Welcome to the Friday Night Readers podcast! In this Gilmore Girls podcast episode #2, we break down our pop culture rewatch of Season 1, Episode 2, “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton.” Listen below and get the full transcript.
Recap: What Happened in Stars Hollow in S1, E2: “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton”
This episode begins with the memorable scene from the opening credits in which Lorelai paints Rory’s toenails, showing their intimate mother-daughter connection.
Then, on Rory’s first day at Chilton, Lorelai oversleeps on account of a mishap with a fuzzy, purring alarm clock. Rory’s totally losing it because she doesn’t want to be labeled the “late girl,” and as a fellow goody two-shoes, I totally identify with her.
We all know what happens next. Lorelai’s clothes are all dirty, and she’s forced to drive Rory to school in her Daisy Dukes, cowboy boots, and a tie-dyed top, like she’s going to the rodeo. She attempts to cover it with a pea coat, but Emily, who shows up at the Headmaster’s office, forces her to take it off, to everyone’s horror.
Lorelai heads to Luke’s, where he scolds both her appearance and her coffee habit, trying to persuade her to opt for herbal tea. Here, she says one of her most famous lines:
“This is a jumbo coffee morning. I need coffee in an IV.”
I currently own, and will link in the show notes, the cutest pillow with the Luke’s logo and this quote. If it’s sold out, try eBay!
Personally, I’m a jumbo coffee in the morning and an herbal tea at night kind of gal, but how about you?! Let me know in our chat thread on the topic on Fridaynightreaders.substack.com.
Back at Chilton, in class, Rory quickly learns she’s not in Kansas– that is, Stars Hollow, anymore. Not only is the classwork demanding, but so, too, are her classmates. The reigning lead of her class, Paris Geller (played by Liza Weil, originally considered for Rory’s role), is none too pleased with her new competition. And ladies’ man, Tristin Dugray, played by Chad Michael Murray, mocks Rory by calling her “Mary,” like the Virgin Mother.
Emily then sends Mick, a DSL installer, to Lorelai’s house, without permission, to try to have her way in setting Rory up for academic success. He’s played by none other than Sean Gunn, who later plays the recurring character Kirk. Want to know what’s up with his name change? I’ll get to that in a later episode, so stay tuned!
By the end of the day, Lorelai picks Rory up at Chilton with coffee and a more appropriate outfit, and the two commiserate about their bad first day.
The Gilmores’ World of Books
Let’s break down this episode’s most iconic literary references for those taking the Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge with us on Fridaynightreaders.substack.com, where we read from the list of books mentioned on Gilmore Girls.
First, when Lorelai looks for a hunchback in Chilton’s bell tower, she’s referring to The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo. This story follows Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer of Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral, whose devotion to the gypsy Esmeralda offers themes of love, fate, and social injustice. It was also a popular, Oscar-nominated 1996 Disney cartoon movie.
At Chilton, Rory quickly learns about the classics: Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace and Anna Karenina, and Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, and Little Dorrit. Dickens’s influence on Tolstoy is heavily discussed at Chilton.
That’s a lot of books, so I’m just going to focus on a few important notes.
First, while I’ve never read David Copperfield, I absolutely loved Barbara Kingsolver’s adaptation, Demon Copperhead, which retells the story of a boy growing up impoverished in modern Appalachia in America. It’s an all-time favorite. But, don’t just take my word for it: It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the Women’s Prize for fiction, and it was an Oprah’s Book Club pick, an instant bestseller, and a New York Times Readers’ Pick: Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. This is absolutely a “Rory” book and would pair so well with a reading of David Copperfield.
Now, we simply must talk about Anna Karenina, a book we will see and hear more about throughout Gilmore Girls, as it’s considered to be Rory’s favorite book. This 800-page Russian behemoth follows the love affair between the aristocratic Anna and the officer Vronsky, set against the rigid 19th-century society. The parallel story of landowner Levin explores themes of family, faith, and the search for meaning, offering a counterpoint to Anna’s story.
This classic book is long and hard, but worth it! From its famous opening line, its intense family drama, and the ill-fated love story at its core raise the stakes for the classic reader.
A few reading tips: Try the Oprah’s Book Club edition, which won the PEN/Book of the Month Translation Prize. Read it slowly and alongside a guide; I used Spark Notes, which really helped me understand how Russian history intersected with the plot. Watch an adaptation, like the “Keira Knightley version,” which I thought was very good. Or, read a modern re-telling. I recommend Anna K by Jenny Lee, which has Gossip Girl vibes. I’ll link my full Anna Karenina review in the show notes for you.
Next, Miss Patty tells her students that the new Harry Potter is on their heads. You better believe I figured this one out for you! The episode aired on October 12, 2000, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling was published just three months earlier, on July 8, 2000. It’s the fourth book in the Harry Potter series, in which Harry is unexpectedly chosen to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. This, for me, is when the Harry Potter series, both the books and the movies, begins to take a darker turn.
Curious about every single book mentioned in this Gilmore Girls episode—even the obscure references most people miss, like Lorelai’s “off with their heads” and the many other authors referenced at Chilton? Head to this episode’s page at Fridaynightreaders.substack.com. When you upgrade to a paid membership, you’ll get full printable episode guides for every Gilmore Girls episode and a printable Gilmore Girls-inspired reading journal—perfect for tracking your own Rory-inspired reading journey.
Oy With the Pop Culture Already!
Now, because I want you to understand even more of the Gilmore Girls’ fast talk, here’s what some of this episode’s best pop culture references mean.
Fashion
This episode gives us the most recognizable Lorelai Gilmore outfit: Daisy Duke jean shorts, cowboy boots, and a pink tie-dyed t-shirt, covered by a long black coat. Every fall, I post my ideas for this particular Lorelai Gilmore costume, which I will link in the show notes, and every year, it’s a bestseller, particularly the Luke’s disposable coffee cups. I don’t know what it is about these cups, but they are my #1 bestseller every Halloween!
Lorelai’s laundry snafu got me thinking about outfit mishaps. I asked my social media followers if they ever had such a Lorelai moment, and I heard tales of completely mismatched sandals, looking homeless in front of a “hot doctor,” wearing a cheer uniform under your workwear (I’ve had to do that, too, as a teen!), and even wearing full blown cocktail attire to a company event that was as casual as sweatpants for everyone else.
Personally, my mom loves to tell the story of when I told her, as a first grader, that Wednesday was a “half day,” but I had a lisp, so she thought I said “hat day” and sent me to my little Catholic school in a giant sombrero. Thanks, mom!
Related Post: Rory Gilmore Chilton Costume
TV and Movies
Outfitted in her rodeo getup, Lorelai says:
“I look like that chick from The Dukes of Hazzard.”
The Dukes of Hazzard is an American action-comedy TV series that aired from 1979–1985. It’s set in the fictional Hazzard County, Georgia, and follows cousins Bo and Luke Duke, who drive their iconic orange Dodge Charger, the “General Lee,” while clashing with the corrupt county commissioner and the bumbling sheriff.
Lorelai’s reference is to Daisy Duke, Bo and Luke’s cousin, known for her iconic cutoff denim shorts. Yes, this is where the term “Daisy Dukes” comes from. A few years later, Jessica Simpson, an absolutely massive star at the time, famously played her in the movie adaptation.
Rory then tells Headmaster Charleston she watched the movie Schindler’s List. This was a 7X Oscar winner and one of the most popular movies of the time, famously directed by Steven Spielberg. I’m Rory’s age, and we were required to watch it in my high school. But, you should also know it was based on a book by Thomas Keneally, in case you prefer to read like Rory.
To Emily, Lorelai says their lives will be “all work and no play” like the Jack Nicholson line in the movie adaptation of The Shining. Initially written by Stephen King, this atmospheric horror story, set at a haunted, snowed-in hotel was a #1 New York Times bestseller and one of Time magazine’s 100 best mystery and thriller books of all time. Reception to the movie was mixed, but it’s now considered a horror classic.
Famous People
Rory tells Headmaster Charleston she wants to study political science and journalism to be like Christiane Amanpour, who we’ll hear a lot about (and even see as a guest) later in the series. And many rewatches later, I just realized Rory and I chose the same majors. It all makes sense now!
Anyway, Headmaster Charleston questions her, why not Cokie Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Rosie O’Donnell, or the women of The View?
At the time Gilmore Girls aired, Christiane Amanpour was CNN’s chief international correspondent. It was common to see her fearlessly reporting on the ground from conflict zones such as the Gulf War, the Bosnian war, Rwanda, and many other global crises.
The remaining women, on the other hand, were the most famous and popular female network TV journalists of the time, known more for pop culture than breaking news. Remember, the internet was in its early days, so TV was where we retreated to escape. Their shows seemed to be “always on,” kind of like background noise. Both Rosie’s and Oprah’s shows were my 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. routine after school.
I also want to draw attention to Drella, who’s featured playing the harp in this episode. She’s played by Alex Borstein, who was the original Sookie St. James before Melissa McCarthy was cast, and later also appears as Emily’s stylist, Miss Celine. Yes, really! She also won two Emmys for playing Susie in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, another one of Amy Sherman-Palladino’s brilliant creations. I absolutely adored that show and highly recommend it! Last but not least, Borstein was married to Jackson Douglas, who plays Jackson on Gilmore Girls. She’s simply full of fun facts!
Music
As Lorelai and Rory drive through Stars Hollow, “I Don’t Know How to Say Goodbye To You” by Sam Phillips plays. As a reminder, Phillips is the voice of the “la la” sounds in Gilmore Girls, and her songs play repeatedly throughout the Gilmore Girls soundtrack.
Book Tease
Lastly, the time has come for me to be what Jess called Rory—a book tease. Tune in next week, when we dive into Gilmore Girls Episode 1.3 “Kill Me Now,” and books like Peyton Place and A Mencken Chrestomathy. We’ll start to see the shared love of books between Richard and Rory.
Frequently Asked Questions
On Gilmore Girls, Rory Gilmore starts at Chilton Preparatory School during Season 1, Episode 2, “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton.”
In Season 1, Episode 2 of Gilmore Girls, “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton,” Lorelai says to Luke, “This is a jumbo coffee morning. I need coffee in an IV.”
Mick is a DSL installer in Season 1, Episode 2 of Gilmore Girls, “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton.” He’s played by Sean Gunn, who was later cast in the series as recurring character Kirk Gleason.
Related Posts
- Gilmore Girls Season 1 Books
- Books like Gilmore Girls on What to Read Next
- Julianne Buonocore on Meg’s Reading Room
