Gilmore Girls’lowest-rated episode on IMDb changed how the audience viewed Lorelai, and, by extension, her relationships with Rory and Christopher. Though Lorelai and Rory made plenty of mistakes throughoutGilmore Girls’seven-season run – Rory dropping out of Yale, Lorelai running away from Max Medina without telling him – very few of those mistakes felt vastly out of character for them. In one particular episode, though, Lorelai ignored her gut instinct and what was best for her while disregarding Rory’s potential feelings at the same time.
Gilmore Girlsseason 7 is often regarded as the series' weakest season. Behind the scenes, there was a massive shake-up because of The WB’s network merger with UPN, which saw long-time showrunners and creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband, Daniel Palladino, leave the series for its final season. That seismic shift is evident when you watchGilmore Girlsseason 7, which included strange, out-of-place storylines and disjointed character development.One of the most hated parts ofGilmore Girls’seventh season is Lorelai’s relationship with Rory’s father, Christopher, which reaches a tragic low point in the show’s worst-rated episode.
“French Twist” Is Gilmore Girls' Lowest-Rated Episode On IMDb
The Episode’s Ending Is Abrupt And Out Of Character
Season 7, episode 7,“French Twist,” isGilmore Girls’lowest-rated episode on IMDb, with a score of only 6.3 out of 10. This is a significant drop from all otherGilmore Girlsepisodes, which were all rated at least a 7 or above, even in the divisive seventh season. There are several reasons why “French Twist” is rated so low, though it’s certainly to do withLorelai and Christopher’s adventure. In the episode, they fly to Paris with Chris' daughter, G.G., and enjoy a few days in one of the world’s most romantic cities.
Rather than include an interesting storyline, Lorelai and Chris' part of the episode veers strangely off course, forcing them into a weird, jet-lagged, hunger-fueled, fugue-like state. Even ignoring the strange timeline of events, where they wake up at 4 AM and somehow, within an hour, they’ve wandered the streets searching for food without success, come back to the hotel room to have sex, and Christopher manages to bribe a high-end restaurant to open for them at 5 AM, there’s a lot to dislike about Chris' behavior towards Lorelai in this episode and Lorelai’s odd acceptance of it.
Lorelai’s decision to marry Christopher in France completely ignores her relationship with Rory.
When Chris first brings up the idea of marriage at the dinner/breakfast table, Lorelai is wisely hesitant. They’ve only been in an actual, genuine relationship for a few months, though Chris is quick to counter Lorelai’s argument with the fact that they’ve circled each other since they were kids.Rather than sense his girlfriend’s unease, Chris continues to push the concept of marriage. While Lorelai’s answer isn’t shown on screen, we’re reunited with them at the end of the episode, where Chris calls her"Mrs Hayden"and Lorelai fidgets with a brand-new wedding ring.
It’s an unfortunate character choice for Lorelai. Not only does it feel like the writers are forcing her and Christopher to have their moment despite it being painfully obvious that Lorelai and Luke were meant to get back together at some point in the show, but Lorelai’s decision to marry Christopher on a whim in France – the logistics of which are another question entirely, as I find it hard to believe that the French government would allow two American tourists to get legally married there without an extensive paperwork process – completely ignores her relationship with Rory.
This Gilmore Girls Episode Contains Lorelai’s Least Believable Moment Of The Series
Lorelai Would Have Told Rory About Her Plan With Christopher Sooner
We all know that Lorelai’s choice to marry Chris was the wrong decision, and thankfully, Lorelai eventually came to that conclusion, too. Unfortunately, in choosing to go along with Chris’s whirlwind plan, she completely ignores how Rory might feel about it. Lorelai and Rory’s relationship is the heart of the show. They fell out for months because Rory decided to drop out of Yale. Would Lorelai risk another fallout to marry Chris in France, when they could have returned and had Rory join them instead? There’s no way.
Maybe she was in denial. Perhaps she was swept up in the romance. I don’t buy it, though.Lorelai would never neglect Rory before the wedding, and she wouldn’t choose to surprise their daughter with the news at a last-minute dinner.That’s not the Lorelai way. Frankly, Christopher’s insistence on getting married while they were abroad, knowing how much it would mean to Lorelai to have Rory there with her – it makes you wonder if his eldest daughter crossed his mind at any point during this episode – does his character a disservice, too.
Lorelai’s Decision Makes “French Twist” Even More Frustrating To Watch
Her Character Deserved Better Than This
Knowing how the episode ends makes “French Twist” an even more frustrating watch, especially Christopher’s pushiness. I can believe, to an extent, that after all the time Lorelai spent waiting for Luke to commit to her, she’d be inclined to jump at this chance with Christopher. She also needed to learn that her relationship with Christopher was always doomed, so that she could eventually be with Luke, and her marrying him out of the blue was certainly one way to get that point across.
That doesn’t explain why she wouldn’t at least take the time to call Rory beforehand. Lorelai’s explanation in the next episode, where she tells Rory that she didn’t want her daughter to talk her out of it, isn’t so much an explanation as it is a cry for help. If you know, in your heart, that the person you trust the most would somehow talk you out of marrying your partner, even if it’s only because they wanted to be there, shouldn’t that tell you something?Lorelai is more self-aware than that, and the show refused to see it.
Gilmore Girls Calls Lorelai Out On This Out-Of-Character Moment, But It’s Not Enough
Rory Forgave Her Mother Too Easily
To a certain extent,Gilmore Girlsdoes call out Lorelai’s decision to marry Christopher out of the blue, as Rory rightfully becomes angry with her mother after the news is revealed over a plate of snails. She gives her the silent treatment, ignoring Lorelai’s calls and diving into her new networking opportunities. Later, when Lorelai visits Rory at Logan’s apartment,Rory tells her how much it hurt her not to be included, and you can see Lorelai’s heart break just a little. That’s not enough, though.
They still make up soon after, as, despite their tumultuous history, Rory is inexplicably happy that Lorelai and Christopher are married. She quickly forgives her mother when Lorelai explains it would have been too easy to talk her out of going through with the wedding. Shouldn’t that have been a red flag for Rory? Maybe she was blinded by the happy family idea of her parents finally being together, but that makes the entire situation even more of a mess. It’s easy to see why “French Twist” isGilmore Girls’lowest-rated episode; none of the characters act like themselves.
