Tattoo

CLARA: Rory just said you had things to do.

JESS: Hey Tattoo, just look at the plane, will ya?

A reference to the fantasy drama television series Fantasy Island which aired from 1977 to 1984. It starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr Roarke, who owned an island where people could pay to live out their fantasy for a weekend.

Tattoo, played by French actor HervĂ© Villechaize, was his diminutive and energetic sidekick. Tattoo would run up the main bell tower to ring the bell and shout “De plane! De plane!” to announce the arrival of a new set of guests at the beginning of each episode. This line, shown at the beginning of the series’ credits, became an unlikely catchphrase because of Villechaize’s spirited delivery and French accent.

Jess Goes to the Winter Carnival

Jess and Rory have plans to meet up at 9 pm after the winter carnival, as Jess doesn’t want to go. However, Rory “coincidentally” runs into Dean on the way, who is taking his little sister Clara to the carnival. Clara asks if Rory can go to the carnival with she and Dean, and before she has a chance to give an answer, Jess suddenly decides he is going too. He possessively puts his hand on Rory’s back while they walk behind Dean and Clara.

Jess is not only irritated that Rory is being friendly with Dean and that he feels forced to accompany Rory to the carnival, but by Clara’s insistent questions and comments to him. Clara is ten or eleven by now, but behaves more like a child of five or six in this episode.

We’ve never seen her act like this before, she’s always been quiet and rather sweet, if a little young for her age, so I wonder if Clara is deliberately trying to annoy Jess. She may see him as the horrible boy who took Rory away from Dean, and therefore away from her as well. Between Dean and Clara, Jess has the awful time at the carnival he had been expecting.

Weezer

LORELAI: So, Gran, what do you think? I mean, it’s not much. Probably too modest for Korn, but Weezer would be pretty comfortable.

Weezer, alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1992. Their 1994 self-titled debut album, also known as “The Blue Album”, became a multiplatinum success, while their 1996 album Pinkerton was a commercial failure and received mixed reviews, but attained cult status and eventual critical acclaim. In 2001, Weezer returned with another self-titled album, known as “The Green Album”. It was a commercial success with mostly positive reviews.

Weezer’s relaxed thrift store chic image is presumably why Lorelai thinks they would be more at home in her house. The lead singer of Weezer actually lives in a multimillion house in Santa Monica.

Marlo Thomas and Tina Louise

FRANCIE: You do not wanna be my enemy, Marlo Thomas.

RORY: I think I do, Tina Louise.

Margaret “Marlo” Thomas (born 1937) [pictured], actress, producer, author, and social activist. She is best known for starring on the sitcom That Girl (1966-1971). She has received three Primetime Emmy Awards, a Daytime Emmy, a Golden Globe, a Peabody Award, a Grammy Award for a children’s album, and has been inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014.

Tina Louise (born Tina Blacker in 1934), actress best known for her role playing Hollywood movie star Ginger Grant on the sitcom Gilligan’s Island (1964-67). She won a Golden Globe in 1958 as New Star of the Year for her role in the film God’s Little Acre.

Rory and Francie both identify each other with actresses based on their hair colour.

The Art of War

RORY: You wanna play rough, fine. I’ve read The Art of War.

The Art of War, ancient Chinese military treatise dating from roughly 5th century BC. The work, attributed to the military strategist Sun Tzu (“Master Sun”), is composed of 13 chapters. Each one is devoted to a different set of skills or art related to warfare and how it applies to military strategy and tactics.

The Art of War remains the most influential strategy text in East Asian warfare and has influenced both Far Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, legal strategy, politics, sports, lifestyles and beyond.