Category: S3Ep12: Lorelai Out of Water

Cahoots

LORELAI: Two dates with this guy and you’re already in cahoots with each other.

In cahoots, informal language meaning “colluding or conspiring secretly”. The word came into English from French, via the Scots. It’s found in Scots English in the 16th century as cahute, French for “cabin, small hut”. It may be a corruption of the French word cohorte, which meant a companion or partner.

Upon getting back from her fishing date with Alex, Lorelai says her next date with him will be camping. In winter! She has become frog girl. The relationship already feels doomed.

Note the rare chance to see the Gilmore girls’ bathroom in this scene.

Jayne Mansfield

LORELAI: The cork fell off my hook and Jayne Mansfield over here bit … Not the brightest fish in the pond, but she’s awfully pretty.

Jayne Mansfield, born Vera Palmer (1933-1967), actress, singer, nightclub entertainer, and Playboy Playmate. A sex symbol of the 1950s and early 1960s, Mansfield was known for her personal life and publicity stunts. Her film career was short-lived, but she had several box-office successes and won a 1956 Theatre World Award for Will Sucess Spoil Rock Hunter?, and a 1957 Golden Globe Award for The Girl Can’t Help It [pictured].

Mansfield was married three times, including to Mickey Hargitay, previously discussed. She is the mother of actress Mariska Hargitay. When Jayne was killed in a car accident at the age of 34, Mariska was one of three children asleep in the back seat, who survived with minor injuries.

Although Lorelai has called the fish Jayne because she’s not very bright, Jayne Mansfield had a reported IQ of 149, received solid if unspectacular grades at school, attended acting classes at several universities, and spoke five languages.

“You’re not Korean”

MRS. KIM: He’s not Korean.
[cut to front hallway]
DAVE: Lane? Hey, Lane? Is everything all right?
LANE: You’re not Korean.

Just as Mrs Kim has blindsided Lane, so she too receives a shock when Lane says she wants to go to the prom with Dave. It’s clear that Mrs Kim quite likes Dave, but has never considered him as someone her daughter might date – Lane and Dave have been so very careful not to let anyone know they are seeing each other. Mrs Kim has always imagined Lane dating a Korean boy, and can’t yet get past that.

Lane is naturally devastated. The red roses in the scene seem to offer hope for the future.

Loma Linda University

MRS. KIM: Young Chui works for his father who builds Adventist hospitals. Young Chui will go to college at Loma Linda University. Then he will return to work for his father building Adventist hospitals.

Loma Linda University, private Seventh-day Adventist health sciences university in Loma Linda, California, near San Bernardino. It was founded in 1906, gained university status in 1961, and has about 7000 students.

Young Chui

MRS. KIM: This is Young Chui … He will take you to the prom.

Mrs Kim agreed that Lane could go to prom if she could approve the date. Lane thought that meant she had plenty of time to convince her mother that Dave would make a suitable escort for the prom. Instead, Mrs Kim blindsides her by suddenly producing a nice suitable Korean Seventh Day Adventist boy to take her.

Young Chui is a Korean boy’s name meaning “eternally firm”. The role of Young Chui is played by Samson Yi, who has had a few TV roles, and made his own comedy film.

Elks Lodge

MRS. KIM: Reception at Elks Lodge. Two hundred guests. Food goes fast. Let’s move.

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order founded in 1868, originally as a social club in New York City which borrowed rites and practices from Freemasonry. They focus on social activities, charitable causes, and patriotic events. Until 1973 they were an all-white orgnisation, and they only admitted women in 1995.

In real life, there are numerous Elks Lodges in Connecticut, including one in Hartford [pictured] – which you really can hire for weddings. I think this one is meant to be in Stars Hollow, which maybe seems a little small to have an Elks Lodge.

Ave Maria

This is the song at James’ wedding, performed by Dave Rygalski, and sung by Ho Kyung.

Composed by Franz Schubert in 1825, it was originally part of his 1825 Op. 52 a setting of seven songs from Walter Scott’s 1810 popular narrative poem The Lady of the Lake, loosely translated into German, where it is known as “Ellens dritter Gesang” (Ellen’s Third Song, in English).

It is often performed and recorded by many singers under the title “Ave Maria” (the Latin name of the prayer Hail Mary, and also the opening words and refrain of Ellen’s song, a song which is itself a prayer to the Virgin Mary), in musically simplified arrangements and with various lyrics that commonly differ from the original context of the poem. It was arranged in three versions for piano by Franz Liszt.

One of Schubert’s most popular works, it has become a fixture at weddings. Although an overtly Catholic song, it is sometimes performed at Seventh Day Adventist weddings, although with a certain amount of disapproval from strict quarters. Apparently Mrs Kim is not as strict in her religion as you might think – perhaps she simply loves beautiful music.

I presume that the pastor performing the wedding service is “Reverend” Melmin (he would actually be a pastor), previously mentioned as helping Mrs Kim select a suitable college for Lane to attend.

Luke Asks Nicole on a Date

LUKE: No, no, no, uh, what I meant was – ah, what the hell? Would you like to have dinner with me sometime?
NICOLE: Yeah.

It’s pretty obvious that, besides being flattered by Nicole’s attention, Luke asks her on a date primarily because he knows Lorelai is dating Alex. Jess has already criticised Luke for waiting around for Lorelai like a faithful dog, and has nagged him to ask Nicole out. Finding out that Lorelai is out on a date with a coffee shop owner who’s outdoorsy and likes fishing (sounding suspiciously similar to Luke) is the final straw that pushes him towards Nicole.

In this scene we learn that a cup of coffee at Luke’s cost seventy-five cents. That sounds like a bargain for what every character seems to believe is the best coffee in the world.

Notice that in the background to this scene, someone walks behind Luke and Nicole wearing what appears to be a maroon and gold Gryffindor scarf from Harry Potter.