for her internship?
• Was Rory hiding her internship from Lorelai because it’s from Mitchum?
• Are the Gilmores not surprised that Rory is dating Logan?
• Why does Lorelai say she’s the one to hear alarm clocks, when all other episodes had Rory as the responsible one who woke up with alarms?
• Does Lorelai think it’s her right to have dinner with Logan first?
• Does Emily realize she has the power to get Lorelai to agree to dinners again?
• Why is Rory acting like a spaz around Mitchum?
• Why wasn’t Lorelai told that the article was coming out in American Travel? Especially if she had asked that it be pulled?
• Should Lorelai take the meeting with the guy at the Durham Group?
• Do Richard & Emily assume Rory is very serious with Logan? Why?
• Is Emily snubbing Lorelai? Why?
• Why do Richard & Emily suck up so much to Logan?
• Are Richard & Emily letting their own personal tastes for rich families cloud their judgement of Rory & Logan’s relationship?
• Does Lorelai think Logan is bad for Rory? Does that night prove it more?
• Why won’t Richard & Emily consider that Logan is not perfect?
• Does Lorelai want to take the job to travel and consult? If not, what is stopping her?

Gilmore Girls Episode Recap:

Lorelai bought a Roomba for herself and for Rory, and they are separately watching the pink vacuum robots clean their respective rooms.

Paris comes in singing Walking on Sunshine for the millionth time, much to the annoyance of Rory. Paris is just really happy. Doyle calls her his girlfriend with no visible shaking. Rory is glowing about her Logan relationship too. He shows up then for their date, and Rory takes him past the ogling Paris to her room. Once in, Logan mocks Paris for being in love with Doyle. Rory says it’s good when Paris is happy – the alternative is not as pretty.

Rory is trying to decide what to wear to her first day on the internship. She’s very excited. Rory admits to Googling Mitchum last night – 12,053 items came up. Rory knows more about Mitchum than Logan does now. Rory tries to ask questions about Mitchum’s politics and his reading habits – to know more about this "born journalist." Logan, unfortunately, only ever talks to his father about sailing or about not meeting his potential. He just knows that Mitchum doesn’t like peas. Rory makes note to read up about wine and Haiti, topics Mitchum has covered before.

In class, Rory is surrounded by books on wine and Haiti, which draws the attention of one of her professors. Rory says her interests are "teasingly diverse."

Lorelai calls Rory to see if she’s returned the blue sweater. Rory just says "oh no," knowing that Lorelai changed her mind about it again. Rory has returned a lot of clothes for Lorelai of late – the capri pants more than once. And ’sales final’ items too, which makes her feel "retail simple." When Lorelai mentions Rory’s free afternoon, Rory realized she hadn’t told Lorelai about her internship. Lorelai tries not to sound weird when she hears that it’s from Logan’s dad, but instead congratulates Rory.

The mannequin horse has fallen on Taylor in the museum. Kirk came to tell Luke two hours ago, but Luke didn’t rush straight over. Luke points out that nobody came by in those two hours – the museum is a bust. Luke leaves him under the horse while suggesting that Taylor sell the place to someone who really wants it.

Emily is picking up tennis again, which pleases Richard (for the outfits). Rory gets asked about her internship, and her grandparents are pleased that Mitchum asked her without Logan’s influence. They think Rory’s reputation preceded her. Rory mentions a dinner with the Huntzberger house in passing, and Emily freaks out about missing the social window to reciprocate and invite Logan to their house. They panic about how quickly they can invite him over. They insist Rory call Logan right away.

Rory calls Logan to drop the news and to let him know she didn’t encourage the invite, nor did she call him the "b word" in any way. Rory apologizes for the pressure this puts on them. Knowing the odds are against skipping it, Logan is in. Logan then hits his window in a joke that the carrier pigeon just slammed into it.

Lorelai asks for Luke to save some pie for Rory, who is coming back to sleep in preparation to get up at 2am to go hear Lane play. Except, Lorelai will hear the alarm and Rory will not. So, Lorelai will need to wake up Rory, who will go out looking like a "Neutrogena ad" and Lorelai will be too tired to go back to her bed and will have a fitful night on the couch. Luke casually mentions the museum closing when a mannequin goes by the window. Lorelai seems sad about that.

Rory brings Lorelai back the sweater, and Lorelai is not so thrilled with it again. Rory bans Lorelai from shopping in New Haven. Rory tells Lorelai about Logan being invited to dinner. Lorelai seems uncomfortable about that.

At 12:30, Lorelai jumps into Rory’s bed and tells her she wants to go to dinner. She is upset at not being invited to the Logan dinner. Lorelai thinks she has first dibs on getting to know Logan. Rory says that she has to call Emily if she wants to come to dinner. Lorelai isn’t happy with that, but those are the conditions.

Rory shows up for her internship in a smart suit. She’s a little nervous, but the secretary points her in the right direction. Rory has to call out for Harry to find him. He helps with the interns. Rory is bubbly and excited, and apparently forgot her pencil. Rory goes to the coffee room while Harry is called off. Then pulls out her camera phone to take a picture of herself.

Rory is one of the few people who actually knows Huntzberger, since it’s his first day in the paper too (having just bought it). Rory says "yes, sir", she’s ready to shadow Mitchum, but then loses him when she puts her coffee down.

Lorelai wills herself to call Emily. Emily thinks it’s a prank call until Lorelai finally has the courage to say hello. Emily points out the coincidence that Lorelai wants to come to the Friday night dinner that Logan is coming to. Emily says Lorelai does not get to cherry-pick her dinners.

"If you come to this dinner, you come to them all. That’s the deal."

Emily says that if Lorelai shows up on Friday she will assume Lorelai’s Friday’s for the foreseeable future are free.

Rory discovers her shoe choice was not practical, so carries her heels around as she runs after Mitchum. Rory tries to make a joke / reference to Mitchum’s past as a runner at Yale, but it falls short. A door closes on Rory and she’s not sure if she’s supposed to follow. Rory calls Logan for help. She feels like a spaz. She didn’t even know if she was supposed to take lunch, she just stood in the break room and ate an Altoid. Rory asks Logan for something to say to connect with Mitchum. He mentions a few things, including that Mitchum switches to defac after 4pm. Rory is worried that Mitchum will be disappointed in her. Logan says that her name would have to be Logan for that to happen.

Luke has made Lorelai a gourmet dinner, though he says "it’s nothing." Richard calls Lorelai to say that someone from the Durham Group called him asking if he was Lorelai’s father. They own boutique hotels. And they know about the article coming out in American Travel about the Dragonfly. Lorelai seems upset to hear the article is coming out. The whole thing means that Lorelai is an "up-and-comer" and that Mike Armstrong, of the Durham Group, wants a meeting with Lorelai. Perhaps to offer her a job. Richard is "quite proud" of Lorelai.

Later, Luke points out that things can’t really get worse with Emily. And he fishes about the potential job – Lorelai casually talks about selling the Inn and being a consultant. Lorelai says she’s not interested, but Luke seems upset by it. Luke suggests, after, that Lorelai take the meeting anyway, for networking.

Richard has been thinking that the Huntzbergers are soon to go to Martha’s Vineyard, and Emily talks about their functions there. Including weddings. She’s keen on that thought. Richard suggests it’s time for them to get a place for an extended family. Perhaps in Cape Cod. Be ready for the next generation – or perhaps a wedding, Emily suggests.

"Picture his blonde hair and her blue eyes on a little baby."

They are both giddy. It’s Lorelai at the door, and that’s a disappointment to Emily. She has Richard go sit with Lorelai, but then immediately recalls him.

Logan and Rory show up to dinner – Logan came prepared with hostess gifts. He asks if Lorelai will be cool, and Rory says she will. Rory asks about the hostess gifts, and finds that Logan has brought a third trinket, one belonging to another rich person. He has no time to explain. Emily and Richard gush about how perfect Rory and Logan are. And everything Logan says or does is perfect.

Emily seems to snub Lorelai when Logan comes in, then interrupts Rory to formally introduce Logan herself. Then seems to "forget" what Lorelai drinks, thinking it’s a sidecar not a martini. Emily then excuses Lorelai for not having the "certain eye" to appreciate Logan’s lapels.

Lorelai asks how far Logan lives from Rory, and he says about 90 Kropogs, which gets a laugh from Emily and Richard. A Kropog is the height of an old Yale student, and it’s a fun joke still at Yale to measure things in Kropogs. Richard forgot to pass Lorelai her drink, so Emily goes to get it. And places an onion in it, not an olive like Lorelai specifically asked.

The conversation is boring Lorelai. From Yale to tennis, she feels outside the conversation. Logan offers to "set Emily up" with someone to make her a new tennis racquet. And nobody has offered to fill her drink since earlier in the night. Emily talks to Lorelai like she’s two, saying she’s acting like she’s never been there before.

While Emily & Richard are getting dinner finalized, Logan tries to smile to Lorelai about the dinner sounding good. On the way in, Logan stops Rory and tells her about the Life & Death Brigade business to steal one knick knack from a rich person’s house, and to leave in its place a knick knack stolen from another rich person’s house. Lorelai hears and sees the theft. Logan says nobody ever notices, when Rory calls him crazy.

Emily comes out and notices right away that her antique sewing box is missing. Lorelai shakes her head at Logan. Emily gets even more confused when she sees a lighter in place of the sewing box. Emily is accusing the maid of stealing the trinket, so Lorelai says she found it. She holds out her hand to Logan to give it to her. Rory looks extremely guilty.

Logan gloats about Rory’s success at the paper – having more pieces printed above the fold than anyone that year. Richard calls them a power couple. Emily brings up Martha’s Vineyard and how lovely it is there for a wedding. And talks about how nice Cape Cod is for weddings as well. Emily tells them they would look "awfully cute" in Cape Cod. Emily asks about the kids in Logan’s family, and Logan admits the extended family has been procreating a lot recently. Emily asks Logan if he likes kids. And gushes about how kids love Cape Cod. Lorelai tries to change the subject by saying internships are a communist plot.

Logan and Rory make for the door, and Emily interrupts Lorelai as she tries to say her goodbyes. Lorelai rolls her eyes listening to Emily and Richard fall all over themselves complimenting Logan. Lorelai immediately gets mad at her parents for all the heavy hints about weddings and babies and Cape Cod - they are still young and figuring things out. Lorelai says it’s too much pressure. Richard & Emily are overjoyed with the match and think Lorelai is biased by her own feelings. Emily sarcastically says Lorelai is not comfortable around those "type of people." Lorelai thinks that’s a snide remark at Luke.

Lorelai tells Richard & Emily they are busy marrying Rory off into a family that was not even nice to her. Lorelai tells them that the Huntzberger family treated Rory like trash and that the internship is Mitchum buying Rory off. Richard argues that Rory got the internship by making a contact, in the same way Lorelai is with Mike Armstrong.

Emily & Richard are so unwilling to see Logan as anything but perfect, and anything but perfect for Rory. They don’t care that Rory was kissing Logan at their wedding in the back room. And they won’t hear when Lorelai brings up the sewing box. They suggest Lorelai go home, perhaps having one too many "sidecars."

Rory is waiting for Mitchum with coffee – her whole bearing is more confident. When Mitchum looks at his watch when offered the coffee, Rory points out that it is decaf. So, this time when Mitchum goes into a private room, he invites Rory to follow.

Sookie has Mannie working in her kitchen, so she can supervise him in creating dishes for the Dragonfly. Lorelai says that Mike Armstrong has called twice since their meeting and is open to buying the Inn or investing in the Inn. They could stay to run the Inn, or consult and travel the world. But, as exciting as that would be, Sookie has a family. Sookie says it’s something Lorelai could do, though. Sookie asks Lorelai what’s stopping her. That makes Lorelai pause.  

Images: TheWB.com

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