That Damn Donna Reed

Season 1, Episode 14, Aired
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Episode Summary

An evening of "The Donna Reed Show" reruns infects Dean and both Gilmore Girls -- Dean expresses a longing for the type of family represented by the show, Lorelai helps Luke spruce up the diner with a fresh paint job and new curtains, and Rory dresses up like Donna and fixes a 1950s style dinner for Dean while petsitting Babette's new kitten; when the baby chick that's the subject of Rory's midterm project gets loose in the house, Lorelai frantically calls Luke to help her search the house; both Sookie and Emily force Lorelai to confront her feelings for Luke; Christopher roars into town on his motorcycle, and agrees to stay at Lorelai's and Rory's during his visit.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (18)

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  • Christopher returns (Part 1) and Rory plays subject of Dean.

    8.5
    "Great"
    By IsisIsabella, Dec 27, 2008 Report Abuse
    This episode should have been called 'That damn Christopher', I mean: COME ON! That guy arrives totally out of the blue in his handsomeness and on his roaring motorbike and there Lorelai goes... Swoosh! I know he's Rory's father and they had a thing (well a huge thing since they had a baby together), but give me a break! People move on. Apparently, they don't. Not even after 16 years! I get it, and I like an ever-lasting love, but you can just FEEL that this will end wrong and they can't ever possibly end up together. And yes, this bugs me. I mean, look at Luke: he's the right guy for Lorelai and that's why they waited so long to put them together (4 seasons!), and I know that's series-rules, but jeez! I don't like Christopher. And where's Max? I mean, she did not get over him yet! Good thing she painted Luke's diner, but it should've been the two of them together. They already had an almost-kiss while hiding for Taylor's crazy photographers, so please! Let's continue with Rory: she's too good for Dean. And I don't mean that in an arrogant way; I'm just saying she would never give up her studies and career to be with him and prepare him dinner every evening. I know she has the talent to handle a household, but she has so many talents! In this episode I really saw it: they will never end up together. So you could also call this episode revealing. In a sad way then, for Rory/Dean-fans, and definitely for Luke/Lorelai-fans.

    I did like this episode, I REALLY adored the first scene a classic (dean and his salad :))moreless

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  • Someone from the past returns. A good episode but at times it was boring.

    8.9
    "Great"
    By stewie1423, Jul 29, 2008 Report Abuse
    This was good, probably my least favourite in a while but it was still great. I think I preferred Lorelai's story here, with Luke. We get to see there chemistry even more and there like for each other is so obvious. Enjoyed Emily confronting Lorelai about why Luke was at Lorelai's house. She then admits, she might have feelings for Luke.

    The whole Donna Reed thing was alright, not the most exciting storyline. Rory's disgust at Dean was amusing and how they started arguing over it was entertaining. Rory dressing in that apron, okay I guess. I liked how Lorelai was looking for the bird with Luke. They nearly kissed a few times n this episode.

    Lanes room continues to amuse me, how the cds are under the floor boards. Oh, Christopher's return should make the show even more interesting. But sometimes, I was just bored!moreless

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  • Lorelai has fun getting the diner painted with Luke, and Rory goes on a Donna Reed kick

    9.1
    "Superb"
    By leo23dc, Jun 05, 2008 Report Abuse
    The show starts off with Lorelai, Rory and Dean watching an episode of "The Donna Reed show." Dean makes some comments about how he thinks Donna Reed was an exemplary wife, and Lorelai and Rory jump on him. Finally, he just decides to shut up. Then Lorelai is at the diner with Luke, when Taylor asks him to paint the diner. At first, he says no, but when Lorelai asks him too, he agrees to paint it. Luke and Lorelai spend a lot of time in this episode looking at paint samples, gathering painting supplies, etc. Their attraction to each other is obvious. Rory brings up a chick in a birdcage for a science project. When the bird gets out, Lorelai calls on Luke to help. Luke makes the comment "Oh, you really do have a chick here" which Lorelai is puzzled by. Later, when she talks to Sookie about this, Sookie says that maybe Luke thought her asking for help finding the chick was "code for 'I'm not wearing any underwear." She pins Lorelai down on why she called Luke, rather than Sookie or anyone of a number of other people she could call. Later, Emily pins her down about Luke, too, and Lorelai admits she might have feelings for him.

    Rory dresses up like Donna Reed and fixes Dean dinner. She does a fantastic job and Dean is overwhelmed. As he goes to take out the trash he meets Luke coming out with a broken lamp. Then Lorelai sees Rory in an apron and pumps and teases her. At Friday night dinner, Rory doesn't want Lorelai to reveal why she was wearing an apron, so Lorelai tells Richard and Emily that Rory was planning on becoming a maid, like she was. They don't think this is funny.moreless

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  • Luke and Lorelai plan to paint the diner, rory dresses up like donna reed for dean

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By gosoxjavajunkie, Jan 09, 2008 Report Abuse
    This is an awesome episode. I am a huge javajunkie (hence the name :P ) and this episode is one of the greatest luke and lorelai episodes of the show. Lorelai convinces luke that the diner needs a spruce, he doesnt want to agree, then she sings her infamous painting song, and he of course, does what she wants him to. She goes to the diner to choose paint samples, and they almosy kiss. Lorelai calls luke to her house to help find stella, rory's chick for school, and luke seems surprised that she was actually calling about a chick lol. Emily makes lorelai that she actually does have feelings for luke :)moreless

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  • It was okay.

    8.5
    "Great"
    By VGFreak8, Dec 06, 2007 Report Abuse
    Rory agrees to help cat-sit for Babette. Lorelai convinces Luke to paint his shop. Emily accusses Lorelai of having feelings for Luke. Rory and Dean have an argument after watching the Donna Reed show. Dean thinks that the wife should cook for her husband and Rory disagrees. Rory invites Dean over and they make up. Rory has prepared a home-cooked meal and is wearing an apron. Lorelai accidentally loses Rory's chick and asks Luke to help her.

    This was an okay episode. I didn't like it that much. I think Luke and Lorelai are good for each other! This episode gets an 8.5 out of 10 from me!moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • In this episode, Luke and Lorelai almost kiss; this foreshadows their future relationship. Edit
    • In this episode, the phone at Luke's is a cordless, but the phone has a cord in all the other episodes. Edit
    • In this episode, Lorelai tells Sookie she and Rory found Apricot in the piano. In the book novelization, Rory narrates that they found Apricot curled up in one of Morey's slippers. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • German episode title: "Küken-Alarm", meaning "Chick Alarm". Edit
    • This episode marks the first appearance of Christopher, Lorelai's ex and Rory's father. Edit
    • Music: - "Sunday Best" by Grant Lee Phillips - "Flower Girl In Bordeaux" by Esquivel - "Johnny Angel" by Shelley Fabares - "Beautiful Dreamers" by Grant Lee Phillips Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • (Richard and Emily have finally managed to secure a place on Martha's Vineyard) Emily: The two of you must come up for the weekend. It is so lovely. Rory would just love it. Rory: (speaking to Lorelai) Can we go for a weekend? Lorelai: We'll see how much Valium Auntie Sookie can lend Mommy, OK? Edit
    • Lorelai: So you're saying Luke thought I made up a crazy story about a chick being loose in the house just to get him in bed? Sookie: Not just to get him in bed, but maybe he thought you wanted to see him and you didn't know how to say it. Lorelai: That's nuts. Sookie: A woman asking a man to come over late at night to her house. Come on. Lorelai: Yeah. But this is Luke we're talking about. Sookie: Uh-huh. Why did you call him? Lorelai: Because I needed help. Sookie: Yeah. Why didn't you call me? Lorelai: Because I assumed you would be with Jackson. Sookie: Uh-huh. Lorelai: Well I did. Sookie: Why didn't you call Rory? Lorelai: Because she would have been furious to find out that Stella was missing. Sookie: Why didn't you call Patty? She raises chickens. Lorelai: Sookie. Sookie: Or Andrew? He lives right around the corner, doesn't he? Lorelai: What is your point? Sookie: My point is that you called Luke. Out of all the people in town that you could have called that would have come over and dropped what they were doing, you called Luke. Lorelai: Because I had just been with him. We were picking out paint samples. He was on my mind. It was purely a timing thing. Sookie: Picking out samples. Lorelai: Yes. Sookie: For Luke's place. Lorelai: Yes. Sookie: So you could paint together. Lorelai: Once again, yes! Sookie: Mm-hmm. Which I believe was your idea. Lorelai: OK, so now the fact that I suggested painting Luke's diner also means that I wanted to get him in bed. All of a sudden I'm trying to get any poor, unsuspecting person in bed with me. I'm like... I'm Michael Douglas! Sookie: Lorelai. This... Lorelai: Just... thanks for the omelette. Sookie: No, honey, I'm sorry. I don't want you to be mad. Don't be mad at me. Lorelai: I'm not mad, I'm not mad. I'm tired. Sookie: OK. You know, Luke is a really nice man. Lorelai: Bye, Sookie. Edit
    • Richard: We always go to the Vineyard at this time of year. Lorelai: Well, you know, you could break the chain, Dad. Go to Paris. Rory: Yes, Paris! Lorelai: Impressionism, poodles. Rory: Crème brûlée. Lorelai: Oh, that's great! Richard: Impossible! Lorelai: Pourquoi? (speaking to Rory) French. Emily: We only go to Europe in the fall. Lorelai: You know, Mom, I heard a rumor Europe's still there in the spring. Rory: I heard that too. Emily: We know that it's there in the spring but we never go in the spring because we always go in the fall. Lorelai: It's getting a little too Lewis Carroll for me. Richard: Well what is so interesting about Europe in the spring? Lorelai: Spring vegetables. Emily: You want us to go to Europe to eat a vegetable? Lorelai: No, Mom. I don't know. There's all kinds of stuff. There's festivals and, you know, Europe. Emily: In the fall. Richard: It costs a fortune to travel first class in Europe. We only do it every two years. Emily: In the fall. Richard: It's just not in the budget this year. Lorelai: You don't have to fly first class. (Emily and Richard both look stunned) Lorelai: 'Cause there's always coach. (Richard looks even more stunned) Lorelai: (taken aback) Or business class is slightly less. There's deals on the Internet. (Richard and Emily remain silent) Hmm. (to Rory)Pass the potatoes. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Rory and Lorelai are watching The Donna Reed Show at the beginning of the episode. This 1958 show is about a close family, the Stones. Edit
    • Lorelai: She's medicated. Rory: And acting from a script. Lorelai: Written by a man. Rory: Well said, Sister Suffragette When she says Sister Suffragette she is talking about the suffragists who fought for many years trying to get women's rights. Edit
    • Babbette: (To Rory) And Morey just got cable so you can watch those 4 girls talking dirty if you want to. This is a reference to HBO's Sex and the City. Edit

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