Twenty-One is the Loneliest Number

Season 6, Episode 7, Aired
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Episode Summary

Lorelai refuses to listen to Richard's plan to bribe Rory into resuming school, saying that Rory has to want to go back on her own. Both Rory and Lorelai are saddened by the fact that their estrangement is keeping them apart on Rory's 21st birthday. Emily takes it upon herself to plan a party for her granddaughter when Rory shows no interest in the event. Richard and Emily find out that Rory and Logan have been sleeping together. Lorelai tries to convince Luke to participate in her mad scientist Halloween skit.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (48)

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  • Rory turns 21 and Emily throws her a party, Lorelai attends the event. Best episode in the season yet, please let there be a reunion soon.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By stewie1423, Aug 22, 2008 Report Abuse
    Rory's 21, it's weird that we've been watching her since she was sixteen and buy how she has changed. These last episodes, two to be exact have shown the old Rory. She obviously doesn't like where she's going but can't see or stop it herself. The scene where that woman was her mother was funny, it was the same conversation they had in Rory's Birthday Parties in early season one.

    I liked how they both missed each other it just proves that they should not be apart. The Atlantic city birthday sounded just like them, too bad it couldn't happen. Lorelai declines Richard's offer to strike up another plan, which was fair because he ruined the first one to begin with.

    Emily and Richard find out that Rory is having sex which horrifies them. This was amusing. Seeing Rory talk to Luke and Lorelai was brilliant but there was a sad tone to it. I loved her conversation with Luke, it's the first time she's connected with someone in ages. Then her talk with Lorelai was heartbreaking, tears in Lorelai's eyes, it was so awkward.

    Then Lorelai leaves because she's too sad, even though Rory invited her nothing is different....hopefully not for long.moreless

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  • Rory celebrates her birthday at a party thrown by her grandparents.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By KCMask, Oct 24, 2007 Report Abuse
    One of my favorite eppys because so much changes in this one hour. Richard realizes what a mistake he's made going against Lorelai and drinks in his study. Rory and Lorelai realize their mistakes when both talk about old plans of going to Atlantic City. Emily realizes she may have made a mistake catering to Rory's needs. Lorelai is thrilled when Rory calls to check on her rsvp status and really wants to attend the party. I love Emily's "Pearl" references to her 21st party so long ago "Oh to be 21 again". There's a great moment when Paris announces she's the editor of the Yale paper and Lorelai casts a look at Rory...knowing she wanted that job. Rory starts to realize she may have made a mistake. The DAR jokes that Luke gives ("what is the DAR") are priceless. Love the "Rory" drink as well. Just a perfect episode. By the way, Richard also tells Emily he doesn't want Rory to "waste her life" by doing all the things she's done over the years like throw parties. The whole sex thing is hilarious as well. The ministers' talk with Rory? Great...and the fact that she says the "ship has sailed...probably in Fiji by now"!moreless

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  • rory's 21st

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By friendsandggfan, Apr 11, 2007 Report Abuse
    wow rory is 21 , well this was a good episode but i think logan should have gone and spoke to lorelai and convinced her to do the alantic city thing they both wanted it so much . it was great to see lorelai show up at the party but it was so not rory to have this at her grandparents house well not like the old rory anyway . it is so sad not to have lorelai and rory celebrating her 21 st together . o m g its so hard to make 100 words . . . .moreless

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  • Rory's 21st birthday

    10
    "Perfect"
    By amfarley84, Nov 20, 2006 Report Abuse
    I thought that this was a very good episode. I thought that it was very sad that both Lorelai and Rory talked about what they were supposed to do for Rory's 21st birthday they were going to go to Alantic City and drink gamble and shop on that day and not that they are not talking and it did not happen. I found it strange that Rory did not tell Logan about her birthday coming up. I thought that it was nice of Lorelai to go to the party and talking to Rory. It was nice to see them talking again evan though it did not happen for long.moreless

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  • whao! it started really well. i felt sorry for richard cos i know he's at his wits end with how to get rory back to school. it was sad watching lorelai and rory reminisce on the 21st birthday plans they had been making since, it brought tears to my eyes!moreless

    9.2
    "Superb"
    By stephshady, Aug 25, 2006 Report Abuse
    oh the hillarious part was watching richard and emily leave it upto the priest to talk to rory about the birds and bees, that was priceless, rory of saying the ship sailed since i nearly fell off my couch. i really like logan with rory, ihope things work out for them. the scene with richard in the library was pitiful, how he went on and on about providing rory with a sex bed etc etc. it was sad. lorelai should try and have another child methinks.it was really a bit melancholic. but an amazing episode.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • This is the second time Rory has had a birthday party. The first time was in the season 1 episode "Rory's Birthday Parties" when she turned 16. Edit
    • Rory's cake is chocolate praline crunch. Her signature drink is pink, and called "The Rory". The recipe for a Rory is the same as for a flirtini (champagne, vodka, pineapple juice) with grenadine added for a pink coloring. Lorelai later complains that only a martini should be served in a martini glass, not realizing the drink is a known martini variant. Edit
    • The scene where Madeline Albright is Rory's mother (in Rory's dream) is word-for-word the conversation Lorelai had with Rory in the season 1 episode "Rory's Birthday Parties". Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Music: -"Seventh Son" by Mose Allison -"Always True To You In My Own Fashion" by Blossom Dearie? -"Everything I've Got (Belongs to You)" by Blossom Dearie -"Happy Birthday" Edit
    • French episode title: "Vingt Et Un An Et Le Monde A Conquérir", meaning "21 Years Old And The World To Conquer". Edit
    • This episode drew 6,02 million viewers. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Tweeny: You have exquisite taste, Luke. I'm Tweeny Halpurn.
      (They shake hands.)
      Rory: Tweeny works with me at the DAR.
      Luke: What's the DAR?
      (Tweeny laughs hysterically.)
      Luke: I'm killing with that line tonight. Edit
    • Richard: Did you hear, Rory joined the D.A.R.? Lorelai: Yeah, I saw the picture in the paper. Richard: She's running around planning tea parties like the Mad Hatter! All she talks about are seating charts and canopies and fundraisers. Edit
    • Emily: Was the Mortigans' Dalmatian trying to mate with our lion statues again? Richard: No, it was not the Mortigans' Dalmatian. It was Rory and Logan. Emily: How natural selection hasn't wiped out dogs like that, I'll never know. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • When Emily is talking to Logan about his plans for Rory's birthday, she mentions that she does not want to plan a party if he has plans to whisk her off to Santorini. In The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the character Alexis Bledel (Rory) plays, Lena, goes to visit her grandparents in Santorini. Edit
    • Rory: So, have you seen the Forty-Year-Old Virgin? 'Cause you might like it. The 40-Year-Old Virgin is a comedy film starring Steve Carell and following Carell's character struggles and efforts to have his first sexual relationship with a woman. Edit
    • Lorelai: You haven't heard the half of it. Okay, and so I come out and do mad scientist banter, like, 'Hey, who here's from Bellevue?' and 'Girl, Interrupted, now that's my idea of a feel-good movie!' Eh, I'll work on it. But anyway, after that, I'm going to drag you out! Bellevue is an informal expression for "psychiatric hospital", due to the fame of the psychiatric services of Bellevue Hospital. Girl, Interrupted is a 1999 film starring Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie based on the memoirs of Susanna Kaysen who spent a year and a half in a mental institution. Edit

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