This episode originally aired on September 26, 2006 on The CW
Summary:
Emily and Richard are delighted when Lorelai and Christopher attend Friday night dinner together as a couple. Christopher reveals that Sherry has written him a letter saying she regrets leaving their daughter, G.G., and asking him to send G.G. to visit her in Paris. Lorelai can’t believe that Chris would consider this and they get into an argument over dinner. Logan returns to town on business to acquire an internet company and pays Rory a surprise visit. Rory is thrilled, but during a dinner with Logan’s colleagues, she realizes that she has no connection to his new business world, and is especially threatened by one of his beautiful co-workers. Meanwhile, Stars Hollow is plagued by a terrible odor when a train with a full load of pickles derails, and Taylor refuses to pay for the cleanup.
Recap:
In this episode, the town of Stars Hollow is overwhelmed by a permeating stink when a train carrying pickles derails, leaving the town engulfed in an unbearable odor. This event forces the town to come together to find a solution, albeit in their typical quirky and chaotic manner. Lorelai and Rory find themselves navigating through this peculiar incident, providing a somewhat comedic and light-hearted overlay to their otherwise complex and emotionally charged lives.
Lorelai continues to grapple with her evolving relationship with Christopher, feeling an unsettling mix of contentment and underlying guilt for moving forward so hastily. Her emotional complexity is further deepened as she attempts to manage her fracturing relationship with Rory, who herself is trying to reconcile her love for Logan with her aspirations and independent spirit.
Logan, though seemingly committed to Rory, is navigating through his own career and life ambitions, presenting a challenging dynamic to their relationship. His presence in Rory’s life is met with a mix of warmth and apprehension by Lorelai, who fears her daughter may be replicating her own patterns in love and life.
The pickle incident, while humorous, serves as a metaphor for the predicaments in which the characters find themselves – in a pickle, per se. Lorelai’s relationship with Christopher enters deeper waters when they start discussing a future together, which comes with its own sets of joys and challenges.
Memorable quotes from this episode of Gilmore Girls:
- Lorelai to Rory: “Sometimes life stinks, kid, but we find our way through it together.”
- Logan to Rory: “I can’t imagine a future that doesn’t have you in it.”
- Luke: “A town might smell, but the unity here never stinks.”
- Christopher to Lorelai: “I don’t want to be a rebound. I want to be your future.”
- Rory to Logan: “I love you, but love isn’t a plan.”
