Category: S1Ep12: Double Date

Sookie and Jackson

This episode marks the beginning of Sookie and Jackson’s relationship, and from now on we can feel completely secure that Sookie’s relationship needs are taken care of, and that any star-crossed lovers dating plot-lines will belong to Lorelai and Rory, the protagonists of the story.

As Sookie was originally going to be played by Alex Borstein (Drella), and Borstein was then married to Jackson Douglas, who plays Jackson in Gilmore Girls, it is likely that that it was always planned for Sookie and Jackson to be a couple eventually.

Mealworms

We learn from Lorelai that Jackson cultivates his own mealworms to help fertilise his plants.

Mealworms are the larval form of the mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor), a type of what is called “darkling beetles”. Originally from the ancient Mediterranean region, they have spread all over the world.

Mealworms can be raised to produce composted garden fertiliser from their castings (manure), in the same manner as worm farms. This seems to be why Jackson is cultivating them.

“You break, you buy”

MRS. KIM: You break, you buy!

This is of dubious legality. In the US, sometimes a customer would have to pay at least partially for an item they broke negligently or on purpose, but US law is so complex that it is hard to say what would actually occur if it went to court. In this case, Kim’s Antiques is so cluttered that the customer could easily have argued that the Kims themselves were responsible for the breakage.

Convent in Siberia

RORY: Your mom’s really mad huh?
LANE: The words “convent” and “Siberia” were both used several times and at least once as a combo.

It’s not clear why Mrs. Kim, a practicing and devout Seventh Day Adventist, would send her daughter to a convent, which are generally Catholic, Anglican, or Orthodox. I’m guessing either Lane is exaggerating, or Mrs. Kim was babbling threatening nonsense in a terrified (and terrifying) rage.

However, if Mrs. Kim was determined to send Lane to a convent in Siberia, there is a small one in the city of Omsk, Siberia – the Beatas Olimpia y Laurencia. It is highly unlikely that they would accept Lane though.

Rapunzel

[Rory climbed a tree to get to Lane’s bedroom window. Knocks.]
LANE: Hey.
RORY: What’s up, Rapunzel?

Rapunzel is the title character in a German fairy tale, a girl with remarkable long hair who is kept locked in a tower by a witch she knows only as her adoptive mother. First published in the Brothers Grimm’s Children’s and Household Tales (1812), the story is based on a 17th century Italian fairy tale, and may be inspired by tales of Saint Barbara, whose father locked her in a tower, or even by pre-Christian sun goddess myths.

Rory is likening Lane’s situation to the well known fairy tale character, and saying that Lane is being unfairly imprisoned by her mother, just like Rapunzel.

“I’m a babe”

LORELAI: Hey, you know the one good thing we all learned from this?
RORY: What?
LORELAI: [smiling] That I’m a babe.

After the constant flow of insults on her appearance from Rune that night, Lorelai is pleased to receive a hearty endorsement from Todd, a sixteen year old idiot. It’s a tiny bit sad, but shows how badly her vanity was wounded (and how fragile her ego must be).

Although Rory is clearly unimpressed with Todd anyway, his attraction to her mother and to her best friend Lane provides a convenient excuse as to why Dean’s best friend Todd is never shown hanging around with Dean and Rory again.

The Great Santini

LORELAI: Look, I know that Mrs. Kim and Robert Duvall in The Great Santini share a striking resemblance, but she is Lane’s mom.

The Great Santini is a 1979 drama film written and directed by Lewis John Carlino, based on the novel of the same name by Pat Conroy. The movie is about Lt. Col. Wilbur “Bull” Meechum (Robert Duvall), a pilot known as “The Great Santini” by his fellow Marines. Meechum has a terrifying temper, and is a stern disciplinarian to his teenaged children. The Great Santini failed at the box office, but was well received by critics.

It is notable that Meechum’s children are accustomed to their father’s strict rules, and his sensitive son does everything he can to win his father’s respect and affection. In the same way, Lane never openly rebels against her mother, and submits to Mrs. Kim’s rules. You can tell that Lane really does love her mother very much, even while she chafes against her restrictions.

Red Vines

MRS. KIM: They [the girls] could be anywhere, they could be doing anything. Smoking, or drinking, or buying drugs!
LORELAI: They’re at the movies. There’s no drugs there. They don’t even have the real Red Vines.

Red Vines is a brand of red licorice candy made by the American Licorice Company. The current flavour has been used since 1952.

Lorelai and Rory seem to be very fond of them as Lorelai said Dean had saved their movie night when he gave Lorelai the Red Vines she had forgotten at the supermarket. Red Vines are also one of Amy Sherman-Palladino’s favourite candies. The Black-White-Read Bookstore apparently only sells generic red licorice.

 

Five-card draw

Luke and Lorelai play five-card draw in the diner together. This is the simplest form of poker, and the kind most often played between friends for fun. It’s also the basis for video poker. The rules are simple, but Lorelai breaks them immediately by asking for another four cards to replace the first four she was dealt.